Brewers have to ignore Black Cats’ turmoil
IT’S ALL ABOUT OUR OWN BELIEF, SAYS BOSS BUXTON
BURTON Albion manager Jake Buxton travelled to Fleetwood on Friday night to have a look at tonight’s opponents, Sunderland – but who knows how relevant that journey will be now?
The Black Cats drew 1-1 away to Fleetwood Town but they sacked manager Phil Parkinson two days later.
First-team coach Andy Taylor, the former Middlesbrough and Bolton Wanderers defender, will be in the dugout for the home team at the Stadium of Light tonight (7pm).
Whether that means Sunderland will be in disarray or whether they go out with renewed determination remains to be seen.
It probably means that Buxton’s assertion that it will be more about his own players’ attitude than anything carries more weight than normal.
The Brewers have won twice and drawn once at the Stadium of Light and, obviously, it is a record they will want to keep going.
“We’ve had some positive results up there. Provided we carry on the standard we showed against Charlton, we can get a result,” said Buxton.
“We’ve had good times there but it’s still a tough game to go into.
“We’ll just look at ourselves. It’s all about us. I have to make sure I pick the right team and then they have to make sure they deliver – as they did on Tuesday night (in the 4-2 win against Charlton Athletic).
“It’s about having belief in your own performance.
“I believe in the ability of the players I have brought to the club and it’s my job to make sure the confidence and character is there.
“On Tuesday, we carried it out for 90 minutes.”
With the exception of striker Kane Hemmings, who is recovering from a quad injury, Buxton has the luxury of picking from a full squad for the first time since taking over in the summer.
“There is competition for places,” he said.
“We look at it every day in training, wanting to be sure players are keeping high standards. We pick a team off the back of that.”
Neal Eardley, Reece Hutchinson and Indiana Vassilev, who had been in the squad, found themselves left out of the match-day 18 – all were fit and available.
“There were no problems. We’ve lost and conceded goals. We were in a rut in terms of losing games, not picking up points, and things needed to change,” said Buxton.
“I had to make some tough decisions, to leave people out, and the lads who came into the team and on to the bench responded well.
“The running stats backed it up. The distance covered as a team was the highest it’s been this season.
“Something I said in pre-season was ‘ make sure you out-run the opponent.’ It’s the first time we’ve done that this season.
“There was a lot of effort. Ryan Edwards, in particular, covered every blade of grass.
“Kane Hemmings is the only player who will not be in contention but he will be pushing for the Crewe game (on Saturday).
“He has had an improvement in his rehab. He has not been on the grass yet for training but he’s improving every day.”
All teams are struggling without supporters behind them at the moment but Buxton realises the possibility of that having more of an effect at the cavernous Stadium of Light.
“It’s very tough without the supporters,” he said.
“When we scored on Tuesday night, you celebrate with your teammates but usually also with the supporters. You want to do more than just a handshake when you score – it’s hard work getting a goal.
“Hopefully, Sunderland are finding that tough and we can use it to our advantage.
“It’s important we pick up points now.
“We want to be higher in the league and out of the situation we’re in.”