Women's football news
Written by: Jack
It was defeat for Scott Booth’s side on Sunday against Blackburn Rovers, but as we prepare for a big game away to Reading, Scott is aware of the standards that need to be set.
“Obviously we’re again disappointed with the result because we feel like we again, have competed really well, we’ve had our moments, and unfortunately not making the most of them.
“It’s really disappointing when you drop your standards and the opposition then get opportunities and take them.
“It’s that fine a line in the Championship, I’ve said this all along, the games are never dictated, or very rarely, never dictated by one team.
“There’s chances for both sides and it’s the way it is, it’s always tight so you have to take opportunities when they come.
“That’s been tough for us and I think we’ve been on the end of a couple of unfortunate decisions which doesn’t help.
“But all in all, it’s not about those decisions, it’s about when we get our opportunities, when we get our foothold in the game, we need to make sure we make the most of it.
“This weekend coming is going to be another tough game, it’s a week with three matches so there’s no hiding place.
“As a team, as a squad, we have to keep raising our performances and standards and show our fitness levels to have a productive week.”
It was a slight tweak to the shape on Sunday as Scott switched to a back-four in the game, and speaks of the need to adapt at times.
“I think we approach every game the same, we feel like we do the work in the week, prior to the game. We understand the opposition.
“We obviously know sometimes we’ve got to adapt, in game as well, because teams change their personnel.
“There’s an element of having to adapt to those situations but ultimately the processes we do in the week, the players are ready for it.
“We went to a back four against Blackburn and just prior to the game I felt we were more natural as a back three, but we changed because we felt the way that the opposition played, and five games in, that the players could cope with a change.
“This is all part of the players becoming more adaptable but also that we’re a small squad and we’re having to shift players into different positions as well.”
There’s no doubt against Rovers it was a very good first-half performance, and Scott speaks of his frustration that it wasn’t quite matched in the second.
“We need to hit the same standards in the second half of games, that allows the opposition to come into it which again goes back to that fine line.
“If you drop those standards, teams will hurt you, but it has been harsh on us in some ways, and it’s just a learning curve, we’re a really young squad.”
Scott though is very positive about the direction his side is going in and reiterates the young squad are learning.
“If you look at how small the squad is and how young the squad is, that’s just the way it is but I do feel we’re going in a positive direction.
“We’re competing, and looking dangerous, and then it just dissipates a little bit later in the game which we have to learn from.
“We played really well at times, the players felt that, we felt at half time we were in a really good position, we had areas that we felt we could exploit even more in the second half and that’s the thing.
“We did play well, we got in behind often, and we caused them problems. We didn’t have millions of chances but we certainly had lots of opportunities in a high position to capitalise on.”
Lastly, he comments on this Sunday’s opposition, Reading, the start of a three-game week for the team.
“I expect Reading to be organised, ask questions of us, it’s their home game, but I know that they will know, that they’re in for a game.
“They’ll know that until one side looks to assert their authority, it’ll be in the balance, and this is where we’ve got to learn and make sure we capitalise.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s home or away because the games are that close but I’m really looking forward to it and it’ll be nice to start the three game week with a win.”