Head Coach Gabriele Cioffi hopes a good week on the training pitch will have a positive effect when Reds return to Sky Bet League 2 action at home to Colchester United on Saturday.
“We have had a tough schedule – Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday – for most of the season so two weeks with no midweek match is going to be good for us,” he said.
“We have been able to work with the players, coach them and hopefully improve on what we are doing. This is difficult to do when you are playing and recovering – so I hope we see the benefits on Saturday.”
It’s the first of two games this month against the U’s but Gaby says the last thing on anyone’s mind is the Carabao Cup clash on the 29th.
“We have not even considered this,” he said. “For us there are four games and 12 points to fight for before we prepare for the cup tie – and I am sure Colchester prepare exactly the same.”
The U’s have steadily climbed the table and lie eighth ahead of the fixture while two points from 12 have dropped Reds down to 13th.
But a win tomorrow would lift us back onto the fringes of the play-offs, although the manager is aware it will require a good performance.
“Colchester have many qualities and a very experienced manager,” he said.
“So another tough game but at home we don’t worry too much about anything except our own performance and making sure we play with the correct intensity and win our individual challenges all over the pitch.
"When we do that we are a team that will give anyone a tough game, as we have shown already.”
