Ahead of Newport County’s visit to Milton Keynes Dons on Saturday (14 Feb), manager Christian Fuchs sat down to share his thoughts ahead of the fixture.
County come into this one following a 2-0 defeat to high-flying Swindon Town in midweek, with this encounter the second of three successive away games for The Exiles.
Reflecting on the Swindon defeat, Fuchs insisted “The performance was good, I think the boys left it all out there and were the better team.
“There were small moments and mistakes that cost us, it feels like we’re the better team between the two boxes.
“But when it comes to finishing off the chances we had, there’s a definite need to improve.”
The result at the County Ground was marred by a disputed penalty claim after Tanatswa Nyakuhwa went down in the area, and claims of offside following the opening goal for the hosts.
When asked whether his side could take any fight from the decisions, Fuchs was reflective on the defeat.
“I came away from the game with a very bittersweet feeling. I was proud of how they played with and without the ball, we allowed two shots on target and unfortunately conceded an own-goal.
“There’s no need to look back at this right now. If certain decisions went in our favour that were, to me, very obvious, the game would have ended in a different way.
“We can only affect what we are doing, which is working hard every day, preparing in the right way, and trying our very best on a matchday.”
Questions have been raised over Newport’s statistical record, with 56 goals conceded in the league this season – meaning they have conceded more than all but one team in the EFL.
“I think we’re getting a lot of basics right. We are putting in a lot of crosses, getting a lot of numbers in the box.
“Sometimes we’re trying to force the game too much down one side without waiting for teammates to support.
“Defensively, it’s one little mistake, a bit of over-covering, and the ball is in the net. That’s the difference at the moment.
“We need to work on how to create chances, and on the flipside stop conceding goals that are too easy.”
League Two has been brutal on the Newport squad, with a packed schedule of six games in one month affording little time to recuperate from games.
“I would be worried about time if we would actually not perform well.”, Fuchs stated.
“And, to be honest, 95 percent of the performances are good.
“We still have 16 games to go, with 48 points still up for grabs. The games are not getting more, but there’s still enough points on offer.
“I believe that there will not be an issue in turning things around, but it’s not focussing on those outside factors that can affect us.
“We need to work hard to turn things around, and when that happens, I am sure there will be a good run of performances.”
County are still only three points behind Barrow, their nearest challengers at the bottom of the table. However, Fuchs was determined to keep the attention on his side.
“I don’t want to focus on Barrow. It could be six points tomorrow, who knows.
“But on the weekend, if we try our best and pick up as many points as possible, that’s the only thing we need to focus on.
“We need to be better than the opponent in both boxes. Once we establish that, I’m sure we will be successful.”
There have also been suggestions that Newport’s squad depth has been challenged by their injury list. The likes of Bobby Kamwa, Courtney Baker-Richardson, Lee Jenkins and Matt Smith have all spent substantial time on the sidelines in recent weeks.
Fuchs stated “They have been training hard; everybody is waiting for their chance.
“The boys have not let me down with their performances. I don’t see a lack of sharpness, otherwise we go to Swindon, and they are the better side.
“They’ve all been on the pitch today [the four players mentioned], so that’s a good sign. I’m looking forward to seeing them back soon, and they all have a big part to play.
“The good thing right now is we have a good depth in our town, very balanced, so if somebody drops out, the next one is there to stand up. The players off the bench have added more to the team.”
Their opponents are one of the form teams in the division, with four wins from their last five, and are in the mix for automatic promotion.
“They are a good team. Otherwise, they would not be up there.
“I think it will be a very similar game to Swindon, the focus for us needs to be on what we are doing on the pitch.
“We know their strengths and weakness, and how we can catch them out and defend them, but also how well we work together as a team.”