We’ve got to iron out the mistakes, says Barton
JOEY Barton says cutting out individual errors will be a key factor as his Bristol Rovers side strive for the consistency which has eluded them this season.
Rovers stand 20th in the League Two table going into tomorrow’s game against Carlisle United at the Memorial Stadium, having failed to put back-to-back wins together.
That inconsistency was illustrated at the Mem last Saturday when the excitement generated by a 2-1, stoppage-time success at Walsall the previous week was dampened by a disappointing display in a 3-1 defeat to Swindon.
Carlisle stand one place above Rovers, and Barton said: “We have to pick ourselves back up. We are striving for this consistency.
“It’s a work in progress. We’ve got to keep grafting. I know it’s tough for the fans, it’s really difficult at this time, we’re all feeling that.
“For us we’ve got a tough fixture coming now without Alfie Kilgour (sent off against Swindon) and Conor Taylor with concussion. But, we’ve got to get back on the horse and get right after it.
“Yeah, we weren’t good enough against Swindon. We weren’t good enough right across the board. You’re wanting that consistency of performances and at this moment in time no two performances are the same.
It’s a work in progress. We’ve got to keep grafting. I know it’s tough for the fans, it’s really difficult at this time, we’re all feeling that
“It was a real Jekyll and Hyde performance against Swindon, and I thought the goal we scored was probably as good as we’ve been. The best team goal we’ve scored all season and then some of the defending after that is as bad as you’ll see.
“So we’ve got to iron out these mistakes. I think ten games in now, I can count ten individual errors. We’re also at the point where we’ve scored nine goals and we’ve got nine different goalscorers.
“So, really difficult at this moment in time but we’ve got to stick together and get through this together. They are lads who care and they want to do well at the football club.
“But if we take the lead in games, we can’t sit back and allow the opposition to bring the game to us. We’ve got to be that little bit more offensive.”