ReadingBetweenTheLines

There are plenty of things that LR could do with these last 3 games that even if we'd lost all of them he'd be coming out with more credit than he is currently. You can't call it building for next season, put out these XIs and performances and not get pelters

So I sort of get playing as strong a team as possible but to do it in a way that results in a 541 Vs a relegated team when there is nothing to play for 🤯 then when the team is pretty crap to not take the easy win of giving decent mins to some young players its self sabotage

More of what reads to me as complete own goals from Richardson today. I can't really wrap my head around the thinking either. I can understand going all out to win this game. Even if I don't think scraping more wins is what LR needs, I get wanting to go into next yr off some wins

I have penned some thoughts on what we might and might not see from Richardson and #Readingfc in the run-in. Excuse any typos 😅 currently horrendously jetlagged readingbtl.co.uk/2026/04/17/can…

@ramy_abousetta 🙄 also took over from a successful manager and tried to keep that continuity as long as he could

No pre-season, no recruitment, no time to implement an entire new philosophy - Just full steam ahead football and trying to keep morale high whilst the club was in turmoil. Yet this season there are constant excuses - lack of fitness, personnel and more.

Was just writing a preview for Doncaster and noticed this. Reading's form under Leam Richardson since start of 2026: 33 points in 20 games (9W 6D 5L) v Hunt at this point last season (2025 only): 28 points in 18 games (7W 7D 4L) - Just lost Sam Smith too. #readingfc

I wrote this about Beattie & Kelvin back in Dec over on readingbtl.co.uk. There was definitely some wishful thinking on my part but I did think the early signs were there even back then. After performances over the last couple weeks it feels undeniable that we are seeing

Never seen a player get themselves out of position more than Savage. Outside chance he makes it work if given a strict remit but it'll be fighting his natural tendencies. It'll be like those videos of dogs trying not to eat their owners food when they leave the room

People are saying things like "worst performance since Mansfield" and "try just one more long ball". @TheTilehurstEnd still no shot in the 2nd half? #readingfc

We've got Williams/Lane playing LWB and then no outlets in our attack *again*. Doyle has been subbed as usual after an hour because we aren't bothering to attempt passing.

Rough watch so far. The sheer volume of aimless long balls from Dorsett/Savage/Williams/Nyambe has been painful. How do you expect to attack when those balls aren't even going *close* to Kelvin? #readingfc

Agreed, if you’ve only seen a clip, go and watch the full video on YouTube. Good on him for talking about his struggles - as he mentions, social media only shows people’s highlights, never their lowlights. Hope he’s okay and can kick on with his career next season. #readingfc

the full version of the Tivonge Rushesha video is really sad. must have taken a lot for him to post it, and it's clear this season's been hugely challenging for him psychologically wish it hadn't been clipped up and put onto Twitter tbh #ReadingFC

Conversely I look at Joel going through a bad patch of form and just instively prickle at the idea it's because we promoted our U21s GK coach in the summer and he's not very good. Feels a massive oversimplification. I don't know where to draw the line between those 2 thoughts

Joel's poor form has brought up something that I am internally so conflicted about. Objectively, I think good coaching staff make a difference. It's not always an easy 1:1 correlation but I definitely do think good coaches make a difference, individually & collectively.

Some goals are unavoidable. That was not one of those goals. Surrendered territory a couple of minutes ago cheaply, then the defending wide there... #readingfc

Well it's more front foot football for sure.

Beyond the actual formation, Reading can't get a balance of profiles in the lineup. Williams at LWB is the only runner in the team. 3 very stiff midfielders. Doyle coming into #10 with no-one going outside him on the right. Bit Paul Ince-y in that lineup tonight. #readingfc

@andyrfc1871 Yep, my point exactly. Plenty of Bradford was bad. Plenty of Luton was bad.

@ReadingBTL It was never working, those results only came from having to change it up because his plan wasn’t working, so his idea is to chuck strikers on all over, so far the only Jan signing that looks an improvement is ward, the rest are just dire #readingfc

This is abysmal right? Feels pretty fitting that Savage backing out of a block has taken it past Pereira. Just ridiculous for Richardson to see our performances against Bradford/Luton and surmise that the starting setup was *working*. #readingfc