Reading boss Jaap Stam admitted that his were not “strong or decisive enough” in their 3-1 home defeat to Sheffield United.
Billy Sharp put the visitors ahead after eleven minutes before Mark Duffy doubled the Blades’ lead.
Omar Richards pulled a goal back for the hosts – his second goal in a week – but Leandro Bacuna’s penalty was saved by substitute ‘keeper Simon Moore moments before Sharp extended the visitors’ lead.
Speaking afterwards to the Reading Chronicle, Stam admitted that his side lacked any quality.
“We’re not strong or decisive enough, we need to be more aggressive at times.
“You talk about it and show it, but it still happens. Sometimes it’s difficult to know what it is.
“As a defender you need to know the opposition will play these long balls so you need to win them, head it away or not make stupid fouls.”
“We’re not strong or decisive enough, we need to be more aggressive at times.
“You talk about it and show it, but it still happens. Sometimes it’s difficult to know what it is.
“As a defender you need to know the opposition will play these long balls so you need to win them, head it away or not make stupid fouls.
“When confidence is high things are easier, I understand that. But we need to do the basic things.
“We’ve talked many times about this and how we concede goals. I find it shocking at times.”
The Dutchman particularly highlighted his side’s defensive performance, he said:
“Defending is a team process. I don’t just mean defenders, as a team we need to be more decisive.
“We played much better in the second half than the first. We ran around a lot more and found space. But conceding a third goal like that was very disappointing.
“If it’s 2-1 and even if we miss a penalty, there is still an opportunity to equalise.
“Also the opposition are in a different mindset at 2-1 than at 3-1. They will want to defend that and maybe sit deeper, so with the extra striker Sam Smith in there we could have maybe scored that equaliser.”
