Bristol Rovers are back in action at the Mem this weekend as they host fellow League One strugglers Peterborough United in a significant game down the bottom end of the table. However, the Gas will have to wait an extra 24 hours to take to the pitch with the game moved to Sunday for television coverage on Sky Sports.
The two teams are separated by just one place and two points in the league table with Rovers now just four points above the relegation zone after following up back-to-back wins with two defeats in a row, losing away to Wigan Athletic and Charlton Athletic in the space of four days.
However, the Gas can be enthused by the fact that they are back on home turf, having beaten Barnsley 3-1 last time out at the Mem while also performing well in a 3-2 defeat to Leyton Orient on New Year’s Day.
Sunday’s game starts a crucial run with Rovers’ next three League One matches all coming at home.
Inigo Calderon spoke to local media on Friday afternoon to look ahead to the Gas’ next clash. Here’s a full transcript of everything the Spaniard said from facing Peterborough to transfer possibilities to his stance on the league table.
Well, we’re looking forward to Sunday football. First of all, can we just reflect on the past week where you’ve had two tough away games? What learnings have you had from those to defeats?
We have to defend better. I think we conceded two cheap goals, soft goals, I would say, and that killed us because we are obviously in the process to build something good and I think we are progressing in a lot of things. But still, that defensive side is not, is not [at] a level we have to be. And it’s important it’s not the goalkeeper, it’s not defenders, it’s the whole team. I will say even the first goal the other day, I showed to the players this morning and a lot of players that were involved in that so it’s not just trying to blame the defenders. It’s not.
For me, the defending is all the team, for me, attacking is all the team and we have to defend better because, if I remember all the goals we conceded, it’s like we have to do a lot of things right to score goals and the opposition at the moment are scoring too easy goals and that’s not right. We have to stop that first, otherwise it’s going to be more difficult.
I imagine your to-do list is very long, and of course you’d like to get lots of shots on target and score lots of goals, but is your priority then the defence first and stop conceding goals?
For me, it’s a balance always. In fact, when I came here, for me it was especially to control the game even more, to have more [of] the ball, but not just to score goals, but yes, I think, as I always say, the same, I think having more [of] the ball, you have better chances to score and at the same time you have to defend less.
But still, you have to defend and I think we are improving in that. I think we are having more time on the ball, but the time we have to defend, we have to defend better because even if you have 90 per cent of the ball and you have to defend 10 per cent of the time, if that 10 per cent of the time you are defending really badly they’re still going to score goals.
So as I say, happy with some things but that thing about defending as a group, we’ll have to improve.
Are you someone who studies the league table religiously and you see the teams behind you?
No.
So you literally concentrate on the games and the league table takes care of itself?
Yeah, in fact, if you start to ask me [about the table], I would look like a bad manager because I don’t know. I don’t know how the table [looks]. I know where we are more or less but don’t ask me about how many points we have or who is [to] play against, because I don’t waste time in that. Probably maybe the last two games of the season if you are still there then you have to think about these things.
For me at the moment, it doesn’t matter because I approach the game the same way if we play against the top four [or] the bottom four. [It] doesn’t change anything at all in my week, anything at all in the way we want to play. So I don’t waste time with that. We have enough things to worry about.
Because the game on Sunday, you’re playing a Peterborough side who are just one place above you in the league table. I don’t know if you’re aware of the phrase six-pointer, but it seems a very important game this weekend.
It is and obviously I know that they are close to us. I know they are in there. In Spanish we say seven points, not even six. It’s important for us. It’s a massive game. It’s not a final because I say after the game that, if we win, we are going to still be there. If we lose, we are still going to have a chance so it’s not a final.
But again, [it] doesn’t change the approach to the game. It’s going to be the same one. We have to try to win every single game, especially, obviously, you don’t want to lose against this team when you’re fighting. But for me, it doesn’t change the mentality.
The way we have to approach the game is try to do everything possible to win and if you change the mentality because of the opposition, then you have a problem.
We’re still getting to know you. Whenever we say on a match day, you’ve made so many changes, you don’t seem to be too bothered. I mean, you made six changes on Tuesday. Was that just a question of fatigue and freshening up the squad or was it a question of players didn’t perform on Saturday so you wanted to make the changes on Tuesday?
Yeah, I said two things. I’ve been saying I trust the whole squad. At the same time, I said I didn’t like the game against Wigan. So for me that made sense to make [a] change, you know, and at the moment I haven’t seen that, he has to repeat, this thing has to repeat.
I don’t think we performed that good to not make any change at all. Even if we win, for me, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t mean that you cannot change. Maybe it’s even better to change players because then when you’re in a winning moment, you can change things without feeling.
So I’m not too worried about the lineup. Never. As I say, because I trust in the whole squad and it’s just for me a name. It doesn’t matter the idea, the philosophy. For me, that’s not a big thing.
There’s an addition to the squad. Matt Butcher is used to fighting at the other end of the table, what’s he going to bring to your squad of players?
I think it’s good. I think he’s been a good addition. I think, as you say, fighting for better things to come with us, I think that’s good for the football club. That puts us in a good place and I think he’s going to bring us that kind of, maybe more positive with positive vibes when you are there.
As I say, football, when you are down there, it’s not the same sport. You don’t rest the same way. You don’t sleep the same way. You don’t play the same way. You don’t feel as good as when you are up there, you know?
So to have some kind of fresh air like him, I think he can give us good things in that.
Do you expect any more signings before Sunday’s game with Peterborough?
I don’t know. Probably yes. Probably no. I don’t know because this market is not an easy one. I would prefer to finish this market already because there’s always that tension. What is going on? Is someone going to come? Is someone going to leave?
I would prefer to keep [it] the same way and to know the players I have and that’s it but I understand it’s part of the job. It’s part of the business in this division and it’s a tricky one. I think that this type of market is not an easy one because you cannot get the best player for less money.
So it is not an easy one and I don’t know what’s going on. I know there are things that we are working [on]. The recruitment team is working hard to find better solutions because I always say that if something comes, it has to be someone better than what we have.
I know they’re working but I cannot tell you that’s something’s going to happen or not.
Sil Swinkels at Aston Villa is being linked with a move to Bristol Rovers. Can you tell us anything about that?
Maybe. He’s on the list because, as I say, we are out of players. We’ve been, I mean the amount of players I’ve been watching the last weeks has been crazy with George and the recruitment team. So we are looking at the players. He’s one of the ones that has been on the table, yes. But, as I said, we have to think is that the right option or not.
And any outgoings before Monday? Do you think anyone could leave the football club?
I hope not. I don’t know what’s going to happen because, as I say, these days something can happen and something that you don’t expect and that’s why the ones you don’t like, you know, that when something is not expecting something.
I don’t expect anything at the moment so if anything happens, it’s not going to be good. It has to be something really unusual to happen.
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And just in terms of team news, any injuries to report? Anyone fit who hasn’t been or is it pretty much the same squad of players this week?
The same ones. We haven’t lost anyone. No, it’s been the same.
I know you’ve had some frustration with how many away games you’ve had since coming in but now you’ve got a period of three consecutive home games. Does this feel like a real opportunity to gain some momentum?
Yeah, and that’s not because of the table because we saw against two good sides like Barnsley and Leyton [Orient], I think we played good games. I think we played better against Leyton Orient than against Barnsley and funny enough, it was the one we lost and not the one we won.
But still, I think at home we are in a better form, at least in the feelings we are. I think that having the crowd back to us, I think that helps the team and you can see that the intensity has been better. It is usually better to play at home but as you say now, having three games in a row at home has to be really good for us.
As I say, having the fans at the back is key and especially when you need them because, as I say, it’s not a disaster where we are. It’s not. We are in good situation still, but it’s a difficult one, and as I say, having the extra from the supporters in that type [of] tough moments I think is good.
Over the last week you’ve had two similar games where you’ve lost and conceded early. Has that changed any of your ideas? Do you tweak anything knowing that this team has really struggled to pick up points from losing positions?
Yeah, and that’s normal. It’s something that you can expect from teams that are down in the table and, to be fair, the other day I was even more disappointed because it’s true that against Wigan, I don’t think we started well. Last game against Charlton, I think we started really well. I think the first 10 [minutes] until they scored, we were really good.
It was a key moment when we had the yellow card with Clinton. I think that affects the game too much because obviously they have a right winger that was really good. So he couldn’t defend the same way than before. I think that affected us a lot and obviously after conceding a goal, we are not in the strongest moment of our lives. So I think we felt that a lot.
But as I say, starting the way we started for me is really good because that shows that the players want to improve every single day and obviously we have to stay stronger when something bad happens, but at least I think the start was better than the one against Wigan and that’s what I want to see, small improvements, but it has to be quicker.
Gatlin O’Donkor seems to be coming into his own a bit more in a Bristol Rovers shirt. What does he need to do to ensure that he keeps progressing?
It’s a young player. You can see the consistency is probably not there and that’s why we’ve been talking with him a lot and try to be more connected to the game because I think he’s a good player. He’s strong enough even to play in a position that maybe is not his best one. I would say he’s more a striker than a winger, but at the same time, he’s giving a lot of things on the wing.
Obviously, he’s a young player that has to learn to stay more connected to the game, to be more consistent and that’s coming from the session. I can see that. I spoke with him a couple of times. I think he’s getting used to training better. It’s coming by habit. Before it was like he’s too young. But he’s in a good moment now.
Is starting Gatlin and Chris Martin alongside each other something in your ideas perhaps.
Yeah. I mean, I think he’s giving us a lot in the size. It’s another option and yeah, why not?
We need to score goals and having two players that can score goals at the same time, I think that can help. But I mean, it could be whatever. It could be the play because at the end [against Charlton, for example, we finished with both at the same time playing up top. We tried to change a little bit the shape.
If they perform, they will find a place. It’s not a problem.