Lee Johnson Discusses Reading Draw

Full transcript as Lee Johnson discusses Reading draw and updates on Korey Smith
Head coach speaks after draw against the Royals.

Your thoughts on today’s game?
I was delighted with the performance in terms of what we work on on the build and the players dominating the ball and the work rate was excellent. Schoolboy goal to concede and in terms of the quality for the amount of good areas we worked the ball into, we probably should’ve had a couple more clean opportunities.

But I can’t ask for any more from the players after a performance like that and I think Reading are a decent side. They’ve picked up results and we’ve had total control of possession against them. Yeah, they looked good on the counter because they’ve got pace and power. But, overall, from that position the boys have dug in and turned it around.

How’s Korey Smith?
He’s gone to hospital for an x-ray, it’s somewhere around the foot. We’re not fully aware yet. The poor kid hasn’t had much luck this season. I thought he was playing really well before he came off too. We hope and we pray that it’s not as bad as first feared.

How long do you think he’ll be out?
It depends what it is. If it’s just bruising and there’s no crack then sometimes you might be able to get them through it. If there is a crack, that’s his season over and he’ll probably be out well past pre-season.

How much of a miss will Korey be?
I think the attributes he gives us, we haven’t got. His top end quality, things like putting out fires as we call it, snuffing out opposition attacks, he’s one of the best at it in the division. If Chelsea lose Kante, who brings a similar type of quality, it’s a key attribute that we haven’t got the luxury of having two of. I thought Walsh came on and he bring a different attribute with the way he plays. His passing was good, it was neat and tidy and it was difficult for Reading to the get the ball off us.

How are you feeling about the tough run-in?
It’s not that tough. It’s been tougher. I think the boys have been excellent this season and we’ve never really been that fancied this season and we’re probably still not fancied. That suits us I think. From where we were, it’s a good point. We don’t know how much of a good point but it’ll still be in our own hands. It’ll be a huge game here against Derby and this is what we want. We’ve got to thrive in the uncertainty and if we make it, fantastic, if we don’t, we’ll continue to get better year on year.

Were you encouraging people forward at 1-1 or wanting them to protect the lead?
I think you want to win. We changed the formation at 1-0 down to change the balance and that was nice because you’ve got one wide-man crossing to another one who tucks it in at the back post, playing very vertical. We lacked a bit of guile at the end when we had chances but, like I said, the effort was there and the attitude to play our way was there. That’s what we expect but that’s all I can ask heading into the last set of games.

Are you worried about the amount of away games coming up?
No, we don’t think like that. We’re looking forward to the home game against Derby and that’s massive. It’s just the next game. We’re competitive home and away and I don’t think the home form was a problem today. I think we performed very well at home, the fans were good, there was no negativity and the players played with no fear at all. That’s all you can ask. It doesn’t mean the opposition aren’t good but it means you’ve got to plug away. Sometimes people write you off when they shouldn’t because we’ve proved that now.

You made some bold substitutions today - is that something we can expect to see for the rest of the season?
I think you have to be bold. You’ve got to have the players to be able to implement what you’re after with those changes and I thought we were good in the back-three. First-half we were outstanding and they tidied up play, they built from the back. Bailey had a bit of a knock which played my hand for me if you like. Then they went 1-0 up and it was time to throw caution to the wind vertically.

You could’ve won that comfortably today with the chances you had…
Absolutely. You’re encouraged by that. I don’t feel down at all today, I feel quite enthused. We came up after Wigan at a bad point because we’d lost it but it’s a point and it’s a point in the Championship which is hard to come by. There will be so many twists and turns going into the last few games and we’ve got to keep chipping away. Depending on what happens today, we don’t know if that’s a good point or a bad point. But I think that’s a good point in the situation we’re in.
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport...full-transcript-lee-johnson-discusses-2778961

 

All very positive but we still dropped 2 vital points today, 7 dropped in the last 4 games, not good form if we wish to qualify.