With the news that Gavin Bazunu is going to be out for the rest of the season and more than likely a lot longer and into the next one, the question is who will be Russell Martin's first choice keeper for the crucial last games of the season.
When Joe Lumley was signed on an out of contract free transfer back in August and was then subsequently installed as the back up keeper on the bench by Russell Martin, it was assumed that barring a crisis Alex McCarthy had played his last game for the club.
It was assumed that Lumley was signed because he had the ability with his feet to play the possession football game that Martin is so fond of, whilst McCarthy didn't.
So when Gavin Bazunu pulled out of the side on Tuesday after injuring himself in the warm up it was a big shock to see that McCarthy who was not on the bench was leapfrogged into the starting line up ahead of Lumley.
So the big question for the trip to Cardiff City is which keeper will be between the sticks on Saturday afternoon.
Perhaps the biggest shock that McCarthy should get the nod on Tuesday was his lack of game time, his only appearance of the season had been back in August in the debacle that was the trip to Gillingham in the League cup, Lumley had a little more practice having played in the FA Cup 4 times in the past months.
Indeed McCarthy game time has been little in recent seasons, last season he played just 9 times, a few cup games and the last 6 in the Premier League that saw him concede 17 goals.
In 2021/22 he played just 17 times, all but 2 in the first few months of the season, in simple terms he had barely played in the last 2 1/2 seasons.
Lumley in contrast was Reading's first choice keeper in the Championship last season and Middlesbrough's number one the season before that, in simple terms over the past 2/3 years he has played a lot of games whereas McCarthy hasn't.
But the choice for Russell Martin isn't as simple as who has played the most regularly of late, or even who is the best keeper, it is about possession football.
On Tuesday the possession game was not implemented as it had been for the other games this season, but was this a deliberate change of tactics or was it the fact that Preston were pushed back and did not press for fear of getting slaughtered.
When we had the ball at the back we had plenty of time to go forward with it, we were rarely pressed, so although it was most definitely a possession game being played, it was not along the back line.
If Russell Martin want to continue with his way of playing to the maxim, then Alex McCarthy is probably not his man and Lumley has to return.
Gavin Bazunu might not have been everyone's favourite keeper, but he fitted into the possession game, at times he was played into big trouble by his defence, but mostly he got himself out of hit, but the fans don't remember the hundreds of times he played the ball under pressure to a team mate, just the occasional cock up.
Joe Lumley will fit into the possession game, but Alex McCarthy won't, his work with his feet was not great when we weren't playing possession football, so I am not sure that he can play it now.
That means Russell Martin will have to modify his game, certainly if McCarthy plays the fans will see the keeper launch the ball up field under pressure, put bluntly ha will have to he hasn't the ball playing skills to risk much else.
So a big big decision for Russell Martin at Cardiff and indeed the rest of the season
Reports that Russell Martin was seen in Sports Direct with Jack Stephens trying on goal keeping gloves are yet to be confirmed
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