The 2022/23 season proved to be a disastrous campaign for Reading FC and one that ended in relegation from the Championship.
After starting the campaign with such promise, Reading’s dreadful away record eventually caught up with them and coupled with a six point deduction from the EFL resulted in a 22nd place finish.
The Royals will now play in England’s third tier for the first time since 2001/02.
Midfielders
Tom Ince: A-
Head and shoulders above the rest and deservedly named player of the season, boasting nine goals and four assists in the league. Set the tone off the ball with his trademark pressing. Was a big miss in the run-in.
Tyrese Fornah: C
Started the season well, notably scoring in a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough. Worked tirelessly when called upon but never truly cemented his place in the starting eleven and ended the campaign in an unfamiliar wide left position.
Cesare Casadei: C
A young player destined for a bright future. Took a few games to adjust, but provided a much needed creative spark after arriving from Chelsea in January and made 15 appearances in his short spell.
Junior Hoilett: C
Played the majority of the season at wing-back without necessarily having the tools to master the role. Will be disappointed not to have picked up any assists while assigned to set pieces.
Jeff Hendrick: C-
Only missed one game the entire season. Fairly consistent without ever being spectacular. Scored some eye-catching goals, including a brace against QPR.
Mamadou Loum: E
The 6’2 midfielder looked like a powerhouse in his first couple of games, but that proved to be a false dawn. Several subpar performances across the season and his glaring lack of ability on the ball contributed to Reading’s low possession stats in almost every match.
Forwards
Andy Carroll: B-
Often frustrating to watch the side’s over eagerness to go direct to the big striker, but nine Championship goals in 30 games showed his worth to the side. Unfortunately, his red card against Luton proved to be a sliding doors moment which arguably cost the team from getting what would have been a much needed win against Luton.
Femi Azeez : C
A young talent with plenty of potential. Underused for most of the campaign with Ince reluctant to give the youngsters a chance. Featured much more towards the end of the campaign and showed some glimpses of his ability.
Yakou Meite: C
A stop-start season for the Ivorian whose campaign was bookended by spells out injured. Never fully trusted by Ince and four goals just isn’t enough for a forward of his calibre. Will nonetheless be missed next season if he leaves as reported.
Lucas Joao: C
Far from his prolific best that he showed a few seasons prior and often cut a frustrated figure. Ended the season with seven goals and two assists in 34 games. His Reading career ended on a sour note after allegedly refusing to travel to Huddersfield for the final game.
Shane Long: D-
His return caused a stir, but it wasn’t to be the fairytale comeback Reading fans hoped for. The forward only managed one league goal, a penalty against Cardiff in August, and more often than not struggled to win his duels.
Manager
Paul Ince – D-
The season started spectacularly and Reading were even top of the table for a brief period in October.
The home form in the first-half of the campaign was excellent and kept the Royals in the top half of the Championship which was above many people’s expectations after a second consecutive summer with the club under a transfer embargo.
But things quickly turned sour. Overly conservative tactics, poor results and a tendency to put blame on the players after defeat led to a toxic marriage between the manager and the fans.
Reading’s dismal away form and a six point deduction threw them into the relegation mix and the club ultimately decided to pull the trigger and dismiss Ince with five games to go.
