Paul Carden: AFC Telford reset needed
Manager Paul Carden signalled his intention for a Great Reset after his team’s 3-2 defeat at Peterborough Sports left the Bucks languishing one point and one place off the bottom of the Vanarama National League North:
“We obviously need to make some changes, personnel-wise. I’ve said to the players that if people think they’re too good to give everything for the shirt and to work as hard as they can then call me up tomorrow and they can go if they feel there’s a better place for them.”
After dismally falling two goals behind, Brendon Daniels cut the deficit when he smashed in a rebound after goalkeeper Peter Crook had saved his initial penalty, a kick Daniels had won himself by drawing a foul.
That came with five minutes or so of the first half remaining, stalling any momentum the Bucks gained from the goal, and they failed to kick on in the second half, something Carden felt was down to his own team’s failings, rather than the opposition:
“It was the amount of fouls we gave away; letting them off the hook. They had nous right through the spine of the team. We’ve supposedly got that, but we don’t play with it. Too many fouls, too often, too many offsides, not keeping the ball alive in certain situations the way they were, and that’s about desire, and an understanding not to give fouls away. Any momentum that you try and build is undone without them (Peterborough) really doing anything; we were our own undoing.”
“We’re playing 4-4-2, and it’s about partnerships. I felt their left side had so much time and space in the first half. Both of their goals came from unopposed crosses. It gives you a mountain to climb. We’re not doing the right things in the right areas, all over the pitch, and that’s what’s costing us.”
Carden did strike a defiant note, and fired out a warning to his team:
“We need to make changes, and I’ll be making changes anyway. We’ll have to regroup in this period without having any games and basically start the season again.”
The Bucks are now without a game until 22nd October, another tough away trip to a newly promoted side in Scarborough Athletic, and the Bucks could have a different look about them based on this performance. Carden appears to knows the pressure is mounting, but also knew not to expect too much sympathy, something that extends to his team too:
“When the chips are down you’ve got to dig in, you’ve got to give everything you’ve got, because who’s going to feel sorry for you?”
