Luton Town 0-0 Reading: Player Ratings
Harry rates the Royals after the game that put Reading’s play-off hopes to an end once and for all.
Rafael: 6
A few shaky moments with his distribution in the first half, but other than that dealt with anything he got called into doing pretty well. Popped up with a crucial save with almost the last kick of the game to save any further embarrassment.
Andy Yiadom: 5
You expect every player to put in everything they’ve got every single game, but Yids does that more than most to be fair to him. However, he didn’t have the quality to match that effort tonight and it was a performance that’s capped off a disappointing end to the season for the Ghanian. He would’ve wanted to make a much bigger impact than this coming back from injury.
Tom Holmes: 6
One of only a very small handful of players who can come out of this evening with any credit. This guy’s a gem, and has been one of only two players in my opinion who has consistently stepped up when the going’s got tough in the last few games (alongside Josh Laurent).
Arguably lucky to have kept a clean sheet - but Holmes wasn’t the problem tonight.
Liam Moore: 5
Not as impressive as Holmes alongside him, but didn’t do anything horrendously wrong. Like I said after the Cardiff game, he’ll be gutted that he’s been captain of a side that’s faded out the top six the way we have recently. I expect more from him in all honesty, without Morro he’s one of our only leaders, and we haven't been led well recently.
Came off injured unfortunately late on.
Oh, and never ever take a free kick again Liam.
Omar Richards: 5
I said in my ratings after the last game that it looked like Richards already has one eye on next season at Bayern Munich - and my opinion still hasn’t changed. He was so, so good but, like many of his team mates, has just faded away far too easily in recent weeks. So disappointing.
Josh Laurent: 6
I actually feel sorry for him. And I don't feel sorry for many more of his team mates right now. He’s the engine of this team, arguably the most important cog and tonight he looked like a one man team trying to drag us up the pitch when it seemed his companions couldn’t really be arsed too. One that can hold his head high, but ultimately has also been a part of our horrible fall from grace.
Andy Rinomhota: 5
Popped up with a few key defensive interceptions as he does so well. However, Rinomhota at his best effects the game so much more than he did tonight. I don’t think he was any worse than any of his team mates, but it was a game tailor made for him and he didn’t really do anything of note.
Yakou Meite: 5
Cut a very lonely, isolated figure all day. Made a few of his trademark runs in behind the back four throughout the game, but the quality of the pass from his team mate constantly let him down.
Was stuck up top when Swift replaced Puscas, and I don’t think he touched the ball after that.
Michael Olise: 4
I just have to give him a four - simply because, in my opinion, it didn't look like he wanted to be there tonight. I have constantly praised him for his work off the ball and his discipline in defence, but that was non-existent tonight. I counted on three occasions in the first half alone him losing the ball and just stopping. That’s unacceptable.
Also thwarted a few really good opportunities on the break in the second half, by either picking the wrong pass or making a hash of the pass he did choose. He’s set himself high standards in a Reading shirt, but he fell well, well below them tonight.
Ovie Ejaria: 5
Again, I have to question his commitment, which is a horrible thing to say.
We know Ovie is a laid-back, relaxed character on the pitch - but I think he took that too far tonight, and in such an important game, that’s really, really disappointing and has left me a bit deflating. Only gets a five because I think he showed an ounce more quality than Olise - including a high press that led to a golden chance for Puscas, and a mazy run that ended with a shot deflecting just wide.
George Puscas: 4
Puski has shown serious signs of improvement this season. His hold up play has been much better, he’s been getting on the score sheet and his work rate has been second to none when he has played. However, tonight, the Romanian was really poor.
Squandered a golden chance that I mentioned earlier when he handballed Ovie’s pass before firing wide, and then tamely put a header wide when he had the space of Kenilworth Road to take a touch and finish. Not his finest hour.
Subs
John Swift: 5
I really, really want to put a few expletives in this section. I'm not, but I think it’ll be pretty easy to guess where I want to put them.
Why on earth is John Swift sitting on the bench until the 72nd minute!? I love Pauno but his substitutions are incredibly frustrating and make me want to put my fist through my laptop screen.
Sone Aluko, Sam Baldock and Alfa Semedo: 5
Didn't really add anything spectacular when coming on - Baldock did look lively though to be fair to him.
Lewis Gibson: N/A
Came on late on for the injured Moore.
Average: 5.42/10
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