r00fie1
Well-known member
Injuries? Marcus Forss?
Yeah. Marcus is fine. He's alright. No problem.
A relief Marcus is OK having seen him go down on Sunday?
It was just a bit of cramp, so it was no big deal really.
Marcus has looked really sharp since coming back from injury?
Yeah, he has [and I've said it to you a few times] and, I think that's what he brings Marcus. He's got an eye for goal, a sense of space in the box [and] composure and balance to finish the chances off. He's pretty clinical so, we'll obviously need a lot of that between now and the end of the season.
You like to play Marcus in that right wing position?
Yes! That's why he's playing there, really! He can play both really [CF and RW]. He can play wide, he can play through the middle, he can play through the inside position and, I think, he has been a real threat. We've found ways to be dangerous on the last line. Marcus is that and drifts inside, in and around the box and finds that space….like he has done in recent weeks. He's versatile, he defends well, he presses well, and he knows that position pretty well now. We're really pleased with what he's doing.
He's not a traditional right-winger, is he?
He drifts in, he likes to be in and around the goal. It's his natural kind of instinct is to take him in there, and he's got a good sense of when to arrive.
Josh Coburn situation. Still needing to be `managed`?
Yeah, he is a little bit. Obviously, he had the operation, treatment, before Christmas, to kind of see him through it. [We've] just been managing that, which we feel we've done alright. He has good days and bad days….days when he struggles a little bit, but it's part of us managing it really, game to game, week to week.
What was the operation?
It was just a procedural one on his groin.
Will Josh require a `longer term fix` and is Carrick just `basically trying to put that as far down the road` as possible, because he needs him in the squad?
Not necessarily no. Not necessarily at all. No. It's just managing it. Our boys have at some times or some point in the season [experienced injuries]….. It's just part of managing it. We're trying to make the best of it and get him through so he's getting better.
Reflections on Sunderland game. Game you expected to win?
You can take something from that. You can obviously take from that we didn’t as well. We need to do better at that [winning] obviously. I think largely performances have been good, but we need to pick up points in order to be successful. There was a lot of good things; I thought we played very, very well, specially in the second half and controlled it for the most part [with a] frantic last five minutes after the goal came in. Other than that, the boys were good, and we'll take that into this week.
How hard is the art of `closing a game down`?
That's the final bit, you know. That's ultimately what brings success, that's what wins you games. There's a lot goes into a game of football, and to try to do it and give yourself the best chance of doing it. The boys have done that…largely for some time and, we need to be that little bit more ruthless, that little bit more clinical, that little bit more….killing teams off when we're in a good position. It's obviously not the easiest part, but it's something we need to improve on for sure.
Bristol City. What did you make of them last night [v Forest in FA Cup]?
They're a good team and they were unlucky. They're a very good team and very unlucky [said twice]. That's two games they've played ever so well. So feel for them for that respect. To go out that way [on penalties] is never nice, so what'll that mean for Saturday, I don’t know, I don’t really know, so won't give it much thought. For us, it's about focusing on what we can do over the next couple of days…to be ready, we need to play well. Whatever the game throws at us, we'll be ready for it. I did genuinely feel sorry for them, because it's not easy [on the team] to go out like that.
Bristol want to crack the top six. It shows how tight the league is?
Yea it is. We've been saying it a long time, and we'll be saying it for a little bit longer yet. That [position] around the middle to the play-offs is very tight. It's up to someone to kind of grab it and pick up the right amount of points over a period of time. I've said it [before]: a bit of consistency brings you success. Something that we're working towards.
Every home advantage, you want to make it count, don’t you?
We treat every game the same to be honest. Home or away. There's no easy games in terms of advantage. Whether it's an advantage or not, I just think it's about approaching the next game. One step at a time, you know. We can get caught looking too far ahead….ifs and buts, what you need to do this and what you need to do that…. It's about the here and now, you know, and putting things together that we can [have] a good game Saturday and the weekend after that.
Anyone coming back into the squad for this weekend?
In and around the same squad. Yea. We've got good options: we've got Riley [McGree], we got Sammy [Silvera]. So riley`s back and around it, so that's great to have him back.
How do you see the league table panning out. Will it be like last season going down to the last few games?
Who knows? Who knows, you know? I could sit and say anything right now……part of its guess work and, it's kind of irrelevant really. It's for us to make sure we are in and around it and give u`selves a chance. The only way of doing that is winning games and picking up points. It's normally tight. It normally goes close…..hopefully we can do great and be done by then, but the chances are it will go along [to the end of the season] yeah.
Striker situation? Kieron Scott mentioned `free agents` this week. Any news?
Yeah. There's always conversations, there's no decision made on anything [right now]. There's always a lot of things come into it. Our eyes are always open. If there's an opportunity and we think it will improve us, it'll help us or make us better, we will always look at it, and we'll always take it [decision]. It doesn’t change today what the plan was before. Its ongoing. Sometimes things pop up you don’t expect and we'll act upon it.
Senny [Dieng] or Isaiah [Jones] fit?
Izzy`s further away. Senny`s around it training. Yeah, he's back.
Riley [McGree]. Is he fit?
Riley's fine. He's fresh. He was finding form before he left us, really, which was great to see him back. He's come back fine. He's managed to get some minutes, he's trained all the time, so there's definitely no issue there. Just to get him and Sammy back up to speed and back around the group.
Howson still wants to be at Boro next season. What does that say about his mindset?
I think it [the situation] just evolves. The timing comes into it. Johnny's done fantastic. He's the example of how to prolong your career and how to look after yourself, and what it takes to play at this level for so long. He's a real example for that. He's a pleasure to have. The way he trains, the way he's available for so many games and never likes missing anything. He's great. We'll have the discussions in the weeks to come. I think we're both pretty calm about things and relaxed and grown up enough to sort things out.
Is Johnny the link between Carrick and the rest of the group. The old style `skipper`?
Of course, [the link] is important. There's certain players you kind of lean on a little bit and speak [to], find their opinion…..they are in and around the changing room. Johnny is certainly that. He's the Captain. He goes about it in his own way in terms of he's not screaming and shouting in your face. He's very kind of thoughtful and, understands what it takes, so yeah, we speak a lot. pick his brains. We're in it together, you know. We're all working together to find the right balance of how to be successful. It's certainly the players who’ve got a good opinion on that, and Johnny's the leader of them.
US Interest in Matt Crooks?
I can give you the latest. Crooks is gonna travel over to America in the next day or two. It's one of those things…. I said it to Morgan: every situation is different, and we treat it different. For this one, for Matt and his family, it's an opportunity he kind of wanted to explore and, it's too big to turn down. We respected that. It is what it is, you know. At this moment in time, it's not done. Whether it gets done or not, he is travelling over there to have a medical to see what comes of it.
Will Crooks departure limit attacking options?
We've got options. We've got really good options. Riley and Sammy coming back around. Manny [Latte Lath] getting fit again in the not too distant future. I think we've got good options. Hayden played well as a ten [10] at the weekend. We're flexible across the front line and we're creating chances. We're looking dangerous. I've got a lot of faith in the boys, whoever plays. Listen! It is what it is. We want to be as strong as we can, we want to be as powerful as we can, and we want to be as dangerous as we can. But I do feel with the players we have, we have a good balance.
Yeah. Marcus is fine. He's alright. No problem.
A relief Marcus is OK having seen him go down on Sunday?
It was just a bit of cramp, so it was no big deal really.
Marcus has looked really sharp since coming back from injury?
Yeah, he has [and I've said it to you a few times] and, I think that's what he brings Marcus. He's got an eye for goal, a sense of space in the box [and] composure and balance to finish the chances off. He's pretty clinical so, we'll obviously need a lot of that between now and the end of the season.
You like to play Marcus in that right wing position?
Yes! That's why he's playing there, really! He can play both really [CF and RW]. He can play wide, he can play through the middle, he can play through the inside position and, I think, he has been a real threat. We've found ways to be dangerous on the last line. Marcus is that and drifts inside, in and around the box and finds that space….like he has done in recent weeks. He's versatile, he defends well, he presses well, and he knows that position pretty well now. We're really pleased with what he's doing.
He's not a traditional right-winger, is he?
He drifts in, he likes to be in and around the goal. It's his natural kind of instinct is to take him in there, and he's got a good sense of when to arrive.
Josh Coburn situation. Still needing to be `managed`?
Yeah, he is a little bit. Obviously, he had the operation, treatment, before Christmas, to kind of see him through it. [We've] just been managing that, which we feel we've done alright. He has good days and bad days….days when he struggles a little bit, but it's part of us managing it really, game to game, week to week.
What was the operation?
It was just a procedural one on his groin.
Will Josh require a `longer term fix` and is Carrick just `basically trying to put that as far down the road` as possible, because he needs him in the squad?
Not necessarily no. Not necessarily at all. No. It's just managing it. Our boys have at some times or some point in the season [experienced injuries]….. It's just part of managing it. We're trying to make the best of it and get him through so he's getting better.
Reflections on Sunderland game. Game you expected to win?
You can take something from that. You can obviously take from that we didn’t as well. We need to do better at that [winning] obviously. I think largely performances have been good, but we need to pick up points in order to be successful. There was a lot of good things; I thought we played very, very well, specially in the second half and controlled it for the most part [with a] frantic last five minutes after the goal came in. Other than that, the boys were good, and we'll take that into this week.
How hard is the art of `closing a game down`?
That's the final bit, you know. That's ultimately what brings success, that's what wins you games. There's a lot goes into a game of football, and to try to do it and give yourself the best chance of doing it. The boys have done that…largely for some time and, we need to be that little bit more ruthless, that little bit more clinical, that little bit more….killing teams off when we're in a good position. It's obviously not the easiest part, but it's something we need to improve on for sure.
Bristol City. What did you make of them last night [v Forest in FA Cup]?
They're a good team and they were unlucky. They're a very good team and very unlucky [said twice]. That's two games they've played ever so well. So feel for them for that respect. To go out that way [on penalties] is never nice, so what'll that mean for Saturday, I don’t know, I don’t really know, so won't give it much thought. For us, it's about focusing on what we can do over the next couple of days…to be ready, we need to play well. Whatever the game throws at us, we'll be ready for it. I did genuinely feel sorry for them, because it's not easy [on the team] to go out like that.
Bristol want to crack the top six. It shows how tight the league is?
Yea it is. We've been saying it a long time, and we'll be saying it for a little bit longer yet. That [position] around the middle to the play-offs is very tight. It's up to someone to kind of grab it and pick up the right amount of points over a period of time. I've said it [before]: a bit of consistency brings you success. Something that we're working towards.
Every home advantage, you want to make it count, don’t you?
We treat every game the same to be honest. Home or away. There's no easy games in terms of advantage. Whether it's an advantage or not, I just think it's about approaching the next game. One step at a time, you know. We can get caught looking too far ahead….ifs and buts, what you need to do this and what you need to do that…. It's about the here and now, you know, and putting things together that we can [have] a good game Saturday and the weekend after that.
Anyone coming back into the squad for this weekend?
In and around the same squad. Yea. We've got good options: we've got Riley [McGree], we got Sammy [Silvera]. So riley`s back and around it, so that's great to have him back.
How do you see the league table panning out. Will it be like last season going down to the last few games?
Who knows? Who knows, you know? I could sit and say anything right now……part of its guess work and, it's kind of irrelevant really. It's for us to make sure we are in and around it and give u`selves a chance. The only way of doing that is winning games and picking up points. It's normally tight. It normally goes close…..hopefully we can do great and be done by then, but the chances are it will go along [to the end of the season] yeah.
Striker situation? Kieron Scott mentioned `free agents` this week. Any news?
Yeah. There's always conversations, there's no decision made on anything [right now]. There's always a lot of things come into it. Our eyes are always open. If there's an opportunity and we think it will improve us, it'll help us or make us better, we will always look at it, and we'll always take it [decision]. It doesn’t change today what the plan was before. Its ongoing. Sometimes things pop up you don’t expect and we'll act upon it.
Senny [Dieng] or Isaiah [Jones] fit?
Izzy`s further away. Senny`s around it training. Yeah, he's back.
Riley [McGree]. Is he fit?
Riley's fine. He's fresh. He was finding form before he left us, really, which was great to see him back. He's come back fine. He's managed to get some minutes, he's trained all the time, so there's definitely no issue there. Just to get him and Sammy back up to speed and back around the group.
Howson still wants to be at Boro next season. What does that say about his mindset?
I think it [the situation] just evolves. The timing comes into it. Johnny's done fantastic. He's the example of how to prolong your career and how to look after yourself, and what it takes to play at this level for so long. He's a real example for that. He's a pleasure to have. The way he trains, the way he's available for so many games and never likes missing anything. He's great. We'll have the discussions in the weeks to come. I think we're both pretty calm about things and relaxed and grown up enough to sort things out.
Is Johnny the link between Carrick and the rest of the group. The old style `skipper`?
Of course, [the link] is important. There's certain players you kind of lean on a little bit and speak [to], find their opinion…..they are in and around the changing room. Johnny is certainly that. He's the Captain. He goes about it in his own way in terms of he's not screaming and shouting in your face. He's very kind of thoughtful and, understands what it takes, so yeah, we speak a lot. pick his brains. We're in it together, you know. We're all working together to find the right balance of how to be successful. It's certainly the players who’ve got a good opinion on that, and Johnny's the leader of them.
US Interest in Matt Crooks?
I can give you the latest. Crooks is gonna travel over to America in the next day or two. It's one of those things…. I said it to Morgan: every situation is different, and we treat it different. For this one, for Matt and his family, it's an opportunity he kind of wanted to explore and, it's too big to turn down. We respected that. It is what it is, you know. At this moment in time, it's not done. Whether it gets done or not, he is travelling over there to have a medical to see what comes of it.
Will Crooks departure limit attacking options?
We've got options. We've got really good options. Riley and Sammy coming back around. Manny [Latte Lath] getting fit again in the not too distant future. I think we've got good options. Hayden played well as a ten [10] at the weekend. We're flexible across the front line and we're creating chances. We're looking dangerous. I've got a lot of faith in the boys, whoever plays. Listen! It is what it is. We want to be as strong as we can, we want to be as powerful as we can, and we want to be as dangerous as we can. But I do feel with the players we have, we have a good balance.