ARTELL VOWS TO KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON IN ALEX QUEST

DAVE Artell insists he will stick to his plans as he looks to kick-start Crewe Alex’s season.

The Alex find themselves second-from-bottom in the League One table after 3-0 and 4-0 defeats at the hands of Fleetwood and Sunderland respectively in the past week. Crewe have won just one of their 13 league matches - and face a tough trip to Wycombe Wanderers this weekend. However, boss Artell says he will remain calm as he looks to move Crewe up the standings.

He told the club’s website: “You have to remain consistent in your approach. It would be easy to shout at them and be off with them and try to be different but the players will see right through that.

“You have to remain fair and honest with them. Some of the honesty they may not like at times but I think I am always fair with it. It is respectful and that works both ways.

“It is a bit like parenting. You teach your kids, their values and try and keep them on the straight and narrow and then they develop and grow. There is no secret to that.

“We will continue to be diligent and thorough and put the hard work in out on the training ground. There is no point sulking around or feeling sorry for ourselves. You have keep believing in what we do to come through this difficult patch.

He added: “As a team you always have to evolve and get better and that is what we have done before and we do it again.”

Part of the revival will centre around the Alex’s set-piece issues.

Artell added: We have conceded five goals from set-pieces in the last three games and that is ridiculous. That is soft because a setpiece, be it a corner or a freekick coming in is structured. “Everyone has their man and you have to make sure you do your job. That is the starting point and then it is about making sure your man doesn’t score.

“We have conceded some really poor goals in the last two games and that is something we have to address and continue to address.

“When we concede that first goal, we cannot have it being terminal for some of them. That is a mind-set thing and on Tuesday there was still 70 minutes or so left to play. We have to cope better and get that belief back into them because they are good players.”