Reading surrendered a two goal lead to draw 2-2 against QPR.
Here is every word from boss Paul Ince.
Ince on refereeing performance
It’s a blatant penalty to make it 3-0 and the games finished. That’s the bottom line. Another poor decision, again. You can watch it time and again, and I understand referees have tough jobs, but Shane has run across him and took him over. That’s 3-0 and game over. We were passive in the second half. I said at half-time, because I wasn’t very impressed in the first half as much as you go in 2-0 up. We created enough chances to put the game to bed. They had a couple of skirmishes in the first half but overall, you come in at half time and I’m content even though there’s more we could have improved on.
Again, I’ve only been here nine months, we have a tendency when we’re winning games to drop deep and try and defend it. I’m not sure if it’s the case before I got here but if you look at the Middlesbrough game, inviting pressure, you can’t keep getting away with it. Their first goal comes from a throw in, absolutely ridiculous, and defensively we were very poor in the second half. A lack of communication, a lack of positioning, people not winning headers. I’ve told them that, I’m not pleased at all how we were defensively. We’ve got enough experience at the back and wingbacks to deal with that. I get it when you’re in the last five minutes and holding onto a game but not 2-0 up and you come out passive. You should be going to win the game. If the referee gives the penalty, it’s dead and buried. After that, you’ve got to put the game to bed, you can’t rest on your laurels and sit deep. It’s where you need leaders and your voices. If I’m on the pitch I’m dragging the midfield up. Today, there was no communication or pushing our midfield up, Sam Field was starting to get more of the ball and causing us problems. Ultimately, you take the point. It could have gone either way. It’s another point to where we want to get to.
Ince on pride
It doesn’t hurt me, it frustrates me. We’ve got enough experience in our defence to deal with it. You can’t from the second half be so passive and invite pressure. You have to have the cajhoonas to get up the park and be brave. You can’t allow people to keep attacking you for 45 minutes. Once they got the second goal, we came out of our shell again and went on the front foot. Thomas did a magical skill on the right and we should have scored. I’ve got to remain positive; it was disappointing not to pick up the three points, but it is a point to where we want to get to.
Ince on Jeff Hendrick
You know what you get with Jeff. I think he is one you can trust; he will give you six or seven out of 10. He’s not a glamorous player but he does what it says on the tin. One thing about him is that if he can add goals to his game then you have a very good player. I was really pleased for him. He will be disappointed because two goals is enough to win any game at home. The lads love him, the trains like a demon every day. I like professional players, and he’s one you can trust. The thing about football is that you have to have 11 players you can trust. Sometimes you don’t pick the most talented, it’s the ones you can trust week-in and week-out. Jeff’s one of those.
Ince on substitutions
They were getting a lot of joy down the left-hand side- Junior [Hoilett] was starting to flag a bit so we wanted to keep it tight. We moved Yids [Andy Yiadom] out to wing-back and brought Scott Dann with experience. Mama looks tired so Tom McIntyre showed against Watford he could play in that position. It has to come from the back. The midfield can’t keep saying get up, the back people have to have the balls to get up and be brave, and they didn’t.
Ince on injuries
Hutch could be four or five weeks, AC [Andy Carroll] rolled his ankle and Shane Long calf. We start all over again. The good thing is we have a week to prepare, normally it’s three in six days.
Ince on defenders
It’s got nothing to do with attacking players, we have enough attacking players on the park. It’s about getting up the park. In the first half we were up there winning, and it allowed us to get on the front foot. We created so many opportunities. This is about players having a voice and getting up the park. That’s the only reason behind it. You have to be brave, and today we weren’t. It’s not something we’ve not seen before, so it’s something we have to understand. It’s okay to win, and don’t be scared of losing.
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