Nigel, a lot of frustration there from the fans today at the end, was it justified?
I’m not really too bothered by that to be fair. You’re here to ask me about the game aren’t you?
Well, did the game justify the reaction?
Two poor teams. They’re poor because of quality and we’re poor because sometimes our personality lets us down. We play against good sides and we’re good, we play against poor sides and then we match them whether they’re good, bad, or indifferent.
That’s why we’re where we are.
It was a disappointing goal to concede…
Yeah, it was a scruffy goal but they happen. We should do more and we had enough situations to win the game. Wasteful.
It’s another illustration of the work that has to be done.
The performance today really is a reflection of us as a club, it’s easy ozy, that’s us.
Is it simply a case of having to make changes in the summer?
Yeah.
Simple as that?
Yeah.
You need to bring in better players?
Better or whatever.
The substitutions today, the ones who went on didn’t have any impact of any note. They fell into a trap of being very similar.
It’s what it is, isn’t it.
A goal for Rob Atkinson, he’s starting to score…
Yeah, I thought he played okay as well today, pretty solid. A good goal. Two in two, good strike rate for a centreback.
So, you’re 1-0 up and they’re down to 10 men, what happened from then on?
Well, what did you think?
For one thing you didn’t create very much.
Exactly. Quality, poor.
Are they poor players? No they’re not. That says something else doesn’t it.
A personality thing as you mentioned?
Well, I’ve already talked and said that.
The tactical tweak at half time, was that that to generate more possession on the ball?
Generate more possession? You generate it by keeping the ball and we gave it away for fun whether in a three at the back or four at the back.
Four at the back with an extra man. Tactics have got nothing to do with today, they’ve scored a goal where they’ve launched the ball into the box, we don’t get the first header and we don’t clear it. Nothing to do with tactics.
We’ve had plenty of situations where our quality into the box isn’t good enough, simple.
Tactics have got nothing to do with it today.
You’ve said in recent weeks that you’ve struggled to get possession in games…
Who’s struggled?
You said in matches…
We had plenty of the ball today.
So the change wasn’t to make sure you dominated the game?
No, it was because we didn’t need three centrebacks. We didn’t need three.
When you reference the work that needs to be done, is that solely in the transfer window?
That remains to be seen. If you work with the players that you’ve got then it isn’t in the transfer window.
We’ve got five games left and the players that are here can either be here next year, or not.
That goes for me as well, if I’m not here, whoever comes in has got the same problem and that is getting players to play.
We haven’t got a problem necessarily with quality, but the squad needs a shakeup.
Have opportunities for certain players run out now?
I don’t know. Like who? Name somebody.
I’m not going to do that here
Well, why are you asking me the question then?
Because you’re the manager and it’s important
Well you’ll see in the next five games, if players aren’t included then one and one makes two so you can find out yourself.
The change at the break wasn’t because of an injury then?
No. Absolutely not.
What was your message to the players and were you angry about the performance today?
No, I’m angry about the outcome. It’s something that I’ve seen so many times already. Play well against good sides, average against average sides and poor against poor sides.
Sometimes when we play at our best and to our potential we can be very good. It’s not often enough and it’s nothing to do with tactics and fitness.
It’s mentality and personalities. Simple.
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