Our front line will be interesting. I am guessing that our left hand side will be between Podolski, Gervinho and Cazorla. With Wilshere out, I suspect Santi will be needed centrally so I am going to cross off Santi from that wide list and I guess the rest depends on Podolski’s fitness. As he was on the bench for the Germans you have to guess that he is fit enough to start the game. Gervinho could

Can we call this the home straight? Are we around that bend yet? I don’t quite know the answer to that question but there are only 9 games remaining, every point from here on in will be very important and we have to start today with three points. I hate saying that because it feels like whenever I say that we end up not getting the victory.

There is no time for all that though, Reading at home is simply a fixture we should be winning, especially at the business end of the season. We will be ‘a little bit’ starting from scratch again after the good momentum we had built up after beating Bayern Munich and Swansea City. Not only that but we have lost two players from the Swansea victory. Abou Diaby long term and Theo Walcott shorter term will be missing. Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs are also missing. Lukas Podolski and Bacary Sagna restore the balance a little as they return to the fold following injuries of their own.

With Tottenham taking a trip to Swansea City, it could be a day where we hammer at that gap a little more but we have to do our bit. We have looked solid in recent matches but I wonder if this will be more about our speed of passing and movement going forward than being good defensively.

Our front line will be interesting. I am guessing that our left hand side will be between Podolski, Gervinho and Cazorla. With Wilshere out, I suspect Santi will be needed centrally so I am going to cross off Santi from that wide list and I guess the rest depends on Podolski’s fitness. As he was on the bench for the Germans you have to guess that he is fit enough to start the game. Gervinho could be a handy player to bring off the bench if need be.

Mean Lean’s Predicted Line Up:

Historically we have not clicked after breaks in our season and this has often hindered our attacking game. I do not see Reading playing an open game regardless of what their manager says so it will be very important that our passing is quick and decisive.

Chelsea go away to Southampton today and I fancy them to get an away win, in fact I cannot see Chelsea finishing beneath 3rd in the table so for me it is all about that 4th and final place.

A win for us and a Spurs defeat will put us a point behind them, with a game in hand. Oh let that be the case by the end of today.

Come on you mighty reds.