Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner dwells only on the positives from Reading defeat

huddersfield town head coach David Wagner insists he has already vanquished memories of his side's torrid hour playing with 10 men en route to a hefty FA Cup defeat at Reading.
Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner. Picture: Bruce RollinsonHuddersfield Town boss David Wagner. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

Town were set fair for a fourth-round meeting at home to League One outfit Walsall on Saturday week, having forged a 2-0 lead at the Madejski Stadium, thanks to goals from Jamie Paterson and a first for the club from Tommy Smith.

But the game turned around dramatically after the dismissal of Jonathan Hogg just before the half-hour mark, with the Royals assuming the box seat and using their extra man to devastating effect to triumph 5-2.

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Wagner, whose side face more southern hosts in Brighton at the weekend, says he will concentrate purely on the positives of a dominant half-hour from Town as opposed to what happened after, which he believes will prove an aberration amid some impressive form from his side since the festive season.

Wagner, who has not sampled defeat in Town’s last five league games, said: “It is heads up and go forward and try and recover until Saturday because Brighton were able to lay on the sofa relaxed, while we had to play one hour with one player less.

“So we have to be as fresh as we can against Brighton.

“For me, we will only speak about the first 30 minutes (at Reading) and games in the past and not about the hour.”

On the exit, which scuppered Town’s hopes of reaching the fifth round of the cup for the first time in eight seasons, the German added: “Of course, this was one of the big targets; to qualify for the next rounds and for some rounds more.

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“Now we are out of the competition, we have to accept this.

“We know why. We have to work on our game when we have one player less.”

One slight positive was afforded Town in the return to the fray for Dean Whitehead after almost six-and-a-half weeks out with a knee problem.

The veteran, outstanding before suffering an injury in early December, came on just after Hogg’s red card, but was substituted with 15 minutes left, with Wagner confirming it was nothing to do with a relapse,

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Wagner added: “He’s okay. When we spoke before the game, we said hopefully he was able to play 30 minutes maybe after half-time.

“I like to make sure he is fit for the future and Saturday as well,” he added.