Paul Heckingbottom pre-Bristol City (A)

Lancashire Post

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00:00What do you think will you take the injured lads, just as characters and personalities?

00:03Yeah, they're coming down, yeah, coming down.

00:07Yeah, so, listen, they've been missed, we know that, do you know what I mean?

00:10It's been a problem for us, so we want the men down there, the experience down there,

00:16in the dressing room as much as possible, like I say, whether they're around the place.

00:22And I've said it many a time, it's not about the 11 on the pitch,

00:24it's about everyone in this building all season.

00:27So, yeah, we're taking as much experience and know-how and the playing staff as we can down with us.

00:36How much has Sam done, worked like this all week, a few days?

00:39Yeah, it was a neural thing, so it was more, it was hindering him and stopping him performing

00:46rather than any potential damage, you know, last week, so flaring up, couldn't really sprint.

00:52So, if that's the case, he can't play, so it was just a case of waiting for that to settle down.

00:56He did train a couple of times last week, but couldn't get past that point, whereas this week he's been fine.

01:03Leicester will be better for another week as well?

01:05Yeah, run out in terms of minutes, obviously he only trained a couple of days before that.

01:09Probably got about 30 minutes in the end.

01:12Trained all this week, which is good, so he's further along.

01:15So, in effect, with those two, it's like having two new players in the squad, you know, so that's a big thing.

01:24That's a big thing for the 11, for the subs, what we've been making.

01:27Takes the pressure off the 17-year-old lads who's on the bench who, yeah, it's not the situation for those boys,

01:33if I'm honest, you know what I mean, we don't want, the experience is key here, I don't want to scar any of them who aren't ready,

01:43just through the fact we need a number on the bench, so, yeah, it's good to have them back.

01:47Is there one glaring reason why you're in this situation, do you think, or does it have to be a combination of drop points, decisions, injuries?

01:56Yeah, I think it's a combination of, yeah, all those things, yeah, definitely, definitely, combination.

02:03You could go through all the things that we regularly speak about after every game,

02:06and there's been a consistent pattern, and they're the reasons.

02:10So, we have to make sure that tomorrow I'm not speaking and saying the same sort of thing that I have been saying throughout the season.

02:18Is it bigger than play-off and promotion because it feels like a sliding doors moment,

02:22what could happen to the club, how damaging going down could be?

02:26No, because I think up or down, it's sliding doors, do you get what I mean?

02:29It is, there's just a negativity about a relegation fight, as opposed to, which brings a different,

02:38well, like I said, I've experienced it, and that's a different feeling, different feeling.

02:42Of course, there's pressure and anxiety when you fight, compete for the top, but, yeah, it's totally different, yeah, it's totally different.

02:51What sort of tone have you had this week in approach with the players?

02:54It's because you don't want to reinforce that negative potential too much, do you?

02:58That was a reminder of us, so, listen, when you mentioned about why we're in this position,

03:02lots of things have gone against us, but also, we have to be accountable for what we've got wrong.

03:07The last game, for example, more than enough to win.

03:10So, with that, we know we can create chances, we know we can be a dominant team, but we have to make sure we get over the line and get the win.

03:19Likewise, reminding the players of what we look like at our best, where we've gone and produced big performances, big results,

03:24what's let us down out of our control, which is not a reason to criticise you guys, you know, as we said,

03:33there's been a culmination of things.

03:35So, yeah, reminding about us at our best and attacking this game with no fear.

03:40What are your thoughts on the other games, that people will be checking anything, you know, they're all the way from home?

03:45Not bothered our games.

03:46Don't care at all.

03:47No, I obviously care about the results, but I'm not interested in how the preparation's gone, what they're doing,

03:52it just matters, like, so, the results come, two o'clock, two o'clock.

03:56Where will Bristol challenge you the most? Why are they up there? They've 10 out of 12, I think they've won at home.

04:02Yeah, they're good, good football. We saw them at home, I think they've won games all different ways.

04:06Certainly early on in the season, they were very good winning the ball mid-third and counter-attack,

04:13and we saw that at our place, where we had all the ball, a lot of control, first half, they countered,

04:18and Nekuels gets the killer goal with a counter.

04:20So, yeah, and again, back to the reason, but I had the ball, you know, which sort of turns the game.

04:26So, yeah, they're a good side, I think they've evolved, I think they do like to have the ball as well,

04:34and build and control the game with the ball.

04:36They didn't so much in the game that we played at home, but I think at home they've had more control with possession.

04:42I don't mind that, I'm fine with that, it gives us a bit more space than a Plymouth at home, you know,

04:47who come and sit in. So, yeah, they're up there for a reason, they've been very good in transition,

04:52both countering, but likewise, they've suffered chances by being an aggressive, front-footed team

05:03and suffered chances either way.

05:04How's Dye doing, do you think, and has he been protected as well as Freddie was?

05:08That's something you said a lot about earlier on in the season, how well the defenders did.

05:11Yeah, he doesn't have to step up, and I think he has, I mean, I think the Stoke game,

05:15we conceded way too many opportunities, but he's not had many big saves in terms of things to do,

05:22whether that was the last game, I think they had five shots, two, three on target.

05:25The whole game, similar, yeah, when we lost the ball and they broke, he made that block,

05:34two penalties, yeah, the Stoke game was probably the most exposed he's been.

05:40Yeah, it's been something that, like I said, one thing that has consistently done well this season

05:45is protect our keeper, and I would have thought we'd be top half for shots faced

05:49or certainly goalkeeper saves, but, yeah, we've not kept a clean sheet in that run,

05:58and that's been a big thing, whether that's been down to us or down to other things.

06:02Keep a clean sheet tomorrow, we give ourselves a real good chance.

06:05You mentioned speaking to fans this week, have they been in here,

06:07or have you bumped into them in the street?

06:08Both, yeah, roundabout, bumped into them straight after the game, on their way home.

06:12Yeah, and, yeah, no-one wants to be in this position, no-one wants that,

06:19but I think the ones I spoke to were going down all recognised,

06:22and we've spoke about the importance of their role in this,

06:25and, yeah, it's certainly appreciated, especially when you're going away,

06:30you know, you can always, don't mind if you're as noisy as the home fans,

06:34but you can always hear your away fans, you know, and it's always appreciated,

06:37so definitely got a role to play, and, like I say, not to get distracted watching the phones,

06:42watch our game, get behind our team, and be as noisy as you can be.

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