Archived News from November 2016
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MURRAY OPTIMISTIC WITH 90 POINTS TO PLAY FOR
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Boss optimistic with 90 points up for grabs
mansfieldtown.net, 14th November 2016 (morning) With just six points separating 16 places in Sky Bet League Two, buoyant Stags’ boss Adam Murray is focussed on climbing the table with 90 points still to play for. Stags sit three points off the play-offs after their first 16 matches and are part of a group of clubs who are still vying for consistency in Sky Bet League Two. And boss Murray says his side fear nothing with 30 games of the season still remaining. “You have to take these punches on the chin and roll with it. There’s no point crying over spilt milk; you’ve got to get on with it and our focus is positive, we’re looking at [us being] three points off the play-offs with 90 points to play for,” Murray said. “After the first month, we realised how this league was going to play out and I honestly believe it will be this tight all season. Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/2016-17/boss-optimistic-with-90-points-up-for-grabs-3416073.aspx#sHJo9XYFzl2v24di.99 “These next two games, it can throw you up to the play-offs and it’s amazing to say. That’s the way it is and we’ve got to focus on us, keep playing the way we have done over the last three games and we’ll be alright.” The manager believes turning some of his side’s wins into draws can make a huge difference to their position in the league table and speaking to the local press this morning, he spoke of his positivity going forwards. “We are really, really positive; I think in our last ten games in all competitions, I think we’ve won three, lost three and drew four. I think we’ve only lost as many games as Portsmouth so we’ve got to change the draws in to wins and we might have to lose a couple to win a couple and do it that way. We’re three points off the play-offs with 90 points to play [for]. “There’s that many teams that are in that ‘up and down’, no-one’s getting that consistency at the minute. You win a couple, you’re losing a couple, you’re drawing loads and it is the team that grabs that consistency. I think if we can play like we have done this last couple of weeks, that gives us consistency.” The gaffer, 35, gave an update on the injuries in his squad and also said that now is the time for midfielder Jack Thomas to stake a claim for a regular spot in the team after he missed Saturday’s defeat against Portsmouth due to attending the funeral of a close friend on Friday. “Tafty’s (George Taft) had a little bit of a set-back, he’s going to be [out for] a little bit longer. He started running and something wasn’t quite right so that’s going to be a bit more time. Lee Collins is going to be [out for] a couple of weeks I think so we’re down to bare bones in the centre-half position for Saturday but we’ll mix things around and sort it out. “It’s tough for someone so young to take an incident like what’s happened to him and he needs that mental focus, but at the same time, I’ve said to Jack (Thomas) - we can’t waste any more time with your season, we need to get you back up and running in the team. So he needs to have a good week’s training and we’ll see where he’s at.” Supporters can watch Adam Murray’s news conference, in full, on Stags PlayerHD. ------------------ Central defender crisis for Stags chad.co.uk, by John Lomas, Monday 14 November 2016 (morning) Mansfield Town are facing a central defender crisis ahead of Saturday’s visit of Crawley Town. The club are likely to have four of their five centre halves unavailable due to injury and suspension. But manager Adam Murray said: “Sometimes that’s the way the game goes. “Sometimes it kicks you in the teeth and you have to take these punches on the chin and roll with it. There is no point in crying over spilt milk, we’ve got to get on with it. Our focus is positive.” Alex Iacovitti and Kyle Howkins will sit it out after red cards at Portsmouth last weekend while Lee Collins and George Taft remain on the treatment table. Read more at: http://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town/central-defender-crisis-for-stags-1-8238048 On skipper Collins, Murray said: “It is something to do with his knee. “He did it in the Plymouth game. To be fair to him, he did it after about 20 minutes and he carried on. “It will be touch and go for Saturday and you’re probably looking at possibly Tuesday.” Taft (hamstring) now looks set to be longer returning than expected. “Tafty has had a little bit of a setback,” said Murray. “He’s going to be a little bit longer. “He started running and something wasn’t quite right. So that will take a bit more time. “So we are down to bare bones in the centre half position on Saturday. We will mix things around and sort it out.” The sudden crisis leaves only Krystian Pearce of the regular quintet available. If Collins fails to make it, right back Rhys Bennett has experience there. Otherwise, with no emergency loans now available to clubs, Mansfield may have to turn to youngsters like Corbin Shires or Keiran Harrison to come in and do a job. “It will be a week of hard work on the training ground with a positive mental attitude,” continued Murray. “We want to build on the performances from the last three games. I think the style we are playing and the way we’re going about it, we are creating a lot of chances. “We created a lot of chances first half on Saturday and my only critique of us at the minute is we to start being a little bit more ruthless with our opportunities as we could have had three first half Saturday and should have had at least two. “You can’t go to places like Portsmouth and not take chances - not just centre forwards. We are getting opportunities. At Derby we scored three goals away from home and we need to stay with that kind of ruthlessness as the thing that’s letting us down at the minute is small individual errors and we are not having enough killer edge in the two 18 yard boxes which is where games are won and lost.” ---------------- Defender shortage fails to dent Murray optimism 14th November 2016 http://www.mansfield103.co.uk/blogs/defender-shortage-fails-to-dent-murray-optimism/ Defender shortage fails to dent Murray optimism Mansfield Town will be short of centre backs for their League Two match at home to Crawley Town on Saturday. Kyle Howkins and Alex Iacovitti are suspended after their sendings-off in the 4-0 loss at Portsmouth at the weekend. George Taft and Lee Collins remain on the treatment table but boss Adam Murray refuses to get downbeat. Speaking at Monday's press conference at the One Call Stadium, he told Mansfield 103.2: “Sometimes that's the way the game goes, sometimes it kicks you in the teeth and you have to take these punches on the chin and roll with it. “There's no point crying over spilt milk, you have to get on with it and our focus is positive. “We're looking at it that we're three points off the play-offs with ninety points to play for and let's go and get three points on Saturday.” -------------------- |
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