Mat’s big year: Zanks for all the memories!

FC Copenhagen became the first Town player ever to score in the World Cup finals in the tournament in Russia.

He followed on by captaining his country for the first time in the recent international break while putting in a string of impressive performances for David Wagner’s side and contributing two goals this campaign.

Now, he is keen to finish off the year with some valuable Premier League points which might just help Town stay up for a second successive season – and as Town prepare to travel to Arsenal he says he feels the team are performing well despite the midweek defeat Bournemouth.

“Apart from the result it was a good performance,” said Zanka, whose Danish compatriot Phil Billing is suspended for one match at the Emirates Stadium.

“We weren’t good enough in either box, basically deciding the game, and that’s what we can be disappointed about and a bit angry about with ourselves.

“But the performance (at Bournemouth) was what we want and exactly what we expect from each other – so we expect to start putting points on the board in games where we play like that.”

Town dominated two thirds of the game at the Vitality Stadium, having 23 shots to Bournemouth’s six, with six of them on target in the 2-1 defeat.

So does it show Town are progressing when they can dominate away from home against a team who are seventh in the table?

“Yes, it definitely does,” answered Zanka, who has missed just two of Town’s top-flight matches this season.

“Of course, we all want for us to get results like we did at Wolves, but we also know it is always difficult away from home.

“To look at things right now, we have to be mindful of performances and not results.”

Jorgensen scored at Leicester earlier in the season and in the last home game against Brighton, and he says it’s important for everyone to contribute on the scoring front, especially when the strikers are coming under fire for not hitting the net. “We don’t really look at the team as defenders, midfielders and attackers, so as a team we have performed well, and better than the points tally shows,” he said. “The only difference from last year to this (for the defence) is that we have scored a lot more this season than last. “I think things have definitely fallen for us this time, whereas they didn’t last year. “Schindy (Christopher Schindler) had two or three headers on the bar last year and I, somehow, miraculously managed to push the ball off the line. “It’s something the manager has asked us to have focus on this year, because he didn’t think it was right that we didn’t score last year, so he challenged us to get some goals as defenders, and it shows now we have done

The performance at Bournemouth was what we want and exactly what we expect

that.

“If we can build on that and make sure we do score goals as a team it will be really good, and hopefully we can keep contributing as a defence from set pieces and make that a real weapon.

“Every week we have grown and developed, and I think we are a difficult team to handle at set pieces, and from Phil Billing’s long throws, and we need to keep on implementing that.

“For the boys up front, there will always be pressure because as a striker you are expected to score goals.

“Our guys know that and they are working really hard every day.

“But it’s really good when the rest of the team can take some of that pressure off by scoring, and delivering from other positions.”

Zanka says he is relishing the trip