Reading FC

Mousa Dembélé and Ian Harte tussle for the ball during Reading's 3 - 1defeat to Tottenham Hotspur
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McDermott: Reading FC weren't themselves against Spurs

By Jonny Fordham
September 17, 2012

Brian McDermott admitted Reading gave Tottenham Hotspur too much respect in their 3-1 defeat.

Hal Robson-Kanu bagged his Premier League debut goal in stoppage time, but it was too little too late after Jermain Defoe's impressive brace and another from Gareth Bale for the visitors.

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Royal face another tough task on Saturday when they travel to West Bromwich Albion - looking to add to their solitary point.

"I didn't recognise us in the first half," said McDermott.

"I thought we were too submissive and didn't get on the ball enough, be brave or get in their faces. We were bordering on being too respectful.

"We had to make the change at half time, then we were better for 20 minutes but we needed to score in that period to make it a different game.

"Bale's goal killed us. We were a lot better in the period leading up to that but we came up against a top class side who played well. They deserved to win.

"I know we'll play top class opposition and we will lose games - I can take losing, but we can't have the way we lost the first half."

Out-of-form goalkeeper Adam Federici was dropped for 22-year-old Alex McCarthy and McDermott explained that the decision was made easier due to a knee problem with the Australia.

McDermott said: "I decided to make a change and put Alex in, it was a tactical decision, but Adam has also got an issue with his knee so we need to have a real good look at that and get it sorted.

"He could be out for a little while, he has to recuperate and when he comes back he'll be challenging for that position.

"It's a grey area, the bottom line is that Luke [Anthony, the physio] said he wasn't comfortable with Adam being involved, and we have to look after the player's interest.

"Adam very much wanted to put himself up for the game but the most important thing is that we look after his long term situation at this club. He certainly won't be playing at West Brom, like I said I don't know how long it will be, it will be a while."

Reading were sent out playing 4-5-1, but that system failed to cause Spurs any problems with Garath McCleary and Jobi McAnuff unable to get quality ball into the box for lone striker Pavel Pogrebnyak.

"Whatever the formation, it's about the mindset," added McDermott.

"The first half is not what we are about and not how we play, we didn't perform. What we have to do is move on quickly, you have to in this league. We can't have performances like the first half and expect to win. If we do what we're capable of then that gives us a chance of winning.

"Sometimes we were trying to play our way out of positions where you can't do that. Clear your lines, do what you have to, which is what we've always done since I've been manager.

"First half we never got out to them, their centre-half kept coming out which is why I had to change it, to stop them doing that. They had different personnel to the last game, Gylfi and Dembele were very good together and Sandro holding well, we didn't get to grips with it until the second half but we gave a couple of goals away."

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4-5-1 at home? Spurs didn't play that well but still stuffed us. Jobi had a shocker. Got bored waiting for the ball to come back into play each time - has multi-ball system gone completely?

Uncle Buck, Reading
20/09/2012 at 21:35

Sorry boys you need to pull your finger out its nearly October, sort yourselves out and start playing premiership football.

cav007, Caversham
19/09/2012 at 07:17

Jobi and harte were a waste of time Harte could'nt get free kicks passed the first man and Jobi seem to be in another world walking about in the middle of nowhere he should not be captian, he was a much better player without the worry of that job. What happened to the team that played Chelsea did'nt look the same on sunday.

72 woodley, woodley reading
18/09/2012 at 11:56

Yep you could see it in Anton's eyes. He wishes he had spent more in Aug. Nothing we can do now but knuckle down and defend better!

There are about 10 teams who could go down. So far we have played one and only got a draw. We play another on Sat. We certainly need a result.

poru, Bournemouth
17/09/2012 at 22:52

We should have bought a proven striker in August, but Reading always do the Premier League on the cheap.

Hopefully we will get some points at WBA, if not god help us!

Tilehurst Ender, Spencers wood
17/09/2012 at 22:26

Thought we were poor in the first half not aggressive enough - better towards the end of the half and until they scored in the 70th minute much much better - Le Fondre caused them problems. Is McD tactically astute - well he changed it at half time and were better. Spurs were a better side because they have more money and better players! Quite what people expect I don't know - fact is that we are going to get beaten by even better sides than Spurs. Its how we perform against the teams in the bottom half that will dictate what happens in May.

Was it just me or did it seem like the first game of the season again? It had that feel!

A point that a Spurs mate of mine made - 'I couldn't believe our luck when you didn't get the penalty in the first half that could have been a game changer' -- Well maybe, maybe not! - Howard and his officials had one of their poorer games you have to say - Still struggling with how the last minute penalty wasn't given. BUT the better side won in the end. We will have better days --- the next two league games against WBA & Toon are games where we are capable of getting some points.

C'mon URZZ!

Robsy , Reading
17/09/2012 at 21:13

Help - I'm out of my depth.

McD

Champs
17/09/2012 at 20:29

Come lads. It could be worse, they could be London Irish. I thought the first 10 - 15 minutes of the second half demonstrated we can play with the best of them. The plain truth is that our defence was poor and their goals should not have happened. What happened to man marking?

Bigboy, woodley
17/09/2012 at 14:53

well, the first half was just embarrassing, the second half restored some faith. Lets remember Spurs are a top 6 team and we do not expect to beat them, we will pick up points against lesser teams if we play 90 mins like we played the last 45.

up for debate, lost
17/09/2012 at 14:32

4-5-1 was a mistake which anyone would have identified in the first 10minutes and BMD should have changed it way before half time. Pog or as i call him Pogdra because of the amount of times he falls over didnt stand a chance as he had at least 4 spurs players around him all the time.

Second half was much more like the Reading we know and we had a lot more chances. Having said that, Spurs are a better side with a number of England players in thier side and i didn't expect us to dominate the game but BMD needs to react quicker next time and make the relevant changes sooner rather than too later!

We can play in this league, you just need to look at the Chelsea game to see that!

C'Mon URZ!!

love buddha, Berkshire
17/09/2012 at 13:15

The trouble is Lionel Messi, the PL is considerably shorter than that in the Championship, so far less time to make up lost ground. Also, last season we had a squad as strong as at least 75% of the clubs in our league. Even the wildest optimist couldn't claim that to be the case this season.

Spurs were good, we were appalling.

HARB
17/09/2012 at 13:13

A lot of negativity here isn't there...can I remind people that a year ago today we were 14th in the Championship...the season ends in may, not October...

Having said that, Pogrebnyak looked VERY isolated yesterday,Harte and mcanuff offered very little, hard to decide whether Spurs were very good, or we were just very bad

Lionel Messi's Right Foot, Reading
17/09/2012 at 12:59

Just need to move on from this one I think. 25 days since a game can't be a good thing so let's assume it was that. Spurs are a good team afterall, but we made them look a lot better with a total lack of spirit & energy (which we're all used to)....RFC can be dissapointed that they didn't do themselves justice.

Not happy that we played so deep (again) and invited the pressure on ourselves, fair enough we can get punished for pace with a ball over the top, but it's not something I want to see much more of.

Kudos to McCleary, Karacan's 1st half, Kanu's finish & Alfie's forward play.

Lester Crinklesack
17/09/2012 at 11:57

Reading are at their best when playing a high tempo game not giving the opposition time, i think its already been said we gave spurs too much respect. I dont have a problem with the tactics as spurs are potentially top 4 team. Against most of the prem i would hope a more 442 formation. I feel alfie made a real statement when he came on, his touch was prem class. Being at the first 2 home games i have to say Jobi is worrying me. Are we seeing why he hasnt cut it at this level in his career? So ineffective especially when he cuts inside and gives the ball away every time. Would understand if he was doing a good job defensively but 2 spurs goals came down the right although 1st was a good ball from gylfi. Hope its just a dip in form for him and he bounces back. Maybe give mariapa a go for pearce? The quicker players will cause him problems.

lenny the tramp
17/09/2012 at 11:00

You're playing Spurs at home, it's live on Sky - what more incentive do the players need? Performed brilliantly last season to get to the Prem, now you are there seize the opportunity with both hands and put in a top performance every game. Yesterday the team was woeful and showed no passion, except for Karacan, Guthrie, Pearce and McCleary, and two of those were substituted!!