Reading manager Jose Gomes is urging his side to remain patient in their league campaign after a rocky couple of results in recent weeks.

The Royals have lost their last two matches against Charlton and Middlesbrough respectively, despite an improved showing against Boro, where they should have got at least a point.

Those twin losses made it four defeats in seven Championship matches this season to leave Reading languishing in the bottom half.

However, speaking at a sun-kissed Bearwood Park, where the first-team squad and staff had their season photos taken, Gomes pointed to two of the sides promoted to the Premier League last season and how they started slowly on their quest for the top six.

He said: "If you have a look at the Championship table last season, Aston Villa were 12th after seven matches.

"Norwich were 16th with eight points and 12 goals conceded. It is the Championship and we need to be patient and we need to trust in the process, the way that we are working and trust our players.

"I just want to reinforce the idea that the Championship is a very long competition and we want to get the points as soon as possible but a lot of things happen.

"If we feel we aren't working well or creating chances to win games, then OK but the players are fantastic and they have fantastic relationships and they are very good people.

"We just need to trust and help the players to perform better and believe that in the future, things will be better."

The Royals face Blackburn at the Madejski this weekend and Gomes is expecting a tough challenge from a side who are in good form.

He added: "They are playing very well and they have a very good offensive dynamic with experienced players such as Downing and Johnson.

"Dack tries to get in between the lines and he links their game and they have speed in the corridors so they are doing well.

"We just need to give the maximum from ourselves and try to block what they can do."

Gomes believes taking the positives from the Middlesbrough defeat into the Blackburn game can help the side.

He said: "The way that we controlled the game and if you look at the data we were better in all the numbers against Middlesbrough.

"We had more shots, more passes, more possession and we did everything better but we conceded a goal from a wide free kick,

"The spirit from my players was fantastic. They took the game in their own hands. I believe if we can win the next game, we can carry on with the wins because the spirit is amazing."