Groves Looking To Sign Striker For Saturday

By: Bill Osborne
Date: 09/01/2002

AS REPORTED on the Fishy yesterday, Paul Groves is looking to bring in a striker in time for Saturday's Blundell Park meeting with West Brom. Funds have been given to him to strengthen the squad and he has placed a striker as top of his priorities.

The Grimsby Telegraph interviewed Groves who said, "We are working hard to bring someone in. We'd like to strengthen the squad in general, and we'll have to see what's available.

On the possible game against Fulham or Wycombe if we beat York City Groves said: "There's history with both Wycombe and Fulham from last year. It's nice to be at home but we still have to get past York. It would be nice to get Fulham for financial reasons, and there's history there from the last game of the season.

"It was disappointing that we weren't able to break them down and create better chances. We had enough of the ball really, but we were unable to do that.

"...Danny has been excellent throughout this season..."

"The system (5-3-2) has served us well defensively. It is another clean sheet and in the games we have played we haven't had too many games where we have been on top and had all the possession. We didn't have enough quality in terms of our passing, and creating chances to break them down and score a goal.

"The conditions were difficult, but it was the same for both sides, and while you can't use that as an excuse, we were the ones with the majority of the possession and pushing for the game.

"They didn't really create anything to open us up, we caused ourselves problems realty. It was our bits of sloppy play at times that let them in."

"Danny (Coyne) has been excellent throughout this season and all of last season. His form hasn't changed come what may.

"We have played three games in the space of 10 days, a short space of time and we have used the same bodies. Hopefully we will now give one or two a run out in the reserves, and maybe they will be a little bit nearer fitness. Stuart Campbell needs a run out, he is getting a little bit nearer being fit in training, so he needs game time under his belt."

"...You know you are not going to win every game..."

On the upcoming West Brom game Groves commented "It might be a different game there, they played the same sort of system as us here, and they might now have to come at us, and try and go for the game - which then starts to leave some holes.

"You know you are not going to win every game, and I am not daft enough to think that. As yet we haven't had an opportunity to bed anything down and do any work. Outside it has been freezing, we haven't been able to get on any grass, so when it came to trying to break them down we needed ideas in our heads, and a little more quality."

From The Grimsby Telegraph report

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