David Artell / David Artell / 01 November 2007 / 2 Comments " class="free-bet-btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">Free Bet

Morecambe's "prolific" goalscoring defender David Artell tells us about goalscoring targets, pre-match preparations and Championship Manager on the team bus

It was mixed fortunes for me last Saturday as I scored my second goal of the season but then lost my man at a set play and he scored. Although its always great to score a goal, it's a bonus, whereas losing your man at a set piece is criminal and bitterly disappointing as that is one of the main responsibilities of a defender. There's no worse feeling than coming in after a game knowing you've been at fault for a goal. Although I didn't need telling, the gaffer let me know about it after the game and told us we will be working on defending set pieces this week as we have conceded far too many as a team.

It was my fifteenth league goal in just over 200 league appearances so I want to have my best goal-scoring season to get the ratio nearer 1 in 10. I'm confident of having my best scoring season, as my previous best is a paltry four (at Rotherham) so I'm half way there already! I believe that if the delivery from a set piece gives you enough time to attack a ball then you will score goals. It's up to the players attacking the ball to lose their man and be aggressive when attacking the ball. Sounds simple really, I just wish it was. We've scored six goals from set pieces this season and I'm sure there'll be plenty more to come.

We are away at Chesterfield on Saturday and that will mean an early start so we can have a pre-match meal at a hotel and get our minds on the game. At our last away game (at Rotherham, which is a similar distance away from Morecambe) we were given the option of having a pre-match meal or not. The majority of lads didn't want one but after the game the gaffer questioned whether we had prepared correctly as a team and told us from then on we would be having a pre-match meal on away journeys of similar distance. Personally I would rather have a meal at a hotel as I don't have to prepare it myself and food always tastes better when someone else has prepared it. I also think it helps team spirit as you're all in a room having the same food and there can then be no excuses from anyone later on in the day.

If you would like to know how anything specific about how I prepare for a game then fill in a comment in the space below and I'll include my answer in next week's column.

Home games are slightly different as you have your meal at home, although the basics remain the same, what we eat, at what time and what we do to relax. Some lads play on their computers with the two favourites being poker or Championship Manager. There are always a few laughs when a new Championship Manager comes out and the values of players or their 'ability' score is mentioned. Although it's a great game it can't recreate the pressure that managers are under. This week saw more managerial changes, the most high profile being Martin Jol at Spurs. He was on borrowed time ever since it was known that the Tottenham board had sounded out Juande Ramos about being their manager.

Joey Barton may well make his only his third appearance of the season on Saturday against Portsmouth after his metatarsal injury. Once he reaches his peak fitness levels he will score plenty of goals and add some steel to the Magpie's midfield. I would certainly rather have him in my team than playing against me. The only downside seems to be his off-field antics but now that he has moved on to a new club, he might stay out of trouble. Newcastle are going well at the moment, especially at home where they haven't lost, without setting the house on fire and with a great manager in Big Sam at the helm I can see them having a good season in which they will qualify for Europe. Saturday's game against Portsmouth should produce another home win and at 2.18 they must be backed.

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Tags: David Artell, Morecambe FC, Newcastle United, Premiership betting