Reading have lost 7 Premiership games on the trot and besides equalling a dubious record from this perspecive, they are also tethering on the brink of relegation. The Royals play Aston Villa in the Premiership on Saturday and manager Steve Coppell has admitted that he did think of axing several of his first team players.
Coppell says:
It would be a knee-jerk reaction if I did that.
I am very analytical about the games and watch them a number of times, and in the cold light of day you see what actually happened rather than what your emotions were telling you.
Sometimes after a game, you go into the office and say to yourself, `I’m going to make six changes next week’.
But then you realise although it might make me and the fringe players feel better, it won’t help the team and to fulfil our potential we have got to have a really strong finish to this season.
That is the only thing I am interested in. I don’t deal in personalities, I do what I think is best for the team.
Last season Reading came within a whisker of European qualification but this time around they are struggling for survival? Can they maintain their prized place in the Premiership?