Crawley Town captain pinpoints areas for improvement after nine-goal thriller against Crystal Palace

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Crawley Town captain Dion Conroy pinpoints areas for improvement after nine-goal thriller against Crystal Palace

Transcript

00:00We defended well, played against the top team on the inside and obviously the second half

00:04was a lot better. We kind of understood how to press, where to press, what passing lines

00:10to go through. Yes, just great tests and a good little run out and hopefully now we can

00:16take that into the next two games.

00:18Yes, after a frustrating first half, it seemed that the lads grew in confidence a lot in

00:22the second half and started playing some really nice football. It's nice to see some of the

00:25new lads picking up on the way that the gaffer likes to play, isn't it?

00:29Yes. I think everyone was on the same page in the second half. We were doing the right

00:35things in the first but we weren't really all there together. The second half was a

00:42lot better in the sense that we were really pressing as a team, as a unit, playing together

00:46as a unit and obviously you could see that. We were pressing them really well. They, at

00:51times, had no idea how to get out. Like I said, it's Crystal Palace. Luckily they're

00:57not in League One next year. That was a very good test for us and hopefully we can push

01:02on now.

01:03You referenced earlier in the interview a lot of new players. How has the squad been

01:06gelling over the last few weeks?

01:07Yes, well, really good considering we've got so many new faces. Everyone's gelling really

01:12well. New faces in this week, still getting to know the system and everything like that.

01:18It always takes time. It always takes time and training's been really well. The boys

01:25are really getting together every day, doing things after training and everything. It will

01:33get there and we'll look forward to the start of the season.

01:37Two more pre-season games to go. Is there anything that you and the lads have said that

01:41is a definite thing you need to work on or is it just a case of the gaffers getting more

01:44minutes in preparation for the start of the season?

01:46Yes, I think just getting used to each other playing and how the manager wants to play.

01:50I know we keep saying there's a lot of new faces and they've got to understand how the

01:54gaffer wants to play. Obviously every player is an individual as well so they have little

01:59habits that the boys that are still here, we've got to understand what parts of the

02:03game that they are good at. It will take time and I think we'll be really, really sharp

02:11come the start of the season.

02:12You must be relishing the challenge of leading the lads out as well.

02:15Yes, I'm honoured. I can't wait for the season to start and hopefully we can get off to a

02:21good one and recreate a similar year to last year.

02:27You're one of the few players remaining from last season. Do you take responsibility to

02:31lead these new players and to help them gel into the new team and to build a new team?

02:36Yes, of course. I think being one of the experienced players, even though I'm 28, I feel like

02:43I've got a responsibility to make sure everyone gets on and everyone gels well and everyone

02:48understands how the manager wants to play. But we've got a good group of guys. There's

02:54a lot of people that are good leaders here and not just players, the staff. It's a real

02:59good set-up. A lot of good people here so I think we'll be a really good side.

03:05Last season, Scott did an amazing job of building the team with lots of new signings. Are you

03:09confident you can do that again and go one step further in League One?

03:13100 per cent. Just look at the second half. We're playing the top Premier League side

03:16and we managed to score a few goals. Obviously, we gave away a few goals. They didn't really

03:21cut us open. They were more individual mistakes. You take that out of the game and I thought

03:26we did really well. We've just got to keep working hard every day and keep doing the

03:32things in the next couple of pre-season games and we'll be ready to go.

03:35There were some quality goals, especially after that first one from Heather Murphy.

03:38I suppose you're just looking to see more of that as the season progresses?

03:42Yes. We haven't played on the greatest of pitches in the first few pre-season games.

03:48The last pre-season game, the pitch was terrible. It's hard to see the football that we can

03:52play. Today, how we played out and played through the thirds and into play in the final

03:57third was really, really good. A great first goal. Hopefully, we can get a few more like that.

04:06It must have been great for you to test yourself against some Premier League players coming

04:08to the Broadfield Stadium. It's obviously a great occasion.

04:10Yes, of course. Like I said, they're the top Premier League side. Luckily, we're not playing

04:19them every week in League One.

04:20Nice one. Thank you very much.

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