Manager Gary Peters today insisted Shrewsbury Town are “going forward” - despite the elusive search for successive victories continuing.
Town allowed a golden opportunity to move within three points of the League Two play-off places to slip through their grasps on Saturday when they were beaten 2-1 at Notts County.
It leaves Shrewsbury supporters having to stretch back to August 18 to find the last time their side manage to record back-to-back victories.
Peters, however insists he has seen enough in the last two performances to suggest his side are heading in the right direction.
“I think against Macclesfield and for the first hour or 70 minutes against Notts County, we have produced our most consistent back-to-back performances,” he said.
“People tend to forget what they have seen because of the result, but the first hour was as well as have played away from home this season.
“We still have to finish moves off but the performance from goalkeeper to the (opposition) penalty box has got a lot better.
“The way we close down the opposition, the movement of the the ball and the passing of the ball - they are all going forward.”
Peters was left to bemoan a lack of killer instinct in front of goal in the wake of defeat in the East Midlands, amid continued suggestions a forward will be targeted in January.
“The frustrating thing was that we didn’t finish the game off in the first half,” he added.
“Apart from the penalty we scored from, we had 11 other chances in the first half alone.
“Not taking our chances has been a problem for us and you look at the teams at the top of the table and they have all got a solution to that.
“It’s not just the forwards because our midfielders have also had a lot of opportunities over the weeks.
“Andy Cooke not been fit has hurt us but you would hope he is back soon and we have also got to make sure that the situation is dealt with in January.”
By James Garrison
11 Comments
Wahat we are seeing now is a Town team that is very unstable.
Unlike last season, Town loosing every second game, and if they’re lucky they get a draw.
Looking at the last 5-6 seasons in League 2, a team who wants to get in the play-off must not loose more than 11-12 games, leaving Town with only 3-4 games to loose the rest of the season.
If Town should manage that, they should up in gear ASAP or else they have to be content with mid-table position.
I’m still hoping that the boys can do it, but time are about to run out, and I’m afraid they did not manage to do it.
Heading in the right direction,downwards,you havent got a clue Peters.
I presume Gary left the ground at half time then on Saturday …
Salop didn’t do badly in the first half, but as soon as Notts built up any sort of momentum there was unfortunately only one side going to win the game. STFC seem incapable of keeping the ball for any length of time, and I saw little evidence of any method in our play. We can’t play on our terms and when we feel like it. Grinding out results is part of the deal, and we clearly aren’t up to that yet …
If this is progress, then we are going to need very precise tools to measure it. Peters, these are your players too, remember, no one elses. You also can’t blame the cabbage patch that was Gay Meadow either, as we’ve now got one of the best surfaces in the football league.
Time isn’t necessarily running out for Peters, but - sooner or later - the ‘we’re going in the right direction talk’ is actually going to have to mean something. And mid-table in a VERY average division doesn’t fit the bill …
Yes one step forward and two steps backwards!!!!!!!!
Don’t make me laugh, getting better are they? we need a new team and a new manager
How can he say from “goalkeeper to the opposition penalty we have got better.”?
Was he watching the same Notts County winner that I was?
GP says for the first 60-70 minutes we weer good against Notts County, Id say first 45-55, but apart from that he is being blunt and honest. We are missing the killer instinct, we looked ok going forward, just missed the killer ball.People can come up with all the stats they want, but, Boxing Day last year, we were 16th and made the play offs, at the moment we are 11th.There are some players Im not convinced about, the keeper for one, but being negative about everything isn’t going to help Town at all..
…..being realistic will be.
I wish everyone would just wake up.
and what is realistic Mark ?
in both the last 2 seasons we’ve had a very good second half of the season, but people assume we’ll automatically do the same this time. I don’t think we will as were not playing half decent football. I hope I’m wrong, but I think I’m being realistic!
In reply to Agent, being naively optimistic won’t help either!
Richard, where you at Notts County ? Town very good in the first half, poor in the second.If you don’t think the first 45 mins was “half decent football” then youve been watching to much glamour football on sky. Maybe my personality leads me to be ” naively optimistic ” . Therfore what does your negativity say about you ?