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Manager's Assessment - Boldmere St Michaels

Manager's Assessment - Boldmere St Michaels

Nigel Oldrini4 Apr - 20:23

'we've got a good group of players, and I think we just need a little bit of luck to maybe get ahead in the game and we'll be all right.'

CN: Lee, another defeat on the road this afternoon, but you must have been pleased with what you saw in the second half?

LA: Fairly pleased with what I saw for 83 minutes. We lost the game in the first seven minutes. After that I think we controlled the game, dominated the ball, played all right, but it's too late.

Those first two goals have killed us, but look, I just said to the lads that I'm not going to go and rant and rave today. The lads are hurting, they're trying, and when you're on the run that we're on, nothing goes for you. Curt’s had one on the line there that I don't know how it's not gone in.

Grats had two, they're throwing bodies in, blocking everything, and it's just not quite happening for us at the minute. But listen, we've got a good group of players, and I think we just need a little bit of luck to maybe get ahead in the game and we'll be all right.

Obviously, at this point, with how we started the game, we didn't start with the right intensity.

They were more at it than we were in that first five minutes or so. We couldn't get near the ball and rather than just keep it solid and tight, we jumped out of shape, and they got in behind us. But that is what it is.

We have to move on quickly. Another game on Monday and I'm glad there's a game; we haven't got to dwell on that for a week now. It'll be a quick turnaround.

The message is pretty simple to the lads. No-one's going to feel sorry for us, but it's down to us to put it right in this last four games.

CN: Back at home on Monday, is the message simply to the Belper fans, get down there, pack the place out, make some noise and get behind the lads?

LA: Yes, listen, we certainly need it now more than ever.
It's easier when you're winning games every week and it's easier supporting your numbers then. But, yes, at the minute, it's a testing time. It's certainly testing us mentally at the minute.

You know, not just the lads, myself and Matt, (are having) sleepless nights. Yes, we'll just keep working as hard as we can. Hopefully, it'll be enough in the end.

At the minute, we just need a little bit of luck. Results have gone our way again today, but we can't keep relying on that. And, yes, we certainly need to try and pack it out on Monday and see if we can get a positive result.

CN: From what you saw at Shepshed on Tuesday and this afternoon, any changes to the formation or personnel likely?

LA: Well, obviously, Monday's game makes it three games in six days. So, obviously, today, Rhodesy, he's a bit poorly. He let me know yesterday he wasn't feeling well, but also, Rhodesy's not at his peak fitness because, obviously, when his foot was damaged, he couldn't do anything on it.

So, he didn't even go swimming or anything. So, he's a little bit short of fitness at the minute. So, we thought today, 4G, we thought Matt's been playing well.

So, Rhodesy may be back in, but then he's rolled his ankle there. So, we'll have to test that and have a look. I thought Lewis Austin did well when he came on.

Look, everyone's in contention. We've got a 16-man squad now and that is it. So, we'll assess it, like always.

We'll plan for the opposition. We'll look at their shape, what they do and how they play, and we'll set up a system. On Boxing Day, we went there, and we went with a front two because they like to come out from the back. So, we may look at that again, but we'll see. I'll look at that over the next 24 hours and come up with a plan.

And, again, hopefully, it'll be enough to get the job done. But I just want to say, as well, a thank you to our away supporters again today. Because, yes, we're not in great form.
And, again, they stood behind at the end and clapped us, which is a fair play to them. So, thank you to everyone who travelled today. And, yes, we're just desperate to put it right for you.

Lee Attenborough was talking to Chris Nelson.

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