Look out for: Reading

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1. Players

Argyle will come up against former loanee Craig Tanner when the Pilgrims visit the Madejski Stadium this evening. The midfielder was not included in their opening game but he could feature in the squad should Reading chose to rotate their team. As Tanner has decided to stay with the Royals in a bid to get first team football, tonight would be a perfect opportunity for the winger to stake his claim. Other noticeable players to look out for include Chris Gunter, who was part of the Senior Wales squad for ‘Euros 2016’ in Paris, and captain Paul McShane who narrowly missed out representing Republic of Ireland in ‘Euros 2016’. A final player of note who will be looking to make an impression is new signing Callum Harriott, a pacy winger who will look to run at Argyles defence on Tuesday night.

Argyle are still waiting for Latvian international Nauris Bulvitis’s clearance to be completed, so it’s a very slight chance the defender will be included in the EFL Cup. Manager Derek Adams has insisted it will be a ‘huge step up’ from the season opening defeat to Luton Town and has also confirmed there will be a few changes to the starting line up. Vincent Dorel could replace newly named captain Luke McCormick in goal for the first round tie at the Madejski Stadium. Ben Purrington and Louis Rooney could also have a part to play.

2. Managers

Jamp Stam will get the feel of a cup tie for the very first time in English football when his Reading side lines up against Argyle in the first round tie of the EFL Cup. The former Dutch international was named Brian McDermott’s successor on 13th June 2016 after Reading gifted him his first chance of management after being interim and assistant manager at FC Zwolle; Ajax and Jong Ajax.  He made a winning start in England after defeating Preston North End 1-0 at home on Saturday.

On the eve of Argyle season opener at home to Luton Town, Derek Adams put pen to paper on a new four year deal, following a fantastic first season in charge which included a play-off final appearance at Wembley. Adams first taste of Cup games came last season at home Park in the 2-1 defeat to Gillingham, with Carlisle and Millwall also ending Argyle’s cup interests last season during back-to-back matches in November.

3. Tactics

The Pilgrims first League Two fixture saw the player’s lineup in a 4-1-2-1-2 diamond formation in the first half, with a second half switch to 4-4-2 after the opening goal. For the early part of the game Argyle will want to keep the door shut and to maintain parity for as long as possible; an early goal would force Argyle to chase the game and leave them with an embarrassing score line.

With Argyle having three away games in a week, Adams should use the depth of his squad to deploy different tactics and formations. Argyle have the choice of playing a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2 formation, providing Sawyer were to drop to centre-back, unless Jordan Bentley were to be promoted to the first team.

4. Opposition Tactics

Reading, last season under the guidance of Brian McDermott, preferred to play in a 4-3-3 formation; this has since been repeated by Stam in his first game in charge. Liking to play with three attacking front players – one of which could be Tanner – much of Reading’s game plan could rely on forcing Sawyer and Miller onto the back foot. Starting with a 4-1-2-1-2 would be ill advised therefore.

One player Reading will know about is Argyles number 10 Graham Carey, after a superb debut season at Argyle. Other than this, due to amount of new additions in Adams squad this year, many of the faces will be unfamiliar to Reading, so this game may be an interesting spectacle as Stam tries to second guess Argyle’s starting line up and danger men.

5. Head to Head

Argyles run in the EFL Cup, formally known as the Capital One Cup, isn’t very impressive, with the Pilgrims last reaching the second round stage four years ago after progressing past a youthful Portsmouth 3-0 at Home Park. Argyle have only made it to the second round three times since 1992.

Reading’s cup run is more favourable reaching the second, third and fourth rounds in the last four consecutive seasons. Their highest run in the cup came in their 2012/13 season when they were draw at home to Premier League Arsenal. Reading put up a fight as they went down 5-7 to the Londoners in extra time, despite having led 4-0 after just twenty minutes.

The last time the sides meet was in the Championship 2009/10 season when Reading came out 2-1 winners. The sides have played one another ten times with the Royals coming out slight winners with four wins, three draws and three loses whilst Argyle have won three times, drawn three and lost four. The last time the sides met at Home Park, however, Argyle ran out 4-1 victors, with Alan Judge (2), Kari Arnason and Ashley Barnes adding the goals – Gylfi Sigurdsson scored in response.