“We took good points off them last year and we’ve got to try and do the same again on Saturday…”
Head Coach Mark Bonner puts Cambridge United’s recent trials and tribulations into perspective as his side prepare to battle with Plymouth Argyle at the Abbey Stadium.
The fixture list doesn’t get any easier for the U’s, who host a Pilgrims side at the summit of the table following a blistering start where they’ve lost once in the league since mid-August. Although United’s form has been quite the contrary, Bonner dismisses the need for panic stations with more than half of a season still to play for.
“What we have to define and understand over a period of time is what the difference is between a really tough run and a really tough time. We’ve had a really tough time as a club before, and we’re in a brilliant moment at the moment as a football club.
“I’m fairly confident that we’ve got the plan as a football club of how we’re going to turn that (one league win in ten) into better performances and results.
“We’re not in a real drama and crisis phase. I’ve been at this club long enough to know what a crisis looks like, and this really isn’t one.”
Understandably, the group are not happy with the situation and are striving to improve at every single opportunity so they can continue to punch above their weight.
“No one’s satisfied with our run of form or results certainly, none of the players or staff. We have to improve that in lots of ways.
“We’re in a moment where we need to do better, but there is not anybody thinking about anything other than ‘how do we improve the performances now? How do we improve everything in January and how do we build a better club in the longer term?’
“I think it took us 60 games to be in the bottom six in League One, which is where we’re supposed to be, and we’re not even supposed to be in this league by real definition, if you go on financial power and things like that. We’re ahead of the curve certainly.”
After revealing the frustration that a refereeing mistake cost his side a precious point, or potentially more, at Forest Green Rovers a week earlier, Mark looked ahead to the challenge Steven Schumacher’s well-drilled side will pose.
“They’re certainly in an outstanding position in the league that they would have taken after 20 games at the start, and for them now, they’ll be looking to try and sustain that and continue the great start to the season that they have had.
“We’re looking forward to it. We had two really good games with them last year, we have a good idea of how they play and how they’ll go about the game – we’ve got to find a way of competing with them and give ourselves a chance to get something.”
Optimistic that the points and consistent performance levels will soon return, the Head Coach remains calm and fixated on inspiring the results, starting on Saturday afternoon.
“I’m very secure as a person, so I don’t need to worry every single day about where we are and what we’re doing. We’re in a good position as a football club, we’ve got a complete idea of where we’re heading and what we’re doing – and everybody’s joined up on that.”