NEW SIGNING Jo Potter says “it will take time” for Reading Women to adapt to playing three at the back.
Potter, who has spent nine weeks out following a knee operation, made her comeback and with it her debut as a second half substitute of Reading’s heavy 4-0 home loss to Chelsea Ladies on Wednesday night, having joined the Royals last week when her former club Notts County Ladies went into liquidation.
The loss follows a 4-2 defeat against Liverpool the previous Friday, meaning the usually reliable Reading back-line have now shipped eight goals in just two games having changed to a 3-4-2-1 formation at the start of the Spring Series.
But England international Potter insists there is no need to panic ahead of champions Man City Women’s visit to Adams Park on Sunday (2pm kick-off).
“It’s a new formation, it’s a new team and they’re growing,” she told The Wokingham Paper.
“It’s about working hard, knowing what we’re good at and continuing to progress.
“We’ve got to take what positives there were out of the game against Chelsea and rectify the problems.
“We’ll be fine, it will just take a little bit of time.”
She continued: “I’ve played this formation quite a lot.
“We were playing that two years ago at Birmingham and I’ve played it quite a lot with England, so I know it quite well.
“But a lot of the players don’t, so it does take a while and it’s a lot of detail to get used to.”
REACTION: Kelly Chambers slams referee against Chelsea
Potter was one of a host of international players left in limbo by the sudden collapse of Notts County on the eve of the Spring Series.
One of those was Jade Moore, who also joined the Royals, while Potter was up against former team-mate Carly Telford in the Chelsea goal on Wednesday.
“It’s something that you don’t really expect to happen in this day and age,” said Potter.
“We’ve just got to realise that it’s still at a dangerous place I think, women’s football.
“A top flight team such as Notts County with 10 internationals can just fold at the drop of a hat just two days before the season.
“It takes some real backing from the owners and Reading have got a real stable set up here so it’s only going to go forward for us.”
Potter and Moore were joined by striker Kirsty Linnett as Royals made a triple swoop from Notts.
And the defender says arriving with them plus already knowing Remi Allen made it an easy choice to join the club.
“It’s really nice knowing a couple of players,” said Potter.
“It gets you to settle a bit quicker and it’s one of the reasons I came here.
“Remi spoke so highly of the club and the girls so it’s something that I’m looking forward to doing going forward.”
She added: “Before I signed for Notts last year, Reading were definitely a close second .
“I came down and loved everything about it.
“When Notts folded, I thought it was only right that I came down and chatted to Kelly (Chambers) again and it was just a no brainer for me really.”
