The Royals boss admits Villa will be tough in their Championship game but could there be an element of fear in his comments?
Reading boss Jose Gomes has described Aston Villa as a “great team” that have “very dangerous” means of attack ahead of Saturday’s Championship clash between the two.
Dean Smith’s side go into the game at the Madejski Stadium having claimed a 2-1 win over Ipswich Town last time out, with Tammy Abraham scoring his 18th and 19th goals of the season.
In addition, the Villans have been boosted by the signings of defender Tyrone Mings and midfielder Tom Carroll which will reinforce the spine of the team, with the latter’s creativity and passing a boost for the front line.
Reading, meanwhile, dropped two points when Jack Hobbs netted a stoppage time equaliser for Bolton Wanderers in the 1-1 draw on Tuesday night and are still in the relegation zone (BBC Sport).
Aside from the disparity in league places – Villa in 10th, Reading in 22nd – Smith’s charges have also scored 53 goals in 29 league games this season, the third highest in the division.
However, the West Midlanders have shipped 46, two more than the Royals, something which is likely to have given Gomes food for thought.
“They have a great team,” he told the Reading website. “Very good players, very dangerous in their attack – all of their players can shoot from outside the box. They have very fast players in attack, they can cut inside and shoot.
“But tell me – which game is easy in the Championship? We don’t have easy games, this is another difficult game and we must be prepared to beat different kinds of teams.”
Gomes has no qualms about the task ahead for his side but even though he has given Villa respect, one can’t help but feel that he seems worried – could Smith’s charges exploit this fear factor?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
