Article: Simon Glanville
The Bluebirds will be eager to put the disappointment of Sunday's defeat to Newcastle behind them when they travel to Reading's Madejski Stadium on Wednesday evening. City will hope to take points off a Reading side who have struggled so far this season. Simon Glanville previews the game.
Cardiff City team news: Dave Jones has a new injury headache to deal with after loan star Kelvin Etuhu was ruled out for up to two months. The Manchester City loanee impressed as a substitute against Newcastle at the weekend and could have been in-line to make his first Cardiff City start, but the striker has suffered ligament damage after colliding with an advertising board during Sunday's match.
Ross McCormack is nearing a return, but the Reading game, much like the weekend visit of QPR will come too early for him. Kevin McNaughton meanwhile is still recovering from his pre-season injury.
Reading team news: Brendan Rodgers could be without one of his new signings for the visit of Cardiff. On loan Celtic defender Darren O'Dea is a doubt with possible broken hand, but fellow new recruits Brian Howard and Shaun Cummings are likely to play after making their debuts against Doncaster Rovers last time out.
Skipper Ivar Ingimarsson is nearing a return, whilst former Bluebird Jobi McAnuff will be hoping to make his Reading debut.
Former Bluebird Jobi McAnuff will hope to figure on Wednesday evening.
Reading's season so far: After missing out on promotion last season, Steve Coppell decided to walk away from Reading after five and a half years in charge of the club. His replacement, Brendan Rodgers, has seen a number of key players leave over the summer, including Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt, Marcus Hahnemann and Andre Bikey. Rodgers though is happy with his lot and believes the youngsters at his disposal will come good in the long run.
A goalless stalemate with Nottingham Forest on the opening day at the Madejski Stadium was followed by a 5-1 thumping of Burton Albion in the Carling Cup First Round, but since then the results haven't been great for the Royals.
A Shola Ameobi hat-trick was the difference when Reading traveled to Newcastle earlier in the season before gaining a point at Swansea in another goalless draw.
Reading then lost on home soil to Sheffield United before Barnsley won at the Madejski to knock Reading out of the Carling Cup. Reading did get their revenge four days later with a first league win of the season at Oakwell, though Doncaster nicked a point at Reading last time out to leave the Royals with six points from six matches.
Last meeting: Two league draws with Reading last season showed that there wasn't much to separate the two sides, but it was Cardiff who went through when we met in the F.A. Cup Third Round. Second-half goals from Joe Ledley and Ross McCormack at Ninian Park resulted in the Bluebirds heading in to Round Four, where they were eventually knocked out by Arsenal.
Teams from last meeting at Ninian Park on 3rd January 2009:
Bluebirds: Enckelman, McNaughton, Gyepes, Roger Johnson, Kennedy, Whittingham, Rae, Ledley, Parry, Bothroyd (McPhail 74), McCormack. Subs not used: Heaton, Capaldi, Purse, Comminges, Scimeca, Blake.
Reading: Federici, Murty, Bikey, Pearce, Kelly, Matejovsky, Convey (Church 74), Karacan (Sigurdsson 78), Henry (Kebe 70), Lita, Long. Subs not used: Andersen, Cisse, Robson-Kanu, Golbourne.
Attendance: 12,448.
Joe Ledley celebrates scoring against Reading in last season's F.A. Cup.
Reading last time out: After a slow start to the new season, Reading would have identified their home game with Doncaster as a chance to kick start their campaign. But Brendan Rodgers' men were frustrated by the visiting Rovers and in particular 'keeper Neil Sullivan. The veteran shot stopper showed his class with a string of fine saves, meaning his side left the Madejski Stadium with a priceless point at the end of a goalless stalemate.
Reading: Federici, O'Dea, Bertrand, Pearce, Cummings, Howard, Kebe, Karacan (Rasiak 59), Sigurdsson (Matejovsky 58), Gunnarsson (Cisse 69),Hunt. Subs not used: Tabb, Mills, Hamer, Church.
Listen to the full match commentary on Cardiff City Player by clicking on the link below:
