Avram after killer touch

Avram Grant, while happy with Chelsea's win over Reading, was disappointed his side did not find a second goal.

Blues boss laments lack of a second goal

Avram Grant, while happy with Chelsea's win over Reading, was disappointed his side did not find a second goal. Ultimately Michael Ballack's first-half header was enough to seal a victory which keeps the Blues very much in the Premiership title race. However, their failure to add to Ballack's strike ensured that the Stamford Bridge crowd had to endure a nervous final few minutes. While Reading never seriously threatened to equalise, Grant was disappointed his team's superiority, especially in the first half, was not reflected in the scoreline. "I'm very pleased with the performance in that we won, but in this game we should have scored more goals," Grant stated. "It was the same for many of the games we have played in the last three months, we played well in the first half. In the second half we had so many chances to secure the game and we didn't do it and in the end we needed to defend."

Ballack praise

Grant did though reserve praise for match-winner Ballack, adding: "One of his qualities is to come into the box and score, and give assists. "He is a modern player because he can do everything on the pitch. I'm very happy that he's here."