Archived News from October 2020
|
COUGHLAN AND MICHAEL DUFF REACTION
|
 |
|
Upcoming home games are ‘vital,’ says boss
mansfieldtown.net, 24 OCT 2020 Stags’ boss Graham Coughlan says that the points picked up by Mansfield away from home this week will only be viewed as ‘good points’ if his side capitalise on their upcoming two home fixtures. Mansfield played out a goalless draw away at in-form Cheltenham Town today, in what the boss described as a ‘game of two halves.’ Graham Coughlan says that Mansfield’s next two matches - at home to Barrow and Walsall, respectively - are ‘vital,’ as the Stags look to turn their season around. “It looked like it was a game of two halves,” he told iFollow Stags. “It looked as though we were the better team in the first-half and they probably shaded the second-half. “It’s okay having the best patterns of play, but it’s winning that we’re here for. It gives us a foothold and something to build on. https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2020/october/gaffer-post-cheltenham/ “It [result] is no great achievement, but Cheltenham will be up there, mark my words. This was a game last year where we lost 1-0, and it was there for the taking at the end [today]. “A point at Morecambe and a point at Cheltenham away from home - that certainly shows character and that we’re going in the right direction. “I would say the next two games are vital to us, if we’re to build on the Morecambe and Cheltenham games. “If that’s to be considered as a good point today, it’ll only be a good point if we win our next two games. “If we look at Cheltenham today, they’ve been building for two seasons. I can’t emphasise how difficult it is to bring a new group together - after what we’ve been through in the last two months, I have to pat them [Mansfield players] on the back. “We’re still in there fighting and digging deep. But I’d like to start turning some draws into wins, as we should have more points on the board. “It [Tuesday’s match against Barrow] is a big game. They’re all big games. I don’t want to heap pressure on the lads, but they know the script.” Looking back on what was a fantastic chance for defender Farrend Rawson in added time of today’s match, the boss said: “After 90 minutes you do get tired, and I was a centre-half and wouldn’t expect myself to be putting things in the back of the net on the volley. “If it was a header you would’ve probably seen him rattle the back of the net. “It was an opportunity and a chance, and on another day maybe himself and Nicky [Maynard] win the game at the end for us.” The manager says his side needed to add ‘composure’ to their play in the final third today. “I spoke to the lads at half-time, we got there [in the final third], and we just needed to show a bit more composure and quality. “We got onto them but didn’t get our shots away. There was plenty of opportunity for us to be aggressive in the first-half. “I think that’s the one thing we’ll take from the game today.” The boss made two attacking changes late on, introducing strikers Nicky Maynard and Jamie Reid with 12 minutes to play. He added: “The game plan was there for all to see. You’re coming to Cheltenham, who are on fire at the minute. It’s a really tough place to come to. “The game plan was to get off the back of them in midfield, and to try and win the game in the last 20 minutes. “It [bringing on Nicky Maynard and Jamie Reid] was a brave call that could’ve backfired - Andy Cook was a marker at set pieces. “It was a brave call - it could’ve worked, but then again, it could’ve backfired. But it was our intent to win the game late on.” iFollow Stags subscribers can watch the boss’ interview in full by logging into mansfieldtown.net/ifollow later today. ------------------------ Cheltenham Town boss Michael Duff after the draw with Mansfield Town Stalemate at Jonny-Rocks Stadium gloucestershirelive.co.uk, By Jon Palmer, 24 OCT 2020 https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/latest-elliot-bonds-finn-azaz-4638260 Are you disappointed not to have won that? Yes, I think so. If we'd played another 10 minutes we'd have scored the goal because they were rocking at the end. It's a filthy day and I was disappointed with the first half. It seemed to die down in the second half, but in the first half it was driving wind and rain and we weren't particularly good. In the second half I thought we were excellent and one thing we didn't do is work the goalkeeper enough. If you go on chances, we did enough to win the game, but the key is that if you can't win the game, keep a clean sheet and a point and move on, keep the scoreboard turning. That's eight clean sheets in 11 games this season and six in eight in the league so there were lots of positives in the end, but I am not sure I'd have said that at half-time. We wrestled the momentum back, but scrapping a little bit better. By scrapping a bit better we win the ball in better areas, which means we can start playing football. They came with a 'full court press' and we were a bit tentative, not doing one thing or the other, which we addressed at half-time. We were much better second half. Disappointed not to take the chances you created in the second half? Yes, clearly. They were good chances, not half chances Alfie (May) will be disappointed because two fell to him. He'll probably be more disappointed with the one when he is clean through because he has not hit the target and that's probably the most frustrating thing, but Alfie is Alfie and he lands on chances. He has come in and the two best chances have fallen to him. Reuben (Reid) didn't quite get one to drop for him today and the way the game was going, I don't believe we always have to have a big one and a small one on the pitch and we ended with three of them, which probably tells you how I felt the game was going, getting Alex (Addai) out wide with two bigger ones in the box. I felt all three subs made a positive impact. Another clean sheet and once again Josh Griffiths hasn't had to make a serious save If he can walk off at the end of the season and keep the same ratio/percentage of saves and clean sheets, we'll take that all day. He didn't have a lot to do, but what he did, he did well. He tidied up well and was very assured and he one good kick to start a counter attack for Reuben, which had to be precise down wind and down hill on a wet pitch. The resilience within the team is good, not just goals, but we don't give up many chances. The ones we gave away in the first half were our poor play when we were wide open and then they just chip it down the middle of the pitch, which is not the way we tell them to play. The defensive record has been outstanding. In terms of teams you've played in and managed, is this the best defensively? I am sure I played in better defences than this! They work hard for each other and you need a bit of luck too. Nicky Maynard had a chance near the end and he could have whacked it in, but the thing we look at the most is how many chances we give up and it's not many. Even in the games when we've lost, it's not like we've been opened up time and time again. There will be games when Josh has to keep us in a game, or win us a game, or nick us a point. The thing I love is, and I've just praised the whole team, is when you have Reuben chasing the centre half into the corner so it does start from front to back. It's more the structure of the team. The back five do the back five bits, the detail in the defending I ask them to do, but generally it comes from the team shape as much as anything. How is Matty Blair after coming off? Gav (Crowe) was concerned because he felt his calf, so he came off. I've not spoken to him yet, but he's a fit lad so I am not sure he'd be cramping up in the 55th minute. I thought Conor (Thomas) was excellent when he went out there, just gets on with it, calms us down in possession and is a little less hectic. The three subs all impacted the game in a positive way. You had Ellis Chapman on the bench, how close is he to playing, fitness wise? He might have to be match fit. He's not though as he's not played a match. We will need to get him fit on the job and get him minutes when we can. He's been brought into the group, probably a bit quicker than we would have liked. But he's a good player and hopefully he'll do well for us. ------------------------- John Radford on facebook, 5.45pm Sat 24 Oct: What should we do? -------------------- |
Latest | October 2020