Johnson hails successive clean sheets

Wednesday, January 29th 2020

Lee Johnson was proud to see his team pick up their third win and clean sheet in a row in Tuesday night’s 1-0 victory over Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

He hailed the “team effort” which included players, staff and supporters - 2,000 of whom certainly made their voices heard in the roaring away end.

Johnson acknowledged his side’s committed defending when it mattered as they saw off Reading’s attempt at a late fight back, after Jamie Paterson had opened the scoring.

And their efforts were rewarded with the win which lifts City up to sixth in the Sky Bet Championship.

Here’s what the head coach told Robins TV:

Third clean sheet in a row

“Yes it was desperate defending but they were always going to throw caution to the wind and I think even the fans were heading the ball off the line in the end and that’s what we needed. It was a team effort: staff, fans and players.

"The two centre-halves were outstanding in the last 10-15 minutes when a couple of times we gave the ball away cheaply which led to them having men in the box, runs of attacks and decent deliveries but we defended extremely well as a team."

Lee Johnson celebrates with goalkeeper Dan Bentley after City's third-successive clean sheet

Performance analysis

"We deserved the win. We played neat football in the first half without really penetrating, maybe Niclas (Eliasson) a couple of crosses.

"In the second half we could have scored a couple: balls flashed across the box two or three times and Fam (Diédhiou) is just a short distance away, you fancy Callum (O’Dowda) to smash it across the keeper into the top corner but in games like that, away from home and against a side with quality like Reading, you expect those tight moments."

Nathan Baker put his body on the line against Reading

An energetic and technical display

"I thought we started really well. In the first six/seven minutes we really pressed and took the game to them. There was a period afterwards where we gave (John) Swift a bit too much room and he was dictating play a bit, so we just managed to adjust that in time and we picked up again.

"For me that performance was energetic, technical with the goal and the way we created chances. It was tight but I’m delighted we are on the right end of it."

Famara Diedhiou celebrates with Ashley Williams after their goal-line heroics

Building momentum

"The first starting point is three wins and clean sheets on the spin. That can build the momentum we need. If we get a punch on the nose, then we will have to accept it and go again. February will be a huge month for us and will go a long in determining where we end up."