Had McAnuff...

While I wallowed in tremendous amounts of self-pity after another night on a bender (well, I'm making the most of my last year at university), I couldn't imagine what was about to come.

A stylish Reading win and more importantly, a clean sheet. It's a Christmas miracle.

Sheffield Wednesday are certainly no mugs and Hillsborough is not an easy place to pick up three points. And Reading, how the current season is going, could have crumbled up there like a Tesco value digestive.

However the Royals' resurgence has given new-found optimism, for the fans and the players are believing again.

I've never warmed that much to Jobi McAnuff in the past and when he signed I rolled my eyes thinking its a poor man's Tommy Smith. The past month has seen something quite different from the winger. He's taken the game by the scruff of its neck and created momentum.

McAnuff's goals has been as valuable as ever and the big tree that stands up front (Gregorz Rasiak) has, gladly, taken advantage of his sublime crossing and scored a few himself.

Brendan Rodgers knew that this team could play like this and its a testament to him that he carried on insisting on playing football, rather than lumping it up like most teams in this division. The second goal against Wednesday showed that with a great passing move and a fine finish from Kalifa Cisse. Goal of the season so far.

The defensive display could be explained by Cisse as well. He's the first real holding player weve had there for a while and gave Alex Pearce and Ivar Ingimarsson some cover that had been missing.

Marek Matejovsky, then, has a licence to roam and link play in a more direct manner, something that was restricted with Brian Howard in the team.

The last five games have a been a vast improvement, let it continue. I want to be jolly this Christmas.

Back in the Big Time

I have never been that excited for a FA Cup draw before, number 32 is what we wanted to come out.

I was thinking, hoping, for a home tie and not really bothering who well play. However as time passed, Liverpool and Manchester United were still there and GET IN! We have Liverpool in the cup.

Four years ago we had never played them and now we've met four times in the league and scored in two high scoring games in the League Cup but now we can complete a welcomed trio. I have no idea what is Brendan Rodgers view on the cup, if it's like his predecessor he would welcome the competition like a parent would welcome a teenage pregnancy.

God bless Steve Coppell but cup competitions were of no interest to him, much like John Oster. But for the fans, it's something to get excited about. The last minute drama against Barnsley in the League Cup was certainly exciting and in the end punishable, the cruelty of letting in that very last minute goal was unforgivable but hey ho! Onwards and upwards.
Memories

But now it's Liverpool, LIVERPOOL! Any Reading fan who do not have that incredibly famous 3-1 win against the Reds embedded in their heads cant be good fans at all.

We beat Liverpool, sadly enough I spent part of my afternoon today watching the game on DVD. Wow! We were good and it was Liverpool's first defeat of the season as well, it was such good football. Stephen Hunt's penalty, Kevin Doyle's glancing header and James Harper, that's right HARPER, sneaking through to score a fine third. It was emotional.

As we have being struggling this season, this will come as a welcomed boost for the players and none of them except Brynjar Gunnarsson, Ivar Ingimarsson and Kalife Cisse briefly, played that day, so it will give this new crop of young talent the chance to prove they are worthy to play against the five time European champions.

This may just act as a catalyst to spur on Reading and start playing to our potential, which is definitely top eight of the Championship. Rodgers please, please give us a day to remember.

BBC take notice

I came across this very interesting article about Alex Pearce and ensure that it is worth a read.

Click Here.

Marek the magician

All hail Marek Matejovsky! The saviour of a dying season. The man who put faith back into the fans. The player that provides the little spark to ignite Reading's motionless engine. The King of Madejski, well for the last two games at least.

The Czech Republic international has already showed more flare and creativity than any other centre midfielder this term and his quality is vital if Reading are going to have a somewhat successful season.

He wasn't favoured by Brendan Rodgers to begin with and injury prevented him having an active influence, but now he's narrowing back to full match fitness his impact will become even more significant.

Against Leicester City, a game that Reading should have never had lost, he was instrumental to everything good the Royals did and fully deserved his man of the match award. It just shows what a little bit of class can do and how it can have a positive impact on the rest of the team.

Suddenly confidence is high and the win at Coventry was no accident. Just a fantastic pass can jeer up the team and especially a crowd. He's single-handedly lifted morale and installed supporters faith back into the team.

He is definitely the most naturally gifted player in the current squad and makes much of the squad look like dirty old average Sunday league players. And after some of the performances this season, you would have thought that was the case.

As reported in the local evening paper recently, Matejovsky expressed his desire to stay with the club and after the way he was treated earlier on in the season, its great that a player of his magnitude shows his commitment to the club.

Marek is definitely the Rolls Royce of Reading FC and an extended run in the team is a must.

Rodgers may just have to thank Matejovsky for saving his job.

Struggling to Score

Fortunes change very fast in football and not even the most pessimistic Reading fan - and there are plenty - could imagine that after 14 games we'd be stuck in the relegation zone.

Who would have thought it? The famously-coined Brendan's Babes are not performing the way everyone was expecting.

Rodgers was once again pleased with his team's endeavour, effort, and approach however - but ultimately rued a lack of luck and clinical finishing in front of goal for another defeat in a dismal home record.

But action is needed; a win is necessary. Before the game Rodgers spoke realistically of play-offs but that may be a little out of reach now unless miracles begin to happen, like Shane Long finding his inner Kevin Doyle and contributing 20 goals. Well we can all dream can't we?

Previous seasons have seen Sunderland and Crystal Palace spring from positions like Reading's and to end up promoted so theres hope but not much to cling on to. Playing for survival is very depressing and perhaps we are all expecting too much.
Humility

A good friend of mine, a huge Tottenham fan, says that after the poor start to the season they endeavoured last season he went into every game expecting to get nothing and ultimately they turned it around; it's not about showing hope but showing humility.

Learn from defeat and make sure the mistakes are cut out and grow as a unit, which, the QPR game aside, we are doing. Last night was a perfect example of that.

The positive thing about the game was how well Reading were playing and it is the lack of quality up front that was missing. Two goals in seven home games is frankly laughable and that stat alone shows there is no home sweet home for the Royals.

My heart was in my mouth when Jobi McAnuff hit the post and the follow-up, I thought, was a dead cert goal but it was all false hope. Even when Simon Church was through a goal surely beckoned but again it was a similar outcome when the shot trickled wide. Church was getting plenty of chances and that's probably the most encouraging thing.

Invaluable

It was blatantly obvious that the return Marek 'Magic' Matejovsky gave Reading that little quality and control in midfield, he was able to pick adventurous passes and create opportunities. And it was good to see the return of Alex Pearce to the heart of the defence where his leadership skills prove invaluable.

Heading to Coventry City is where you expect at least a point, but for now, I insist that a draw will be a good result. Start small people! Then a potential six-pointer against Ipswich Town at the Mad Stad, it must be a game where three points are obtainable. Theres me getting carried away again, a draw would be a reasonable result.

No expectation, no disappointment. Unfortunately I tend to take that philosophy going out on the pull in Walkabout afterwards. Reading is, let's be honest, not the prettiest of towns.