Another one of those games that fit the ubiquitous Reading mould of “should be a local derby but isn’t”.
Honestly struggling to care about this one and such was the rapid nature of the draw you might even have forgotten it was on at all. Reading, though looking a better team than last year, still don’t show much in the way of excitement or entertainment and therefore crowds are not only down but, club 1871 aside, really struggling to provide any real inspiration to the team when it does take to the field. Therefore eschewing games like this in favour of one’s wireless machine is probably going to be a fairly common decision for many while those that do go will probably be more of your kids and families wanting to see a big gun
from the PL. Even then the evening will probably turn out to be more one of swapping holiday snaps and stories than getting into the game.And Watford isn’t really a draw that’s particularly attractive even with their PL epithet. However there is a tiniest smidgen that there could be an upset, just depends how many reserves Watford play and whether the likely squad nature of the Reading team is capable of any more threat than that which tends to pose as the first XI
Currently all Reading players are uninjured except the usual 3 (Obita, Harriott and McCleary) and Edwards. Probably expecting 4/5 of those that began the game at Villa to start with the likes of Gunter, Popa, Swift, Kelly and Meite getting game time. And with that it’s not going to be a bad side in terms of names on paper but of course these days the names when they’re on the paper tend to do rather much better than the same names on the actual grass.
Watford have won all three of their league games and are third behind Liverpool and Chelsea on goal difference in the PL. I would expect the usual “squad rotation” effect to hit their starting XI so Adrian Mariappa may well get to start and face his old club.
There is no extra time if it’s level on 90 minutes. Game will go straight to penalties.
Referee
Hampshire’s Andy Davies has got this one.
Last season Mr Davies oversaw Reading losing 2-0 to Swansea in the League Cup and then the 3-1 home defeat to Sheffield United in February.
Historically
There have been 11 league cup games between the two sides with Watford winning 5 to Reading’s 3. Both of the last two fixtures played between the teams in the competition have been in Reading (2004 and 1992) and Watford have won both with 5-0 aggregate score.
