MK: “I think that it would be disrespectful to say that.”

Mark Kennedy clarified the player recruitment situation and touched upon the Exeter performance before looking ahead to Portsmouth.

You can discuss what Mark Kennedy has said ahead of this match HERE, get involved with our Portsmouth v Lincoln City Match Thread, as well as get involved with our pre-match threads: You can post your score predictions, discuss the starting XI, and post your attendance predictions!

Player Recruitment: It’s an area that is being addressed but MK doesn’t want to give false dawns. The reality is that he can get a phone call on Monday saying a deal is either off or on but he feels that really good progress has been made with a couple of players and he will know more early next week. MK feels like he is really getting somewhere.

“We’re working particularly hard and we’ve identified our targets and we’re in constant dialogue with them”.

MK affirmed that it was a frustrating process for all sides and as many teams don’t finalise their squads until the first round of the Carabao Cup has taken place, at least with that happening in the week it will bring things to a head thereafter. The reality is that the transfer window closure is only a couple of weeks away and that is a good thing as it means decisions must be made as we go into the business end of deals.

Exeter Match: MK referenced the slow start to the match from a Lincoln perspective. It was only natural there was a bit of nerves as even he had admitted to. That’s a good thing – natural. Where the players have got to learn from within comes from the experience of playing games and learning how to deal with both good and bad. The Imps are a young group and don’t have players with 300 games under their belt so they will need to play in order to build those situations. However, MK took heart from the performance and saw it thus:

“I don’t think it was a nervous situation where it was at home, nine plus thousand fans, ‘Oh my God I can’t handle this’. I think it was just first game of the season, young squad, and then the realisation once we settled down, actually guess what – ‘I’m a good player, we’re a good team and we’re more than capable of being extremely competitive at this level’.

Portsmouth: This is going to be a high-octane game with high-energy fans and opposition set within a great stadium and atmosphere. The Imps will embrace that and have worked on their plans all week with regard to being in and out of possession.

MK will look to the players to deal with the occasion by ensuring a good start to the match which is of course a key part component to any game. That doesn’t just come down to winning a first header or tackle; it’s in every capacity – movement, closing down, the first pass, even the intent behind that pass.

There are no new injury problems within the squad.

The Imps know what to expect from Portsmouth who possess a very good, well-drilled team including lots of experience. The attributes of the two strikers alone demonstrate they will thrive off crosses into the box and they have wingers who can provide that service very well.

“I don’t think in any way shape or form Portsmouth are a one-man band or a one-dimensional team. I think that it would be disrespectful to say that. I think they’re a very, very good side and a side I would imagine will be looking at the top six this year.”

Writer: hulloutpost

MK: "I think that it would be disrespectful to say that."https://t.co/0x40hytZ5L#Pompey #ImpsAsOne #WeAreImps

— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) August 6, 2022