"We’ve never been so flat" says Reading FC boss Paunovic after Luton loss

On the game:

It was a case that we never showed. I was very disappointed with the lack of mentality and character we showed. We’ve lost games in the past but we’ve never been so flat.

It’s time for self-criticism and I’m looking everywhere where I can improve. I will continue doing that. I think that other than maybe a few exceptions…one I want to highlight is Morrison. Coming back from the long injury he looked very good and he’ll be a big help going forward.

But I think at the end of the day our mistakes led to both goals and we weren’t capable of recompomposing. It’s time for criticism but at the same time I don’t to let people go too deep…that negativity, that’s not what we need now. We must look at the immediate reaction. We must look at coming back better, we must play games with more urgency, more anger, and more courage. When this team plays like that in the past, we always have had good results.

On Liam Moore:

Liam first of all is injured, he’s recovering from his injury. I think the situation with the captaincy…is something…I wanted to make a change. I communicated that with Liam. He’s carrying a lot of burden and he needs to focus on his perfroamnces, same as I want to open that space for somebody. I think changes are needed and I’m looking at other areas and departments.

We can’t put on ourselves more difficulties because that’s not going to lead anywhere. What myst be done is recover and recompose again.

I think I answered everything I needed to say about Liam Moore and I’d prefer not to add to that because I think it’s not going to lead anywhere opening this with more comments. I do like Liam and we’ll see obviously how this is going to develop. There is no development actually, the situation is what it is now and we are focused on the team and fixing…

It’s difficult to answer because he is currently in the medical department where they are trying to find the best way, whether he will recover or if he will need a surgery. This is where we are with that.

On the own goal:

What I thought was that the mistake actually came previously. And I saw it coming. I wasn’t surprised because when you know your team you know what’s coming.

Everyone tries his best. I think it was unfortunate. There were mistakes from different individuals. The other game somebody else. We have to support those guys, ackowledhe the mistakes, and look to fix them. But for me we don’t have time to be negative, we don’t have to criticise each other.

At this point, this team feels long and the only one’s that can fix it is us. And to do that the logical thing is to look around and find those who are willing to do the extra mile to fix this. To work hard, to recompose the team, and the confidence around the club.

Immediately. An immediate reaction. We can’t keep saying next game next game next game, it’s this game.

On having enough players who will go the extra mile:

We’re recovering some guys although we lost some in the meantime. And it just continues, the rebuild process we have to do. We bring somebody back and then somebody else goes down and on and on. At least we can put up a team that can compete, maybe today wasn’t the best example of that, but we are confident that this group can recover.

We need a bit, everything I mentioned so far, but we also need a bit of positivity…something. The game has to start going in our direction and this is something you can only achieve through effort and resilience.

It is difficult for the team to recover the form and strength when there are so many changes we have to make. I think we have to also look to change our approach, much more tactical in our way of playing, and look to play more in the opposition half.

On going hard:

I think we didn’t have energy. I don’t think there was a lack of willingness, it was just a bad day.

On Andy Carroll:

We haven’t heard back from him yet, there is no updates so far.

On Rafael’s departure:

Rafael was amazing in his time at the club. I appreciated every single moment. Super guy, religious, and a great goalkeeper. He decided that for him it was time and the moment to move on. And I understand that and we wish him all the best and thank him for everything he has done for the club.

We need to look for a replacement.

On the lack of courage going forward:

I think we get into the final third…in the first half we got into the final third as we want, today with the full-backs bringing the ball forward. And then we got stuck.

In the final we would go around, put a cross when we can, we think twice, we don’t overlap consistently, we don’t move the pieces in attack. That final decision has to be made with courage.

If you’re a talented player but you don’t have urgency, you don’t have anger as a fuel to fightback and you don’t have courage to do what you’re capable of doing, then you’re talent’s not going to be seen, you’re not going to excel. Today we didn’t have it and after we conceded the first goal it was mental for our team and we couldn’t recompose.

On adding courage:

You have to practice that, you have to repeat what you want, and you have to keep encouraging the guys to do it. And take away whatever concern they have. When it happens it’s that the player doesn’t want to make a mistake and we have to remove that mental block, especially youngsters, and be much more open to finish the actions, cross the ball, shoot on goal, build momentum.

On why fans should keep coming amid dropping attendances:

Because we keep coming. Because of what this club means to all of us. I think people forget very quickly. From the beginning we said this was going to be a tough year. We said we are not going to leave, we are not going to quit.

We are fighting the hard fight and now is the time when we need to remember that. We have to acknowledge how hard we’ve been fighting.

We’ve been thrown so many difficulties but we keep going and we keep going. We fight. I know that because when I look at the numbers on the field we match our opponents but we make mistakes. And that comes from the doubt and some negativity that is building around. We have to remember this is a difficult year for the club.

On Ovie Ejaria:

Ovie started his training this week. He was recovering from Covid and now hopefully we won’t have any setbacks. He’s recovered from the injury, Covid basically covered that time he was injured for. Now we’re building his fitness.