'There needs to be changes' - Crawley Town boss faces selection dilemma after Notts County defeat
Scott Lindsey says he still hasn’t decided his starting XI for Saturday’s game against Barrow – but said there needs to be changes folowing their defeat at Notts County.
Lindsey was scathing of his team’s performance after the 4-0 loss at Meadow Lane. In the build-up to that game he said ‘it was clear’ what his side should be – but for this Saturday, it’s apparent it’s not so clear for him.
Reds will want to bounce back quickly from defeat and get another three points on the board.
"I think that there needs to be changes,” said Lindsey. “I think it's clear to me that that needs to be happening. What's not clear to me is what the starting line-up looks like yet. We're on Thursday and I think I'm close in my mind. Every day in training, I'm watching everybody. I think that sometimes, not always, but sometimes you pick the team on what you've seen in training. I've seen some really good trainers this week.
“So, has it helped me? No. It's probably made it worse, but that's what I want. At the end of the day, probably tomorrow morning, I've got to make a decision because I've got to prep the team.”
For the trip to Nottingham, Lindsey stuck with the same side that beat Cheltenham 2-0 the week before.
But it’s going to look different for the Barrow game and he knows someone is not going to be pleased. “I've got to make a decision, and somebody's going to be unhappy with it, and somebody's going to be happy with it,” he said. “That's just the nature of the job that I'm in. It's not through not liking somebody, or I like them all and I love them all.
“I don't want them to play every minute of every game, but I've got to make a decision, right? I felt that we weren't up to it on Saturday, so there needs to be changes made, in my opinion. But like I say, everyone's trained so well this week that it almost becomes impossible to pick a team, in a good way.”
The Reds boss said he has been impressed with what he has seen in training and the attitude of his players – even after the roasting he gave them after Saturday’s poor display. “I think the attitude of the lads has been top class,” said Lindsey. “I think the players are on it. Whilst there were not Saturday, I know that they have done this week in training.
"I think that from a management point of view, it's important that I show my teeth to the players at times. After the Chesterfield game I did, I felt that it was an opportunity to get three points and we let it slide and got one. On Saturday, I showed my teeth because I didn't think we were present in the game.
"I thought we pretended to play a game of football and not really went for it. I think it was an opportunity lost. Whilst I will show my teeth, I want it to be understood that I'm doing it because I want to win games of football and I want everybody to get on the bus with me and be winners with me.”