PELLE Clement suggested Reading FC might need a new game plan when they face Birmingham City away from home this afternoon.

Royals' away woes from last year have already crept in this campaign and Stam's men are yet to pick up a single point on the road.

Reading lost 2-0 in their opening day fixture at Queens Park Rangers and then failed to follow on from an emphatic home victory against Aston Villa when they were beaten by Preston North End at Deepdale.

And newboy Clement said it Royals may need to try a different style of play in order to get the points on the board away from home.

"We haven't done well away from home," bemoaned Clement.

"We need to stick together, put our heads together and find a way to win away from home.

"Maybe it is time [to re-think our gameplan].

"Perhaps we need some other players or we need to try a different style of play, but that is up to the manager."

Clement, 22, joined Royals from Dutch outfit Ajax over the summer. He had previously worked with some Reading's coaching staff in the club's youth set-up.

But he was keen to play more first-team football and Clement insists he quickly settled into the Royals' squad.

"The guys have picked me up," beamed Clement.

"We don't just meet around the club, they have been taking me out and showing me around Reading too.

"If I don't understand anything I have enough Dutch people to go to but they are older than me and have their families over here.

"I'm enjoying spending time with the young English lads."

The Dutchman has been deployed as a winger, midfielder and as a makeshift striker already this season as Stam continues to plug voids in his injury-plagued squad.

But Clement insists he has happy to play wherever he is needed.

"It doesn't matter to me," he concluded.

"Wherever I want to play I want to find pockets and spaces in midfield.

"If I start on the wing I will swerve and find my way into spaces in midfield and if I start in midfield then I'm already there.

"I prefer to play in the pockets, to send passes, to keep the ball moving and get the opponent tired as well as creating chances."

Royals face Birmingham at St Andrews at 3pm today (Saturday).

Stam will be without Yann Kermorgant and Callum Harriott as they continue their recovery but striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson has travelled with the squad and could feature against the Blues.

John Swift was ruled out for a month after picking up a hamstring injury against Preston North End while Liam Kelly suffered a dead leg in the same fixture but should be fine to play today.