“Whether I don't score a goal all season, I couldn't care less as long as we get promoted,” Reading FC captain Lewis Wing told BBC Berkshire before the Royals faced Oxford United in a 2-0 loss that would be the epitome of their league away form.
The skipper, who has been synonymous with scoring long range golazos, has not found the back of net in a competitive game for Reading in 217 days ago – granted he scored two goals in a pre-season friendly against Championship side Charlton Athletic in August, in the competitive sense this is his longest spell without a competitive goal since joining the Royals.
His last league goal for Reading came in the 2-1 defeat to Lincoln City which secured their promotion to the Championship in April. A cruel twist of fate.
Reading’s number 10 has played and started 19 competitive games since then, scoring none and providing only two assists.
To put that into context, the last time Wing had such a goal drought was a few months after joining the Royals from Wycombe Wanderers in 2023 when he went 69 days without scoring across 16 competitive games – though he provided five assists in that time.
After 14 league games this season the skipper has taken 32 shots, only five of which have been on target, and has left him with a 0.06 xG per shot and underperforming his 1.92 xG for the season – according to Opta’s data.
When compared to last season, Wing’s most prolific league campaign in front of goal with 22 goal contributions, he is under-performing in nearly every single metric – shooting and passing - per 90 minutes.
Even if you consider last season to be an overachievement for the skipper, as some fans liked to refer to him as a ‘big fish in a small pond’, that simply isn’t the case. Lewis Wing has hit double-figures for goals across all competitions for Reading since joining.
If the issues were just the lack of goals it would be considered a minor issue, as Reading have goalscorers in abundance with 25 goals across the league coming from eight players – surprisingly only from one midfielder in George Earthy (2).
The issue truly lies with the skipper’s appeared lagged movement across the pitch; his lack of pace needed for Leam Richardson’s counter-attacking brand of football. It often feels like he is moments behind the rest of the players and is forced to abort runs, certain passes and pressing.
His role within Reading’s set-up has changed, but it has come at the cost of giving young, hungry and talented players like Charlie Savage a chance to start in the league – when he has consistently proved himself to be what the Royals are currently missing.
In that same BBC Berkshire interview, Wing said about his lack of goalscoring: “There's no pressure on me to do that. I think what I've done in my three years here is like it's unheard of as a midfielder. With my form, I'm happy with my form.
“Obviously, I'd like to chip in with more goals but it is what it is. As a team, we're doing really well so that's the most important thing.”
The team are doing well, but they could be doing better and the reality is maybe it’s time for Richardson to turn to Savage as a starting option.
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