Nigel Pearson described Bristol City's performance as careless and accused them of "daydreaming" after leaving Reading empty-handed.
Having named an unchanged side from the team that superbly brushed aside West Brom in the week, City failed to replicate their showing as goals from Mamadou Loum and Andy Carroll were the difference on a bitterly disappointing afternoon across the M4.
After a forgettable first half, Reading opened the scoring from a corner when Loum rose highest at the near post to leave Max O'Leary with no chance. As City failed to register a shot on target, Pearson immediately responded by making a triple substitution including taking off strikers Antoine Semenyo and Nahki Wells.
Chris Martin, Tommy Conway and Andi Weimann were all introduced and the latter in particular added a spark going forward. Despite the improvement, they failed to trouble Joe Lumley in the Reading goal. As City pressed then for an equaliser, the hosts caught them on the counter-attack.
Shane Long beat Timm Klose for pace up the flank before feeding Carroll who made no mistake from close range to settle matters in injury-time. Pearson was left far from happy after the game particularly criticising the lack of consistency from the same players who impressed just five days prior.
He said: "It was miles away from what the same players dished up in midweek. You can quantify that, not me.
"All I’m going to say is it’s really disappointing that when naming an unchanged side because the players deserve to play again, they don’t perform." When asked if there was a particular reason why they couldn't replicate the showing, he fired back: "Well, I’m not going to say what I think of it. It’s careless and very, very disappointing.
“(The first goal) Perfect ball didn’t get a challenge. Second one is just, pushing for a goal and can’t deal with a straightforward ball in the channel.
"We have players who have hit one level midweek and performed miles below that. But more importantly, we were collectively short today. You mention set-plays, our own set-plays were awful and that’s from two of our best technicians who don’t deliver into the box.
"So an unchanged side because the players deserve to play again, and we get a response when we make changes. It shouldn’t have to be the case.”
Pearson was animated on the touchline particularly in the opening 20 minutes as he demanded that his side move the ball more quickly. Out of possession, Reading were happy to drop deeper and line up with a back five which frustrated and nullified City's play going forward.
"(I wanted them) to move it quickly. Absolutely. (They were) Daydreaming and looking for somebody else to blame. Just move the ball quickly.
"The tempo with which we pass the ball against a side like Reading who aren’t really one of the pressing sides, but they pressed well against us today because we dwelt on the ball for so long and we were reluctant to make positive decisions. It was a frustrating day, very frustrating."
SIGN UP: For our daily Robins newsletter, bringing you the latest from Ashton Gate
READ NEXT
