Michael Appleton: “It’s not for the want of trying I can assure you.”

Prior to meeting Cheltenham, Michael Appleton confronted the frustration and difficulties faced during the season thus far but was far from downbeat or subdued for the challenges ahead.

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Crewe: MA made a point that there are many positives to take from the fixture but the overall outcome typified how the first part of the season has gone, when reflecting on the overall result and what went on. The Imps should have been ahead and were playing well but again hadn’t taken their chances. The match was turned by one of the top three bizarre refereeing decisions in Michael’s long career. Then having already lost Adam Jackson to injury, that was compounded by the second penalty (it was one) leading to TJ Eyoma being sent off. To top it all off the players then showed great spirit to respond and still spurned two great chances to score.

Adam Jackson having suffered successive concussion injuries will be (in line with protocols) following a slow recovery pathway and is expected to miss two or three games. MA feels sorry for him personally as they have managed his endurance/stamina carefully with the player working ever so hard to get back to a position where he could play three games a week. Jackson had then been undone due to bravely putting his head into the right area at the right time. MA reflected that summed up the Imps season.

“It would be easy to throw the towel in, feel sorry for yourselves. Criticism is part and parcel of what we do and in the sport what we do, but ultimately I think there’s a lot of things that have transpired against us whether people like it or not”.

MA remained of the view that someone will eventually get a ‘tonking’ when the work being done comes to fruition. He pointed out several solutions had been tried, citing player positional and formation changes; on Tuesday for example he had tried to go with an aggressive front three approach.

“It’s not for the want of trying I can assure you. The one thing that has been difficult is I suppose bring in new faces, obviously we’re not able to do that till January”.

Michael went on to bemoan how he had not been able to put out a consistent combination of his forward players. When looking at the likes of Scully, Maguire, and Hopper, the percentage of games they had been available together is negligible.

Player Situation: As explained Adam Jackson will miss a few games and TJ Eyoma is suspended. MA isn’t giving away his centre-half pairing. Anthony Scully is still a couple of weeks away; it’s looking like the Xmas period before he returns. James Robson wasn’t substituted due to concussion and is available.

It was right in the long term to take Liam Bridcutt off after 45 minutes. He grew into the game and his influence was clear to see. MA will look towards building his game time to 90 minutes with a longer input starting at Cheltenham. Sometimes adrenalin or a game situation can kick in but LB is an experienced professional so a sensible conversation will be held at half-time.

Cheltenham: Michael Duff has done a great job and as is typical of a club coming up from L2 to L1, MA knows from personal experience there is a first half of the season-high. Cheltenham will be looking to add to that during the second half of the season which is when they will be tested as people will know what they are about and how they perform.

Cheltenham will be coming into the game on the back of a five-nil home reverse so that will undoubtedly be a factor.

“I expect them to come out the blocks and get after us, especially with the fact they know we’ve got a very makeshift team. But having said that, believe it or not, even through the group of games we’ve had to come through and frustrations we’ve had – there’s an air of confidence within the group that we can win this game and we’re all really looking forward to it. It’s an opportunity to get those frustrations out”.

Writer: hulloutpost

Michael Appleton: "It's not for the want of trying I can assure you."https://t.co/qDGdx2Q2Xa#CTFC #ImpsAsOne

— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) December 10, 2021