McDermott curses bad luck ahead of Foxes trip

Anthony Smith • Published 27 Aug 2010 14:00 0 Comments

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READING boss Brian McDermott hopes a change of luck will kick-start their season as they prepare to visit Leicester City tomorrow (5.20pm ko, Sky Sports).

Royals desperately need to pick up their first win of the Championship campaign before they head into a fortnight’s international break.

But that will be no easy task at the Walkers Stadium in a televised clash with a crippling injury list, a goalkeeping crisis and confidence at rock-bottom.

Tuesday night’s Carling Cup exit to Northampton Town was just another set-back in a season which has already tested McDermott’s patience, not to mention the strength of his squad.

Reading tossed away the lead three times, were denied a cast-iron penalty when Shane Long was tripped and agonisingly went out on penalties.

But McDermott believes better times lie ahead: “We’ve had no luck whatsoever but I know it will turn,” he said. “I’m hoping Tuesday night was the worst of it.

“Julian Kelly and Michail Antonio came off injured. Simon Church, Marcus Williams and Jem Karacan picked up knocks, Ivar Ingimarsson still isn’t ready, Andy Griffin has a sore hamstring and Jay Tabb is out for a while after an operation.

“When you think of it like that we haven’t had any semblance of luck this season yet, it’s incredible.

“It seems every mistake we make is punished yet we aren’t getting any breaks the other end either, considering the penalty Shane Long should have won for us right at the end.

“We’ve also hit the woodwork plenty of times recently and it’s frustrating when these things happens.

“But as a manager I believe these things come around in circles. I know it will change for us, I’m certain of that.”

It is anyone’s guess what side McDermott will send out to face Leicester given the injuries that have ravaged his squad recently.

But the constant chopping and changing of personnel has none little to help his team find their rhythm in these early stages, a problem which affected former boss Brendan Rodgers this time last year.

The likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jimmy Kebe, Jobi McAnuff and Brynjar Gunnarsson could all come back in, as should goalkeeper Adam Federici despite his mistake against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

And McDermott admitted: "It would be nice to get something at Leicester with an international break coming up because your result can linger over for another two weeks.

“But I won’t know what team I can pick until training on Friday. I’ll have to see what I’ve got in the dressing room before making up my mind. There’s no point picking a team until then because of all the injuries.

“Leicester is a ground that holds happy memories for Reading fans, but it’s never an easy place to go. People fancy Leicester to be promoted and there are high expectation there. But if we can do the right things and not give goals away we can get something.”

Foxes boss Paulo Sousa is confident Matty Fryatt and Lloyd Dyer could play a part this weekend.

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