Reading v Barnsley Betting Preview – Championship 28th November 8.00pm
A lot more was expected of the Royals as they were in the promotion push last season, but they have really fallen from grace and they find themselves struggling along in the bottom half of the Championship table. There’s a big three points on offer in this home game for them against Barnsley who are level on points with them. Barnsley are carrying decent away form though in the league which will make them a threat in the fixture. Who will claim this important three points?
Reading v Barnsley Betting Tips
Reading have gone backwards pretty quickly from last season. They were a force to be reckoned with, especially on home soil last term as they were in the play off spots. But they have only the one win in their last seven home fixtures now (D2 L4) and just cannot be wholeheartedly trusted. Just to put things into context they are 17 points worse off currently than they were at this stage last season. Not too surprisingly then they are sitting in the bottom half of the Championship table but are level on points with Barnsley so that puts a huge importance on the three points which are available in this one. There’s a good chance to climb. Reading have failed to score in three of their last four home fixtures and under 2.5 goals at bet365 has some immediate appeal at a price of 19/20. Of their nine home games this season, the Royals have been ahead at half time in just one of them.
In total Reading have scored just the eight goals at the Madejski in the league this season while at the back there has only been the one clean sheet from them. So it’s difficult to imagine that they are going to find a win easy to come by in this one. 75% of their home goals this season have been in the second half of matches so patience will be in order. Reading have netted just three opening goals in their nine league home games this season. Modou Barrow and Liam Moore are the joint top scorers this season with three goals and the former is a 7/4 anytime goalscorer option. John Swift is the only Reading player to have scored more than one home goal for them this season. With the Tykes carrying decent away form with them, and with Barnsley unbeaten in their last three trips to Reading (W2 D1) the Royals once again look vulnerable.
Barnsley have lost their last two league games, both at home, but they are carrying away form which makes this interesting. They have picked up a W2 D2 record on their travels in their last four and so they should be able to make a decent fist of this. They have netted nine goals in total across their last four games away from home and in the bet365 correct score market, a Barsenly 1-0 returns a price of 12/1 while the 1-1 draw is in as the shortest priced option at 11/2. The Tykes have returned twelve goals away from home this season while conceding that tally as well. There has been no clean sheet for them on their travels yet this season and they have only scored the opening goal in two for their eight road games this season and 83% of the goals that they have conceded on the road have been in the first half of matches. But at least they are in form on the road and that will trouble the Royals and the Tykes may well continue their form at the Madejski.
Reading v Barnsley Betting Odds
Reading 5/6, Draw 12/5, Barnsley 7/2
Reading v Barnsley Predictions
Because the Royals have been struggling at home recently, there has to be value in considering the away win in this one. Barnsley have been doing well enough out on the road recently to suggest that they can at least avoid defeat in this one and it may be well worth backing the visitors to edge a tight game.
