The Emirates FA Cup fourth round is fast approaching, and ahead of Sunday’s clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Head Coach David Artell spoke to the press.

Artell discussed the challenge of facing Premier League opposition, the importance of maintaining Town’s unbeaten run, and the role supporters can play at Blundell Park.

Read all of his comments below:

on taking momentum into Sunday’s test and if form is irrelevant in cup competitions:

“I’d agree with that. But I think on the flip side, I’d rather be ten unbeaten than not won in 10. So I agree, especially when you come up against a Premier League team.

“So we will try and maintain that unbeaten run. We know how difficult it will be, any Premier League team is a tough challenge because the standard is so high. It’s the best league in the world for a reason because it has the best players.

“We understand the gulf between us, but that doesn’t mean to say that we’re not going to try and minimise that as much as we can to try and keep that unbeaten run going.”

on the level required against top-flight opposition:

“We have to perform to our highest level possible. There’s no getting around the fact that a Premier League team demands that of you and it doesn’t matter whether they’re top, middle or bottom.

“We’ve played probably the biggest club in that division already this season… and we’ve caused one of the biggest upsets. So regardless of size of club, the fact that they play in that division means that they are very, very good.

“We’re going to have to play to our levels and rely on emotion and crowd and all the other factors that can help us hopefully get a positive result. The magic of the FA Cup sprinkled in – all these things.”

on controlling what the team can control:

“The fact is, we can only control what we can control and that means playing to the best of our ability and being well prepared. And if we do that, then you never know, and that’s the magic of this competition.”

on using previous Premier League experiences:

“I don’t think either harms us in that sense [win versus Man Utd and loss versus Brentford], both the positive and the negative. We want to see this as a platform, not a pinnacle of all the players’ careers.

“When you’ve said that to them twice before, and there’s previous experience of playing against Premier League teams, they can use that in their bank of knowledge and experience for what’s expected and what’s coming.

“It’s helpful. It certainly is. You can use it as a reference point. But at the same time, it’s a different opposition, different day, different competition. So we’ve got to make sure we play well.

“And if we play well, you never know. If we don’t, we haven’t got a cat in hell’s chance. It’s as simple as that because the gulf is huge. But we need to win it, and we’ve earned the right to be here.”

on reaching the fourth round:

“To get to the fourth round of both domestic cup competitions is a fantastic achievement for a club our size and going well in the league. So we’re going to enjoy it and give our all.”

on preparing with data and analytics:

“The process doesn’t change regarding what the opposition is. We don’t get any less or any more data because it’s Accrington Stanley or Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“We’re always data-informed, whatever process we use at this football club. It plays a part but it’s not all-consuming. We try to be in the best shape possible going into any game and use every little bit of information and knowledge we’ve got to hopefully prepare the players to the best of our ability.”

on the shared heritage between the clubs:

“What I would say is Wolves is a brilliant football club, really historic – what I’d call a proper football club. I appreciate they’re having a bit of a tough season, but they’re a proper football club with proper people.

“I also think that’s us as well. Yes, we haven’t been in the Premier League, but we’ve got good people. We understand tradition and history and heritage, and it should be a good game. We’ve got to make it a good game – the onus is on us.”

on harnessing the Blundell Park atmosphere:

“The emphasis is on us to create an atmosphere – always is, always will be. We saw in the Man United game… I’ve never experienced nine thousand like that, ever.

“The noise shook the place. I thought, wow, this is one of them nights. So hopefully we can have another afternoon like that and give plenty of people around here something to cheer about and make the whole town proud for at least another day.”

As David Artell and his side prepare to welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers  to Blundell Park in the FA Cup fourth round, the message is clear: embrace the occasion, trust the preparation, and give everything for the badge. For Grimsby Town, it’s another opportunity to showcase our resilience, harness the backing of a packed home crowd, and prove once again that anything is possible in football’s most magical competition.

You can watch David Artell’s full pre-match press conference here:

UTM