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Wilson: Disrupted Build-Up No Excuse For Doncaster Defeat
Wednesday, 21st Oct 2020 12:04

Centre-half James Wilson has dismissed the suggestion that Town’s disrupted build-up ahead of Tuesday’s game at Doncaster Rovers was a factor in the Blues falling to a 4-1 defeat, their first League One loss of the season.

After striker Kayden Jackson had tested positive for Covid-19 over the weekend, the whole squad were tested on Monday morning with training scaled down as a result of concerns that other players might also have contracted the virus.

However, Wilson says that had nothing to do with the Blues losing to Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium last night.

“To be honest, you can’t make that an excuse,” he insisted. “We don’t usually do a lot before games anyway. We did less than normal, we couldn’t contact train, so we couldn’t do the usual sharp stuff but apart from that we did everything properly.

“We did everything the right way, that’s no excuse. I don’t think it had an impact, although I’d love to say yes.”

Given the current situation with the pandemic, the 31-year-old says the same circumstances could happen again ahead of another game.

“I think it’s going to happen,” he said. “I think the way it’s going, it’s going to happen even more in the next couple of months at least, could be for the whole season, you don’t know. Hopefully it doesn’t but I can see it happening again.”

No one other than Jackson tested positive which the Welshman says is a tribute to the measures which have been put in place at Playford Road since the squad returned for pre-season training.

“I think so, we’re not in the building, we’re in the dome every morning,” he said. “We do our videos in there apart from one another.

“We do our pre-hab in there not in the gym, we’re not in the building at all. We don’t eat there, we eat at home, so it’s strange.

“It’s tough because a lot of the boys like staying in the afternoons and doing extra but we just can’t do it at the moment. It’s frustrating but it’s nothing to compared to a lot of people, so it’s fine.”

Regarding Jackson, who is required to isolate for for 10 to 14 days, Wilson said: “He’s fine, I spoke to him today [Tuesday].


“He was poorly for a couple of days and showing symptoms but he’s completely fine and his family are fine as well, he’s at home with them.

“He lives round the corner from me so I just made sure he had everything he needed, it’s completely fine, which is good.”

Reflecting on the Doncaster result, he said: “It was, really tough, really frustrating. We started the game really well. Even after the goal we scored, I thought we were playing really good football again, but a couple of goals really took the sting out of us. In the second half I think we tried to force things a bit and got punished.”

Why did the performance drift, was complacency a factor? I don’t know if it was complacency. Maybe, yes. We’ve had everything our own way really this season. Maybe it was a bit of that, maybe we need to work on that for the weekend.”

Town had only conceded twice in the league prior to shipping four last night, much to the centre-half’s annoyance.

“That’s really frustrating,” he admitted. “But the way we play we’re going to concede goals every now and then.

“Obviously we don’t want to concede as many as we did tonight and hopefully we can work on a few things for the weekend.”

The fourth goal came from an error when passing the ball out from the back, which he says will happen on occasion and Town played themselves into trouble on one or two other occasions at the Keepmoat.

“It didn’t [quite work out tonight] and there are going to be times when it doesn’t,” he continued.

“There are going to be mistakes made, no one’s perfect, but we’ve got to minimise the mistakes to one or two a game, tonight I think we made seven or eight. It’s frustrating but everyone’s been doing really well, we’ve just got to stick with it.”

But he says no one in the dressing room has been assigning blame to individuals: “Definitely not, no one’s been pointing a finger in there, it’s a team game and everyone’s made mistakes tonight, so it’s no individual so we’ve just got to get on with it.”

He added: “We’re seven games in, it’s really early days with so many games, it’s Saturday-Tuesday now for the next couple of weeks and then again in the month after. We’ve got to really stick to our guns. If we stick to the way we’re playing we’ll get better and better.”

Wilson has started every League One game this season and has been pleased with his own form and his partnership with Toto Nsiala.

“Really happy, obviously tonight it doesn’t feel great, but I’m really happy personally,” he said.

“[The partnership’s] really good, we’re both quite athletic so I think it works quite well. The gaffer wants us to play a really high line so that works in our favour.”

The impressive start to the season has seen Wilson and Nsiala keep Luke Woolfenden and Arsenal loanee Mark McGuinness out of the side, young players who the former Sheffield United and Lincoln man rates very highly.

“They’re really good, so we need to keep getting results otherwise they’ll be in,” he said. “They’re champing at the bit to get in, so hopefully we can get a win on Saturday.”

He says it’s important to bounce back against the Imps at Sincil Bank on Saturday: “Definitely, and it’s a big game. I think they’re third after tonight so it’s a big game.”

Wilson was with Lincoln prior to joining the Blues and has previously admitted it was a frustrating spell for him but he says the game isn’t a particularly special one from his perspective.

“Not really, to be honest,” he reflected. “It’s long gone in my brain, that place! No, I look forward to it, there are a few people I still know there, so hopefully we can get the result.”

Looking at the current position, he says there’s an awful lot of football still to be played this season.

“There’s loads,” he said. “There are 39 games left so there are loads and we’ve got to take the rough with the smooth a little bit, obviously not the extent of tonight but keep going.”

And he believes that the Blues, who dropped from first to second following last night’s defeat, have enough to stay among the challengers even with a number of senior players out injured.

“One hundred per cent,” he insisted. “I think we’ve got five or six injured, we’ve got loads coming back, so when they’re back, the squad’s going to be even stronger, especially going into Christmas

“I think they’re all coming back by then or just after the New Year, so the second half of the season is just as important as the start. We’ve got to stick to our guns and keep playing the way we’re playing.”


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Gilesy added 12:09 - Oct 21
He says, using it as an excuse.
2

Wallingford_Boy added 12:11 - Oct 21
If its not an excuse, why even mention it?
0

MickMillsTash added 12:15 - Oct 21
We could benefit from learning how to sit in, be difficult to beat - catch teams on the break, especially if our build up has been disrupted.
Doncaster had to only defend last night and wait for us to gift them goals.
0

TimmyH added 12:16 - Oct 21
Well that's a new one, it's not as if they put hours in on the practice ground everyday and if they don't everything falls apart on matchday.
0

PhilTWTD added 12:21 - Oct 21
Wallingford_Boy

Because he was asked!
17

Kropotkin123 added 12:28 - Oct 21
People are asked questions in interviews?
2

Suffolkboy added 12:35 - Oct 21
JW appears honest and straightforward in his approach ; that is if you're not looking for hidden agenda of some sort !
We will make mistakes , either collectively or individually , so let's get over it, move on and stay supportive and positive ( only TOO easy to be armchair critics and negative ) !!
COYB
8

Gilesy added 12:52 - Oct 21
I know I was teasing at the start but I think it's a valid excuse. I'd also remind everyone Liverpool recently lost 7-2 to Aston Villa. It's hardly seismic!
0

Pencilpete added 12:53 - Oct 21
"Why don't we sit in and make ourselves difficult to beat ?"

Big Mick did that and everyone hated it, we wanted good attractive football - thats what Lambert is doing, We arn't going to turn into Man City overnight - teams have worked us out and will pressure us in the hope of forcing mistakes at the back, Doncaster did it well, now we have to find a way to deal with it or abandon playing out from the back.
8

runningout added 13:47 - Oct 21
I'm going to stick up for the players for the first and last time. If our preparations were rubbish. It goes onto pitch. I reckon day of game everyone should be Totally Focused, Arrogant and happyish!! Pre game and post game travelling and organisation should be spot on and if not so. Sorted. There has been a lot of cheesed off players for a long long time not ready to put there heart into it.
0

BettyBlue added 13:50 - Oct 21
Man City would have trouble in League One playing tippy tappy out from the back.
-1

runningout added 13:50 - Oct 21
Andy Gilesy it doesn't matter if those teams get thrashed. Don't care for them...
0

dirtydingusmagee added 13:53 - Oct 21
just wait till we lose a home game, it will be the cardboard cut outs,looked too scary lol
0

Wallingford_Boy added 13:54 - Oct 21
Okkkkkkk Phil....
0

heathen66 added 14:44 - Oct 21
Refreshingly honest opinion to a question that was asked of him.
He and Nsiala have been superb for us this season and long may it continue !!!
4

SheptonMalletBlue added 16:24 - Oct 21
Pencilpete, we're never gonna turn into Man City! :))
0

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 23:09 - Oct 21
So a player is quite obviously asked a question which he could use as an excuse for a poor result . He chooses to be honest enough to dismiss it and says they should have done better .....and still some people use it as a negative dig . Jog on.
4

eddiespearitt03 added 00:26 - Oct 22
COMICAL defending.!!!! Where was Chambers supposed to be and arriving on the scene when it is too late. If you can not do the simple thing and keep the shape then obviously you will concede goals. That back 4 cost the team 4 goals....it really is as simple as that. Where did the discipline go ? Just look who collected a ball on the edge of the box only to put the keeper back under pressure by passing it straight back to him. It was like watching the local pub team. Players out of position and caught out nearly every time ball watching. We are just not good enough to defend with 2 players and the other 2 gone missing in action. STOP conceding stupid goals ..
0


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