Football Season Guide

Last term was a somewhat confusing season for Reading. On paper they seriously lacked the quality players needed to make the Premier League, but they came so close to achieving that status, agonisingly losing on penalties to Huddersfield in the play-off final. They will now look to carry on from where they left off under the excellent management of Jaap Stam. The Dutchman really got the best out of his squad last term and proved himself to be one of the best up and coming managers there is. He signed astutely last term and brought in a team of characters. He shaped a style of play, not too dissimilar to the famous Dutch total football look, although there have been question marks over the entertainment value. Stam has lost keeper Ali Al Habsi who has returned to the Middle East and that is a blow as Al Habsi was last season's player of the year and he made a number of vital saves. That absence should not be felt too much though as Vito Mannone has been signed as a replacement from Sunderland. Midfielder Pelle Clement is another impressive arrival from Ajax while Jon Dadi Bodvarsson will hope to fulfil the role of out and out goalscorer. Yann Kermorgant is set to miss the start of the campaign but Reading are on the lookout for further players and appear very active in the transfer market. Reading performed well at the Madejski Stadium last term despite its poor pitch quality and will look to do the same again this term. They will look to improve their penalty taking having missed several kicks last term, something that ultimately cost them at Wembley.