David Wagner has promised Huddersfield Town will become better at playing with 10 men.
Their 5-2 FA Cup third-round replay defeat at Reading, a first loss in seven for the German head coach, hinged on the 26th-minute dismissal of midfielder Jonathan Hogg for a professional foul on Matej Vydra.
While Hogg, also sent off in the previous season’s 1-0 FA Cup third-round defeat by Reading, left the action, Czech Republic ace Vydra went on to claim a hat trick.
While the final scoreline was harsh, Town head coach Wagner, whose side were two ahead when Hogg was red carded, accepted there are lessons to be learned about playing while a man down.
“We know why we lost, and we know we must become better at dealing with the few occasions when we will be a man less than the opposition,” he said.
“We played great football for 25 minutes, then came the key moment of the game, the red card and the goal from the free-kick which changed things completely.
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“In the future, we will much more often be 11 versus 11, but we will talk about what to do when it’s 11 versus 10.
“We were too passive and unable to keep the ball. We failed to create enough counter-attack chances.”
Wagner excused his side for failing to prevent Brazilian Lucas Piazon, who is in loan to Reading from Chelsea, scoring from the free-kick.
“It was a very well taken and there was no chance for Joe Murphy or our wall,” insisted the Town chief.
“I know Lucas Piazon from playing in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt.
He is one of the best free-kick takers I have seen. It’s a situation where you have to say well done.”
