Brendan Rodgers admits he is still looking to strengthen Reading’s mis-firing attack.

Royals missed numerous chances in last Saturday’s draw with Ipswich and in the 1-0 defeat to Leicester City three games ago.

And with Noel Hunt already ruled out for the season, Rodgers revealed he is keen to get reinforcements in.

He said: “I certainly think we need to help the players in that area.

“Gzregorz Rasiak gives us a different dimension because of his height and has scored goals at this level.

“Churchy, who is going to a very good player for the future, is in his first full season, Noel is probably out for the majority of the season and Shane is someone who has been injured and who over the last couple of seasons has made an impact from the bench.

“I think we are creating chances and I have big confidence in the players here, but you need help on the way and something that brings maybe a different dimension to the team as well.”

One area where Rodgers doesn’t feel the squad needs improving is at right-back, despite left-footed midfielder Jay Tabb currently occupying the position.

“Jay has been superb since I came in here,” he said.

“He has played a number of games in centre-midfield and that will be his preferred position, but he is the type of player who is multi-functional. He can play well in a number of positions.

“Jay was great away at Coventry and he filled in and did well against Ipswich.

“He is a solid player and we are just having to make sure we defend solid as a team. Then when we get the chances because of the creativity in our team we need to take them.

With more than a third of the season gone Reading lie in the Championship relegation zone and Rodgers admits he is still some distance away from having the squad he desires.

“The squad is still in transition,” he explained.

“I think we have a good squad here, but I always want to improve.

“I felt coming into the job that it would probably take two or three transfer windows before I would have what I would consider to be my group of players.

“That’s not to say the players here now won’t be here. I came here in the summer and I had to replace players that have gone and because of the economical market now we are not going to have the same funds we had before.

“I know we have a good squad here, but I will always be looking where we can improve it.”

With a large proportion of Reading’s squad away on international duty, training has been more relaxed at Hogwood this week and Rodgers believes that working with a smaller squad will be beneficial in the long run.

He said: “We have a lot of the squad away, but those here will be training and working hard to top up their fitness levels.

“I like to have the training relaxed and focussed and there are very few times during the season where players get the chance to train with a lower intensity. It’s important that they can come in and have fun as well.

“Because the focus isn’t on a game at the weekend then you can do other things and also work on individual techniques as well.

“It’s a balance that gives us more opportunity to work with a smaller group and work to their needs.”

Site navigation

• Home
• News
• Business
• Sport
• Entertainment
• Lifestyle
• Jobs
• Property
• Motoring
• Classifieds

• A A