00:00 Can you give us a reflection on the game?
00:10 Not good enough, first half especially. A local derby like that we needed to show more
00:16 fight and character and we didn't show enough for me at all. We changed shape second half
00:25 and it kind of helped us. We were a little more aggressive, pushed players higher up
00:32 the pitch and played with two strikers and not one and kind of become a threat. But too
00:40 little too late, you know, we can't play, you can't play in a local derby half a game
00:46 because you can't play half a game in any game in a local derby. So yeah, we didn't
00:52 get anything from the game. We got what we've already deserved, nothing.
00:57 You mentioned slightly better in the second half, is that the message you gave to the
01:01 players at half-time? We talk a lot about the message we had to give players when you
01:05 go into half-time down by a couple of goals. What was the message you gave to them? Was
01:09 it simply just it wasn't good enough?
01:11 We just changed shape for a start. So tactically we just changed, tweaked something slightly,
01:16 just pushed one player further forward which kind of got the whole team higher up the pitch.
01:23 And I asked for a little bit more, not a little bit more, a lot more fight and desire, one
01:27 willing determination to get something from the game, which we showed that in the second
01:33 half. But like I say, 45 minutes of running hard and doing the right thing isn't ever
01:40 going to be enough.
01:41 Is there anything specific you put that down to, especially within the first 20 minutes
01:44 when we were obviously two goals down? Was it lack of belief in the way we played? What
01:49 do you think happened there?
01:51 When you come across teams, they're going to do different things to you. They pressed
01:54 us high, they had an energy about them, they dropped on second balls, they won tackles,
01:59 they won headers, they huffed and puffed and it was from foot. We let them do it. We let
02:08 them run all over us first half. It's the worst we've played for me. Really disappointed.
02:14 We didn't show any character at all in that first half. Like I say, you can't play 45
02:21 minutes against anybody at this level.
02:23 We spoke pretty much about Wimbledon's attacking threats, two of them obviously on the score
02:26 sheet tonight. I suppose it goes back to what we were saying last week against Mansfield,
02:30 with the amount of EFL appearances other clubs have, Wimbledon showed their experience tonight
02:34 and these teams seem to be doing quite well this season.
02:37 Yeah, I don't understand the first goal. Don't understand it. He's headed it from 12 yards
02:44 out, it's bounced and still gone in. Don't get it. Don't understand it. It's another
02:48 one ball in the box scenario where we can't deal with it. It's a goal that shouldn't happen
02:56 but did. Second goal, we turned the ball over in the middle of the pitch and I do a lot
03:02 of work on when a player is in a 1v1, I do a lot of work on defending away from the goal
03:11 and not letting the opposition inside. The player jumped inside really easy and slotted
03:15 it too easy for me. So yeah, sloppy goal. And they scored a third, obviously was offside.
03:24 Josh Davison was stood right in front of Luka, so that's why they give the offside. So we're
03:29 still in the game, we come in at half time, like I say, rejigged things about, wanted
03:34 more want, will, determination, desire to run hard and make tackles and pass quickly.
03:43 If they're going to come and press us, make sure that we make the right option on the
03:47 ball and we make the right movement on the ball. Sometimes teams are going to press you
03:51 in a manner where we can't play a million passes in our half of the pitch, no problem.
03:55 Sometimes that happens, then we spin it down the side, but then we've got to land on the
03:59 second ball and run hard up the pitch. It might be one of those games where we play
04:03 a little more direct because of what the opposition do. But then we've got to run hard and land
04:08 on second balls and it might be where they kick it out of play and we get a throw in
04:12 and then we get our possession higher up the pitch. But we didn't show anything for me,
04:18 especially in that first half, really, really disappointed. For the first time actually,
04:22 because I think we've been really good all season. But today we showed no desire and
04:32 I felt that we showed it in the second half but not the first. But you can't play 45 minutes.
04:36 We're right in the midst of this busy Christmas period, so obviously there is a chance for
04:41 the players to bounce back on Boxing Day against Julian. We've moved the game to the Friday
04:44 to allow more time and I suppose now is just the time to get away with their families,
04:49 enjoy the Christmas period but also come back and be ready to work.
04:52 Yes, exactly. You're not going to get anything out of football if you're not prepared to
04:58 work and they wanted it more than us tonight in that first half, which disappoints me.
05:04 It doesn't reflect me and it doesn't reflect them. That's the disappointing thing for me.
05:11 I know how hard them boys work every day because I see them every day. I know what they're
05:16 like. They're really professional and I feel that we let ourselves down tonight.
05:21 From a club point of view, it's great to be pushing the tendencies of Five Houses, especially
05:25 this Christmas. A big thank you to the fans that turned up tonight and we wish them a
05:29 Merry Christmas and we'll see you at Boxing Day at June, won't we?
05:32 Of course, yes. I wish everybody a Merry Christmas. I'm pleased in many ways that we had a go
05:36 in the second half because we gave them something to cheer about. But we wanted to give them
05:41 more than that. Just having a go in the second half is not enough.
05:45 How much of an impact do you think Liam Kelly going off so early had on the performance?
05:50 None whatsoever.
05:51 Fair enough. Is there an update on what happened to him?
05:55 Yes, he's been ill early part of the week. He was quite ill and had a bit of flu and
06:03 maybe there's a chest infection somewhere in there. But he trained yesterday and said
06:08 he felt okay. I spoke to him after the warm-up and he said, "Yes, I feel fine." I don't
06:18 know how many minutes it was in, he just said, "I can't get my breath." Obviously, Liam's
06:26 a big miss to us but he didn't have any bearing on the game at all.
06:29 Obviously, you're very disappointed but what positives can you take from this game? I thought
06:33 Clyney Lollos made an impact when he came on.
06:36 Yes, the players who came on had an impact I felt. We had a go in the second half. But
06:44 yes, that's not enough for me. 45 minutes. You can't win a game playing well for 45 minutes.
06:50 Two home defeats on the drop now, you've got two tough away games coming up. What's the
06:54 message to your players now going into those two away games?
06:57 Work hard. Just work hard. Work hard and stand up and be counted. Roll your sleeves up and
07:02 whatever the opposition throw at you, you've got to be able to deal with it and play our
07:06 way. Like I say, make passes, run hard. If a team are going to come and press us, you've
07:11 got to find a different way. We didn't do it well enough.
07:14 What is the schedule now for the players leading up to Gillingham? Are you getting them in
07:18 or is it a break?
07:20 No, they'll be in. They'll be doing a recovery session tomorrow. Then Sunday they'll be in
07:29 to prepare for Boxing Day and then everybody will be off on Christmas Day.
07:35 Scott, you cleaned sheets. I remember a few weeks ago you wanted more. So that must be
07:45 a bit of a concern that you're not getting them.
07:51 No, not a concern.
07:53 The other end of the pitch was the problem, the way you started.
08:00 Listen, there was loads of things that were more concerning to me than keeping clean sheets.
08:04 The way we played for a start. We're not going to win games of football by not being able
08:10 to run harder than the opposition. If we run harder and do our things properly, then we're
08:17 in the game. But we don't run hard, we don't tackle, we don't chase. We give in to a lot
08:24 of second balls. We're really poor and we're off it. We're deep, we're not pressing properly.
08:34 You sling one ball in the box, it's one moment. That's not a concern to me. Well, it is a
08:40 concern but it's not the concern. The concern is that we've got to be able to roll our sleeves
08:44 up and run in a derby. I'd have loved to have played in that game tonight. I'd love to have
08:49 played in that game tonight. I don't know what the crowd was.
08:53 Nearly 5,000 people.
08:56 Under lights on a Friday night. Come on.
09:02 What do you put it down to, Scott? Can you put your finger on it?
09:05 No, I can't.
09:06 Is that the frustrating thing really?
09:08 I can't because I know what this group are like. I know how hard they work every day.
09:12 I know what characters they are. We've got no bad people in that dressing room. They're
09:17 all good people. Today they come short for me.
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