Ruben Selles On An Unacceptable Performance At Port Vale

After an excellent midweek performance, confidence was high as we made our way to Port Vale, but the Royals left with an all too familiar and frequent feeling of defeat.

Reading were simply not good enough on the day, with Andy Carroll missing a penalty in the first half. The home side scored in the 72nd minute through Ben Garrity to secure all three points.

Ruben Selles said after the game that we need to be more ruthless and that we were simply not good enough on the day. Here is what he had to say; he spoke to the official club website and the Reading Chronicle.

Selles on the performance

“We came here with an idea and to put a performance together. During the first half we controlled the game, got a penalty and had some situations – we limited them to only have some set pieces.

“The problem came in the second half when we lost our will to play football. And after the goal, our performance was not acceptable – nowhere near what it should be.

“We were not able to materialise our chances and that is why we lose 1-0 – we need to start to score goals and to keep them out. The situations are there for us and we need to be more ruthless.

“We have been clear in the way we want to do things and how we need to perform. And the way that we conceded the goal, in that transition, should never happen. We need to work for those things not to happen.

“It is a bad performance from us here today. We need to correct this as quick as possible.

“We are disappointed with the performance, and what my team showed today – that level is not acceptable. We need to know that.

“We have to respect our fans and give them the opportunity to enjoy their football team. We need to be energetic, show character and do all those things that unfortunately we didn’t do today.

“We know that this was not good enough. So we need to work hard to make our fans proud. Today was not acceptable and we will work hard to make it better for the next game.”

Selles on making eight changes

“I have the players that are fit and ready to play. Players have been working well, both the ones that started Tuesday and the ones that started today. We didn’t show what we needed to do.

“Everybody is fit but we need to consider everyone needs time to rest and young players playing 90 minutes on a Tuesday we need to take care of them. There is always regret when you don’t win the game, but I need to analyse.”

Selles on losing to Port Vale following last week’s 7-0 defeat at Barnsley

“We don’t get the reference for 7-0. I played Manchester United last year after losing 7-0 at Liverpool, it’s still their team. It can happen - I don’t think they were that poor last week but that’s not the reference. We were not where we should be, defending our box and we cannot accept the performance.”

Selles on Andy Carroll performance

“We wanted to put Cheeks on to put his action around Andy Carroll trying to move there because he was having two or three around him. Kelvin was dropping a little bit, his performance, so that’s why we kept Andy on the pitch. He had a big drop at the beginning of the second half, it’s why I say we need to take care of our players.”

(“Cheeks” is Caylan Vickers).

Selles’ message to supporters

“It’s not an apology, we just weren’t good enough. We don’t want them to waste their time so we need to work hard to make them proud. Today was not acceptable and we will work hard to make it better for the next game.”

Selles on Tuesday’s match with Cheltenham Town

“It’s always good to get a game straight after to show that we are capable. We were not capable today.”

Selles on if there are any further incomings

“Maybe, it is possible.”