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“There is no point in just looking at the last one because they got beaten” – Forest Green Rovers boss Steve Cotterill ahead of Southend United trip
Forest Green Rovers boss Steve Cotterill believes that there is a benefit in looking at more than one previous game from an opponent as there might not be a clear picture ahead of a trip to Southend United this weekend.
This weekend’s hosts have lost their last two games, with Rovers unbeaten in their last seven in the league, but there are evident threats that the Shrimpers could cause.
“They are a big club for this division,” Cotterill said on the prospect of facing Southend. “It is going to be similar to the Oldham game where there was another big crowd there.
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"We are fully respective of whoever we play and it doesn’t matter about what happened last week with anyone’s results. We never take any notice of that, we won’t just look at last week’s game, we will look at two or three other games as well.
“There is no point in just looking at the last one because they got beaten in their last game (2-0 loss to Altrincham), but there might be other games that we have looked at where they have won. You have to deduce what you can from their victories and their defeats, we do that every week and that won’t change.”
Cotterill will be back on the touchline after serving his two-game ban. On his return to the dugout, he said: “Their dugout is set back a little bit if they are in the same position, it has been a long time since I have been there.
"It won’t make any difference, I will be on the touchline wherever you can and sometimes I will be sat back down in the dugout, but I won’t be up in the stand, that is for sure.”
Ryan Inniss is back available this weekend following his three-game suspension following the game away at Woking. On his return to being back in contention, Cotterill said: “I still now say that ‘he shouldn’t have been suspended and shouldn’t have been sent off’, I disagree with that in the cold light of day.
“At the time, I would nearly always defend my players, predominantly then in the following week I would come out and say, ‘maybe I got that one wrong and he deserved it’, but Ryan still got the ball first in that challenge and I stand by that no matter how many times I look at it.
"Going back to him being available again that is a bonus because we have been a little bit light over probably the last month or so, so that does give us another body to add into the mix.”
Emmanuel Osadebe has much more of a chance of potentially being involved this weekend, with Liam Sercombe unlikely to feature.
“Manny Osadebe will be another one that will be a lot closer this week,” Cotterill said on the chance of the versatile midfielder returning. “As I said with Sercs the other week, there has been a bit more of a setback, so that has slowed his rehab down a little bit. Other than that, everybody is fine and everybody has trained and we have had a decent week.”
Fortunately for Rovers, despite injuries that have happened this season. Players have stepped up and been able to play in multiple positions when called upon. On the need for versatility, Cotterill said: “That is why they were signed in the first place for that bit of versatility. I don’t think you need to have such a big squad where you can’t keep them all happy.
“I think that versatility is really important and we have done that with a few of the players that we have brought in, they can play in different positions which has been helpful. Also, some of the existing boys, I didn’t really get an opportunity to look at Teddy Jenks last year because he was out on loan (at Ross County), the versatility of Teddy helps us, he can play in numerous positions.”
Forest Green returned to the top of the National League after last weekend’s game against York City. On what it could do for the belief of the players, Cotterill said: “It is not just about last week’s game, a lot gets made of it.
"We didn’t get any more points last week for that game than we would get for any of the other games that we have won. I understand all of the furore before and after the game because you are playing the team that is next to you, but the same would have happened if we had been in the bottom three.”
Rovers have played at Roots Hall before, but without fans present due to Covid. The last time the two sides met at Southend’s home ground was in 2020, Forest Green ran out as winners thanks to a second-half goal from Jake Young.
Harry Cardwell will also be making the return to face his former club, having signed for Rovers from Southend in August.
