JAAP STAM believes if Reading produce the same performance that they did against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday that they will come away with a positive result against Barnsley tonight.
The Royals were held to a goalless draw at the weekend by the Owls and are at home again today against another Yorkshire outfit.
And while Reading struggled to test Wednesday goalkeeper Kieren Westwood on Saturday, Stam feels the display they produced was encouraging.
“If we can bring the same energy and quality as we did on Saturday then I’m confident,” said Stam.
“Hopefully we can score this time and not concede of course, that’s very important as well.
“Barnsley is also a team that wants to play football and wants to go forward.
“They’ve got a certain physique in their team and also pace up front and quality on the ball.
“It’s a good team and we’re aware of that.
“Basically every team that we’re facing is a good team so we just need to focus on our own game and do what we need to do against them.”
Royals moved up to 18th in the Championship table with the weekend draw and they face a side this evening nestled just above them in the standings, also on 20 points.
But Barnsley Paul Heckingbottom believes Reading’s recent performances have deserved more.
“They’re very similar to last season, it’s just been the results (that are different),” he said.
“If they had won a couple more games then everyone would have been talking about them in the same way as last season.
“They dominate the ball and the game in terms of possession, all they’ve missed is the results.
“They’ve looked to strengthen with the recruits they’ve brought in, so everything I have seen about them tells me how tough it’s going to be.
“We’ll be preparing ourselves for a real tough game.”
Stam has no fresh injury concerns but Reading will once again be without injured duo John Swift and Sam Smith while Callum Harriott, Joseph Mendes, Garath McCleary, Jordan Obita, George Evans, Stephen Quinn are also all still sidelined.
