Cambridge United boss Mark Bonner calls on team to create more chances for forwards

Cambridge United head coach Mark Bonner has indicated that he is not looking to add to his attacking options during this month’s transfer window.

The U’s kick-started their business for the month yesterday with the addition of defenders Ryan Bennett and Steve Seddon, with more new faces expected to arrive over the coming weeks.

However, Bonner has suggested that he is not in the market for forwards, believing that his side instead needs to improve the number of chances that are being created for the current options up front.

“I think if we made our attackers available (for transfer) everyone would take them,” he said after today’s 2-1 home defeat to Bristol Rovers. “We’ve got to be a more secure and solid team.

“Some of the top (teams) will sign strikers this month and pay them £10,000 a week and pay a million pounds for them, but that’s not the world we live in.

“We’ve got some excellent strikers, some excellent attacking players and we need to make sure we keep those and get better at providing them opportunities – that’s the key for us.

“Can we get more of an attacking threat in full-back areas? Can we get more of an attacking threat from midfield to make sure we’re creating more opportunities for them? That’s really important.

“Sam (Smith) scores a brilliant goal today and Knibbsy (Harvey Knibbs) was excellent. If Shilow (Tracey) and them boys can get themselves flying, that’s where we need to be.

“The reality of signing a striker in January, every single manager says they want a goalscorer. That’s pretty obvious, everyone wants one of those, but we’ve just got to get better at providing chances for them because we’ve got goalscorers here and we’ve got to be a tougher team to make sure we’re on top for longer.”

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