Miazga's back and better than ever! Okay, but at least he's back and played the full game, a great sign. Reading 2-0 Barnsley Barnsley is 23rd of 24 and likely to be relegated, but they had just won three in a row. Reading is 16th, and should be safe from relegation, but they had just lost two in a row and three of four, so Miazga's return helped stop the bleeding. Let's hope Miazga stays healthy and gets enough playing time the rest of the season to showcase his talents. Onward and upward!
Starts in FA Cup match: 🚨 FA CUP TEAM NEWS 🚨#Royals remain unchanged from weekend win @liammoore93 returns to the squad after illness🔵⚪ | #REAvSHU pic.twitter.com/1CvJ4lTEiY— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) March 3, 2020
I'll take back-to-back starts as an encouraging sign! From the BBC game preview - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51707629 "Reading boss Bowen will assess the fitness of defenders Liam Moore and Matt Miazga. Royals captain Moore missed the 2-0 weekend win over Barnsley because of illness, while on-loan Chelsea man Miazga played 90 minutes after returning from six weeks out with an ankle injury."
Miazga's return is pretty surprising to me... I watched the game he was injured in and I thought he may be lost for the year. Big ups.... I will try and catch this on replay tonight.
Reading manager Mark Bowen (right) and Matt Miazga appear dejected after the FA Cup fifth round match at the Madejski Stadium, Reading
Miazga was pretty solid throughout those 120 minutes. Well, through 119 of those minutes. The opening goal was weirdly easy for Sheffield, and I'm not sure what to make of it. As I was watching, I was thinking, Miazga pulled a step too far in front of the front post, moving Morrison a step too far over from center to stick to their front post attacker, and then Obita didn't step up to cover their man in the center. The cross was on a dime and he was wide open between Morrison and Obita and scored quite easily. I'm not sure how much of the blame for that is one MM, but a bit of it would be. I mean, Reading had, IIRC, five defenders in the box and SU had two attackers and somehow one of them was wide-fing open. I think he stepped forward too quickly, but the Obita and Morrison are more to blame, I'd think. That said, SU is really well organized and they've been causing problems for everyone this season and they didn't really for Reading, except for in the first and last minutes of the match. During the intervening like 104, Miazga was really strong.
Starts: 🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨#Royals lineup like this for Birmingham clash@OTRichards_ starts in only change to squad🔵⚪ | #BIRvREA pic.twitter.com/TgcnGxvdcH— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) March 7, 2020
He scores, too: 52' USA! USA! USA! 🇺🇸MIAZGA EQUALISES! WHAT A STRIKE SON! 😍#BIRvREA | 1-1 pic.twitter.com/vlp2bics1O— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) March 7, 2020 Some strike, @MattMiazga3 🚀 😍#BIRvREA pic.twitter.com/RMQAo2CGJa— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) March 7, 2020
Don't we all, but the $$$ are in England and Chelsea will want - some - returns on their investment. Added to which, Matt's spell in a Top 5 league (Ligue 1) wasn't an outstanding success. Odds are, it'll be another Championship loan.
At this point I think the odds are leaning towards Reading buying him on the cheap.It's really weird to loan a player to the same club for two full years without a purchase agreement, and Reading don't have much money to spend.
wow that's a sweet strike Why was he playing so advanced? I know he's played some striker in late game desperation moments with his prior clubs
It was likely associated with a set piece situation. Probably a ball being recycled in on a second opportunity.
It was, and he kind of had a goal and an assist at that point, though the assist was headed back to his own keeper when Birmingham slipped in and took it. He also, i think, blocked one off the goal line. That may have been skied without his presence though. still, he was there.
Reading’s manager Mark Bowen on Matt Miazga 🗣“‘He has now got two goals since I took over and he is a quality player. There’s an extra special mention for him because he was out for six weeks & has now played 3 games in 8 days and his standard has been top class.” #USMNT pic.twitter.com/iN9wQgu5mE— OneGoal (@OneGoalUS) March 11, 2020
Maybe not. His general record is that of a high-grade CB at this level. He's been thoroughly scouted by now. You're unquestionably better informed than me, but I'd be surprised if on of the potential promotion-challengers doesn't at least make approaches in the off-season.
For his career, I would hope so. But that's his on loan manager praising him there. Remember, he was just as good a year ago with Reading and there were no bidders. I think the description, as a high end championship CB is a bit flattering, as that would suggest top five in the league. Is he? I think if Reading were going up (they really, really are not) he'd be worth keeping on. But for now, maybe he's found his level. As for promoted sides: Is he of interest to Leeds? West Brom? Seems they'd have better back lines and better targets. FTR, two goals since early Oct is quite great from a CB, but it isn't catch the attention of one and all. Fans at Reading like him, but there isn't a gotta have one of those buzz around him league wide, or England wide, or Europe wide. I have no inside info on that, but Chelsea just loaned him out to the same club for two full years, and it is a club that is far from flush with cash. That's kind of an odd move, for both clubs. Maybe Chelsea had something better fall through, and Reading were, as always these days, desparate.
Yeah CB in England are weird. Some seem to just fit the level as top 6 Championship level CB's (i.e.: Ream, Tomas Kalas) but then you have a bunch that see meteoric rises (Alfie Mawson, Chris Smalling, Jon Stones). I expect Miazga is somewhere in between the two. He would have been so much better in England just 5 years ago.
The Championship has more money than most continental leagues anyway. Matt is the type that goes forward often and can help score, not only during set pieces. On the other hand, his work as CB showed enough holes during his time in France that I doubt any team that could afford to take him away from the Championship would be interested. He can be a Championship lifer, though, like so many other YAs.