Lee Johnson has been analysing our April slump and is obviously hoping to turn things around with a win on Saturday at Plymouth…
CONTRACTS
"I think there's a number of factors that go into any slump. I think there's been a bit of misfortune in terms of when we have played well, we've failed to capitalise, or individual errors have cost us. I think there's a whirlwind of everything going around - the number of games we've played. I think sometimes the contract situations can play on one or two-people’s minds which is understandable. You've obviously got players who are learning new positions as well, but we've got what we've got. We're not going to drown players in their weaknesses, we're going to promote their strengths and try and coach them into becoming super strengths as much as possible. Our back four unit was actually a lot better than it has been last night. That was a positive for me, although I'd say it negated some of our attacking flair due to the attitude. We've just got to turn the dial so that there's the right balance and we've got a clean sheet in us, but at the same time we're still really confident and involved going forward."
SHORT TERM LONG TERM
"To be honest with you my short-term concern is high. My long term concern is zero. I am very confident that if we secure the play-offs and have that time to rest and work, that we will come out the traps like a greyhound, flying out the traps. I'm very confident of that. It gives us the ability to get back round pegs in round holes with the players we've got injured and coming back. Then the challenge is to try and get those guys at the top end of their peak performance having had a few weeks out. I'm talking about the likes of [Tom] Flanagan and [Conor] McLaughlin and [Jake] Vokins. To have those options will then create options in midfield as well that we currently haven't got. I'm very positive about the play-offs but there's no doubt there's concern about our short term form and I'd be lying if I said I was happy."
INJURY UPDATE
“Conor McLaughlin has been amazing really in terms of his progression with this one compared to the last hernia operation he had. He potentially could be involved this weekend, if we need him to be, which I think is a real positive. Flanno is looking quite good. He’s not quite ready to join in with the boys yet, but certainly he looks like he’s moving well. He’s holding himself a lot happier, he’s a lot more confident in himself. We’ve got a couple of other considerations for the game this weekend, although I don’t really want to reveal too much at the moment. There’s a couple where we’ll have to see how they recover. It’s a couple of niggles from the game [against Blackpool), and it’s a difficult one. If you guaranteed me a ticket for the play-offs, then there’s a couple that I wouldn’t play, and they’re good players. Potentially, they may be ruled out anyway, but that balance is a very difficult one to strike given that knife-edge that we’re on at the moment.”
