David Artell says Town produced an improved performance as they drew 0-0 with Burton Albion before suffering defeat on penalties in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy at Blundell Park on Tuesday night.
Town controlled large periods of the game and created enough opportunities to take all three points, with the woodwork denying the Mariners and a number of balls across the Burton six-yard box narrowly missing a decisive touch.
Artell was pleased with the performance from a much-changed Town side, highlighting the development of relationships between players and the return to action of several members of the squad.
The Head Coach also praised the performances of Sonny Finch, Joe Foulkes and Doug Tharme, while insisting the result should not detract from the positives taken from the evening.
Here’s everything Artell had to say after Tuesday’s game…
On the overall performance
Artell felt Town improved as the game progressed and believed they deserved more from their performance.
“I thought we controlled the game for large parts.
“We were certainly better second half after we gave them some different pointers.
“Probably should have won the game.
“We hit the post, lots of balls across their six-yard box without that final touch.
“An improvement certainly throughout the game, an improvement certainly on Saturday’s performance, but just by walking on the pitch would have improved from Saturday.
“I thought we got better as the game went on and I thought we looked more and more threatening as the game went on.”
On the changes to the team
Town made a number of changes for the cup tie, with Artell acknowledging that the starting XI had never previously played together.
“The first 45 minutes, you’ve got to understand it’s a new group.
“That’s a, sort of, a new football team.
“They’ve never played together. That 11 have never played together ever.
“So you’ve got to accept that and understand the relationships and the relationism, understanding that if I do this, I know he will always do this, or he’s going to do this.
“That’s still in its infancy.”
On developing relationships
Artell was encouraged by the way the players began to develop an understanding as the game progressed.
“You’ve seen how good we can get once we get them relationships.
“It’s really good to get them understandings.
“I thought first half, for example, Sonny Finch and Joe Foulkes combined really well.
“I thought second half I thought them two with Ryley combined better.
“And it’s like, yeah, because they’re building and it’s only one 90 minutes.
“Come on, keep doing that. Keep doing that.
“So it’s little things like that that sort of we go, okay, that’s food for thought.”
On Sonny Finch
Finch was one of the players singled out for praise by Artell, with the forward continuing to develop after stepping up from a lower level.
“Sonny Finch is getting better every game.
“Better every game.
“You’ve got to understand he was two leagues lower.
“He’s going to be some player.
“He’s probably the most natural finisher at the Football Club, certainly off both feet, without a shadow of a doubt.
“Off both feet.
“And it’s just getting him up to speed and he’s getting better and better and better.
“I thought tonight, he’s got in behind a few times. He’s got into positions, he’s had a shot and if he misses the other side of the goalkeeper, he saves it or we tap it in.
“So it’s just then little final actions, but much, much better because he’s learning.”
On Joe Foulkes and Doug Tharme
Artell also praised the performances of Foulkes and Tharme.
“I thought Foulkes was very good again.
“Doug looked commanding.
“You expect these things.
“You know, we do one or two things that we tried with certain personnel, doing certain different things.
“That’s game.
“I thought he was good.”
On Sam Lavelle’s return
Sam Lavelle returned to the pitch during the game, with Artell confirming his withdrawal had been planned.
“Sam Lavelle getting back on the pitch was really good.
“Yeah, that was just planned. That was planned.”
On the result
Despite the penalty defeat, Artell felt Town created enough chances to win the game in normal time.
“I thought we controlled the game and we need, I think, the game’s different if we score.
“There’s more spaces. They got deeper and deeper because we controlled the game for large parts.
“I still thought we created enough chances to win the game.
“But if you don’t, and if you don’t create a real, real brilliant chance for you, then you can come across on the penalties in this competition.
“We get a point and I’ve no idea the other result. I don’t know if there’s still something on the last game.
“But yeah, I thought I’m fairly pleased with what I saw.”
On what Town were missing
For Artell, the main frustration was that Town couldn’t turn their superiority into goals.
“We just missed goals, really.
“I thought we could have had a goal or two to reflect our superiority for long periods, really.”
On the penalty shootout
Artell believes the shootout provided another useful learning experience for both the players and coaching staff.
“Again, we could put on a penalty shootout yesterday in training. It doesn’t reflect the reality of what’s just happened.
“So I see that whole performance of the 90 minutes as a not as a training session, because I don’t want to demean the competition or make it look like sour grapes because we’ve lost on penalties.
“No, none of that.
“But it’s like we’re trying to do what we do.
“We’ve practiced a penalty shootout and penalties in a competitive environment with some element of pressure.
“The walk, you know, you’re leaving 22 lads on a halfway line kind of thing. That doesn’t happen because they’re just your teammates if we did that.
“So yeah, it’s another sort of element to go, right, okay, who’s done what kind of thing.
“Not necessarily handled the pressure. Just another little learning thing for us as coaches.
“And yeah, it’s something to sort of mull over in the next 24 hours.”
You can watch David’s full post-match interview here:
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