JAAP Stam has admitted that mistakes are inevitable as his Reading FC players adapt to his new style of play.

Stam believed a high, pressing game will give his new-look Royals team the best chance of success in the Championship next season.

But with 10 players from last season's first-team squad having already left, and with six new signing coming the other way, there is certainly a lot of work to be done.

However, Stam says the early signs are encouraging after watching his team defeat Saudi Arabian top-tier side Al-Taawoun 3-1 in Arnhem on Friday night.

It was Reading's high tempo approach that forced Al Taawoun into netting an own goal to put Royals ahead.

Danny Williams doubled the lead and although Al Taawoun pulled one back, a brilliant free-kick from Yann Kermorgant late on settled any nerves.

Stam said: “You can see that we are trying to play in a certain way, you need to keep on trying that.

“Okay, sometimes you will make a mistake, but it doesn’t matter – if you are afraid to make mistakes, then you are not improving.

“Eventually we got a good result but I must say that our opponents made it quite difficult for us at certain times as well.

“Technically they had a very good team and they could play good football. We wanted to press the opponent and the communication was not always how we wanted it to be.”

He added: “We try to press up high against the opponent so they couldn’t get out, and that meant they scored the first goal for us.

“That is what you get when you put pressure well on the other team.

“There were also times that we didn’t do it well and they were able to play through the midfield. So we need to improve that and we’re working on that.

“That’s a thing that you need to do and that’s what you do in pre-season.”

Reading continue their pre-season campaign with a trip to Swindon Town tonight (7.45pm ko) then to AFC Wimbledon this Saturday (3pm ko).

And Stam insists all his players are pulling in the same direction as they step up preparations for their Championship opener against Preston North End on Saturday, August 6.

“Everybody is helping each other out which is good,” he declared. “Sometimes you need to be tough with each other on the pitch as well.

“They all know that it is their job. If you want to have success, sometimes that goes with good things but sometimes it means you have to be hard with each other as well.”