Royals must find "arrogance" at home, warns Rodgers.

Anthony Smith • Published 12 Jun 2009 08:00 0 Comments

See also:

BRENDAN Rodgers has laid down an immediate challenge to his Reading team to rediscover their 'arrogance' at home.

Royals failed to win any of their last nine games at the Madejski Stadium last season, lost seven and also failed to score in seven.

As former boss Steve Coppell testified, it was that horrendous run that ultimately cost them promotion to the Premier League.

And Rodgers knows he must reverse that trend if Royals are to mount a serious challenge next season.

'I"m looking forward to turning the Madejski Stadium back into the fortress it once was,' declared Rodgers. 'For years and years it was always a very difficult place for teams to visit. That"s how it should be because it is our arena.

'We want to make it as uncomfortable as possible for any visiting team. When teams come to the Madejski Stadium we want it to be the longest 90 minutes of their lives.

'I want us to play our football with arrogance and to control each and every game.'

There was little of that arrogance to be seen over the closing months of the season when nervy Royals stumbled from one defeat to the next in front of their increasingly-frustrated fans.

A win against Birmingham on the very last day would have sent them up to the Premier League but they lost 2-1.

And the final nail in the coffin came in the second leg of the play-off semi final which Burnley won 2-0 on the night thanks to a brace of stunning goals.

And Rodgers has his own thoughts on why a team"s home form could change so dramatically over the course of a campaign.

Reading were the highest scorers in England at Christmas and their opening 15 games at the Madejski Stadium brought 12 victories and only one defeat.

Yet the goals suddenly dries up and the victory over eventual champions Wolves on January 27 was the last time Royals fans saw their side win at home.

Rodgers argued: 'I think it was down to a number of factors. Confidence was one because the longer a game went on as 0-0 the more anxious everyone became.

'Teams also began to understand that Reading like to play with pace and power, they like to run in behind you. So teams blocked up those areas to deny them any space.

'Then you have to look at imagination, creativity and quality. They weren"t really Reading"s strengths. They were more of a good counter-attacking team.

'So all these things need to be looked at and the hard work starts now.'

Rodgers also believes Royals fans have a part to play. 'When I was at Chelsea and at Watford the crowd always played a big factor in things.

'There was a great intensity and atmosphere whenever they played at home. But that has to be generated by the players on the pitch because we know the crowd here will respond in the very best way possible.'

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Sport archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle