FARRELL PLEASED AS SIDE BATTLE TO WIGAN VICTORY

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U21s coach reflects on win against Latics

2023-09-26T01:00:00.000Z

FARRELL PLEASED AS SIDE BATTLE TO WIGAN VICTORY

U21s coach reflects on win against Latics

2023-09-26T01:00:00.000Z

U21s coach reflects on win against Latics

Andy Farrell was happy with the way his side defended their 1-0 lead as they secured a victory against Wigan Athletic in the Professional Development League.

Joe Westley’s 44th-minute goal was enough to see the Clarets to three points as they were forced onto the back foot for most of the second half but managed to see out the win.

And the U21s coach was pleased with the way his side ‘put their bodies on the line’ to ensure a clean sheet was kept at the DW Stadium.

He said: “I was pleased really with the way they went about it, having to defend, block shots and put their bodies on the line.

“We had to battle a result out in the end, we started well in the first half and moved the ball well from the back, so our start of play in the middle third was good in patches in the first half.

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“I think they were one of the teams that had a little bit more of the ball than normal, so the first half was pretty even.

“We had to be better at times with the press at the top end of the pitch, and then in the second half they stepped onto us and made it really hard for us to play out, so it was really a case of winning the second balls and probably find a pass in that middle third, which again wasn’t as good as it needed to be.

“But what we did do well was defended the box and the middle of the goal really well, so that’s a plus.”

Forward Westley netted on the brink of half time to put the Clarets in front, but Farrell admitted that goal did not change his team talk at the break, as he believed his side were playing well before scoring.

He added: “They were doing well at half time, so that goal didn’t change anything we said to the lads.

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“There was just a few areas we needed to be a bit tidier in, there was certain passes from the back that we had a bit of joy with, so we could’ve done that more.

“Again, balls into the middle third, where they needed to go in and come out, we found ourselves probably taking an extra touch or misplacing that touch and finding ourselves trailing back down that pitch.

“But in general, I think the first half I think we deserved to go in with the 1-0 lead really.

The Clarets had six days between the Wigan victory and the 4-0 Sheffield Wednesday defeat, as opposed to the four they had following the game against Leicester City.

And Farrell believes the longer rest between games worked out in his side’s favour, as they were able to dig deep late on in the game.

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He finished by saying: “I think the rest has probably helped them, collectively, one or two were still a little weary so again, second half it was just about trying to organise that press and make sure we got it right.

“I think in general; we forced them to play wide, take an extra touch and go back at times, which was exactly what we were looking to do really.

“Possibly, at times, we were a bit fresher in the legs, and later in the game Wigan might have won the game if we hadn’t had been.”