Steve Clarke has gone about the job quietly since he took over at Reading shortly before Christmas, but the Scot’s work is proving increasingly effective. Having lost seven of the 12 games played prior to his arrival, the Royals have lost only three of the 12 since, and this was a third victory in four matches.
More to the immediate point, however, it was a third away win against a fellow Championship side in this season’s FA Cup, taking them through to the quarter-finals, where fate could see Clarke facing West Bromwich Albion, the club that sacked him just over a year ago.
“It felt too long to be out of the game, though when you look at the statistics you have to wait about 14 months before you get back in, so the average was about right,” said Clarke.
“There were one or two opportunities which didn’t quite fall for me, because the club I spoke to chose someone else, and there were one or two I decided weren’t quite right for me. So I waited, and thankfully I think I’ve picked up a decent job in Reading.
“I haven’t changed the way I think about my teams and try to set them up. The players have embraced it, they’ve tried to take all the ideas on board, and slowly, slowly, I can see the team starting to take shape.”
As Clarke acknowledged after goals from Hal Robson-Kanu and Yakubu Aiyegbeni – both masterfully taken in very different ways – saw his side go through against a Derby side reduced to 10 men after 39 minutes when Stephen Warnock picked up a stupid second yellow card, Reading have underachieved this season.
Assuming Clarke steers them to mid-table safety, however, the Cup could yet make it a season to remember. Signing Yakubu – a free agent after spells in China and then Qatar – at the end of the transfer window has added further finishing power to a squad full of players with Premier League experience.
“We knew his physical fitness was good, and I just felt for no money and a relatively small wage in today’s crazy market it was a no-risk signing,” said Clarke. “He’s a personality – a player who captures the imagination, and the other players are pleased to have him at the club.”
They were even more pleased when the ageless Nigerian striker scored the winner with a low, assured finish after coming on as a substitute. He had his nose broken on his debut, against Leeds last Tuesday, but was more than ready to play five days later.
“When I saw him on the touchline with that big smile of his I knew we were in trouble,” said the Derby manager Steve McClaren, who signed Yakubu for Middlesbrough back in 2005.
McClaren made seven changes, only one of which was enforced, but as he pointed out, it was impossible to criticise the performance, other than for a failure to take more than one of the many chances they created in a hugely entertaining match. Darren Bent’s fifth goal in six matches since joining on loan from Aston Villa (without a recall clause, as McClaren emphasised) was a scant return for their efforts. For much of the second half they played 2-5-2, so determined was McClaren to avoid a replay, and there was nothing inevitable about the break which ended with Yakubu announcing his return to the English game.
“The atmosphere in England is so good, I missed it, and I’m so happy to be back,” said Yakubu. “I had the choice to go to America and Turkey, more glamorous places, but England is the best place to play football.”
As for his age – some maintain he is rather older than 32 – does it matter? “You can see the way I play, so I am not talking about my age, it is normal, people can choose if they don’t believe it so it is up to them. I am fit!”
Man of the match Jesse Lingard (Derby)
