Scott Sinclair has declared that Bristol Rovers are still gelling as a team with so many new players still getting to grips amid mixed recent form for the Gas.
Rovers put an end to four consecutive defeats in League One earlier this month with back-to-back victories over Charlton Athletic and Burton Albion before a much-changed side were beaten 4-0 by Swindon Town in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy. The Gas then marked their return to league action with a 3-1 defeat at Huddersfield Town in which the visitors were second-best for the majority of the contest by some margin.
After 11 games in the third tier, Matt Taylor’s side have 13 points and sit 18th, five points off of the play-offs as well as being five points above the relegation zone. The Gas’ mixed start has seen pressure on the manager grow but, according to captain Sinclair, there needs to be an understanding that this new-look side is still gelling with 16 players recruited over the course of the summer transfer window.
“I think we’ve got a lot of quality and depth in the squad,” the former Celtic, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Manchester City winger declared. “People need to realise that we’re still gelling. There’s a lot of players who have come and sometimes it takes time. For us, it’s about finding that consistency and building forward and winning games back-to-back.
“But I think it’s the league as well. Huddersfield is a great team. I think they’ll be up there in the top six without a doubt and it’s for us to compete and challenge that as well.
“Obviously it’s really disappointing when you lose a game like that. You’re coming in and you see the heads down but it’s one of these games where you’ve got to bounce back and we’ve got another game Tuesday. We can’t dwell on it too much and we go into Tuesday hoping we get a good result there.
“We were very under the cosh in the first half. We had a few chances in the second half and obviously got a goal back by Isaac and then Lino could have made it 3-2. But yeah, the first half was tough and then the second half it was a little bit better but it obviously wasn’t our day and wasn’t good enough.”
The 35-year-old went six league games out of the starting line up, failing to get on the pitch in the 3-2 defeat at Peterborough United last month, but has been one of Rovers’ standout players upon his return, scoring in back-to-back home matches against Wycombe Wanderers and Charlton.
Sinclair was also named the Gas’ new captain in the summer being one of the most experienced and senior players in what is largely a young suqad.
The winger is often used as a stellar example of the professionalism with which players should conduct themselves by Taylor but, according to the man himself, nothing has changed since taking the armband.
“Nothing’s changed,” the forward insisted. “I’m always off the field helping the younger ones and if they’ve got any questions for me and trying to direct them in the right direction. I can use my experiences and lay onto them.
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“Another thing, it’s about not getting too high when you win a game and not getting too low when you lose. It’s always onto the next and I think that’s what we’ve got to do on Tuesday. There are other senior players in the squad so it’s for us to try and lead that and keep pushing that to win games.”
As Sinclair alluded to, Rovers do have an opportunity to return to winning ways and record a third league win in four when they host Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night who currently occupy a place in the relegation zone. However, anything but a victory would no doubt add to the increasing pressure currently on Taylor.
“If we win Tuesday everyone will be happy again,” the Rovers skipper added. “It’s one of them. It’s football and three out of four sounds good but you’ve just got to continue with this consistency and winning games and winning games back-to-back as well.
“It’s much more enjoyable when you get the three points and like I said, when I’m on the pitch I try and help and do as much as I can and give it 100 per cent. But it’s about winning games and you’ve got to continue winning games and sometimes it’s not how you do it but just getting those three points.”
“You can talk as much as you want in the dressing room, the main thing is doing it on the pitch for us players and taking responsibility when we’re out there. Obviously, everyone’s doing as well as they can but we need to start picking up results.”