Reading captain Lewis Wing says the club have been left disappointed despite an encouraging start to the League One season, even as the squad’s aim remains promotion.
The Royals have won three of their first seven matches this campaign and sit ninth in the table. That puts them one point outside the play-offs and four below leaders Bradford City, who they welcome to the SCL Stadium on Saturday at 15:00 BST. Leam Richardson and members of his playing squad have not been afraid to share that their goal is to achieve promotion this season.
But Wing believes Reading need to improve on their results and performances so far. He told BBC Radio Berkshire: “It has been a good start but we’re disappointed. I think if you look at all the games we’ve had this season I think we could won all of them.”
Games Wing Cites
Wing pointed directly at three matches Reading should have won. Against Luton Town, he said Reading should never have got beaten. Against Cambridge United, he said Cambridge should not have won. And against Wycombe Wanderers, he said Reading should not have lost.
He framed the season as a record that could be unbeaten. “So if you look at it we should we should be unbeaten really but, yeah, it is a positive start but it could be a lot better,” he said.
Match Against Wycombe
Saturday brought Reading a 2-2 draw with rivals Wycombe Wanderers. Jacob Brown scored for Reading in the 80th minute, only for Wycombe to reply with an equaliser in the 90th minute.
That result followed two narrow defeats earlier in the season. Reading lost 4-3 to Luton Town and 2-1 to Cambridge United, both by one-goal margins. The Cambridge loss came in mid-September.
What Wing Wants Changed
Wing identified the problem as a failure to kill off games. “As a team have got to learn to not sit back and we’ve got to push for the second goal and kill teams off,” he said.
He also noted that teams find chances to stay in matches. “The minute they get a chance in a sniff they’re right back in it,” he said. There is a lot of things to work on, but the disappointment runs deep.
Club’s Aim
Richardson and his players have made the ambition clear. The aim is promotion this season, and that has not changed. The frustration Wing expressed is about how Reading got here — not the destination, but the route.
Numbers So Far
- Seven matches played
- Three wins, four draws, two losses
- Ninth in the table
- One point outside the play-offs
- Four below leaders Bradford City
Fix Reading Need
Wing’s comments point at a specific gap between Reading’s play and their results. The performances have been good enough to win almost everything they have played. The results have not matched the quality on the pitch.
That is the disappointment he spoke of. It is not a lack of belief in the project, nor a question of ambition. It is a simple matter of taking points when they are available.
The captain’s message is clear: the performances are there, the results need to catch up.
Source material: “Wing disappointed despite Reading's positive start,” Yahoo Sports.
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