Reading may well have fallen to two consecutive defeats without scoring in either, but it is important to take a step back. Things have improved under Mark Bowen.

A week can be a very long time in football. Ahead of the trip to Brentford, optimism was high amongst Royals fans – on the back of ten points from Mark Bowen’s first four games.

Fast forward four days and the mood amongst some Reading fans has soured somewhat on social media, given the lack of creativity displayed by the Royals in both games.

It is important to look at the last two games with a bit of perspective, however.

Brentford away and Leeds at home are two very tough fixtures, there are no two ways about it. Both sides restricted Reading’s creativity in the middle of the park and pegged back the wing backs, restricting their offensive threat. Both of these factors have meant chances were at a premium in both games.

In the last two games, Reading have been under intense pressure for long spells of the game as their opponents have controlled possession and dictated the tempo of the game.

The high-pressing style Reading have come up against in both matches meant that the they have been forced to go long in an attempt to counteract the press with quick breaks.

In the victory over Luton Town, Reading were on top for the majority of the game, keeping the ball and having more time in possession to pick out the key passes. This is what the Royals are capable of and this is what Reading fans need to remember.

Against the division’s top teams however, Mark Bowen’s side will not be afforded the luxury of being able to build from the back and play through the midfield. They may well be forced to bypass the midfield in an attempt to relieve the pressure on the back line and the holding midfielders.

Bowen has faced his first setbacks of his tenure, but these two games are not going to define the season and should not define Mark Bowen’s start as Reading manager.

Defensively the Royals have improved since Bowen took over the helm and in the grand scheme of things, the last two games aside, Reading have looked much brighter going forward.

They were never going to control the last two fixtures, it’s important to remember.

If Reading struggle to create opportunities against Wigan on the weekend in the same way, then Bowen will come under justifiable and understandable criticism. That’s hypothetical at this point, however.

I have seen enough in Mark Bowen’s opening six games to suggest that Reading perform best when on the front foot and they should have the opportunity to be in that exact position on Saturday.