Sunday September 16, 2012 Day 4 Finished Madejski Stadium

Reading 1 - 3 Tottenham Hotspur

  • Robson-Kanu 90’
  • Defoe 18’, 74’
  • Bale 71’

125 comments | Write your comment

  1. Assou-Ekotto sidelined for a month

    Assou-Ekotto sidelined for a month

    Tottenham left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto is likely to be out for four weeks with a knee injury, manager Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Reading
    • Tottenham Hotspur
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only).
    • - @MIMIMEROB2: "is AVB real deal no as soon as tottenham dp real bad he will be kicked out"
    • - @machekanoluc: "give him a chance and he will prove you. "The next Mourinho"
    • - @JohnJowel1985: "avb just needs time its a new squad but a with a lot of potential"
    • - @Kaaboofla: "AVB will shine at spurs as he has less pressure there than he did at chelsea."
    • 90+4' It is immaterial - the whistle goes immediately afterwards to signal a deserved victory for Spurs, Villas-Boas's first in charge of the club.
    • 90+4' Reading corner - the fans who have stayed behind getting behind them. Gallas flies into a challenge and the whole ground demands a penalty - Webb turns them down!
    • 90+3' Defoe is booked in the dying seconds. First yellow card of the game.
    • 90+1' Three minutes to be added on.
    • 90' READING GOAL! 3-1 to SPURS: Hunt finds Le Fondre inside and his excellent chipped pass to the far post is turned in by Robson-Kanu.
    • 89' Townsend crosses for Defoe, whose volley is over the bar. He has designs on the match ball there...
    • 88' Spurs change: Andros Townsend on for his Premier League debut, replacing Lennon.
    • 87' And he then clears off the line from Le Fondre! Unsung hero today, Gallas.
    • 86' Gallas with another header to keep Reading at bay.
    • 84' Tottenham have had 19 shots, nine on target, compared with two for Reading.
    • 83' Reading changes: Hal Robson-Kanu on for Guthrie and Noel Hunt replacing Pogrebnyak, who has run himself into the ground for no reward.
    • 82' Spurs have conceded four PL goals this season – three of which have come in or after the 80th minute of matches. It won't matter much if there is another now, although it doesn't look likely.
    • 81' The decision to play Defoe up front alone now seems inspired. Hats off to AVB - a better manager than me.
    • 80' Strangely, Dempsey's number is two - which he apparently had on his back when playing as a child.
    • 79' The stuffing has been knocked out of Reading, as you might expect. Is Andre Villas-Boas the real deal then? Tweet me
    • 78' Spurs change: Dempsey replaces Bale. The American has scored exactly 50 PL goals. In 2011 and 2012 he has netted a combined total of 24 PL goals – the same as Demba Ba. Only Robin van Persie (52) and Wayne Rooney (37) have more goals in the last two years in the division.
    • 76' Dempsey is stripped and ready to come on for his debut.
    • 75' Reading are set for their worst start to a top-flight season. Their previous worst was three points after three games in 2006-07.
    • 74' GOAL! SPURS 3-0! Defoe with a stunning goal! He tackles Gorkss on halfway and races all the way into the box, backing the defenders off, before letting rip into the far corner with his left foot.
    • 72' Spurs change: Tom Huddlestone on for danger man Sigurdsson.
    • 71' SPURS GOAL! 2-0 to SPURS: Bale scuffs a shot into the far corner, striking it on to his left foot with his right foot to send it spinning over McCarthy from a Walker pull-back.
    • 70' Half-hearted shout for a penalty as Reading keep up the pressure.
    • 68' He leaves the pitch temporarily but will continue.
    • 67' The game is increasing still further in speed - at least until Danny Guthrie goes down in a heap. He took Sandro's arm to the face in a fair challenge in midfield.
    • 66' Bale rampages down the left and centres low for Defoe, who takes two touches before slicing wide of the near post with Sigurdsson screaming for it behind him.
    • 65' A chipped pass over the top is just grabbed by Friedel as Le Fondre again bears down.
    • 65' Lovely first-time flick by Le Fondre but the cross is claimed low down by Friedel.
    • 64' Scrappy in the Spurs box from the corner, eventually hacked away.
    • 63' Gunter piling down the right forces the retreating Bale to concede a corner. Reading's tails are up.
    • 62' Successive corners are cleared by Tottenham.
    • 61' A ball over the top for Le Fondre - and his hard work wins a corner for Reading.
    • 60' At the other end Walker sprints back to win a throw. This has been a quick game, often end to end.
    • 59' Defoe and Lennon work together to get the ball into the danger area where Gorkss blocks at the near post.
    • 58' Sandro breaks into midfield and feeds Bale, who has one thing in mind - shooting. It is low and just wide.
    • 57' Spurs have dropped four points from winning position this season – only Southampton (6) have lost more.
    • 56' Reading send another free-kick into the danger area and Spurs are suddenly under pressure for a spell despite dealing with it.
    • 55' More crisp passing allows Bale to cross low from the left, dealt with by Reading.
    • 54' A counter from Spurs sees Dembele racing over halfway. He gets into the box and looks for Defoe but the ball is hacked behind by a Royals defender.
    • 53' Vertonghen back to block a Reading attack down the right.
    • 52' Probing play from Tottenham as Bale wins a throw-in. A wild clearance from Reading eventually comes to Sandro and his ill-advised shot from 40 yards is well wide.
    • 51' Nothing comes of the set-piece. In the last season both teams were in the PL, Tottenham beat Reading 6-4 at White Hart Lane in December 2007.
    • 50' Lennon attacking the Reading back four with Bale free on the far side - but he opts for Defoe down the channel and the ball is blocked. He tries again and wins a corner.
    • 49' Excellent patient passing play from Spurs to open up Reading, with Sigurdsson's clever flicked return pass just too strong for Lennon to allow McCarthy to claim.
    • 48' William Gallas, who has been rock solid so far, deals with a long ball forward again as the home fans get behind their side.
    • 47' Harte crosses from the left to put Friedel under pressure. The American copes with the danger, just.
    • 46' The second half underway with Reading in blue and white hoops now attacking the goal to our left.
    • - Reading change: Adam Le Fondre on for Jem Karacan.
    • 45+2' Half-time at the Madejski Stadium with Tottenham a goal up - and a great goal it was.
    • 45+1' Sigurdsson drags a shot well wide. Tottenham have played good football, but they are resorting to long-range strikes a bit too much now - AVB no doubt told them to test debutant McCarthy in the Reading goal before the match.
    • 45' Two minutes to be added on.
    • 44' Dembele, who joined from Tottenham and is already off the mark for Spurs this season after a great goal against Norwich, has a pop from outside the box. He wins a corner.
    • 43' Long from Chris Gunter but Reading centre-half Kaspars Gorkss - who had stayed up - is unable to get a head on it.
    • 42' Hesitant defending from Spurs now brings pressure as Reading win a corner.
    • 41' Defoe tries his luck from 20-odd yards out, but it is wide of the post.
    • 39' Pogrebnyak inside the box drags a low cross all the way to the far side - he should have gotten his head up - and when the cross comes back in, the ball falls to captain Jobi McAnuff whose strike is over the far top corner. The home team's first effort on goal.
    • 38' There is space for Reading to attack in the Spurs half, however, so all is not lost.
    • 37' Worst stat of the day: wins against Wigan and Wolves last season ended a run of 10 years and 15 games without a Premier League away win in the month of September for the visitors.
    • 36' Harte with a very heavy touch as he and a fellow Reading defender play it back and forth, allowing Defoe to steal the ball again in a two-on-two situation with Lennon alongside - nothing comes of it, but the home side are playing with fire.
    • 35' Harte cannot clear Dembele with a free-kick to groans from the stands.
    • 33' Alex Pearce it was who stopped the Sigurdsson shot while stretching - brilliant defending. The Spurs players claimed that it was over the line, but it was on the line.
    • 32' Naughton penalised for a foul on McCleary and Reading will hoist it into the box again. The former Sheffield United defender struggling a bit today but escapes a booking.
    • 31' HOW DID SPURS NOT SCORE THERE? Home keeper McCarthy shows a nervous heavy touch to allow Defoe to nick the ball off him and run wide; Sigurdsson arriving to the meet the pull-back strikes it hard but his effort is somehow blocked on the line.
    • 29' Spurs have been the better side, but they have played well before this season and not won. /// @tholloway93: "gotta say i quite like the spurs away kit! even as a gooner. but our away kit this season is better!"
    • 28' A scrappy sequence of play in midfield with neither side able to get hold of the ball for a prolonged period.
    • 27' The Reading fans are pretty quiet, while the away fans roll out their favoured 'Spurs go marching in' number.
    • 25' Reading have won eight and lost none of their last 10 league games at the Madejski Stadium while Tottenham have won just one of their last 11 Premier League away games (W1 D5 L5).
    • 24' A long ball for Defoe sees the diminutive striker bring the ball down superbly over his shoulder and toe-poke just wide from more than 20 yards out. Brilliant target-man play from the England star.
    • 23' It is indeed Harte who bends it in, but hits it too strongly and Spurs clear.
    • 22' Naughton hauls down Garath McCleary and Harte will be a danger from down the right side of the box with this free-kick. /// @Lukedbest on Spurs' kit: "i think it looks great"
    • 21' Sandro bangs a shot at goal from some way out and McCarthy scrambles across to make the save. That was travelling. Spurs have had 67 per cent of possession. Villas-Boas=genius.
    • 20' A curled free-kick bounces awkwardly in front of Reading keeper McCarthy but he takes a step back and claims it calmly enough. He has been a busy man so far on his debut.
    • 19' So much for Defoe not being able to lead the line... he also scored on the opening day at St James'. His goalscoring ability has never been in doubt.
    • 18' SPURS GOAL! 1-0 to SPURS: Sigurdsson splits Ian Harte from his central defenders with a superb pass and Lennon pulls back for Defoe to finish low into the far corner from inside the box. Lovely team goal from Tottenham.
    • 16' Aaron Lennon unable to retrieve the ball and it runs out for a Reading goal-kick. What do you think to this Spurs kit? Tweet me
    • 15' Spurs calm it down again. They are always looking for a short pass, but I cannot see the logic in Defoe being the target man with Adebayor on the bench.
    • 14' Reading have woken up as a couple of challenges go in.
    • 13' Spurs have lost just one of their last seven Premier League games (W3 D3 L1). Reading have only won one of their last nine games in the Premier League (W1 D3 L5).
    • 12' Tottenham have won six and lost just one of the last eight matches against Reading in all competitions.
    • 11' Walker it was whose arm touched the ball as he tangled with a Reading player. Looked a penalty to me, but Howard Webb did not agree.
    • 10' It is bent to the far side of the box and there is a Tottenham hand on it! No penalty given.
    • 9' Free-kick to Reading in the final third with the hulking Pogrebnyak lurking in the box.
    • 8' Reading looking shaky at the back after almost a month out of action. Defoe does not test the goalkeeper with a snap-shot here.
    • 7' Villas-Boas has picked up only three wins from his last 15 Premier League matches as a manager. Good start from his men here though.
    • 6' A long ball forward from Naughton allows Bale to run on to it and his first touch past the advancing McCarthy runs past the far post.
    • 5' Free-kick to Tottenham in the final third. Bale takes it and Gylfi Sigurdsson's header is parried by debutant McCarthy; Jan Vertonghen follows up and his strike is palmed wide at the near post. Welcome to the Premier League.
    • 4' A cross comes in from Reading, well held by Brad Friedel under pressure from Pavel Pogrebnyak.
    • 3' The ball comes out to Kyle Walker whose first-time strike is well over the crossbar.
    • 2' Early possession for Spurs to find Gareth Bale on the left. His early cross wins a corner.
    • 1' Off we go with Tottenham in a strange black- and grey-halved kit kicking from right to left.
    • 15:57 The teams emerge. It turns out Federici, despite carrying a knock, has actually just been dropped entirely.
    • 15:55 You'll Never Walk Alone plays over the PA system with a message remembering the dead at Hillsborough. Another touching moment among many this weekend.
    • 15:50 William Gallas has urged Tottenham fans not to panic despite the team's poor start to the season. Gallas urges fans to remain calm
    • 15:45 Villas-Boas: "We want to put things right in our next game against Reading with attacking football & good passing. It's important that the market is closed and the players are back from international duty. We have world class players that we're looking to fine-tune. We saw last season that promoted teams can surprise. It's early days for them, but their performances have been there."
    • 15:40 McDermott: "I don't want to inflict pain on anyone, I just want to do the right thing for us. What we have to do is prepare ourselves and get a good performance from our team and that is the only thing that I'm looking to do. We are playing against Spurs - a fantastic side - and I know Andre quite well so I'm not looking to inflict pain, we are just looking to play our game and put on a performance for our fans."
    • 15:35 Younes Kaboul (knee), Scott Parker (Achilles) and Heurelho Gomes (ankle) are out for Spurs, while Jason Roberts (calf) and Jimmy Kebe are the only men out for Reading other than Federici. Mali winger Kebe had been expected to make the bench at least after his hamstring injury. Non-internationals in the Royals ranks haven't played for 25 days so they will be full of beans...
    • 15:31 Two changes for Spurs, with Kyle Naughton coming in for Benoit Assou-Ekotto at left-back and Moussa Dembele replacing Jake Livermore in midfield. Clint Dempsey and Emmanuel Adebayor are on the bench with Jermain Defoe starting alone up front. Friedel continues in goal ahead of new £12 million France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris., who is on the bench for the first time.
    • 15:29 One change for Reading as Alex McCarthy replaces Adam Federici in goal as the latter misses out on the matchday squad through injury.
    • 15:27 TEAMS: Reading: McCarthy, Gunter, Harte, Gorkss, Pearce, Karacan, Leigertwood, Guthrie, McCleary, McAnuff, Pogrebnyak; subs: S Taylor, Shorey, Mariappa, Cummings, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre, Hunt. /// Spurs: Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Naughton, Sandro, Dembele, Sigurdsson, Bale, Lennon, Defoe; subs: Lloris, Caulker, Dawson, Huddlestone, Townsend, Adebayor, Dempsey.
    • 15:25 Reading have made the following statement: "After an emotional week for everyone involved in the tragedy, and indeed the sport as a whole, the Royals would like to show our solidarity with all those affected. With that in mind, shortly before kick-off this afternoon, the anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' will be played out over the stadium speakers. Reading remember the 96."
    • 15:20 Tottenham are unbeaten in their last five matches against Reading in all competitions since a 3-1 PL defeat at the Madejski Stadium in November 2006.
    • 15:15 A win for either side would see them climb into mid-table. Table
    • 15:10 Andre Villas-Boas, meanwhile, is looking for his first win as Tottenham manager after two home draws followed the opening-day defeat at Newcastle. Spurs fixtures and results
    • 15:05 Reading have only played two matches since returning to the top flight, a 1-1 draw at home to Stoke on the opening day and 4-2 loss at Chelsea where they led for more than 40 minutes. Their game at Sunderland was called off due to inclement weather. Reading fixtures and results
    • 15:00 Reading host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League at the Madejski Stadium.

  • Summary

    • 90+4' Reading corner - the fans who have stayed behind getting behind them. Gallas flies into a challenge and the whole ground demands a penalty - Webb turns them down!
    • 90' READING GOAL! 3-1 to SPURS: Hunt finds Le Fondre inside and his excellent chipped pass to the far post is turned in by Robson-Kanu.
    • 87' And he then clears off the line from Le Fondre! Unsung hero today, Gallas.
    • 74' GOAL! SPURS 3-0! Defoe with a stunning goal! He tackles Gorkss on halfway and races all the way into the box, backing the defenders off, before letting rip into the far corner with his left foot.
    • 71' SPURS GOAL! 2-0 to SPURS: Bale scuffs a shot into the far corner, striking it on to his left foot with his right foot to send it spinning over McCarthy from a Walker pull-back.
    • 31' HOW DID SPURS NOT SCORE THERE? Home keeper McCarthy shows a nervous heavy touch to allow Defoe to nick the ball off him and run wide; Sigurdsson arriving to the meet the pull-back strikes it hard but his effort is somehow blocked on the line.
    • 24' A long ball for Defoe sees the diminutive striker bring the ball down superbly over his shoulder and toe-poke just wide from more than 20 yards out. Brilliant target-man play from the England star.
    • 18' SPURS GOAL! 1-0 to SPURS: Sigurdsson splits Ian Harte from his central defenders with a superb pass and Lennon pulls back for Defoe to finish low into the far corner from inside the box. Lovely team goal from Tottenham.
    • 10' It is bent to the far side of the box and there is a Tottenham hand on it! No penalty given.
    • 5' Free-kick to Tottenham in the final third. Bale takes it and Gylfi Sigurdsson's header is parried by debutant McCarthy; Jan Vertonghen follows up and his strike is palmed wide at the near post. Welcome to the Premier League.
    • 15:27 TEAMS: Reading: McCarthy, Gunter, Harte, Gorkss, Pearce, Karacan, Leigertwood, Guthrie, McCleary, McAnuff, Pogrebnyak; subs: S Taylor, Shorey, Mariappa, Cummings, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre, Hunt. /// Spurs: Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Naughton, Sandro, Dembele, Sigurdsson, Bale, Lennon, Defoe; subs: Lloris, Caulker, Dawson, Huddlestone, Townsend, Adebayor, Dempsey.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      4.4 6
      Defenders
      5.3 5
      4.9 7
      4 5
      3.9 5
      Midfielders
      Substitution Out45′ 3.9 5
      4.4 5
      4.4 6
      Substitution Out83′ 5.1 5
      5.2 6
      Strikers
      Substitution Out83′ 5.1 5
      Subs
      Substitution In45′ 5.9 8
      Substitution In83′ 3.8 6
      Substitution In83′ Goal 5.7 7
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      6.3 7
      Defenders
      6.2 7
      6.9 8
      6.9 8
      6.2 6
      Midfielders
      6.2 6
      6.8 7
      Substitution Out88′ 6.6 -
      Substitution Out72′ 6.8 8
      Goal Substitution Out78′ 6.7 8
      Strikers
      Goals ×2 Yellow Card 8 9
      Subs
      Substitution In72′ 6.8 6
      Substitution In78′ 6.6 6
      Substitution In88′ 6.7 6

Comment 105 - 125 of 125

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  1. I ask if the referee and assistant referees are­ evaluated after each match? Clearly some of the­ officials can have a bad day now and then. But it­ seems some officials should be rested or laid off if­ they consistently make bad decisions (easier to see in­ replays and slow motion, of course).

    From Norman Savage, on Sat 22 Sep 7:19

  2. Well done Reading you were unlucky, if we'd scored­ at the beginning of the second half when we really got­ our game up it would've been different, but thats­ the way it goes. Lets learn from this and trash the­ Baggies next weekend! And to be fair we shouldve got­ a pen at the end, saw it with my own eyes and I could­ blatantly tell that, but even though it was Howard Webb­ at least we werent playing Man U....

    From URZZZ, on Tue 18 Sep 17:40

  3. @ 107 Clyde The gr8 I think you have mental issues­ dude. Sorry but it's time you knew and can start­ to work it out.

    From Mr G., on Mon 17 Sep 18:28

  4. Sublime - what a word for a football team

    From Christopher, on Mon 17 Sep 14:07

  5. lets remember spurs got 3 goals.....from 15 shots­ against reading,keep it in context people !!!

    From lee, on Mon 17 Sep 13:51

  6. I am pleased for Tottenham and especially for AVB. I­ hope that he loosens up soon and lets the wingers get­ into the game more. I like his more European set up­ with attacking midfielders and one attacker and Defoe­ is looking sharp at the moment.

    From Paul, on Mon 17 Sep 13:43

  7. would have been a different game if blind man webb had­ given the penaltys, reading should have had 2 clear­ pens

    From MICHAEL, on Mon 17 Sep 6:19

  8. nobody cares, this is america

    From bumthumb, on Mon 17 Sep 0:18

  9. wining against Reading is like feeding 3 year old­ child. lol

    From rapture, on Sun 16 Sep 23:50

  10. Great result. x

    From Kathleen, on Sun 16 Sep 20:37

  11. well done spurs im happy for you i hope you have agood­ season well you have got a good manager godbless

    From ALAN, on Sun 16 Sep 20:26

  12. Give AVB a chance. Spurs have all the chance to be in­ top 3 last season, but they were not. Hence the­ sacking.

    From Hiscoming, on Sun 16 Sep 20:19

  13. The bloke who wrote this article is clearly a Spurs­ fan, tell us about how they thought they were going to­ steal a champions league spot, not with AVB you­ don't... worst signing Tottenham ever made, and the­ worst deal losing Van der Vaart.

    From Andrew Barlow, on Sun 16 Sep 20:19

  14. Ha, I love that: "AVB, a better manager than­ me" You're the only person in the world­ he's a better manager than, then. First to be­ sacked, out of a job come January, odds-on favourite

    From BeatSteaks, on Sun 16 Sep 19:43

  15. yids were less than average and found it difficult­ against a poor reading team.

    From no-one-is-no-one, on Sun 16 Sep 19:33

  16. Spurs were not sublime, Reading were awful and if they­ continue to play like that they will be relegated.

    From M, on Sun 16 Sep 19:27

  17. Hahaha! I like AVB.

    From abu, on Sun 16 Sep 19:24

  18. 3 points and a hatful of chances to make the scoreline­ more convincing. Dembele looked class and when Dempsey­ came on he also looked real quality. Vertonghen was­ solid but I would still like to see Dawson in for­ Gallas. Glad that Livermore was injured, not good­ enough to replace Huddlestone, Parker, Dempsey tStill­ got Parker and Kaboul to come back from operations so­ it's looking good.

    From Richie, on Sun 16 Sep 19:04

  19. @ John. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Your last result was 0 - 0­ vs. QPR. The result before that was a 4 - 1­ humiliation by Atletico Madrid. In fact, if I remember­ correctly you played Reading at Stamford Bridge and­ conceeded 2. Mug!

    From Ted, on Sun 16 Sep 18:46

  20. #$%$ Off AVB!!

    From sanjay, on Sun 16 Sep 18:35
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