Rodgers spent more than four years on the Chelsea coaching staff

Reading manager Brendan Rodgers said he was impressed with his team as they drew 2-2 with Chelsea.

The Championship season begins on Saturday for the Royals, at home to Nottingham Forest, and Rodgers said the friendly against Chelsea was ideal.

He told BBC Berkshire: "Apart from the last five or six minutes, I thought we were very good.

"We've had some great work and also the training methods have been accepted and they've adapted really well."

Rodgers said he was pleased with the way his players reacted after conceding two late goals as Chelsea hit back to force a draw.

He explained: "Obviously the players are disappointed which is a great benchmark. We'll learn from it, we'll review it next week and then move on."

Meanwhile defender Alex Pearce has emerged as the leading candidate to captain the Royals for the forthcoming Championship campaign.

Pearce wore the arm-band against Chelsea but the 20-year-old is not certain he will be given the job permanently.

He said: "I don't know if I'm the front-runner. If the gaffer were to turn round to me and give me the captaincy, you have to take it with both hands, you can't say no to something like that."

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