The Blues travel to the relegated Royals knowing a point will secure second position in the Premier League and go some way to healing the wounds suffered in the defeat to Wigan Athletic.
Rodwell, who will hope to play a part at the Madejski Stadium, came on as a second-half sub against the Latics, but there was to be no fairytale ending to his injury ravaged season.
“It just wasn’t our day and we didn’t live up to what we can do,” said the 22-year-old. “We’ve won nothing this year and if that isn’t a big enough motivation for us to kick on again, then we shouldn’t be playing.
“We have to pick ourselves up, we’re really down, but that’s football. Wigan were good, but we just weren’t at the races. We went down to 10 men and found it really hard.
“At half-time the manager said work harder and give it that little bit more. They looked like they were giving that extra bit in the first-half. Our overall play should have been a lot better. We just didn’t make enough chances.
“I don’t know if that was whether Wigan were really good or we were really poor, or a bit of both. That’s how it goes sometimes.”
...Jack Rodwell...
Rodwell is hoping the Blues can end the season with back-to-back wins and, having missed the majority of this campaign, is already looking forward to the start of the 2013/14 season.
“Winning trophies is why I joined the club,” he said. “We have big ambitions. We didn’t perform against Wigan but we’ll learn from this. It has been frustrating with my injuries, but I’m back now.”
