Skinner: We want to keep building connections

The Reds ran out emphatic 5-0 winners against the Scottish Women’s Premier League side on Thursday evening, in what was our third of four scheduled friendlies this summer. 

Those games are of course building up towards our campaign opener in the Women's Super League when Reading are the visitors to Leigh Sports Village on 3 September.

And ahead of the first competitive match of 2021/22, Skinner was impressed with how his United side continued preparations during the win at the Rangers Training Centre on Thursday evening.

“A lot of things pleased me,” he told MUTV's Steve Bennett post-match.

“With the ball, I thought we were more ruthless, but I think it was more away from the ball, the hunger, the togetherness, the commitment. All the things we’ve been asking. 

“That gives us the energy to go and do the things we want to with the ball. You can build confidence in the game by doing the good things away from the ball and I think we have to prioritise both of those. 

“With the ball, we can be brilliant, but without the ball we must be exceptional, and I was really pleased with that today.”

The five goals will no doubt be the main story, but Skinner also praised the defensive solidity his side showed to register a second successive clean sheet in pre-season. 

The 38-year-old underlined the importance of shut-outs at the back for the Reds in enabling us to do what we want at the other end of the pitch.

“We’ve tried to make this [style] as attacking as possible to suit this wonderful club and that’s what we’re trying to put on to the pitch.

“But I absolutely celebrate that [the clean sheet] as much as any goal we make. What it shows is that the concentration is there and to build an attack, you have to build from the back, that gives us that foundation to go and thrive in the final third.”

Next up for the head coach and co is Brighton & Hove Albion in our final friendly of the summer on 28 August.

With opportunities aplenty to put more work in on the training pitch ahead of that one in just over a week’s time, Skinner is hoping the team can continue to build on the values they have already began to develop, prior to the new campaign. 

“I couldn’t be happier with their application and attitude to what we’re trying to do. What I must reinforce now is that we must grow every single day and we must put everything into place in order to build this over a legacy. 

“We want to continue to build that connection and that togetherness that can make us the best team because once we have the best team, our individuals can shine and that’s what we’re going to build here.”

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