We spoke to Steven Rudd following our defeat to Fleetwood Town.
Steven began with an overview of the game, saying:
“The result is very frustrating, but the start of that game is nowhere near good enough. There's moments in that game that aren't good enough. There's things we spoke about in the week like the third goal, you have to mark players and not space, but that hasn't happened and the lad's got a free shot from 10 yards."
The Blues particularly struggled in the opening half an hour, we asked Ruddy what he puts that down to, he answered:
“Credit to them, they got lads into areas of the pitch but there was times where we had five, six, seven lads ahead of the ball and they kept breaking on us and we were absolutely wide open which can't happen.
“I think we were lucky to be 2-0 down. There was a point when Sam [Lavelle] was 2v1 and thankfully he's done really well to prevent a chance. I think we were just wide open and we have to take responsibility for that and players on the pitch need to be onto each other a bit more to get organised and get set.
“Some of the recovery runs were a jog at times and that's not acceptable at any level of football.”
United changed shape at half-time, reverting to a back three, we asked Steven about that, he said:
“We spoke about doing it halfway through the first half and actually for 20 minutes or so in the first half, it was a bit more positive, momentum turned, we got into good areas and obviously got the penalty.
“The change was to get Luke on to go two up top, because we wanted to win the game of football. We were still 2-1 down so yeah that was just a formation change, match them up and try and get another foothold in the game.”
At 2-2, it felt like we were the more likely side to go on and win it, Steven gave his thoughts:
‘Yeah and I think at that point in the game we were on top, credit to the lads for getting back in it, staying with it, getting back to 2-2 but you can't be 2-0 down at home and expect to come out with anything and credit to them they got themselves back in the game but that's not acceptable.
“To concede the third one the way we did, like you said at that point in the game we probably are on top with a chance to go on and win the game but you can't go on and win the game when you concede goals like that.”
There was big shouts for offside on the second goal, we asked if Steven had watched it back, he replied:
“It's very very tight, I've seen all three goals back, the first one's shocking, he dances past two and three in the box, the second one we have possession of the ball in midfield, give the ball away and we're wide open, it’s not good enough.
“And then the third one we don't stop the cross and then we don't pick up players in the box same as the Andy Cook’s goal last week. We haven’t learned from our mistakes.”
On a positive note, Charlie Wyke netted twice, Steven spoke about that:
“I'm delighted for him, he's been feeling it, he’s loads of finishing practice in the week and he's looked really sharp and lively. The penalty gives him a bit of confidence, then the second one is a good finish.
“He's more than capable of doing that, if we can get him in and around the 18 yard box with the amount of crosses we put into the box, he’ll score goals.
“But some of the crosses and deliveries and final third bits need to be better. If they are, him and Luke will get more goals and Georgie Kelly when he's fit so if we can get him in and around the 18 yard box he will score goals if we can get the quality into him right.
Dan Adu-Adjei and Terell Thomas missed today’s game, we asked Steven for an update on them, he said:
“Dan [Adu-Adjei] had a scan in the week and it's not come back good, he's going to be out for six to eight weeks so he's going to be a little bit longer term, he's gone back to Bournemouth for a bit of treatment down there with their facilities and staff.
“Terell [Thomas] felt his hamstring again after feeling it at Bradford last week. He's just out for a week or two, he's not anything long term."
It may well be the last game in charge Steven, Mark [Birch] and Jamie [Deviit]. We asked him for his thoughts on a whirlwind few weeks, he said:
“Overall, it’s not good enough. Three games, three defeats, all by one goal so are we so close or are we so far away? We've tried to help the lads, we've tried to do everything properly, performances have been okay in spells. I said it last week, okay is not good enough, we need to be miles better as a group, as staff, as a club, to start turning results around and kicking on from here.”
