Crawley Town are back in League One action this weekend when host Stockport County at the Broadfield Stadium. Here is manager Scott Lindsey's full press conference including how he has prepared to face former keeper Corey Addai
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00:00Scott, thank you for joining us. It feels like a while since we've been in match action.
00:05We've got second-place Stockport visiting us this weekend. Can I get your thoughts out of that game?
00:09Yeah, like you say, it's been a long time, so I think the players are itching to get out there soon.
00:15So yeah, we've had a lot of time to prepare for the game.
00:19So we've had some really good, positive training sessions, put a lot of detail into the team.
00:26And again, we're looking forward to it at home, obviously. We like playing at home.
00:30To see the home fans is always positive, and they support us really well.
00:35So yeah, that's good. But we know it's going to be a tough game because Stockport are, like you say,
00:41I think second in the division at the moment, and they're there for a reason.
00:46I know we're only four games in, but I suggest that they'll probably be in and around that position most of the season.
00:52So yeah, we know it's going to be a tough game.
00:54On the other side of this sort of miniature one-week break that we've had, do you think it's done the players some good?
00:58Has it given you a chance to get some proper minutes in at the training ground, but also a little bit of match rest as well,
01:02considering we were pretty much Saturday, Tuesday up until then?
01:04Yeah, I think that was important. We looked at giving them some time off because of that.
01:10I think it has been quite relentless from the start of the season.
01:14So it was important that they did get some rest within that two-week period.
01:19But it was also important that we got a lot of work done on the training ground as well around that rest.
01:24And I think we've got the balance pretty much spot on, according to my head of performance we have anyway.
01:31So hopefully we'll see the fruits of that on Saturday.
01:34Yeah, you've already spoke about Stockport's threats.
01:37We had two very good games with them last season, didn't we?
01:39Two very closely contested matches.
01:41So we probably expect nothing different at the weekend.
01:44I suppose we're all doing League 2 very good service at the moment because you've got them and Wrexham up there as well.
01:49It should be another exciting game against them, as we've seen before.
01:53Yeah, they've got some very good players.
01:56Not just the starting XI, the lads on the bench as well and even the lads in the stands.
02:01They've got some very, very good players.
02:03They've got a very good manager as well.
02:05Dave's done a fantastic job there.
02:07He's a serial winner.
02:11And yeah, they've got some good threats.
02:13Top of the pitch, Kyle Wharton, big armful, big, strong, powerful boy.
02:17And some good players kind of playing off him in the shape of Louis Barry and Will Collar.
02:22You know, they're very good players.
02:24They've got players deeper than them two who are actually really capable footballers.
02:29And of course, wide players who cause you problems and players at the back who are very defensively strong
02:36but also capable of scoring goals on any set piece as well.
02:39So listen, we know what they're capable of.
02:42We have to be at our very best and execute our game plan and be on point with everything.
02:50And I'm sure we'll be OK if we do that.
02:52Yeah, we're going to have real hunger, aren't we, to get the winning streak going again, aren't we?
02:56Because obviously, on the other side of the break, it was a disappointing defeat to Barnsley.
03:01So that hunger to sort of get back to winning ways is going to be really strong, isn't it?
03:04Yeah, of course.
03:05And I think the disappointing thing about the Barnsley game was the way we played.
03:08I didn't think we played very well in the game.
03:11You know, I'll take losing games but playing well, which we did.
03:17I felt at Wigan, I thought that we were the better side.
03:20We lost the game 1-0.
03:23Don't get me wrong, I don't want to lose a game.
03:25I want to win a game, you know, and that's what we are.
03:27We want to win as many games as we can.
03:29But we come away from Wigan relatively happy with the process and how we play.
03:36We had all the ball.
03:37We had the higher xG.
03:38You know, we created chances at that game.
03:40We didn't put the ball in the net.
03:43You know, if you play that game 99 times out of 100, you probably win it.
03:48You know, a large majority of times when you play that.
03:52But like I say, we know that this is a hard game.
03:57We want to get back into winning ways for sure.
04:00But we've got to be on point with everything we do.
04:03The week off could also be a crucial week in getting some of the players
04:06that have been injured, you know, getting back.
04:08Has that sort of helped in that process?
04:10Are we closer to seeing any of the lads that we perhaps haven't seen before?
04:12Yeah, I think we're always getting closer.
04:14It can be frustrating at times as well because we have to phase them in
04:18and we don't want to phase them in too soon.
04:21And then there's a relapse on whatever injury it is.
04:27So it's been good, but still we're not full complement yet.
04:32We've still got a few that we're waiting on.
04:34Yeah, and as you've already touched on, it'll be good to be back at home
04:37in front of a strong home crowd again this weekend.
04:39So as always, get behind the boys in your numbers
04:42and the lads will be sure to give them something to cheer about.
04:44That's one thing that we're never let down by the fans, are we?
04:48You know, the fans are so good.
04:50You know, we might not perform brilliantly in some games,
04:55but the fans always do, don't they?
04:57And that's something that we really enjoy.
05:00Obviously playing at home because of the fans and we come out and applaud them
05:03and we hope that we can give them something to cheer about
05:06and to sing about at the end of the game.
05:10Scott, you mentioned obviously Stockport.
05:12When we spoke earlier in the week, you said you're not surprised
05:14with where they are on the table.
05:16What have you seen from them from what you've seen this season
05:18that is maybe different from last season?
05:21Nothing really that's different really.
05:23You know, I think they play in the same manner.
05:25I think they're very capable.
05:27I think they've got good players in every position.
05:29It's what they've got, you know.
05:30And they've got good players sitting on the bench
05:32and they've got good players sitting in the stands.
05:34And, you know, they're certainly capable of putting passes together
05:39and dominating the ball, but they're also capable of going
05:43kind of direct off Wotton, but with a real, you know,
05:49not just a case of lumping the ball up the pitch,
05:51but you can see it's coached, you know.
05:53And Louis Barry gets in some fantastic positions
05:56as does Will Collar kind of off Kyle Wotton
05:59and they're very capable.
06:01And the wide players are very capable as well.
06:03And they don't concede very many, you know.
06:06So they're a strong team.
06:08We know that, you know.
06:09They're a very strong team.
06:10And I'd say the manager's a very capable manager.
06:13And, you know, we know it's going to be a tough game,
06:17but like I say, we've done a lot of work this week.
06:19We've put a lot of detail into the players
06:21about what we want to do in and out of possession.
06:23And if we get it spot on and on point,
06:25we've got a chance.
06:26Yeah.
06:27And you said that you're likely they'll be there
06:30probably near that top end at the end of the season.
06:32When you look at the table now,
06:34I know it's only four games.
06:35Is it a good indicator or generally is it quite just...
06:39No, I don't think so.
06:40I think it's probably too early to look and judge
06:43and think, you know, that's probably where everybody
06:45will be because I don't think it would be.
06:47I don't think it will be.
06:48I think there's a long way to go, obviously.
06:50But I do think the likes of Wrexham and Stockport
06:53will be potentially in and around where they are now.
06:56Yeah.
06:57And the squad is still at Aquinas infancy.
06:59They're a new team now.
07:01Do you know your best XI yet
07:02or are you still working that out, do you think?
07:05I think that you're constantly working that out,
07:08even with a team that's not a new team.
07:11You're always looking at where we can shift things about
07:14and maybe have a different way of attacking
07:17or a different way of building,
07:18different way of defending.
07:21I've got a group of players that's been given to me
07:24that we can mould into a winning formula,
07:29that we think,
07:30and a team that the supporters can be proud of again.
07:34And yes, we had two really good results in the early part,
07:39the first two games, obviously.
07:41And then we've had two kind of poor results.
07:44So it potentially might be like that to start with
07:47because of it being a new group.
07:49It might be up and down at times,
07:51but we're hopeful that,
07:53given the hours and the time on the training ground,
07:56that we can eventually see a bit of continuity,
07:59i.e. with the starting team and also with the way we play.
08:03I think there's been times where we've looked amazing,
08:05certainly the Wigan game didn't win,
08:08and then we've looked not amazing,
08:09which was the week after against Barnsley.
08:11So I think we're going to get that a little bit.
08:13I just ask for people to be patient with it.
08:15Yeah.
08:16And I think the next couple of weeks,
08:17you haven't got midweeks,
08:18I think it's Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.
08:20Do you prefer that,
08:21or do you like the sort of hustle and bustle of a Saturday, Tuesday?
08:24It don't matter.
08:26Listen, I'm not going to say, yeah, I prefer that.
08:28And then, you know,
08:30because I don't want to be negative about when we play on a Tuesday
08:33because I think that it is what it is
08:34and we have to prepare and prepare the team accordingly,
08:39no matter what,
08:40and then recover accordingly and get ready for the next one.
08:42If it's Saturday to Saturday,
08:43then we can potentially get more work on the training ground
08:47and more coaching into them.
08:49But listen, players improve by playing games as well.
08:52So we want to, we're happy for a Saturday, Tuesday.
08:55I think normally when you play a Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday,
08:58it's normally the third game where you see fatigue.
09:00You know, obviously you saw the Wigan game,
09:04we played really well.
09:05We then go to Brighton,
09:06we play really well and then we're poor on the third game.
09:09And I think that that is a factor
09:10that I have to maybe consider moving forward about
09:12maybe making changes in the third game
09:16if we do play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday.
09:19Yeah, and when we spoke earlier in the week,
09:21you mentioned Dion was getting back into training.
09:23How has he come through this week?
09:24Yeah, he's done parts of training today.
09:28So we're going to see again tomorrow,
09:31see where we're at with him.
09:32But he did parts of the training today.
09:34Obviously, you've got a former player coming back,
09:36part of a promotion winning team,
09:37Corey, a dying goal.
09:38How much work have you done on him this week?
09:40None.
09:42No, listen, Corey was with me for 18 months,
09:46so I kind of know his strengths and I know his weaknesses.
09:50So, of course, we'll be looking at picking holes in his weaknesses
09:58and obviously being mindful of his strengths.
10:00Really like Corey, I think, you know, he's a great lad,
10:03first and foremost, a really good person.
10:05I speak to him now still,
10:07the odd text message here and there,
10:09but he's a great lad and, you know, I wish him well.
10:12And they've had a good start to the season, obviously.
10:15He's kept a couple of clean sheets.
10:16And, yeah, he's a good goalkeeper.
10:21We know he's a very good goalkeeper.
10:22That's why Stockport went and signed him, you know.
10:24But, yeah, we've done a lot of work on what we think
10:30and how we can pick holes in his, you know,
10:34obviously in his weaknesses.