Birmingham City star Liam Ridgewell tells team-mates: Get ready for Reading

Dec 15 2008 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

“It was a disappointing one. It was heading for a 0-0. I couldn’t see them scoring,’’ he said

“Our chances were few and far between, so it really was a sickener to lose like we did.

“The ball came in, I went to attack it and head it, and I just mistimed it unfortunately.”

Manager Alex McLeish stressed that there were other mistakes in the build up.

Kemy Agustien lost the ball after Nicky Hunt knocked it forward to him.

Ridgewell shrugged: “It was a comedy of errors really.

“Kemy had only just come on, Hunty’s tried to lay one into him, they got the ball, went down and picked a perfect cross out.

“It was a good finish from the lad, but so disappointing from our point of view.”

Blues didn’t show a killer instinct, Ridgewell admitted.

“It didn’t feel like they were threatening on our goal,’’ he said.

“There were a lot of passes going around but the end product was not there, from both teams really.

“It was heading for a draw. That’s what we all felt.

“I think maybe [we could be more ruthless]. It was just a final pass here, and final cross there. We were getting into good positions and it wasn’t happening.

“It was one of those nights where you’ve then just got to see it out and take the draw. But we didn’t do that.”

Ironically, Ridgewell was a target of Reading’s in the last January window.

The teams were slugging it out at the bottom of the Premier League, and Reading notched a key 2-1 win at home in March.

That helped shove Blues towards relegation and the Royals failed to survive also.

Ridgewell said: “They won and drew against us last season. Maybe we owe them one at our gaff.

“But they’re a decent side. We have got to make sure we’re on our game to make sure we don’t lose, certainly.”

Ridgewell was restored to the Blues team after hauling himself off his sick bed.

He said: “I have had a bad flu over the last week-and-a-half. I’ve still got a bad cough and I’m not quite right but I tried to grind it out there on Saturday and put myself forward for the team.”