We spoke to Sam Lavelle ahead of our clash with AFC Wimbledon:
Speaking to CUTV, Sam began by speaking about the mood around the club this week: “At the start of the week the lads have been a bit disappointed, a bit low if I'm dead honest because of the game last week, the situation we're in. Everyone's down and sad about it and a bit angry so yeah, the first few days were a bit low but the last few days have been good. Good day of training yesterday and today as well should be positive.”
The win at Barrow, and the four games unbeaten felt like a real turning point for United, before a disappointing defeat to Harrogate. Sam talked about his frustration with that: “I'd say there's been big moments in the season and yeah, it's just because we had a good run of form, clean sheets and draws and four games unbeaten so to play that out and lose it in that manner was disappointing but I think there's nothing in the game.
"I know we weren't at our best but we still had chances, myself, Terell [Thomas], a few other half-chances to win the game and I think that scrappy game and that scrappy pitch is always going to be what it was.
"A goal was going to win it and we were on the wrong side of it and it just magnifies times 100 because of where we are, but I think if that was mid-season and we were mid-table it wouldn't be as disappointing but yeah, we need to dust ourselves off and go again this weekend.”
Despite Sam’s goalscoring exploits this season, there was a sense of frustration that Saturday’s chances didn’t come the way of a forward. Sam explained: "It's disappointing. I've scored a few this year but with just more instinct and more reaction stuff so when it falls to you in the box and you've got time to think and sometimes you're probably not the best person to have it.
“It's frustrating that the strikers aren't getting these chances but I suppose it's me and Terell's job and Aaron Hayden's job to go up there and cause problems even if we don't score ourselves to knock it down to cause a bit of a nuisance and hopefully it falls to one of our players on Saturday.”
On the defensive solidity that we’ve had, and that allowing us a platform to build on, Sam said: “I feel more solid at the back definitely. It's tough, clean sheets are tough in this league to get so to get three in a row was good. Shame we couldn't get one more win at least out of them but we can't look back.
“We feel quite solid at the moment.”
The Blues will need to be solid against a good Wimbledon side who swept us aside earlier in the season. Sam agreed: "It wasn't a great day at all that especially for the fans travelling down there it was terrible.
"One of the worst this season definitely.
“But yeah, they pose a threat, they score goals. I know a few of their lads and what they do, they're running behind, they make it difficult.
“It's not dead pretty but they know what they're doing. They've got a clear style and it's effective. They've been picking up points this year and they'll be looking to sort of bounce back, as a few of their results recently haven’t been great.”
At Plough Lane, the Blues were particularly vulnerable from set-plays, we asked Sam if that had been a focus in the lead up to Saturday. He responded: “Yeah, definitely. Set-pieces is something the manager's came in and worked on more. We'll do the set-pieces today, that's always a day before a game. So we'll look at their threats, look at their weaknesses and how we're going to get in.
“I think we've also been a threat recently as well from set-pieces. So hopefully one of these chances tomorrow falls to the right person at the right time and we get a chance from a set-piece.”
Having not caught up with Sam in a while, we asked him how he’d found working with Mark Hughes and his coaching staff.
"It's been good, it's been different. Obviously, he's got that respect from everyone from his playing career and as a gaffer. He's been good with me, he talks to me often.
“So yeah, it's been different. Probably tightening things up is the most important thing I think that he's done. And sort of gone a bit more basic on the pitch.
“We need to tighten things together and work for Saturday because it's a massive three points and massive three home games.”
On the upcoming three games at BP, and the chance to get a run together, Sam said: “I said to the lads this week, we're all disappointed after one loss against Harrogate, but the game before we were all buzzing, thinking it's four unbeaten and just drawn with the team who are top of the league, just beat Barrow. It's all looking up.
“So one game can't affect us. And this weekend if we win and the results go our way, we're looking up instead of down. So yeah, obviously football changes rapidly.
“Hopefully we win this weekend.”
Aaron Hayden recently spoke about the 12th man, we put it to Sam that the fans would be crucial over this next period, he said: "So crucial, especially at home. Home form for whatever reason hasn’t been great, because they follow us so well. I don't know, but lads maybe get a bit anxious because there's so many people there.
“I don't know what it is, just a coincidence. I don't know. At home, they're massive.
"When someone puts a tackle in or wins a corner or does something like that to get the fans going, you can hear how loud it is and the other team crumbles. You see it all the time. So we need to build on that.
“When that happens tomorrow, we'll do it early, kick on and build from there. Because yeah, they've been magnificent all season. They follow in numbers.
“They’ve sold-out so many away ends. And yeah, like I've said before in the past, sometimes I feel a bit guilty going over after a game and clapping when we've been defeated, because they've come out again, paid the money and we're getting beat again.
“So yeah, we need to just stick together these eight weeks and both be the best versions of what we can. So fans are positive and see us working as hard as possible. And I think if we do that, we'll be fine.”
