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Interviews

Barton on Town's loss to Portsmouth

4 January 2020

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Interviews

Barton on Town's loss to Portsmouth

4 January 2020

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Fleetwood Town head coach Joey Barton spoke to the media following his sides 2-1 defeat at home to Portsmouth in the Third Round of the Emirates FA Cup.

Fleetwood were on the wrong end of two set-pieces from the visitors in the second half, with James Bolton and John Marquis scoring the goals for Pompey.

Town did get a goal back in added on time, with Conor McAleny scoring from long distance after a slight deflection took it past Alex Bass between the sticks.

Here are the best parts from Joey's post match interview:

On the game…

“It was a game that we should definitely not have lost, and we have been undone with two set-plays.

“You have to put one down to individual errors. People didn’t do their jobs and didn’t take care of it. When you play a good side like Portsmouth, you cannot afford to give them a head start.

“We kept going right to the end, Conor McAleny comes on and got a good goal for us and we tried to get back into the cup tie.

“There are a number of teams in the league who you can give them a chance to take the lead on you but the better sides in our division or in general, you can’t do that. It is tough to take, but from a coaching perspective you haven’t got time to dwell on it. The games are coming thick and fast and we play Accrington at home on Tuesday night.

“We are now out of the FA Cup. I am really disappointed for everybody, including the fans, but there is no time to feel sorry for ourselves.”

On the two set-play goals…

“Unfortunately whether you like it or not, Kenny’s (Jackett) sides set up in that way. We told the lads before where the threats were going to come from.

“They are well organised and well-disciplined and play for set-plays. They have obvious quality in the team from open play, but they were also a threat from set-plays.

“When the lads cross over the white line, they have got roles and responsibilities. We lose a runner for the second goal and for the first, I think our goalkeeper punches it off their player.

“I am really disappointed because, it is a cup tie that I feel that we could have well progressed in, and it is gutting. That is two years on the spin with Wimbledon last year and obviously this year.

“The effect that it has on our budget is huge. We have got enough to progress against a side like that, but not if we keep making these individual errors at the back.”

On the missed chances…

“We had a number of opportunities and didn’t manage to get the opening goal. Chances fell to the players that we wanted them to, and unfortunately for us, we didn’t make the most of them.

“We had enough opportunities. Paddy [Madden] had two pull-backs on the edge of the six-yard box, and has put them both into the housing estate behind the ground.

“You want Paddy Madden on those chances, but just in the last few games, I feel that he has been snatching at them a bit. It is surprising knowing how many goals he has got and how confident he usually is, it is just unfortunate for us that they come at key times.

“We have just got to trust Paddy that he will settle down and start putting them in the back of the net again.”


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