Archived News from February 2022
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CLOUGH PREVIEWS COLCHESTER GAME
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We must not be complacent - manager
mansfieldtown.net, Monday 7th February 2022 Mansfield Town manager Nigel Clough has called for his players not to be complacent against ‘different animal’ Colchester United as the Stags aim for a tenth successive league match without defeat. The boss’ side take on the U’s at One Call Stadium tomorrow evening. Stags are in sixth position in the Sky Bet League Two table while Colchester lie in 20th. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2022/february/we-must-not-be-complacent---manager/ Speaking at a news conference earlier today, the manager said: “I think we’re playing a different animal to [the Colchester of] two or three weeks ago. “They went down to Sutton and they were a few minutes away from getting a result down there. “Since Wayne Brown has come back in in the last two away games they’ve had outstanding results. They won 3-0 at Salford and then 1-0 at Orient. “So [they’ve] not conceded a goal [in that time]. When we played them earlier in the season we said that any team that has Judge, Sears, Skuse and Chambers [then] the other six or seven that you put around them are going to benefit from those four players. “They’re as good as any four players in League Two.” Mansfield’s home match in Sky Bet League Two is the club’s last before a schedule of three consecutive away games. “I think they’ll [the games in February] go a long way [in defining the Stags’ season],” said the boss. “There’s a danger that people just assume that we’re going to win tomorrow night because our home form is so good but that doesn’t happen in football.” Mansfield had a recent blank weekend due to their scheduled opponents - Hartlepool United - involvement in the FA Cup. The gaffer welcomed the opportunity to rest some of his squad ahead of a busy month. “The lads had the weekend off to relax,” he said. “The majority of the lads have played so many games. “Here we are in the first week in February, it’s not a fitness issue now it’s a rest issue as much as anything and trying to keep them [the squad] fresh. “We play at home tomorrow and then we don’t have another home game for a month.” Tomorrow evening’s game could see debuts for deadline day signings, Matty Longstaff and Jamie Murphy. “Jamie Murphy came down last week [to train with the lads] it was important for them to come here [at RH Academy] and see where they’re going to work and also meet everybody. “Matty Longstaff was at the game at Harrogate. “They [the rest of the squad] reacted to them [joining the club] very well. They reacted before they even trained. “They’ve got the three months with us [as part of the loan deals until the end of the season] and 18, 19 games. “They’ll have an impact in those games, but they also realise they’re coming to a team that has been playing so well. “It’s a settled side, so they have to earn their place in the team.” Watch the manager's interview in full now by clicking here. ----------------------- Nigel Clough told Colin Hazelden of BBC, video on iFollow Stags, 7 Feb 2022: on the transfer deadline day deals: "What we don't want to do is give the impression that we're splashing money, because the two players that have come in, have saved us money on the two or three that have gone out." (Comment by Martin: presumably referring to: in: Longstaff, Murphy; out Charsley, O'Keeffe. I think this strongly suggests that we are not paying Longstaff's wages.) ------------------ Boss Nigel Clough warns against complacency as Mansfield Town aim to extend run against much-improved Colchester United chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Monday 7th February 2022 Nigel Clough has warned against any complacency as Mansfield Town look to extend their unbeaten EFL run to 10 games against visiting Colchester United tomorrow night. Stags' record-breaking eight game winning streak was ended by a 0-0 midweek draw at Harrogate Town last week and, with Colchester in 20th place, Clough hopes fans won't think three points are in the bag before a ball is kicked. “There is a danger that people just assume we're going to win tomorrow night as our home form is so good, but that doesn't happen in football,” he said. “I think we're playing a different animal to two or three weeks ago.” The U's have not lost since Wayne Brown took the hot seat for the third time as interim manager last month. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/boss-nigel-clough-warns-against-complacency-as-mansfield-town-aim-to-extend-run-against-much-improved-colchester-united-3558467 “They went down to Sutton and were a few minutes away from getting a result. “Since Wayne Brown has come back in for the last two away games they've had outstanding results - winning 3-0 at Salford and then 1-0 at Orient - not conceded a goal,” said Clough. “Any team that has Judge, Sears, Skuse and Chambers and the other six or seven you put around them, they're going to benefit from those four players. “We talk about the experience and quality we've brought in, but those four are as good as any four players in League Two. “We have got ourselves in potentially a good position - but that's all it is at the moment. There is still a big three months to go. “We went down to Colchester, played well enough, and were 1-0 up in the 93rd minute and a penalty was awarded against us which we are still aggrieved about to this day. “So we ended up drawing 1-1 instead of getting our third win of the season and things just started tailing away from there.”But Clough didn't feel they had a score to settle with Colchester. “It was more a refereeing error than anything else,” he said. “They just converted a penalty we didn't think was one.” He added: “There is a quiet determination down there in the dressing room that they want to keep this run going. “I think that was shown when we drew at Harrogate last week. It was a good point really - you don't just keep winning and winning. “But there was a little bit of an air of disappointment that we hadn't won a ninth on the spin. “So much can happen in football, you don't take anything for granted, especially after two months ago when we were as low down as we were. “Also, a lot of our good and best performances have been at home and we have a large imbalance now with a lot more away games to play than at home. We have to deal with that as it's slightly more difficult winning on the road. “Our target remains the top seven and we will see what happens from there. Let's stay in those play-off places and see how close we can get to anything else. “Chasing the top three has been the case in previous seasons here as well where they have been there right until the death in one or two instances and not quite managed it. We won't be talking about it too much. “But we can't forget where we've come from and how fragile it is. We are very conscious it could very quickly go the other way as well. We will do everything we can to avoid that. “The line has not been crossed yet between confidence and pressure. We certainly won't go into any sort of arrogance or complacency. But I think as we get later on in the season, possibly a bit of nervous energy will creep in and that will be another test for us to try to overcome.” New loan signings Matty Longstaff and Jamie Murphy join the squad for the first time tomorrow. Stags do not have the best of records against the U's, winning only once in their last 13 meetings - and that was away. Their last home win over them was back in November 2002 with five of the six since drawn and one lost. ------------------------ Will Mansfield Town fans see exciting new loan duo in action against Colchester United? chad.co.uk, By John Lomas, Monday 7th February 2022 Mansfield Town fans will be hoping to see exciting new loan signings Matty Longstaff and Jamie Murphy in action for the first time in tomorrow night's home clash with Colchester United (Tuesday, 7.45). But boss Nigel Clough warned that, with his side nine unbeaten in League Two, they were not guaranteed to walk straight into the team. The pair signed on deadline day last Monday and Clough said: “The squad reacted well to the two new signings, even before they trained together for the first time. “The first training session is difficult when you're just settling in, but you can their quality. They have three months with us with 19 games and they will have an impact in those games. https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/will-mansfield-town-fans-see-exciting-new-loan-duo-in-action-against-colchester-united-3558579 “They also realise they are coming into a team that is playing so well. They have to earn their place in the team. “Neither of them have played 90 minutes for a while or started many games. “Jamie Murphy has been coming off the bench - I think he had 25 minutes last week. And Matty has been at Aberdeen but not starting too much. “It will be a case of building them up but with only 19 games to go we can't wait too long. “We will probably nip out for a bite to eat so they feel settled, but you've got to have a clean week as you can't do it when you have midweek games. When we get the opportunity we'll have a look at that.” Stags had the luxury of a blank weekend last weekend and Clough said: “The lads had the weekend off just to relax. It's always the balance between those playing regularly and those on the fringes of the squad. “But there are not many of them and we had to keep that four or five up to speed. “Faz Rawson did a bit, having missed two games through suspension. “But the majority of the lads have played so many games and it's the first week in February. So it's not a fitness issue now. It's a rest issue as much as anything to keep them fresh. “After tomorrow we don't have another home game for a month. So we're going to be on the road a lot with a lot of travelling.” ----------------------- |
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