Five games that have shaped Artell’s tenure so far
SIX MONTHS OF CHALLENGES FOR TOWN BOSS
DAVID Artell’s first six months in charge at Grimsby Town have featured plenty of ups and downs amongst other off-the-field challenges – a true test of his coaching abilities. With the season now concluded and safety in League Two secured, the 43-year-old will have had some time to reflect while getting to work straight away in preparing for his first full campaign as head coach of the Mariners. A small selection of games has defined what Artell will hope is the first chapter of many of his time at Grimsby, with moments of promise, worry and relief in equal measure.
The new season will be a second beginning to his job, with a fresh set of expectations and much more pressure on him to get the team to play the tune he wants.
For now, we can look back on the work he has done so far to get to this point.
November 28: 1-1 draw v MK Dons (A)
With just one proper training session under his supervision in the tank, Town came out at Stadium MK against a promotion-chasing opponent and looked almost a completely different team to what had been seen earlier in the campaign. It was a promising start for Artell just a few days into his tenure. His team could’ve won at a top team while playing some football that was much easier on the eye. It showed that, in the right circumstances, the team could play the kind of football Artell wanted to play from the start, but it was somewhat of a false dawn. At that point, the players would not have been overloaded with new information given the time constraints, which perhaps made the initial transition easier than in the weeks and months that followed.
December 29: 3-0 win v Salford (A)
Grimsby’s first away win of the season, came in the final game of the calendar year. It was the first time that Town had played their opposition off the park in some time, and it was another example of how dangerous Artell’s style of football could be when things come together. Unfortunately, it was as much, if not more of, a false dawn than what had come previously as Town started 2024 terribly.
However, the importance of the Salford win remained in shaking off the doubts in the minds of the players regarding whether they could go and win away from home.
February 17: 5-1 loss v Doncaster Rovers (H)
The Mariners had gone winless in five games to start the year with three defeats and two draws, conceding 14 goals in their three home matches against Walsall, Notts County and Stockport, before they came up against Doncaster.
The reverse fixture earlier in the season was important in its own way, as it brought an end to Paul Hurst’s second spell at Town, opening the door for Artell’s arrival. Doncaster have gone on to mount an incredible surge for the play-offs this term, but, at the time of this meeting, they were with Grimsby in the bottom third of the table. This heavy defeat, in which Artell’s side were cut through like a hot knife through butter, brought home the reality that something needed to change in the approach of the team, otherwise relegation was a serious possibility.
Crisis talks took place after this game, and it was this moment that was referenced more often than any other as the true turning point in the season for Artell and his team.
March 2: 1-0 win v Forest Green Rovers (H)
Artell made a formation change out of necessity due to a lack of bodies in certain positions, but the most important part was the change in approach, which first came in the 1-1 draw away at Morecambe and continued into this clash against a relegation rival – a must win.
Town ended the game with just 35 per cent of the possession – not what Artell expected to see on the stat sheet when he first arrived at the club, but it was necessary to see the team find a defensive solidity that saw them to victory in this game.
It was a springboard to finish the season strongly and make sure survival was secured. Inconsistencies persisted, but the team found a way of playing they were comfortable with for the rest of the campaign.
April 13: 3-0 win v Crewe (A)
Survival was secured a week later at home to Swindon Town, but this was the game that all but sealed it, as Artell returned to the home of his former team for the first time to complete a league double over them.
His first win as Grimsby boss came against Crewe, and a lot of learning had been done since that moment to reach this point, a game where Town showed a bit more finesse and ruthlessness against a play-off team. There are parts of this performance that Artell will want to see more often going into next season – the clinical side to their game in the final third, which allowed them to control proceedings.
At this point, Town could come up for air after almost going under with a result that has allowed the club to reset and go again in the same division.