It may have taken 13 years but on Saturday, Reading finally beat Swansea City. 16 consecutive games against their Welsh foes without a win. And perhaps it couldn’t have come at a more unlikely time.
History and the form guide thrown in the trash. So just how did Reading earning their triumph in the home of the Swans? And what can Velijko Paunovic take from this performance?
This three-part series looks at just that.
Read More: Part 1 - Defending The Box
Read More: Part 2 - The Andy Carroll Show
While even Danny Drinkwater admitted that it was more important for Andy Carroll to get off the mark on Saturday, it was the midfielder’s maiden strike that ended up securing the points. After Tom Dele-Bashiru scythed through the Swansea defence only to hit the post, Drinkwater arrived at the right moment to side-foot home and give Reading a crucial 3-2 lead.
The goal will no doubt grab the plaudits, but it was the way Drinkwater worked alongside fellow central midfielder Josh Laurent that acted as the engine to Reading’s big win.
On the face of it, it appeared that Velijko Paunovic had set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Drinkwater alongside Laurent, and Alen Halilovic, John Swift, and Dele-Bashiru ahead of them. The reality, at least when Reading didn’t have the ball (which was most of the game), was closer to a 4-1-4-1 system with Drinkwater pushing high to press and create a line of four while Laurent roamed and covered in the empty space between defence and midfield.
The below image is a great example of this slight tactical tweak. Drinkwater has pushed high alongside the three more traditional attacking midfielders to create a bank of four Reading players, making it much more difficult for Swansea to play through them.
Laurent is handed the job of patrolling the area behind the foursome, shielding the defence superbly on Saturday.
Frequently Drinkwater was the release point of a highly effective press, the one to chase down the centre-backs while the wide midfielders marked spare Swansea players. Drinkwater, who last played regular football for Leicester City, somehow summoned the energy to press for the full 90 minutes. But he couldn't have done it on his own. Laurent’s reassuring presence allowed him to roam, both in and out of possession.
As seen below, Drinkwater is the player pressing high with John Swift and the two wide attackers dropping back to help keep the bank of four in midfield.
But it wouldn’t be a partnership if Drinkwater didn’t return the favour, dropping in to take Laurent’s role on the occasions when the 26-year old would surge forward.
Once again, Swift’s covering role deserves a mention. Despite assisting Dele-Bashiru’s opener, the Chelsea academy graduate was somewhat quiet by his lofty standards. But Swift’s work off the ball played a vital role in the way Reading held Swansea at bay and created danger of their own.
In fact, both of Reading’s quick-fire responses - the goals to make it 1-1 and 3-2 - came from Swift’s intensive pressure.
For the first, Dele-Bashiru's equaliser just moments after Jamie Paterson had given Swansea the lead, Swift reads Matt Grimes’ backpass and steals the ball before exchanging a one-two with Carroll and laying off to Dele-Bashiru to do the rest.
In the build-up to Reading's second instant reaction, Drinkwater making it 3-2 moments after Ryan Manning's equalising volley, Swift chases down a loose back-pass from Korey Smith to apply pressure on Kyle Naughton. Naughton attempts to play a first-time ball, but can only direct it into the path of Dele-Bashiru. The Watford loanee drives into the box and hits the post before Drinkwater arrives late to apply the finishing touch.
Injuries and fitness issues have limited Drinkwater to ten league starts this term, but if Saturday's victory was anything to go by, the partnership between Laurent and the Premier League champion could ignite Reading's rise up the table.
The win in Wales, while important, was just one game. If not followed up with an equally impressive showing, then it really counts for very little. Now is the time to build, particularly with players returning from injury.
This game has however taught us a few lessons that can and should be taken onboard going forward. Any concerns related to attitude are clearly unnecessary, with the positive mood in the camp displayed by the comeback at Swansea and of course, the boat celebration.
But perhaps more importantly, now we know that Reading can mix it up. Often a possession-based team, Reading proved that they can sit deep, stay organised, and stifle a potentially more talented side. While it won’t be the solution to every game, it's another valuable tool in Paunovic's arsenal.
A big part of the reason for the above is the arrival and emergence of Andy Carroll. The striker gives Reading an effective Plan B and a reliable outlet whether it’s as the lone forward or in a two. Chasing the game or hanging on, the importance of Carroll to relieve pressure can not be overstated.
Breaking the Swansea curse could not have come at a better time with Reading's season threatening to spiral out of control. But now another huge clash sits on the horizon with relegation rivals Hull City rocking up to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday. The real impact of last weekend's win will remain unknown until then.
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