We let ourselves down - Derby boss Warne

The loss suffered by Derby against Reading has caused them to fall three points behind Portsmouth, who currently hold the top position in the league standings.

Paul Warne, the manager of Derby County, has stated that his team failed to show any determination during their League One match against Reading, who have been having difficulties recently. They were hoping to move up in the rankings, but fell short due to their lack of drive and dedication.

If the Rams were able to win against Reading, who had recently received a suspended three-point deduction due to their Port Vale game being abandoned, they would have been at the top.

On the contrary, their loss for the second time in just five league games resulted in their position falling down to fourth.

Warne admitted that they disappointed themselves, during his interview with BBC Radio Derby.

I simply believed that we did not possess sufficient determination - that is honestly what I think.

I hesitate to criticize our dressing room, but I feel that we were outmatched by our opponents. They displayed a greater level of energy and determination to win possession of loose balls, an area where we usually excel."

It was already anticipated that they would exert a lot of pressure in the midfield area. We advised each other to not hold onto the ball for long in that area and pass it quickly. However, we didn't follow through with this plan and were caught off guard a few times.

We lost most of our individual confrontations. I believe that not many of our team members performed at their highest level.

Derby suffered a defeat which puts them three points behind Portsmouth who are leading the table. However, the second-placed team, Peterborough, and the third-placed team, Bolton, have not played as many games as Derby yet.

Despite losing the match, it marked only the second time they have been defeated in the League One season of 2024. Furthermore, it was the second loss in a total of 14 games played since October.

The Rams played in a very controlled manner as they tried to make their way back to the Championship league, which they had been absent from for the past two years. Unfortunately, Derby was unable to successfully make a shot that reached the opposite team's goal.

During the game, Corey Blackett-Taylor played for Derby for the first time after coming on as a substitute. Unfortunately, the team's offense was negatively affected because Tyreece John-Jules, who is on loan from Arsenal, had to leave the game due to another injury.

During the first half of the season, the 22-year-old forward faced a lot of injuries that greatly affected his time with Derby. These injuries caused him to miss nearly three months of playing time.

Warne expressed that he has been informed that the injury is related to the hamstring.

Our team, including the physical therapists, has effectively supported him and he possesses a remarkable skill set.

"I felt very sad when I witnessed him taking off his shirt with his head covered."