Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray chasing winning formula

Mansfield Town boss Adam Murray is impressed by the rising standards of League Two football.
Mansfield Town v Luton Town
English League Football - Sky BET League Two
One Call Stadium, Mansfield, England.
23rd January 2016

Mansfield Town Manager Adam Murray during the 0-2 defeat.

Picture by Dan Westwell

dan.westwell@btinternet.com
07793 733140Mansfield Town v Luton Town
English League Football - Sky BET League Two
One Call Stadium, Mansfield, England.
23rd January 2016

Mansfield Town Manager Adam Murray during the 0-2 defeat.

Picture by Dan Westwell

dan.westwell@btinternet.com
07793 733140
Mansfield Town v Luton Town English League Football - Sky BET League Two One Call Stadium, Mansfield, England. 23rd January 2016 Mansfield Town Manager Adam Murray during the 0-2 defeat. Picture by Dan Westwell [email protected] 07793 733140

But he said teams need to find the perfect combination of passing football and ability to go more direct to get promotion from it.

League Two has come a long way,” said Murray. “Obviously I have played in it a lot over the last few years.

“Coaches and managers have become a lot more tactically aware. It’s not just kick and rush any more. It’ s a very good environment to work in.

“As long as you get the balance right you can get both. If you are too direct it doesn’t work. And you shouldn’t over-play.

“A good example of that was Luton when we played some great stuff and didn’t have a shot.

“Now we’ve got to start putting certain bits together to get the right balance.

“We have won a fair few games over the last few weeks by being a little more direct.

“Per game I think we are averaging somewhere between 100 and 150 passes less than we were about six weeks ago

“So it’s about getting that balance as there is a certain way we want to play football matches.

“We can’t go away from playing football as that’s the way I think the game should be played. If you are in control of the ball you limit the opposition’s chances of beating you.

“But we have to have certain ingredients in the team.

“When we’ve had a bit more of a target man in the team we have looked a little bit more effective.

“At the same time in this division, a lot of teams put a lot of players in midfield. If you lose that battle you don’t get hold of the game.”

He added: “As this season has gone on I think we’ve learned a hell of a lot of what it takes to get out of League Two – not just being a good team in League Two, but to get out of it. That will hold us in good stead.

“If we don’t achieve our aim this season, which we’re not going to give up on, we’ll keep going, I honestly believe in the next couple of seasons we’ll be out of this league.”