{ the news }
 
An independent supporters' website dedicated to Mansfield Town FC
Archived News from November 2015

MURRAY, COLLINS, DAVID DUNN REACTION
23rd November 2015 12:00


Murray wants Stags to rediscover cutting edge
mansfieldtown.net, 17th November 2015

Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray wants his side to start ‘going back to instinct’ after tonight’s 2-0 Emirates FA Cup defeat to Oldham Athletic.

Second half goals from Danny Philliskirk and Dominic Poleon secured the Latics’ passage through to the second round of the competition after the Stags didn't convert a number of first half chances.

Manager Murray said his side are currently overthinking things in the final third and wants his forwards to start being more instinctive in front of goal.

“We’re in a bit of a drought with the goals at the minute. It’s not just the centre-forwards - it’s from all over the place. We’ve had two or three opportunities where we’ve turned down the shot and we’ve tried that extra pass,” Murray said.

Read more at http://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/article/murray-post-oldham-2805624.aspx#RpQeDF1DGVjgI62B.99

“That’s what happens when you’re not quite getting the goals. You start to over-think things and having that extra touch.

“We’ve got to get back to going off instinct because, again, I thought in-between the two 18-yard boxes we looked a lot more solid than we have done in certain games.”

The gaffer saw positives in his side’s performance after dominating the game in the first half, and they could have been ahead at half-time if some of the chances created by the Stags had been converted.

“You can’t miss them chances that we have in the first half and expect to get something out the game. At the minute we’re in one of them patches that you’ve just got to grind through.”

Murray continued: “We know it’ll change if we keep creating the chances and we’ve got to hope that it’s sooner rather than later because we want to stay in that top seven.

“We’ve got to make sure that we keep the confidence high.”

The Stags now go into three Sky Bet League Two games in the space of a week and Murray is already looking ahead to Saturday’s visit of Hartlepool United.

“Our focus now is straight on Hartlepool. We started preparing for that yesterday because this week is a massive week for us. We want to get back on to home turf and we want to get our league performances and results ‘up there’ because we want [to be in] that top seven more than anything.

“Like I said before the game, we’ve got some massive games coming up next week so I wanted to come out of the game with some ‘minutes in people’s legs’.”

----------------

Matt Green: Adam Murray says goals will come for striker
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34856592

Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray says the goals will soon flow for striker Matt Green.
The 28-year-old has four goals this season but has not scored in his last eight appearances, including Tuesday's FA Cup defeat at Oldham Athletic.
Murray told BBC Radio Nottingham: "The more Matt plays, the more opportunity he will have to score. We have got to keep Matt's confidence there.
"We need one to go off his backside, his nose, whatever it is."
Green, who scored 56 goals for the Stags between 2011 and 2013, returned to the club in the summer after a two-year stint with Birmingham City,
Murray continued: "We have two options with Matt. We either put him on the bench or stick by him, knowing what's round the corner.
"The squad and the fans have got to keep Matt's confidence there, but Matt's not just all about goals.
"You look at his all-round play, his work rate, his hold-up play. Every manager you speak to after games compliments what kind of player he is.
"He just needs to hit the back of the net. The goals will go in for him."

--------------------

Dunn Wants To Keep Momentum Going
oldhamathletic.co.uk

Manager David Dunn wants to keep the momentum going after guiding his side to victory in the FA Cup first round replay against Mansfield Town.

Speaking after the game, Dunn said: "Back to back wins, that’s what we need to do. I’m happy with the win and the two goals tonight but I’m also as happy with the clean sheet as well.

"The more clean sheets you get, the harder you are to beat and the wins will come anyway. That’s what I’ve tried to do since day one.

Read more at http://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/news/article/dunn-wants-to-keep-momentum-going-2806893.aspx#cYH5UqV0DGayRDms.99

"It was such difficult conditions but I thought the lads stuck to the game plan really well. The first half was very tight and they would have fancied coming up here and giving us a good game.

“Although we dominated possession, we didn’t really penetrate as much and our build up play was slow so when a team comes and sits back, I think you have to move the ball quickly and we didn’t do that very well in the first half.

"In the second half, however, we were much better. I thought our play was good, a bit more direct and we looked a threat all over the pitch so I was really happy.”

The manager revealed it was not just the adverse weather conditions causing problems for his side last night.

“It wasn’t just the conditions, the wind and the rain, but the new ball we are playing with,” commented the 35-year-old.

“The ball is difficult to play with and it’s like a balloon out there so it was really difficult but I thought we handled it very well.”

Latics now host Barnsley and Southend United in the league at SportsDirect.com Park and the manager admitted his side are brimming with confidence ahead of those games.

“We have a belief in our dressing room that we can win any game,” Dun admitted.

"We will be hard to beat in the next two games, play on the front foot and win the individual battles all over the pitch. If we do that then we have players that can open teams up and score goals.”

Watch the full interview on Latics PlayerHD.

------------------




 

Latest | November 2015