When Sheffield United play Reading, certain things tend to happen. The Blades invariably always lose but beneath this verdict there are usually a number of sub plots and controversies. Yesterday, there were no sending offs and no incidents of real debate but there were all the other hallmarks of the Blades v Royals encounters. There was an early Reading goal that seems to be a trademark of these games but more than that despite the change of personnel and change of Blades management, it was very much of déjà vu in terms of the respective performances of the two sides.

The game at Bramall Lane was seen to be a measuring stick for United, in terms of assessing how serious their ambitions are of automatic promotion. Unfortunately, most United fans leaving the ground will have been given a large dose of reality as they trooped away as they saw just how far United were off arguably the best side in the division.

With the opportunity to overhaul Reading, United were without the injured Danny Webber and suspended Ugo Ehiogu, bringing back Brian Howard and Matthew Kilgallon. Reading were looking to build on recent impressive from with the free scoring Kevin Doyle, the man of the moment.

After a minute's applause for Cec Coldwell, United once again were kicking towards the Kop in the first half as they sought to preserve their unbeaten home record. However, it was Reading began the game on the front foot with quick passing football and urgency. They quickly gained two corners and Bikey almost converted from the second and United seemed shell-shocked as Reading swarmed all over them and were struggling to even get a foothold in the game. It was no surprised when the visitors went ahead on 5 minutes.

From a quick throw in, Doyle took the ball on and with no challenge coming from Naughton, Morgan or any other player who was in the vicinity he darted between the two aforementioned players and then cleverly squared the ball into the path of CISSE. The big midfielder was completely unmarked with Spring and Speed ball watching, and he calmly side footed a firm finish past Kenny and gave Reading the deserved lead. It is remarkable that this is the first goal United have conceded in the first 15 minutes of any game this season!

Stokes was booked for blatant simulation as United tried to at least try and have some sort of spell in the Reading half but the pressure was relentless. Cisse and Harper were running the game and with the busy Doyle and Noel Hunt, they looked like adding to the lead. Former Blade Armstrong shot over and then Harper tested Kenny. Morgan made two timely interceptions as United were doing all they could to stay in the game.

United had a brief spell of pressure with two corners leading to confusion. From one it led to Doyle clearing under his own bar and then with Hahnemann nowhere, Kilgallon missed an excellent chance with the goal at his mercy heading wide.

Despite this Reading were soon back on top and after Sun Jihai's cynical foul on Noel Hunt, his brother Stephen swung in the free kick and DOYLE got away from his marker and flicked the diving header past the exposed Kenny and doubled the Reading lead. A cruel blow for the home side and such a simple goal to concede that should have been avoided. However, it could not be argued that Reading were full value for the two goal lead and could have had further goals such was their domination territorially.

United made a double substitution after the break sending on Sharp and Halford for Quinn and spring. In truth, it could have been any one of 7 or 8, so inferior had United been. After Kebe should have done better and shot wide, United at last had a sustained spell. Halford's strong tackle got the crowd to its feet.

United's best spell of football culminated in Sharp hitting a dangerous cross into the box and Beattie managed to get in front of his marker but Hahnemann managed to make the point blank save. United were now at least making a game of it with the home crowd wondering why it had took half game to actually start competing. From a Stokes cross, Beattie then stuck out a leg but the ball hit the base of the post and bounced away via Ingimarsson. These two misses from Beattie were costly and United struggled to find any clear cut chances after this being restricted to long range efforts from Howard and from Stokes, despite their improved performance.

Reading were defending well though and looked swift and skilled in counter attacks. From one such move Hunt nearly found Doyle and Harper then also was close to converting with the ball skidding across Kenny's box. The same man shot straight at Kenny when he ought to have done better after another fluent break. Stokes had been replaced by Henderson as United sought to give their frontline further strength but the game was petering out to a comfortable Reading victory.

As the game entered the final embers, Sharp had a guilt edged chance to reduce arrears but with just the keeper to beat and the entire goal to aim for he could only hit the American stopper in the chest. With this chance went any of United's slim hopes of getting back into the game and was the signal for large sections of the ground to make an early exit.

The referee's whistle came after three minutes of stoppage time and United's long unbeaten home record was gone with Reading continuing their hoodoo over the Blades.

United

Whatever gripes about tactics, formation, team selection are merited but surely there can be no dispute that Reading simply are a better team, with better individuals and are better coached.

Reading completely dictated proceedings from the start of the game, they passed the ball better, looked faster, stronger and more skilful than the huff and puff Blades that gamely tried to come back but had surrender much of the initiative and the game in the first 25 minutes. It is strange to see a home side seem almost afraid when they had 25,000+ fans in the stadium but yesterday as in other encounters, United let the Berkshire side simply control the game.

The early goal was no surprise as Reading had spent all of the opening stages of the game in the United third of the field and seemed to gain corner after corner. Even after the goal, the pressure did not relent, as United's players seemed to be in quicksand in comparison to the athletic, sharp and stronger Reading men. United had a brief flurry without playing much football of note but a few half chances from corners was hardly acceptable for a home side that had been completely outplayed for the opening 20 minutes of the game. When Kevin Doyle scored all too easily just before half time, the game was effectively over. United did spurn chances in the second half through Beattie and Sharp but Reading could also have scored further goals.

To hear Blackwell say out strikers missed chances and other fans say we could have had 3 or 4 goals was a bit galling as all this happened when the game was 2-0 to Reading and pretty much over. I felt Reading were excellent in the opening and then barely got out of first gear for the rest of the game and it was a bit of a cakewalk. Sure, if we had scored then it may have been a nervy time but the fact it was didn't. Why didn't we try and take the game to them? Maybe we just are good enough to do this.

However, despite this United still and should have made Reading work harder for their goals, for their superiority and their victory. I do not think the tactics worked one bit as it left our full backs badly exposed. We seemed to have only 1 up front at times and much of the midfield did not seem to know who they were marking. Their wingers were left with lots of space too. Our so called midfield three should have been superior to the 'two' Reading played in this area but actually was inferior so poor were Speed, Howard and Spring and so good were Harper and Cisse.

Why we gave them so much ground and time is debatable but it seems when we play quicker, better and sharper players we really struggle (basically better teams! - look at Arsenal and the 6-0). The experienced plodders like Speed, Spring, Beattie may be able to do it against much of the division but it seems when we face these quicker and more athletic players who have skill to boot we look a very slow and very uninspired side. Reading took us apart fro the first 20 minutes yesterday and I think many honest United fans really will realise how far off we are being a genuine automatic promotion side.

The reality check was that many fans probably realise us sneaking into 5th or 6th place is about as good as it is going to get without either a) more investment in January (but then how much have Reading spent?) or b) a review of the coaching and management. The last may be seen as a direct dig at Blackwell and in truth it probably is.

Since the improvements he made when he first come when we played fast, attacking football, a bit like some of that Reading played yesterday, we seem to have gone backwards. He does not seem to know his best formation, his best team, nor how to actually beat the better teams in the division. He says that yesterday we looked afraid and gave Reading too much respect. As the manager he has to take full responsibility for that. He has a big month coming up where we can fade away and basically be looking at one of those last play off spots as a best cased scenario or he can see us kick on again and try and hang onto the coattails of the top 3. Unfortunately, I fear the former due to the lack of pace, subtlety and goalscoring (outside of Beattie) that we have in our team currently.

Worryingly, United's next opponent is the top side Wolverhampton. United will have to give a better account of themselves or they will face a massive confidence problem if they can't even fail to even test the top sides in the division at their own home ground.

Kenny 7/10
Had little chance on the Cisse goal and despite some questioning his position on the second it is hard as a keeper to stop a flicked header from a driven free kick. The protection he got was appalling and was basic stuff for markers really.

Naughton 7/10
Had a really stern test today and had a touch opening 20 minutes as Reading went at him and capitalised the lack of cover we provided for him down their left hand side. He perhaps should have done better (along with others) on the opening goal. Stuck to his task though and got stronger as the game went on. His little party piece on Hunt, when he beat him three times in the space of 20 seconds, showed his ability. Tried to keep going forward and always tried to play football where he could.

Sun Jihai 5.5/10
He looked more like the full back I remembered from Man City today than the excellent one I have seen for much of the season. By that I mean I felt he was erratic all afternoon. He started the game poorly and gave his many way too much room. It seemed to be him that lost Doyle on the goal too although whether it was his designated man I do not know. He improved and had a much better second half but as I have said earlier it was too late; the initiative was lost and so was the game.

Kilgallon 4/10
His worst game for a long, long time. He lost his markers, failed to intercept crosses and generally did not look at the races all afternoon. The fact that smaller players were continually beating him on headers (albeit good jumpers) was a concern. I felt Morgan was doing the job of both centre halves today.

Morgan 8/10
Maybe the only United player who came out of the game with any real credit from start to finish and can actually be pleased with his performance. After a tough week, Morgan played really well. Sure, a question could be asked of him on the first goal as it could of 2 or 3. Also, the forwards may have got away a few other times but overall I thought he was excellent. He did most of the basics well and made several good blocks and tackles; including two that saved certain goals. If others had played up to his standards we may have had a chance.

Howard 6/10
Still hard to form a firm opinion of him from what I have seen so far. Looks a good technical player and seems to have a nice range of passing but lacks pace and also does not cover defensively. He had his usual mixed bag of corners. 3 or 4 that either did not beat the first man or lofted into the arms of the keeper and then 1 or 2 that should have led to goals with the Kilgallon miss, the most glaring. I do like the fact that he always tries to get on the ball when he can but often like the rest of our midfield yesterday he was swatted aside or chasing shadows. I felt our midfield was completely dictated to in the first 20 minutes yesterday. Howard did improve as the game wore on as United suitably improved but it was too late.

Spring 5/10
Had a wretched first half where he was losing runners, giving the ball away and generally not contributing many positive things. He has played well in recent weeks but today against the first really good side we have seen he looked out of his depth and badly lacking in key ingredients of pace, power and ability.

Speed 5/10
Really poor. Said it so many times but when he plays badly often so do United. Harper and Cisse were too fast, too strong and too good for our midfield today. In fact I barely even noticed Speed for long periods of today's game.

Quinn 5.5/10
I actually thought he did some ok things in the first half but also gave the ball away a lot too. At least he was busy and tried to get amongst Reading whilst their more senior players were not in the game whatsoever. Strange he was put back wide left when he has been doing better in the middle. I actually think he needs to be taken out of the team for a period until he can find some level of consistency.

Beattie 6/10
Whilst he was not in the game for long spells it was not really his fault. He has little to no support and then whether it was his own fault or the formation, he came looking for the ball in the middle of the field and even had one spell back at centre back after he had originally lost the ball. The number of times he was out wide instead of being in the box was quite frustrating. Much of this is a fault of the formation and the lack of support but that being said he did miss 2 clear cut chances right in front of goal after half time that would have changed the game dramatically.

Stokes 4/10
Really disappointing. He has a nice touch and good technique but rarely gets his head up, has that Webber type penchant for cutting inside and is still very selfish. His end product has been minimal since he came. No better than what we have and I would personally send him back. His whole attitude and body language smacks of someone who clearly thinks he is better than he is; which is a shame as the boy has talent. Rightly booked for a shameful dive early on too.

Subs

Sharp 5/10
Tried to get closer to Beattie than other players and did hold the ball up a few times but in truth he did not have that much impact. He actually was slow getting in front of his defender to get to the ball quite a few times and then missed a sitter near the end. I remember the assessment on Sharp last season was that he was not even getting chances when he had that long barren spell. Well in the games he has played this season I can actually think of at least 7 or 8 clear-cut chances he has missed. If he is not taking the chances in the six-yard box it is hard to see what he is contributing and difficult to see where he fits in the side in the future.

Halford 7/10
Thought he played well when he came on and actually showed some good attacking intentions immediately. A lot of the catalyst for our second half improvement came from his determination to get amongst Reading and to try and make things happen.

Henderson
Came on and tried to use his height and strength but looked understandably short of match practice as he spent more time being late to balls and committing fouls.

Reading

Probably the best side in the division. Strong, skilled, tall, good footballers, organised. Sure they are not Real Madrid, but they will take some stopping. I actually think that some of their standout players were not the ones who were playing week in, week out for the last few years like Kebe and Cisse. They lost Shorey, Kitson and Sonko but they do not seem to have skipped a beat and that is credit to Coppell who is still a vastly underrated manager.

They play the right way and always look to pass and always look to go forward, wherever they go away from home. However, if teams mix it up, they have the size and power to mix it too. I felt Cisse was the best player on the pitch yesterday. Also, they prove you do not have to play a target man up front as they have two smaller players, albeit who can really compete in the air, and who generally like it to feet. I still think their defence can be got at.

I thought Armstrong was one of their poorer players and was the main are we caused problems yesterday but they manage to cover their lack of speed at this area by covering for each other. Harper is a player that should be playing much higher up as he has all the qualities needed in a midfielder. Hunt (S) is an annoying little sod but a good footballer. The winger Kebe caused Sun Jihai a lot of problems too. Reading will go away and play that up-tempo passing football utilising the pace and scoring threats they have and win a lot of games. I struggle to see how two teams will finish above them.

Referee - Michael Oliver

Fairly ordinary really. Bit inconsistent at times, with handballs for instance that he sometimes gave and then did not. The way he gave fouls continually when the ball went into the Reading box in the second half from corners etc was frustrating but from my position on the Kop I could not honestly tell whether they were fouls or not. Also maybe he could have booked the Reading man for the foul on Quinn but overall his performance was neither spectacularly good nor bad. He did not make any major decisions that could be seen as controversial that affected either team.