Keith Curle on an important week of work
Manager Keith Curle spoke more today about the work to be done on getting ready for two important home games as the end of season run-in starts to gather pace.Speaking first about the mistakes which handed Plymouth the initiative at the weekend, he said: “We need to continue doing the right things because that’s what we did for a large percentage of the game on Saturday.
“We were punished by elementary errors and it’s that type of thing which needs to be eradicated when you get to the business end of the season. There will be more mistakes, that’s the nature of the game we’re in, but they need to come in the right areas and when we’re trying to do the right things.
“Other teams are getting the rub of green at the moment but we will get ours if we keep working hard. We’re going through a difficult period but there’s good unity in the dressing room and I know they’ll stick together. What I can guarantee is that we’re going to give everything we’ve got as we look to finish the season off successfully.
“Success at any club comes from creating a demanding environment where accountability is at the forefront of everything you do. I’ve said before, I’m responsible for everything which happens in my football department.
“If things aren’t going our way, put it on me, because I’m the one making the decisions which I hope will make this club better. If we aren’t getting results, I’m the one who has to be held to account. It’s my team and I know I’m the one who rightly stands at the front of it.”
“As I’ve said, what we face now is a real challenge,” he continued. “With the type of character I am, if I’m backed into a corner I come out fighting, I’ve been that way all the way through my life. I have a team which reflects that because we try to do the right things with an aggressive attitude.
“We’re not getting the run of the ball at the moment but the only way you get that is with a lot of hard work. We have good players who want to do the right things and we need to earn the advantages we’re going to get.”
On the search for goals over the last few games, he told us: “We’re creating chances but we’re being a little bit reactive rather than anticipating where the ball might go at the moment.
“That’s something we can eradicate because we have good technicians who can get the ball into the box. That means it’s something we can continue to work on. Looking back, we’ve created some really good openings and some of them have come at key times during games.
“We need to work on finishing because there can’t be any hesitation. You get split seconds to make your decisions in those circumstances, but they need to be made. I back our centre forwards to score us goals and we have creative players to chip in with that as well.”
Looking ahead to a week of work on the training pitch, he said: “We know that things will look completely different if we go on to get two positive results in the home games coming up on Saturday and Tuesday.
"That won’t come easy, because there will be a few nerves around, but we have the character and quality to see this through. We’ll be going out there to entertain and play our football and to give the fans performances they can be proud of.”
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