Kebe poised for Royals return
Anthony Smith • Published 19 Nov 2010 12:30
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Winging his way back: Jimmy Kebe has recovered from a knee injury and could start at Watford tomorrow.
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JIMMY Kebe is expected to make his injury comeback at Watford tomorrow Saturday (3pm ko).
The wing wizard has been sidelined with a knee problem since the 1-0 defeat at Bristol City a month ago.
But he returned to full-training this week and is likely to go straight into Brian McDermott's side for the clash at Vicarage Road.
"Jimmy will be back on Saturday which is good news," explained Royals' boss. "He's trained this week and he looked good.
"He hasn't played for a while but he gives us a different option. He'll come into the squad and we'll see what happens.
"I'll look at Watford first before deciding. They were unfortunate to lose to Crystal Palace and Burnley and they're a good side.
"I seem to be saying that a lot recently, there are a hell of a lot of equally matched sides in the Championship this season Cardiff City, QPR and Swansea are up there at the moment but it's still very early days."
Royals used three strikers in last weekend's 3-3 draw with Norwich City with Noel Hunt and Simon Church out wide and Shane Long in the middle. Therefore, one of them may have to make way for Kebe unless McDermott tinkers with his formation again.
But the Reading manager may find it difficult to overlook Kebe who remains the club's joint top-scorer with four goals and is one of the most feared players in the Championship
"I'm just trying to find a solution and find a winning team," he explained. "We're up and down at the moment and but we're still in amongst it and only a few points off the play-offs.
"That's great but we need to be more consistent. We're not losing many but we've drawn a few where we felt we should have beaten Cardiff City and Norwich. But we're still evolving and I'm confident in the team."
Long started for the Republic of Ireland alongside ex-Royal Kevin Doyle against Norway in Dublin on Wednesday night, scoring from the penalty spot in a 2-1 defeat.
Reading defender Zurab Khizanishvili also skippered Georgia in a friendly against Slovenia.
"We've had a few players away on international duty but it's back to work now in preparation of the Watford game," declared McDermott.
"I've seen the video of the Norwich game and we got punished. Norwich had four shots and scored three goals. If you look at the defending they came from three of our defensive errors.
"But that can't and won't keep happening. They were individual errors and the players concerned put their hands up.
"Noel Hunt said he was at fault for the first goal, but I could point the finger in three or four directions.
"In each situation for their goals maybe two or three other players could have helped that person out and that's what we've got to look at.
"But the fact is we were 3-1 down at half-time and a team which has lost its spirit could have lost that 5-1.
"I have to say that by the end Norwich were probably happy to get out of it with a point."
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