Darrell Clarke wants his Bristol Rovers team to be ruthless as the Gas search for their first Sky Bet League Two victory since September when they host Notts County at The Memorial Stadium.
The Pirates have lost their last seven fixtures in the fourth tier, with improved performances not translating to results on the pitch. The Gas created plenty of chances to break the deadlock against Cheltenham Town last weekend before conceding the only goal of the contest in the second half through Jonathan Tomkinson, who netted from close range with the Robins' only shot on target.
The Magpies will be looking to bounce back after losing against Colchester United at Meadow Lane, ending their six-game unbeaten run in Sky Bet League Two. Notts are fifth in the table and are pushing for promotion after losing in the semi-finals of the play-offs last term.
Speaking to the media before Rovers face Notts, Head Coach Clarke reflected on training this week before previewing the upcoming clash.
SPIRIT IN THE SQUAD
“The spirit has been fine. There is a collective responsibility, and we’re not accepting where we are. The players understand that. They have got to understand what this club means to our supporters, and I have always said that this is a special club with a special history. So, it’s about understanding that, but it’s also getting the balance right to make sure my players are confident in the next game and understanding the importance of how we perform and how we move forward from that.
“The spirit has been good. I have not had a problem; the boys have been training really well. There are key moments in games at the top end that we are not taking, and we lost a game on Saturday where they had one shot on target, and I think four shots in total, with two of those going miles wide outside of the box, and we don’t defend a set-piece.
“We’ve had a few occasions now where we have let ourselves down in those moments. I have used the word ‘soft’ a lot, and we’ve just got to address that and make sure the players understand that we can’t be that in those moments if you’re going to win games at these levels."
RUTHLESSNESS REQUIRED
"I think we are lacking one or two other leaders in the team, and it will be good to get one or two of those lads back, if I am honest with you. I think every individual's personality is a little bit different. Some want to shy away, shall we say, and others want to hit it head on, and the more you get players in the squad and in the team that want to hit it head on, the more it is key when you are not going through good moments.
"We have to be making sure that when we go out there at three o’clock on Saturday, that we have a side about us which is ruthless in every department and make sure that it helps us pick up more wins."
RECENT REFLECTIONS AND NOTTS COUNTY PREVIEW
"Obviously, after being at Barnsley last season and being in the top ten for most of the season, there is a massive gulf from the top end of League One to League Two. I think the gap has got bigger and bigger. I think in League Two, you can play well and lose if you don’t do the basics of the game right. If you don’t defend your set-pieces and don’t stop crosses and be a bit soft, you can lose games, and I think this season, and in the last couple of months, that’s what we have been. We have been a little bit soft, and we haven’t been as resilient as I would want us to be in moments.
"It’s not like teams are having a barrage of attempts and they are well on top, it’s not. We’ve been on top in the last few weeks in games, but have not capitalised. So, we’ve got to keep working away, chipping away with the group, and we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.
"I say it all the time, and football clubs are really tough when things are not going well, but we can’t become victims. It’s important that we reset ourselves, we do what we work on at the training pitch, and then tomorrow it can come into fruition at three o’clock against a Notts County team that are obviously up there and have a decent manager like Martin Paterson, who I like a lot, and it will be a tough game. For me, it’s about making sure that we’re prepared for that, and we play the game in a confident manner."
CONTACT WITH THE OWNERS
"I have regular contact with the owners, and they are fully supportive. We have a collective understanding that we know the short-term, medium and long-term of where we need to be heading and what we need to be doing, but for me, I never not take accountability. We have got to be winning games. You always have to be a manager and a head coach. There can be no sentiment, there can be no excuses, but trust me, I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t know I was going to be in the man to turn it around, and I’m excited for the future.
"I might not seem that now at the minute because we’re having some tough knocks, but I am excited about where I am going to be taking this. I didn’t come back to ruin my second legacy at this club; I came back to be successful, and I am giving everything, and my staff are giving everything. We’re going through a really, really tough time of things at the minute, but I thank the supporters for sticking with us, get behind us on Saturday, and hopefully we’ll put on a performance that they can be proud of and make sure the negativity around the place is solely on my shoulders to make sure that my group start winning football games.
"You look at any football club, if you’re not winning games, it becomes a pretty negative environment and the only way you change that is by performing and winning. So, I’m working hard with the owners on that and have regular communication with the owners and Ricky Martin. We all understand the situation we are in, and we all understand that it’s up to me to get my team performing."
UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PLAYERS
"You want to be winning games. We’ve got Notts County, and then we’ve got a couple of cup games, but we want to go into those cup games on the back of three points. I have to change the negative environment, and you can only do that by winning. One of the pleasing aspects for me is that I know the culture and the environment in the changing room is a hell of a lot better. The players are taking accountability; there are no excuses from them, and that’s what I want to be hearing, and that’s what I want to be seeing because that’s important.
"If I had a group of players in there that are kidding themselves and thinking it’s acceptable, then we’re in big trouble, but we’re not, and they understand that and they understand the hardest thing to do is to make sure that every day we’re at it with the intensity levels in training to get ourselves through this."
