Reading v Cardiff Preview

The second Championship playoff game sees a Reading side who finished the season in 4th place take on Cardiff who ended just one place higher in 3rd. It would be fair to say that both clubs had completely different campaigns, with Cardiff being up there for the majority of the season while Reading’s final position was mainly due to some superb form over the last few months.

Reading have certainly enjoyed an eventful campaign and the very fact that only two other sides in the division have scored more goals than them this year speaks volumes about their entertaining brand of football. It would be fair to say that it took a while for their season to get going and after spending so much of the term in the mid-table positions, a lot of their supporters gave up on promotion. However, a superb finish to the season has seen them lose just once since the start of February and that means Brian McDermott’s men have every chance of making a return to the Premiership. They approach this clash having won three out of their last six and after beating Derby 2-1 in their last match, there should be plenty of confidence at the Madejski Stadium.

Dave Jones has said that the hurt of losing last season’s playoff final should be enough to motivate his side through the program this year. The Bluebirds lost 3-2 to Blackpool although considering the squad that Jones has at his disposal, there was never much doubt about how they would fare this term. The Welsh side have been hot on the heels of 2nd place throughout the campaign and while some will say that Jones’ side has “bottled it” again, others will look at the year as another success. Just like their opponents, Cardiff have managed three wins from their last six but they have looked a little frail in recent weeks. They were thrashed 3-0 at home to Middlesbrough before then being held to a 1-1 draw with Burnley, meaning that their season didn’t end as fruitfully as Jones would have wished for.

As for team news, Reading have been handed a big boost ahead of the fixture as Mikele Leigertwood returns to the squad. The former Sheffield United midfielder has been struggling with an ankle problem but Brendan Rodgers will now have him back available. Cardiff also have just the one piece of news to report, with goalkeeper Tom Heaton back in contention after recovering from a groin injury.

In terms of a prediction, we think Reading will get the win here. The Royals have enjoyed a stunning end to the season and considering their attacking prowess, our tip will be a 3-2 victory for Brian McDermott’s side.

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May 13, 2011 • Tags: Cardiff, V Cardiff • Posted in: Sport Betting Reviews

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