Playoff Final (The Big One) - Reading v Swansea

grenache

v


Monday May 30, Wembley Stadium, K.O. 3pm, Live on Sky Sports 1.





Match Odds (Paddy Power) Reading 8/5, Swansea 17/10, Draw 9/4.


TEAM NEWS

Reading are hoping winger Jimmy Kebe, who has missed their last six matches because of a thigh injury, can play a part at Wembley.

The Royals can call upon Hal Robson-Kanu, who has recovered from the groin injury he suffered during the semi-final against Cardiff.

Swansea City are able to recall defender Neil Taylor.

He was suspended for the semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest after being sent off in the first leg.

MATCH PREVIEW

Seventeen months after his brief and unsuccessful stint as Reading manager came to an end, Brendan Rodgers leads his Swansea team into battle against his former club for a place in the Premier League in a match worth around £90m to the winners.

Rodgers, who spent 14 years at Reading as a player, coach and manager, is aiming to become the first man since John Toshack to take Swansea up from the second tier. Their two seasons in the top flight after that promotion is the Welsh club's only spell there.

Reading have also had only two years among the elite. This is their second crack at the play-offs since relegation in 2008, and their third play-off final in all. They were beaten in their previous two, losing to Bolton at Wembley in 1995 and in the Division Two encounter with Walsall in 2001. Both matches went to extra-time.

Brian McDemott, formerly Rodgers' chief scout at the Madejski Stadium, has overseen a dramatic improvement in the Royals' fortunes. They were 12th in mid-February but stormed into the top six - and briefly challenged for automatic promotion - largely because of a sequence of eight consecutive wins, which was the Championship's best run of the season.

Reading head to Wembley having lost only one of their last 12 matches. They have kept clean sheets in five of their last eight outings and, at the other end of the pitch, have an in-form striker in Shane Long, whose semi-final brace against Cardiff took his tally for the season to 25. Only Watford's Danny Graham has netted more Championship goals this term.

Swansea, who are appearing at Wembley for the first time since 1997, are unbeaten in six and also boast an impressive defensive record. They conceded only 42 times during the regular season and have let in a total of two goals in their last six matches. They have also kept clean sheets in all but one of their last five games against Reading.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Reading have won 33 and Swansea 28 of the 73 previous matches between these clubs.
Swansea are unbeaten in their last five against the Royals, and have won their last two.

Reading

Reading have won three, drawn three and lost six of the club's 12 previous play-off matches.

They are aiming to become the seventh club to reach the Premier League via the play-offs after finishing the regular season in fifth place. The last was Burnley in 2009.

The Royals have conceded a total of one goal in their last four matches, and five in their last eight.

Swansea

Swansea have won seven, drawn six and lost three of their 16 previous play-off matches.

They are aiming to become the fourth club in the last six seasons to reach the Premier League via the play-offs after finishing in third place.

City have kept clean sheets in four of their last six games.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Reading

Long: 25 goals (21 league, 2 play-offs, 2 FA Cup);

Harte: 13 goals (13 league, includes two goals for Carlisle)

Swansea

Sinclair: 24 goals (19 league, 4 League Cup, 1 FA Cup);

Pratley: 12 goals (9 league, 1 play-offs, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Phil Dowd

Assistant referees: Scott Ledger & Simon Long

Fourth official: Lee Mason



This has all the ingredients of a cracker, it has the potential to be possibly the best playoff final since Sunderland-Charlton in '98. Two very attack minded teams who like to keep the ball on the ground. Its very much a 50/50 game, I think Swansea have the slightly better team on paper and were more impressive in the semi's than Reading. But Reading have a great cup pedigree in recent years, having beaten the likes of Liverpool and Everton. And because its a once-off cup final, i'm going to go for the Royals to win 4-3 AET.

Paully D

Really looking forward to this and hoping for a Reading win.

Melion

Swansea to win this in 90 minutes, 2/3 - 1

Kingdom Bhoy

Can't wait for this should be a cracker and plenty of Irish interest.

mike65

Going for Reading here, both sides are about comparable in terms of recent form but I just suspect Shane Long will be the difference.

pickarooney

I'm hoping for a Swansea victory but will not be too disappointed if Reading go back up.

That_Guy

Should be a good game. Would prefer Reading myself. Anytime I've seen them, they've played some excellent stuff.

noodler

That_Guy wrote: »

Should be a good game. Would prefer Reading myself. Anytime I've seen them, they've played some excellent stuff.

I want Long back in the EPL!

Come on Reading!

Fursttimer

2-2 FT

No idea after that

Dolph Starbeam

Hoping for a Reading win, should be a good game.

Eire-Dearg

http://backpagefootball.com/featured/live-reading-v-swansea/

There's a liveblog and chatroom if anyone wants some match updates and banter.

K-9

Fancy Reading in this one, few Irish lads too.

Swansea had a good few Liverpool connections down the year, would be nice to see a Welsh team in the PL.

Both seem good defensively, 2-1 Reading.

paddy kerins

Any streams? Need to see Long get 3 hat-tricks

mike65

Phil Dowd special....

LuckyGent88

fair harsh yellows been shown there.

K-9

mike65 wrote: »

Phil Dowd special....

Seems pissed of for some strange reason!

everdead.ie

Thought Griffins tackle was brilliant thought he got it spot on the other Center back though acted a tool and deserved his yellow.

K-9

paddy kerins wrote: »

Any streams? Need to see Long get 3 hat-tricks

TykesTV.info

Penalty Swans.

LuckyGent88

great covering tackle but then gives away a penalty. Lucky not to be off too.

1-0 Swansea

Minstrel27

Silly silly silly tackle. Lucky to stay on

Swansea 1-0

K-9

Sinclair cool as you like.

Probably against the run of play.

Minstrel27

2-0

Reading asleep

T-b0n3

And now its 2 nil, where did that come from!

LuckyGent88

2 nil :eek: Sinclair again

K-9

Sinclair again 2-0. Class player.

Bodhisopha

Lol @ Harte trying to sprint.

everdead.ie

That's really disappointing now was hoping Reading would respond first!

Nemanja91

Poor defending from griffin for the 2nd, needed to get his body in the way of the ball, not his legs.

That_Guy

Wow wow wow wow.

IvySlayer

Reading have to attack now!

Paully D

Rosie Webster will be delighted!

K-9

Bodhisopha wrote: »

Lol @ Harte trying to sprint.

Shown up by an elf from Harry Potter.

grenache

Reading need a goal back before half time. That Swansea defence is mean, best in the division. Tate and Williams will give nothing soft to Long and Hunt. If it's still 2-0 at half time then it's game over i think.

Paully D

This game really needs a Reading goal and very soon.

K-9

grenache wrote: »

Reading need a goal back before half time. That Swansea defence is mean, best in the division. Tate and Williams will give nothing soft to Long and Hunt. If it's still 2-0 at half time then it's game over i think.

Swansea look comfortable at the back al right, even when Reading had plenty of possession.

slingerz

Shane Long is getting raped by the centre halves and Phil Dowd is giving him no protection

Dolph Starbeam

3-0, game over.

K-9

Nice strike, 3-0 :eek:

LuckyGent88

well thats that anyway.

Cracking finish.

paddy kerins

Damn. Wanted Reading to get up

That_Guy

That's it.

noodler

Disaster. Hopefully someone buys Long anyway!

everdead.ie

Reading would be better off If nahville(sp?) sent off after the peno he's a disaster.

mike65

This will take an Ataturk Special, Robbie Savage likening Swansea to Barcalonas ticta-tacky

Raskolnikov

Bodhisopha wrote: »

Lol @ Harte trying to sprint.

Hopefully this awful performance will put an end to some folks here calling from him to be included in the Ireland squad.

mike65

Oh Shane Long should have scored. 3-1 before the break could give them a chance.

LuckyGent88

sitter missed by Long there but he didnt think it was going to reach him.

paddy kerins

Ah Long. Left foot

K-9

Long misses from 6 feet. Not his day at all.

jimcoolding

Shane Long, awful awful miss.

noodler

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Hopefully this awful performance will put an end to some folks here calling from him to be included in the Ireland squad.

Well....Kilbane is stuck a division lower, Ward isn't really a left back (right?)....it is not so much that Harte is a world-beater just that he scores 15 goals this season and must surely be worth a a shot in a friendly.

That would have been my line of thinking anyway - not as a starter though.