This is not the start to 2024 that any Grecian was hoping for. New Year’s Day’ away defeat to Reading means that City have been leapfrogged by yesterday’s opponents and have dropped into the League One relegation places for the first time this season.

Prior to yesterday’s result, City had a slightly more encouraging outlook after picking up 4 points from the previous two home games against Wycombe & Portsmouth, both results that City fully deserved.

While most, including myself, were entering the Pompey game fearing the worst, City put up a spirited fight and on another day could have nicked all 3 points. Ilmari Niskinen going close for City. Pompey did have some chances as well, but on the whole, City defended very well, with Chieck Diabate once again putting in a man of the match display, managing to keep 13 goal Colby Bishop quiet for the majority of the evening.

This left City well placed to head to Berkshire to try and claim what would have been a huge 3 points.

City started the game well and were in the ascendency when Reading took the lead in the 9th minute, against the run of the play. Reading hit a long ball towards the City backline and after some good interplay from their forwards, Harvey Knibbs put the hosts 1-0 up. The play was good from Reading, but City were left chasing shadows, with the gap between Diabate & Hartridge too wide and Sinisalo a little slow off his line.

To their credit, City did not let this goal derail them and came straight back at Reading. Zak Jules, who is enjoying a good run of form, hit a thunderbolt in the 18th minute to draw City level. From a Reece Cole corner, the ball fell to Jules on the edge of the area, he shifted the ball onto his left foot and hit a stunning shot into the roof of the net. 1-1.

City had a chance to get their noses in front just a few minutes later. Cole again with the set piece, led to the ball to fall to Alex Hartridge around the 6 yard area. It was just Hartridge against the keeper, but the City academy graduate prodded the ball past the post. It was a huge chance to gain the lead for City.

The first 35 minutes of the match was the most comfortable and fluid City have looked on the ball for some time. Tom Carroll and Reece Cole in particular were dictating the game and City were able to find openings for our wide players in particular. Unfortunately, nothing could be made of the early dominance and chances, as so often, went unpunished.

Reading came back into the game and started to assert some pressure onto City. The Grecians couldn’t get the ball to stick up front, with James Scott struggling to make an impact, and Jack Aitchison left to do a lot of the chasing and closing down on his own. This led to Reading being able to build their attacks back up and put City under pressure.

It looked like City would make it to half time at 1-1, but Hartridge endured another horror moment when he headed the ball into this own net in the 47th minute. Another very poor goal to concede from City. The goal stemmed from the right back position, where Harry Kite had opportunity to clear his lines, but tried to navigate his way around the Reading player, which led to him losing the ball in a dangerous area. The resulting cross led to Hartridge’s error, and City somehow found themselves going into break 2-1 down, after being the better side for much of the half.

City came out of the traps again after half time and were causing problems for Reading. Caldwell also introduced Pierce Sweeney & Sonny Cox in the 60th minute, replacing Harry Kite and the ineffective Scott. Not being able to make chances count, Reading edged their way back into the game and began to have some joy, before City managed to grab an equaliser in the 68th minute through Dion Rankine, scoring his first goal for the club. After Tom Carroll’s ball into the box, some scrappy defending and the persistence of Niskinen & Rankine, the latter was able to steer the ball past Button in the net. 2-2. Game on. City’s tails were up again and it felt like the 3 points were there for the taking.

Sadly, it was not to transpire, as City looked to tire and run out of legs the longer the game went on. I noticed a similar issue to this in the Portsmouth game, but thankfully we were able to hold on for a point in that one. It was not to be on this occasion, as Reading danger man Azeez struck a sweet shot from the edge of the box that beat Sinisalo in the 77th minute. There was no doubting the quality of the strike and the finish, but between Jules, Hartridge & Diabate, none of them closed the ball down quickly enough and allowed Azeez the opportunity to take a hit, that he duly took.

The result was harsh on City, but this was a massive 3 points up for grabs and the consequence of losing this game now drops City into the bottom four. City simply have to start putting a run together of some description. Saturday’s game at home to Carlisle is simply a must win. A defeat would see Carlisle leapfrog City on goal difference. We then need to try and take a minimum of 4 points from the Blackpool & Cambridge games, before embarking on a very tough run of fixtures, which will see the returns of Matt Taylor & Jevani Brown (Bristol Rovers) and Archie Collins & Joel Randell (Peterborough Utd) to SJP within the space of 4 days at the beginning of February, after a trip to Barnsley at the end of January.

The Reading game also saw Caldwell name his assistant manager David Perkins on the bench. 41 year old Perkins last played in 2022, for Bamber Bridge. I’m not sure what this decision was trying to achieve. I can only suggest this was a tactic of Caldwell to further highlight the lack of depth in the squad to the board, reminding them of the importance of the upcoming few weeks and the transfer window. Otherwise, it would have made much more sense to allow one of our young academy players a place on the bench and experience a League One matchday. I appreciate that the club couldn’t recall loanees, but there must have been someone who could have been given the opportunity to be with the matchday squad. Failing that, why not go into the game with 1 less substitute, as we did against Pompey? Perkins was never seriously going to enter the field of play. I did notice in the second half he spent some of his time on the touchline, coaching/guiding the City backline in particular, maybe that was the ploy all along. Whatever the intended message was, it did not go down well with the supporters.

Attentions now turn to the transfer window, as well as the vital upcoming fixtures. As mentioned above, City are short on numbers. The Reading game saw us without Will Aimson, Vincent Harper, Demetri Mitchell, Caleb Watts, Ryan Trevitt, Yanic Wildschut & Admiral Muskwe. 3, possibly 4 of those players would start for City in normal circumstances.

We are still waiting for news on the severity of Trevitt’s injury, but he will be difficult to replace if we end up losing him for the rest of the season. Mitchell & Trevitt were our chief creators in terms of assists and goals earlier in the season, and they are both huge absentees. The loss of Mitchell has been a particularly massive blow. The explosive pace and direct running, as well as his quality on the ball has been sorely missed. While Dion Rankine & Ilmari Niskinen both work very hard, their end product just isn’t anywhere near the level of Mitchell, and it’s showing from the wide areas. While Rankine can be a frustrating player at times, he is still young and very raw and his running with the ball does give the City team a chance to get up the pitch at times. His end product has also started to improve in recent weeks.

City clearly need a striker who can convert chances. I would argue we need 2 strikers, as we also don’t have anyone up the top of the end of the pitch that can play as a target man either, which would give us another option and dimension. We also need replacements for Mitchell, and possibly Trevitt. That’s 4 players required before we even think about adding to the holding midfield and centre back positions. City need a strong window, without doubt.

As well as new signings, City need to be looking at new contracts for a number of players to avoid another mass exodus at the end of the season. This started a few weeks ago with the extension of Reece Cole’s contract, which I think the majority of City fans will be happy with. I suspect Mitchell will want to wait and assess his options at the end of the season. The contract renewal of Chieck Diabate has to be a priority for the club. He has arguably been City’s man of the match in the last 4 matches. The defence now needs to built around the young defender. City boss Caldwell also keeps praising youngster Cox and suggests he will be a big player for the club in the future, if that’s the case, then City need to get Sonny tied down as well.

A mention for Harry Kite, who I am a fan of. He didn’t enjoy his best afternoon yesterday, after making the initial mistake for the hosts 2nd goal, but I think he did a decent job up against Caylan Vickers for the majority of the first half. Kite again being asked to play out of position. I think back to Harry’s performance against Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup, where he played in his natural centre midfield position and was fantastic. It’s a shame we have not seen more of Kite in that midfield. He gives an energy and a bite that is lacking from some of the others, with only Reece Cole displaying those similar traits.

Onto Carlisle and only 3 points will do.

Photo credit – @TVickers1 (X – formerly Twitter)