Reading FC told to swerve Ruben Selles as Leam Richardson concerns grow | OneFootball

Reading have been told they deserve better than they are currently getting with Leam Richardson after defeat to Doncaster Rovers...

Reading FC are in an interesting position in League One with three league matches remaining, despite having lost to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

Reading can still make the play-offs this season, but they will almost certainly need to win every remaining game and need other results to go their way. They face Cardiff City next before ending the campaign with Rotherham United and Blackpool.

The 1-0 defeat to Doncaster Rovers was a huge blow to Leam Richardson and his side, with the Royals appointing the 46-year-old back in October. In his first 21 league games in charge, he won 11 and drew six to put them on the fringes of the play-offs.

They have remained there since but their form has declined, with two wins and two draws in the last eight league games. It means that the likes of Stevenage and Luton Town with two games in hand, and Plymouth Argyle and Huddersfield Town with one game in hand, are far more likely to pip them to sixth.

For that reason, the season may well be perceived as a failure by most. Despite Reading sitting between 16th and 24th for every matchday at the start of the season before Richardson's arrival, most fans are likely to be unhappy at their campaign fizzling out.

Reading's verdict on Leam Richardson and Ruben Selles

FLW asked our Reading fan pundit Johnny Hunt for his verdict on Manning, amid growing concerns in the fanbase. We asked about things getting quite toxic and with many fans calling for Richardson to be sacked. There are some fans calling for the club to look at re-appointing Ruben Selles and asked for his thoughts on that, too.

He said: "Yeah, I think toxicity kicked off after the game on Saturday. And I think the last three games, where we were before, in a good position to get a play-off place, and just the way things have tailed off with just a lack of performance, lack of intensity.

"As I call it, tip, tap, and hoof. It's what it has become and what it's been for a long time. The difference was, when you had Jack Marriott scoring goals and Lewis Wing scoring goals out of nothing, it covered over the cracks.

"But now, the cracks are there to see. You know, Leam Richardson and his tactics? He doesn't seem to have any. Fans and opposition say we are one of the worst teams to play there this season and it says it all.

"The lack of shots we've had, the lack of energy, the lack of idea — it's bad. People pay their money to watch games and travel. We've got very good, very strong away fanbase. They deserve better than sitting through that.

"The owners have trusted in Richardson. We've kind of gone back to where we were when Noel Hunt left. It's gone full circle. People don't like Ruben Selles but I don't think he is the answer.

"I don't know what the answer is, but something has to change. But it comes from the top. He's the manager and he makes the decisions, but we just don't look like we have a gameplan.

"We don't look like we have a structure. It is slow, painful to watch, and football is an entertainment business. We aren't entertaining, so something has to change in the summer — drastically."

Reading FC's performance data is a worrying trend

A win against Cardiff could keep their season alive, especially with games against sides in the bottom seven of the table in their final two games. However, even if it does galvanise them, they can still fall short due to other teams having enough games in hand.

The bigger picture is where the club goes this summer, with Richardson's job at risk given the level of performances. The results may well have been decent over the last six-and-a-half months on the whole, but the data suggests improvement is required.

Outside of looking at the raw goals and against data, the xG (expected goals) data tells us Reading have perhaps been fortunate to get to where they are. Per FotMob, they are 14th in League One for xGD (expected goal difference), which is alarming for a team fighting for promotion.