Reading manager Adam Coldrick today rounded off a truly amazing season with a good 1 - 1 draw at Anfield. This result combined with an emphatic win for Aston Villa elsewhere meant that the Royals finished 4th in the Premier League in their first season after promotion. This stunning achievement gives them a chance to compete in the biggest competition in European club football, the UEFA Champions League. In the process to this fantastic finishing position in the EPL, the Royals held 3rd position for most of the season before injuries to key players threatened to ruin a brilliant season so far. Pundits and bookies expected Reading to spend the season struggling against relegation, not challenging for the title a lot of the way, and finishing in a Champions League spot. Pre-season bookies priced the Royals at 2000 - 1 for the title, and there will have been nervous moments for them during the course of this almost perfect start to life in the Premier League.
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Reading fans attribute this success to mainly a team effort all season long, but reserved special praise for £2.8million summer signing Diego Benaglio. The Swiss international 'keeper was voted into the EPL Player's Team of the Year, and his brilliant displays have ensured that Reading came 4th in the table for least goals conceded, and also that Benaglio himself achieved both the highest average rating for the season (7.52), and also the greatest number of MotM awards (11).
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However, the fact that Reading's highest scorer in the league Davide Succi came 19th in the scoring charts after only managing 12 league goals all season highlights the fact that Reading need a top quality striker if they are to compete next year. Defensive cover is also likely to be high on Coldrick's shopping list this summer after the injury and suspension crisis that caused midfielder James Harper to spend a few games playing in the centre of defence, partnering 3rd choice centre back Matt Mills. A serious injury to David N'Gog served to mean less goals were being scored, but youngster Pablo Alvarez stood in fantastically when Davide Succi was also sidelined, scoring some great goals, the best being a brilliant individual effort after he beat two players before smashing it into the bottom corner from 20 yards out. He managed to keep Succi out of the team for a while, but overall the Royals looked short of real quality up front for a lot of the season. The other part of the team Coldrick is likely to be desperately hoping to strengthen will be the wings, as Jay Tabb and James Henry showed they don't quite have the quality needed to be successful at the top level.
Results:
(following from September Update)
EPL
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League Cup
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FA Cup
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I am overjoyed with this season. However, I am hoping for a good transfer budget so I can get a top striker in, along with a quality winger. James Rodriquez is joining in July to replace Gibbs on the left, and to provide cover for Shelvey in the AMC position since Brian Howard is on his way out after I decided not to renew his contract.
I want cover in defence and another winger to provide cover and also challenge Kebe for a starting slot. I am manager of Ivory Coast as well, so maybe I can get Lacina Traore in to help get goals, or maybe Kalou for the wings as he has proven good on international duty.