New Headline: Clash Escapes Touchline as Reading Triumphs 0-0 Over Plymouth

Joel Pereira: 6 Didn’t have a huge amount to do today, that I can recall. However, I’m not sure whether it reflects well on him that Plymouth’s only two shots on target both resulted in goals. Though, to my eyes, he wasn’t culpable for either.

He attempted the bizarre goal-kick routine with Derrick “Dez” Williams, but thankfully abandoned it after one attempt, with Plymouth Argyle pressing high up the pitch. However, he did make some very positive contributions today. One highlight was when he read the passage the play in front of him during the second half to see that Nyambe would be beaten by the long ball over the top and stepped out of the area to take the ball on his chest and clear the danger.

His second highlight was his excellent throw out to Randell Williams on the right, also in the second half, which set him free and almost led to a goal. Note: I don’t understand why he doesn’t use his throw more often, as it’s so much more accurate, quicker and ultimately dangerous for the opposition than his kicking. Ryan Nyambe: 6 Neither great nor terrible today, but if I am being critical (and if you read my ratings often enough, I am a grumpy and critical soul), he went missing for both of the Plymouth goals and also needlessly conceded a free-kick and collected a yellow card when sold a dummy by the Plymouth winger.

His passing was sometimes wayward too. As mentioned earlier, he was also caught flat-footed by a long goal-kick from Plymouth which went over the top of the back line but was bailed out of danger by Pereira being alert. In his positive contributions, he made some good passes forward to Randell Williams to set him loose down the right and, on one occasion, got high up to receive a long ball from Lewis Wing on the wide right, which he attempted to take on the Plymouth left-back, though somewhat unsuccessfully.