Reading FC

McDermott curses Reading FC's luck in 3-1 defeat at Spurs

By Jonny Fordham
January 01, 2013

Brian McDermott was left cursing Reading's luck as they came close to pulling off a shock result at Tottenham Hotspur.

Royals stunned the home side when Pavel Pogrebnyak headed home Ian Harte's free-kick from off the bar in only the fourth minute.

But Spurs hit back five minutes later when Michael Dawson turned in former Reading player Gylfi Sigurdsson's corner.

Although an Emmanuel Adebayor header and a deflected Clint Dempsey shot eventually won the game, Royals came close to getting a point despite being under tremendous pressure for the majority of the game.

"We had three really good opportunities at 2-1 down, but we didn't really get the luck," said McDermott.

"Jimmy Kebe had a chance, Alex Pearce had one and then Pavel had another where it came back to him and he couldn't quite hit the target.

"I can't fault our players for their spirit, desire and shape and the way we are trying to go about things. This is an unforgiving league and it was also a very good Tottenham side.

"We look more solid, got four points over Christmas and there are 17 games to go.

"I'm never happy when we don't win, but I'm happy with how things are going in the dressing room and the players are giving me everything."

A break from the Premier League sees Reading visit Crawley Town in the FA Cup Third Round on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

McDermott, who has twice steered Royals to quarter-finals of the competition, added: "It's a different game - but I'm sure it will be a full house with a big atmosphere.

"We want to do well in the FA Cup and I'm looking forward to meeting up with Steve Coppell (ex-Royals boss and Crawley's director of football) on Saturday."

Royals could be boosted by the return of striker Jason Roberts (hip) for that game.

And left-back Nicky Shorey - who has been suffering from a virus - could also be in training this week after being given the all-clear by doctors.

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I've already wasted too much of my life trying to reason with Roger Blake (aka Sir Dodger Royal) - the man is mad, so let that be that. Yes, we're likely to go down. It doesn't mean the club is in terminal decline. McDermott may be many things, but calling him 'inexperienced' is clearly daft. It would be nice to be in Swansea's shoes right now, yes, but, on the budget available, we are putting in some ok performances, and might yet surprise people. I watched enough Div 3 and 4 football to be happy enough with Championship games, in a decent ground and not being in the same shape as Portsmouth, Wimbledon, Oldham or Bradford (all of which are ex-Premiership). I remain suspicious of how much Anton Zingarevich has and what he plans to do with it, but my line on this is just as it was when people criticised SJM - if you, cav007, or Sir Dodgy Royal, or anyone else, want to step in with a couple of billion, go ahead; until then, might just be better to support the side and stop whingeing? Happy New Year...

Colin Williams, Reading, Berks
14/01/2013 at 18:39

It's more a 9 1 formation than anything else, we're employing at the moment. Even that, though, is preferable to the suicidal 4 4 2 we were attempting (and failing with) for the first 4 months of the season.

The problem is that we have no outlet when we win the ball back and when we manage to venture forward we can't retain possession. Often it's entirely unforced errors that see us turn the ball over. For example, after HRK came on as sub he had 3 bits of decent possesion, in quick succession, in advance positions. On each occasion, under little pressure, he rolled a careless 'nothing ball' in the vague direction of a colleague, which were all easily intercepted.

We desperately need a more attack minded midfielder to help the system work and for JK to be afforded the freedom to get forward, rather than baby sitting our right back. Tracking back is important, but playing as an auxillary full back isn't helping our attacking intent.

Michael Duberry's Defensive Coach
03/01/2013 at 10:09

agree Ray

451 or 4231 is the modern way of playing football one up top with 3 cm players is the way football has gone we cant just play 2 CM players as we have been torn apart and BM has taken a long time to realise this

my only issue with us playing 451 is we havent got the players to play that way or havent been coached and drilled as to what to do and what i mean by that is the players dont seem to be able to quickly make it into a 433 when we have the ball to support the lone striker.. More is needed from the wingers for the system to be effective otherwise as proven against better sides the ball just keeps coming back with only one up when we have the ball and we all know what happens then always on the back foot

last chance saloon
03/01/2013 at 08:33

I'd just like to echo the sentiments that chucking money at footballers guarantees b***er all.

Football was, is, and always will be a team game, (the only exception I can think to this being Maradona in the Mexico World cup, however, players of that quality only come along once a generation) and unless that team "gels" together, nowt will ever be achieved.

It is that very "gelling" of the team that got us up to the prem this time, because we absolutely did punch above our weight in winning the championship, because we were not the best football team in that league: we were the best at getting results, and therein is the subtle difference.

Brian is paid to make decisions, and he decided to give the blokes who got us up the chance to have a go with their 4-4-2 in the Prem. It certainly took Brian far too long to suss out that it wasn't working, and I disagree completely with dickemery in that the current tactics and formation are wrong, because we look far more solid, and therefore more difficult to beat since the change to 4-5-1.

To be fair, Brian has not been helped by egos creeping into the dressing room, because Brian is all about squad unity.

It would appear that the penny has dropped in regard to strengthening the squad, and now the transfer window is open, we shall see whether the up to now unfair criticism of the owner is justified.

The only thing I am certain of is that had JM still been running the club, there would have been even less money made available.

ray northstander
03/01/2013 at 08:21

playing the russian as alone striker is very negative by the manager,one minute he,s on the bench cant get a game and next minute he is our lone saviour,the team is not good enough,the manager have got the tactic wrong,and we have a young russian owner,who lives on promises ?

dickemery, caversham
03/01/2013 at 03:03

Lester - Guaranteed quality cost mega bucks. Take a look at MCFC - £100m on 4 forwards - plus God knows what on wages.

Seems that £10m plus & above £50k a week tends to give a much higher chance of getting quality - I think most RFC fans would accept that this is out of our range at present.

Mentioned before but shouldn't we judge them on their play rather than the price tag? I have a feeling that we have stolen Carrico from Sporting for the money we have paid - time will tell it always does!

I suspect that any players we sign who 'know' the Premier League will be loans?

Robsy , Reading
02/01/2013 at 21:24

Cav007. "last season RFC were in the Premiership" etc. Last season? There was me thinking we won the Championship. 'Nuff said!

Forest Royal, Forest of Dean
02/01/2013 at 18:22

Cav - I'm not sure it was all about the budget, I think Coppell thought he could repeat the 1st season with the same players. I think the fans accused the tight budget.

1871 - ...or we could be in the same position, but just spent much more. We really don't have the money to compete for guaranteed quality.

Either way, promising start to the transfer window.

Lester Crinklesack
02/01/2013 at 17:35

Royal1871 pardon me, but you're obviously mistaking me for someone who gives a damn.

Thank you for sharing your nice thoughts about me, you are so kind.

cav007, Caversham
02/01/2013 at 16:47

Well said Royals1871

Smiffy, Reading
02/01/2013 at 16:42

I am sorry cav007 but the only one who is abusing any privilege is you, insomuch as you come on here believing you speak with superior interlect. However, it is blatantly obvious that it is you who are stupid and also have little knowledge of RFC.

As a RFC supporter I am very upset that the club appear to have completely mismanaged our return to the Prem. I also get very irritated with BMD constantly quoting "we are better off than we were 3 years ago", when what he should accept is that we are worse off than 6 years ago! However, there is no point investing at this stage to increase the ground capacity or spending mega-millions on players, only to see the club go bankrupt.

Had SJM, AZ and the Board managed correctly during the summer, and not attempted to once again do everything on the cheap we may well have been in a comfortable mid-table position now, and talk of investment on both the ground and players would not seem so misguided.

Royals1871
02/01/2013 at 15:31

Last season RFC were in the premiership with Coppell a certain chairman at the time did not give any money for reinvestment in players.

So what chance did they have, its all about learning from the past as they say. This management team has not learnt at all.

As for the statement punching above our weight, its called boxing very clever which he has not done with the signings at the start of the season.

cav007, Caversham
02/01/2013 at 15:10

cav007 - It isn't really very nice to call people stupid, just because they have a differing opinion. None of us know all the facts, so any comments are just speculation. One reality though is that any new signing is a gamble and luck can play a big part in how successful it is. Swansea have done well signing Michu, but even signing his twin brother wouldn't be guaranteed success at a different team.

You seem to forget that Fae and Cisse weren't that successful under Coppell and his last season at Reading lacked any inspiration.

The club is in a tricky situation and will need some luck and a decent tail wind to stay up, but signings of any sort don't guarantee anything. The reality, as Brian has said, is that we punched above our weight last season, so were always going to find this year tough. The team isn't the same as 2005 and people need to focus on the current realities rather than fantasy worlds.

Smiffy, Reading
02/01/2013 at 14:44

Cav007- As clear a ringing endorsement for the failings of the "Care in the community" programme as you are ever likely to see.

We're struggling for quality on the pitch, and this contributor reckons that Az needs to make the stadium bigger. A fella called Georrge Reynolds thought along the same lines, (no doubt with a whizz bang of a marketing management team around him).

Wiki Darlington Arena. 25000 seats (yes already bigger than the madstad), 23000 unsold most games. Darlo now groundshare elsewhere.

The number inside the concrete bowl is in direct relation to what happens on the patch of grass in the middle of it.

ray northstander
02/01/2013 at 11:07

The caption area of RFC is a milion people and may be more.

If you promote the club properly with the right marketing management team.

Plus you invest the same amount of money that Swansea have done you will get a good return for you pound in the long term.

Swansea have not put 50 milion pound into a house hold name have they.

Really you do not read a lot of the comments i put on here. I have not said or written at any time to spend millions like the Man U's or the Man cities.

But be very clever like Swansea on how they invest in money.

Smiffy and Royals1871 everyones entitled to be stupid but you two are abusing the privilege.

That is one thing that BMD has not got yet is the shrewdness like Coppell had in getting good quality players for a good low price. That only comes with experience, which BMD has not got yet.

cav007, Caversham
02/01/2013 at 10:45

We were well beaten by a better side. No disgrace in that, but to suggest this was due to 'bad luck' is nonsense.

We missed 3 chances at 2-1 (two were clear cut), but that was due to poor finishing rather than misfortune. Spurs are technically good, but the difference in pace, movement and particularly physical strength was stark.

We've got to be less careless, though. Constantly conceeding possession, even when not being pressed, is a bad habit we can't afford.

Can't fault the effort of the players, but I'm not sure that'll be enough, unless we can bring in 2 or 3 players who can make a positive impact pretty much straight away.

Michael Duberry's Defensive Coach
02/01/2013 at 10:29

Of course having only gained 13 points out of a possible 63 it is all down to BAD LUCK. McDonet you are an embarrassment. That is utter garbage please change the tune. We are rubbish and it's there for everyone to see. You are an inexperienced clueless manager and the Club has no ambition. No doubt the usual nonsense will occur next season in Championship being a Big Black Hole in the Balance Sheet and we are skint. Strange, that is having spent minimal money to date with the small budget and one of the lowest wage bills in the Premier League. But then what is £40 million. Nice income to date per point represents £3,076,923.08. Emm good investment for someone! Get Real.

Sir Dodger Royal, Cyberspace just over the Madhouse
02/01/2013 at 10:24

cav007 It is so easy to spend someone else's money.

Bigger ground? yes, but only when we know it can be filled every week. So until when/if we secure long term Prem stability will the capacity be increased.

I think you live in your 007 fantasy world.

Royals1871
02/01/2013 at 10:12

Reading will be playing Championship football next season of that there is no doubt, of the 17 games left we would have to win at least 8 - 9 to stand any chance of staying up, we have won 2 in 21. So, lets get some new signings in and start to put a team together for the remainer of this season that can mount a challenge and bounce right back. If a change of management is needed then so be it.

One thing that does need to happen is McDERMOTT to stop beig loyal to certain players, if they are not good enough then they need dropping!

Just My Opinion
02/01/2013 at 10:08

spurs are a good side but we were so so poor with the ball again

the worst culprit was ledge he won it gave it back he won it gave it back he won it he gave it back

i didnt expect us to win as spurs are far surperior to us or have as much possesion as them but when you do have the ball you have to keep it better through rotation of play manipulating the ball and just general passing and moving from A to B

we was lucky yesterday that spurs didnt have there shooting boots on and feds had a decent game cos we could have been on the end of a battering like villa the other day at chelsea

last chance saloon
02/01/2013 at 10:04

I think the 'Bad Luck' was the 3 missed opportunities to score when were 2-1 down? Other than that we can have no complaints. Did anyone have this down as anything other than a loss?

Let us try and be positive - it is a New Year, we already have a new player & clearly some more on the way.

5pts per month = job done

Robsy , Reading
02/01/2013 at 09:46

I didn't hold out much hope for this fixture but was pleased with our performance.

However BMD, we weren't beat by bad luck, we were beat by speed, quality, possession and finishing.

The stats dont lie.

love buddha, Berkshire
02/01/2013 at 09:35

Me finks cav007 is a right duffer!!

Tilidie (and I want to cuz of the way we are playing), Woodley
02/01/2013 at 09:31

cav007 - I don't understand your logic as a 'fan'. Over Christmas we have played 4 games. Man City beat us via a goal that would have been disallowed by any competent ref. We drew against a decent Swansea side and beat West Ham. Spurs deserved to win yesterday, but Spurs will beat most teams at home. We have done OK over Christmas and the form is definately improving. There is nothing that has happened over the Christmas period that suddenly suggests we need a new manager.

It seems that you want someone to invest billions in the club. This isn't fantasy football land, it is real life. We have just signed a new player, but I doubt that will satisfy you as it wasn't a crazy £50 million household name. As for the stadium, it isn't viable or worthwhile unless we stay up. We don't need a 35,000 seat stadium in the Championship!

Smiffy, Reading
02/01/2013 at 09:16

Cursing Readings luck?? Have a look at the match stats Brian.

Spurs had 30 shots with 20 on target. Reading had 7 shots with 4 on target.

Reading were lucky not to be thrashed and if that's them looking solid I'd hate to see them off their game.