Reading manager Brian McDermott admits it is about time his team stopped talking about good performances and started delivering results.
Reading have endured a difficult return to the Barclays Premier League and go in to Saturday's home game against Fulham still looking for their first league win of the season. The Royals have showed promising glimpses in all but one of their seven games so far.
McDermott's side took the lead twice against Swansea and Newcastle and they could have had pulled off a shock result at Chelsea in the second game of the season had refereeing decisions gone their way. "We are not in the business of seeing good performances and not getting results," McDermott said.
McDermott, who took the Berkshire side up as npower Championship champions, added: "It's time now for us to get the results that the performances have merited. That starts on Saturday. We can't keep talking about good performances and get draws or get beat."
Reading pulled off the surprise capture of Pavel Pogrebnyak this summer from under Fulham's noses. Pogrebnyak was a big hit at Craven Cottage last term, scoring five goals in his first three matches after joining from Stuttgart on loan in January.
The Londoners expected to sign the 28-year-old on a permanent deal this summer, but he surprisingly opted to move to the Madejski Stadium and has done relatively well so far, scoring four goals in nine games.
"We need to get the ball to him," McDermott said. "We need him to get some shots off because if he shoots and hits the target, he generally scores. His record is very, very good."
Reading have been thrown in to the media spotlight this week after striker Jason Roberts chose not to wear Kick It Out's anti-racism T-shirt before their game against Liverpool. The 34-year-old has said he would not wear the shirt again in the warm-up before Saturday's game as he is unhappy about what he sees as a disappointing lack of action from the football authorities towards racists.
The Grenada-born hitman has been conducting interviews throughout the week to promote his push for change, but McDermott insists the player is in the right frame of mind to play against Fulham if called upon.
"We had a chat on Tuesday," McDermott added. "He just wanted to make sure that I know he is ready. His words to me were: 'Gaffer, I'm ready when you need me. Whatever you need of me, I am ready. As far as football is concerned I haven't taken my eye off the ball.' I know he hasn't and I know he is ready."
Source: PA
