The team suffered an extremely poor run of form in January and February 2008, losing a club-record eight league games in a row.
Reading dominated the first half and led at half-time through André Bikey's first goal for the club, smashed home after Petr Čech and Steve Sidwell collided in the Chelsea penalty area.
Chelsea scored two quick goals, however, in the second half, to win the game 2–1, and Reading again had a player sent off, Kalifa Cissé, this time for two yellow cards.
[11] In their final league fixture of the month, an injury-hit Reading, without Nicky Shorey and Graeme Murty in defence, lost 3–0 at Bolton Wanderers.
Reading again played some of the match with only ten men, after Sam Sodje was red-carded in the 58th minute, but Leroy Lita struck the winning goal in extra-time, converting a Dave Kitson cross.
[15] Reading returned to winning ways on 22 September, and moved out of the relegation places with a 2–1 home victory over Wigan Athletic, Dave Kitson becoming the first Royal to score multiple times in the season, and James Harper with a late winner.
Despite a spirited showing by a number of reserves, they lost 4–2 to Liverpool at home in the Carling Cup third round, with Fernando Torres scoring a hat-trick.
In what proved to be a scrappy affair, Reading came out with a 1–0 victory through a Kevin Doyle goal; Derby did not manage a shot on target the whole game.
Kevin Doyle netted twice after coming on as a substitute while Benni McCarthy scored twice with Roque Santa Cruz and Tugay Kerimoğlu getting the other two goals for Blackburn.
[22] Following its victory over Newcastle, Reading travelled to Craven Cottage with hopes of a second consecutive league win for the first time in the season.
[23] On 12 November, Reading hosted unbeaten Arsenal under the Madejski Stadium floodlights, and were soundly beaten 3–1, Nicky Shorey slotting home a late consolation after substitute Shane Long had headed against the bar.
They met Middlesbrough at home on 1 December; after an entirely forgettable first half, Dave Kitson gave Reading the lead, superbly lobbing Ross Turnbull.
With a controversial penalty after Jamie Carragher fouled Brynjar Gunnarsson in the corner of the box, Stephen Hunt put the ball into the back of the goal, with Pepe Reina not standing a chance.
A free kick was eventually awarded to Reading following an unsuccessful tackle by Gerrard, which Nicky Shorey floated into the area, and Kevin Doyle headed in.
In the final minute, Stephen Hunt poked a Shane Long cross towards goal, and Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon appeared to palm the ball away.
Dave Kitson equalized Nolberto Solano's opener after Brynjar Gunnarsson had been sent off for a two-footed challenge on West Ham's Hayden Mullins.
Tottenham won the match 6–4, although Reading led three times in the second half with goals from Kalifa Cissé and Ívar Ingimarsson and two from Dave Kitson.
[31] 2008 started badly for Reading, as Ibrahima Sonko was sent off after only four minutes of a home match against Portsmouth on 1 January, for fouling Benjani in the penalty area.
Niko Kranjčar missed the resultant penalty, but Sol Campbell bundled the ball over the line a few minutes later after a mistake from Marcus Hahnemann.
[32] Just a week after losing 6–4 to Tottenham Hotspur in the league, Reading had an opportunity to give a better account of themselves in a FA Cup Third Round match at White Hart Lane.
[33] Reading returned to league action at Villa Park, and despite an injury to Michael Duberry, and the absence of Ibrahima Sonko and André Bikey to the African Cup of Nations, Steve Coppell opted to play Brynjar Gunnarsson in defence in first half, and Kalifa Cissé in the second half, despite the availability of reserves team captain Alex Pearce.
Robbie Keane's first-half goal was enough to seal all three points for Spurs, for whom Radek Černý made an important late save from a Liam Rosenior shot.
Reading's strikers found their form a little too late, as Dave Kitson, Kevin Doyle and Leroy Lita all added to James Harper's first-half goal.