Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock admitted George Puscas and Rafael were the two players who made the difference in his side' 3-0 defeat at Reading on Sunday.
Puscas scored a first-half brace to give Royals their first win in the Championship this season while Rafael made several fine stops to deny City in the second half.
John Swift's late effort rounded off the scoring for a rampant Royals team which was superb at both ends of the pitch.
Warnock said: "Puscas was the difference really, that's what you pay for. He was one of the lads we were looking at through the summer.
"But they [Reading] will have stiffer tests than what they had against us.
"We've got to defend better than what we did. Some of our defending was really poor."
Reading were a shadow of the team which lost their opening two matches of the campaign against Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City earlier this month.
Puscas and Lucas Joao led the team from the front, while the midfield trio of Swift, Ovie Ejaria and Pele also impressed.
Warnock said he still felt his side had a chance of getting something from the game at 2-0.
"It was funny really," said Warnock. "I was so comfortable in the first 20 minutes - it was too much really. I felt really good.
"But then Marlon Pack comes off and we conceded a goal from our own free-kick. It was such bad defending I still can't believe it.
"That gave them a lift and then there was more bad defending for the second goal.
"But even at half time, if we got the third goal I thought we could get something from the game. Once the third goal went in though it was all over."
Asked why his side were unable to turn the game around in the second period, Warnock highlighted the display of Brazilian goalkeeper Rafael, who was making his home debut for Reading.
"Their goalkeeper made a couple of good saves," he said.
"If he'd have had a bad day we may have turned the game around.
"I thought at half time we needed some changes. All of the lads in midfield struggled so I felt we had to do something at half time. I had to change the dynamics.
"I just couldn't believe the first goal - not from our free-kick on the halfway line. But nothing ceases to amaze me in this game.
"And it was nice to see the referee had a good game!"
The 70-year-old added: "We have got that many games coming up quickly now, Huddersfield, Blackburn, Fulham, so we haven't got time to dwell on it.
"You've just got to move on and overcome the problems that we were given and make sure we give the fans something to cheer about on Wednesday."
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