Reading manager Mark Bowen admitted that he was ‘relieved’ and ‘delighted’ after a 98th minute winner from Matt Miazga gave the Royals three points in the Welshman’s first game in charge.
On the win…
I think it was deserved; we had a game plan. Sometimes you come into the job as a manager with enthusiasm and bombard players with tactics. We wanted to try and get the ball forward to the strikers quicker and we almost did that too much in the first half.
We asked them to be more patient in the second half and keep the ball a bit longer. It was a scrappy game, but I think we did that. Its difficult to chase games, I aid to the players at half time that if we were level at 70 mins that I’d settle for that, the fans going into the last 10 minutes get behind the team a lot and I felt we would be in the ascendancy. I’m pleased the way it’s turned out. If anyone looked like scoring, I think it was us.
Kickstart to the season…
With a last gasp winner, you almost want to say to the lads you’ve earned it, have a day off tomorrow but we can’t do that, we’ve got catching up to do. We’ll see who is fit and who is not, we lost Andy this morning through sickness. We can’t pat ourselves on the back, we will if we get a run of results and start climbing the table.
Ovie Ejaria…
He is always a standout player. The quality the lad has, its our job in the game to get the ball to him as much as we can. He’s a huge talent for us. Not just him, swift as well. And Pele today got a shout at lunchtime because Rinomhota was going to be in the side. He stepped in and did really well doing the scrappy stuff which sometimes players forget to do.
Scrappy game...
There were a lot of people on the floor and tackles that people went down with. Morrison has a split eye, their striker caught Liam Moore with a stray arm but I don’t think it was intentional. But I’m not bothered about it being scrappy at the moment, I know the fans want to see us play well but I’m sure they will forgive me for getting three points on the board.
Personal relief…
I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t relieved because the pressure was on. But it isn’t about me, its about the players, about the club. Lets put it to bed and get on with football games and push this game up the league.
Game against QPR…
They are all tough games in this league, there are small margins between every team. We’ll see who is ready on Monday, we’ll holding our breath seeing who is fit.
Injuries to Lucas Boye and Lucas Joao…
Lucas Joao has gone away for a break. He will be another five or six weeks away with a crack on his foot. Its more of a sprain rather than a break.
Lucas Boye has a grade one or two on his abductor muscle, which will be three or four weeks at least.
Changes to the team…
We need all hands on deck. I need everyone to choose from. Eddie can cope with the numbers on the training ground because everyone is going to play a part.
Clean sheet…
I’m just as pleased with the clean sheet as I am with the three points. As a defender its massive. It’s the platform that the results come on. I you can get into good habits of defending well, any little thing that goes for you can result in the points. I’m delighted with Miazga who came back form the USA this week. Morrison has been out with illness this week, and a special mention for the skipper Liam Moore. They were all fantastic, all five of them at the back they are the demands that im going to put on them every week.
Meite and Puscas…
We were lacking any real quality into them, they worked off each other but had to work chances for themselves. The shift they put in, I always had it in my mind to replace them with fresh legs.
