Morecambe manager Derek Adams remains optimistic despite his side’s tough start to the League Two season, with the team yet to register a point or score a league goal.
The Shrimps have endured a difficult run of form, losing all four of their league matches 1-0, placing them at the bottom of the Football League. However, a 2-1 victory over League One side Wigan in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday has provided a much-needed morale boost ahead of their next match against Crewe Alexandra.
Adams, now in his third spell in charge at Morecambe, told BBC Radio Lancashire that while results haven’t gone their way, he remains pleased with the team’s overall development. “We haven’t had the points we probably deserved – all in all I am delighted with the progress,” the Scot said, remaining upbeat about the potential within his squad.
One area of concern for the manager has been in goal, where Stuart Moore’s errors contributed to costly defeats against Doncaster and Newport. As a result, Moore has undergone specialist training this week to focus on his fundamentals, with Harry Burgoyne taking his place in the midweek cup victory. “Those two have been fighting since the start and will continue to do that,” Adams said of his goalkeepers.
Adams was clear that Moore’s mistakes needed addressing, explaining, “Stuart’s working on his feet—getting back to basics and improving. He needs to learn. It doesn’t just happen, it happens because you have not done well enough. You can make excuses, and that’s a problem in life. We all make excuses about something—we have to cut that out and become better.”
Despite their difficult run, Morecambe’s losses have come against strong opposition, with four of their defeats coming against teams currently sitting in the top five of the League Two table. Adams remains confident that his players are on the right track. “The players are positive. We have competed exceptionally well against them,” he said.
Reflecting on the narrow defeats, Adams pointed to individual mistakes and missed opportunities as the primary reasons for their struggles. “The reason we have been defeated is we have made an error and not taken our chances. It’s small margins,” he added. Despite these setbacks, Adams is still content with how his team is progressing and believes results will come with time.
Looking ahead to the weekend clash with Crewe, Adams remains hopeful that the winless streak can be broken. “We will go to Crewe and try and win the game and move ourselves into a better position. As long as we perform as we have done, the other side of the game will come along nicely,” he stated, maintaining belief in his squad’s ability to turn their form around.
Our View
Derek Adams’ confidence in his team’s development is a refreshing sign, despite the challenging start to the season. It’s easy to focus on results, but Adams clearly sees the bigger picture and recognises the importance of patience, particularly with a side that has faced strong opposition early on. His faith in the squad, especially in the goalkeeping department, shows that he’s not afraid to give players the time and support they need to improve.
Morecambe’s win against Wigan in the EFL Trophy might just be the spark they need. While they haven’t registered a league win, the belief is there, and Adams seems to be keeping the squad motivated and positive. If they can cut out the individual errors and start converting chances, that elusive first league win could be right around the corner.
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