Paul Clement: We Have To Turn Good Performances Into Points

It hasn’t been the best start to the season. Although there is certainly promise in our performances, we must take our opportunities. Unfortunately, we sit bottom of the Championship table after our second defeat of the season, this time at the hands of Nottingham Forest.

Hillal Soudani’s second half strike was the difference, but the Royals had their chances to take a point, but did not convert them. Paul Clement knows that we need to take our chances, and summed the game up to the Official Club Website and GetReading by saying: “The overall summary is that we created match-winning chances and didn’t take them. That’ll be the difference.”

Clement on the goal

“The first goal always make a big difference. Today, even when we went behind, we tried to continue to create chances and we did. But we have to convert better. That’s two games where people will say that we played alright and deserved more, but we didn’t get more.

“We’ll continue to try and build out performances, and we’ll turn that into results - whether that’s home or away.”

Clement on our start of the season

“I’m not worried because we have created chances in both games and for a majority of the games we’ve looked pretty solid defensively. But we can’t be a team that feels sorry for ourselves. We can’t be the ‘nearly team’, where we nearly get a result or nearly get a performance. We have to turn good performances into points.

“We are an improving team but we have to get results - get points on the board. That’s how you get rewards from the work that you’re doing. But it isn’t far away for us before we get a positive result.”

Clement on Moore’s absence

“He missed some training in the past week with the speculation. He was training but missed the high intensity stuff so probably wasn’t going to be in the best type of shape to start the game. But I am sure he will be fit, available, hungry and raring to go for Tuesday night.”

Clement on Richards coming on instead of Swift

“It was between them but if I put Swift on I would have had to take off a central midfielder and I didn’t want to take off Kelly or a striker. McNulty just went on and Bodvarsson is always a threat. So I thought about getting more energy down the flanks.”

Clement on injuries

“Sone Aluko picked up a slight injury in training on Friday and we monitored him overnight and in the morning but he didn’t feel comfortable enough. He’s going to have a scan to see if there’s anything there on Monday.

“Gunter is in rehab - he’s not on the medical bed - he’s running round so he’s started the recovery process. Popa is training so will be available for selection soon but Harriott is not training as he’s undergoing medical treatment.”

Clement on poor away record and two defeats so far

“A lot of teams in the Championship have not so good away records. It’s always down to the home team to come out so it’s harder away. I don’’t know why it is - psychologists have been working on it for years and years.

“It’s a fact and it’s clear. We were close to getting something at Forest but we go back home for two games - one in the cup and one in the league and we want to get a positive result. I said to the players I am not worried because I see the team improving, I don’t think a positive result is far away.

“We don’t want to be that kind of team which is looking around and saying ‘We’re unlucky and we deserve more’. We want to be a team that is resilient and strong and can turn performances into results.”

Clement on the Carabao Cup game with Birmingham City on Tuesday

“In our squad there is not a massive gulf in difference in quality. I will freshen it up and play some players who didn’t play against Forest but it will certainly be a team who can win the game. It will be a good side using the squad we have used in pre-season.”