Shrewsbury v Crewe: Steve Cotterill encouraged by data after crunching numbers

The Town boss, whose side welcome Crewe tomorrow as 22nd faces 23rd in League One, found some encouraging data. He also found numbers that highlighted why his team are in the drop zone with just one win from six matches.

“We’ve done a lot of analytical work this week as staff and surprisingly there are some really, really good points in things we want. But on another points, it highlights why we are where we are,” Cotterill admitted. “We’ve worked really hard on that this week.

“We’re about fourth or fifth in the table on touches in the opposition box – that’s quite good, we’re working it there, it’s not just being pumped in there. Our possession stats this season have suggested we’ve been playing more football.

“The big problem has been those finishing touches, the big standout stat that we don’t enjoy. It’s putting those chances away, we need to be a bit more ruthless – and also hit the target, that’s a key thing we’ve worked on this week.

“Our expected goals stat (xG) should be at seven (scored), instead of two, so we should’ve scored more goals.

“It’s not like we don’t do it in training, but it does need to become more of a habit. We either snatch at chances or try to place them too far into the corners they go wide, rather than just getting a good contact on it and being more aggressive, that’s key.”

The Town manager, whose side were beaten by a much-changed Crewe side in the EFL Trophy a couple of weeks ago, added: “I would never ask the lads to do something they’re not capable of, I know their capabilities. We need a bit more devilment in the opposition box. Our defending duels are at the top of the table, if you want to talk about our pressing we’ll be at the top, touches in the opposition box, we’re in the top four. But the alarming stat is we don’t hit the target or shoot enough. We need to be more single-minded, selfish and certainly ruthless.”

“There isn’t a lot that needs to change. I’d say 80 per cent of our play is good enough to win games, defending, middle play, crosses into the box, touches in their box. We’ve deserved more points.”

Cotterill’s men have struggled for goals and clean sheets this term, but the manager insists it is not in his DNA to build a shot-shy side.

“I’ve gone through stages where my team have kept 20, 21, 22 clean sheets,” he said. “I’ve also gone through where we’ve scored six, seven or eight goals. There isn’t too many managers who’ve gone up to eight goals (in a game).

“At Bristol City we beat Dean Smith’s Walsall 8-2, at Forest we beat Neil Warnock’s Leeds 7-3 – no other team has scored seven at Leeds. What I want every week is clean sheets from my defenders, midfield to provide and strikers to score, that’s the perfect scenario.

“Poland’s manager last night was in charge of Leicester and I beat him 6-1 with Pompey. Bristol City we won 6-0 at a really strong Bradford. I always want my teams to score goals. But you have to be brave, you have to go in where the boots are flying – but be prepared to miss, because if you’re prepared to miss you won’t keep missing, you’ll end up scoring.”

David Artell’s Crewe, like Town, have just one league win this term after a several key men departed this summer. Tomorrow is their first fixture since that EFL Trophy tie due to the international break.

Town boss Cotterill suggested his players received the much-needed ‘head-space’ of time off the relentless fixture list. He added: “It’s given them a mental break for a start. When you go Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday for a few weeks it becomes sapping on the players. You can work them as hard as like during pre-season, which we have, but sometimes it’s hard to replenish the mental side.”