Changes to training 'paying dividends' for Curle as 'confident' Cobblers chase third win in a week

Two wins and two clean sheets in the space of four days has injected a shot of 'confidence' into the Cobblers changing room ahead of tomorrow's meeting with Cambridge United.
Keith CurleKeith Curle
Keith Curle

Town go into the game lying ninth in Sky Bet League Two - the highest they've been all season - with 21 points from 15 games, three behind the play-offs.

And after the low of last week's defeat at Scunthorpe United, the Cobblers are now feeling better about themselves courtesy of wins over Salford City and Carlisle United this week.

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"Confidence is massive in football," admitted manager Keith Curle. "Two wins and two clean sheets makes a confident changing room - not overconfident, just confident.

"Players will still have challenges and the demands we expect from them will be outlined because it doesn't matter who we play, every single game we face challenges and the players have to accept those challenges."

The upbeat mood around the club is in stark contrast to just seven days ago when Cobblers, 18th at the time, were preparing to face Salford City on the back of successive defeats.

"The reaction from the changing room has been very good," continued Curle. "We've made some minor adjustments to training and also to the information we're giving to the players.

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"Not so much the detail but more individual-based and that's paying dividends but also the demands of being more in tune with individual performances because that gives the players minimum targets with the ball and without the ball."

Curle was also delighted his gameplan at Brunton Park in midweek bore fruit after he had spotted a trend in Carlisle's results this season.

He added: "Statistically we looked at Carlisle and the majority of their goals are scored in the first-half so it was important to stay in the game.

"We felt we had enough going forward to cause them problems in the second-half, but the important thing was to have a platform to build from and that information was relayed to the players as well.

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"We didn't go out with a negative approach, we went out with an approach of stopping them from playing in areas they could cause problems while knowing we would have a right good go in the second-half.

"The supporters were excellent, not only in their attendance but how vocal they were supporting the players. It was fantastic and very much appreciated."