Monk Anticipates ‘Huge’ Response in Shrewsbury Match Following Reading Defeat

Garry Monk, who previously managed Swansea, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Birmingham, and Sheffield Wednesday, assumed his role at Cambridge in March 2024. Cambridge United manager Garry Monk, currently facing pressure, has described Saturday’s League One match against Shrewsbury Town, also contending with difficulties, as “huge.” He expressed confidence that his team would respond favorably following their loss to Reading. The U’s suffered a 3-0 defeat on Tuesday, which concluded their recent three-match unbeaten streak. Monk characterized the outcome as “hugely disappointing,” noting that the in-form Royals allowed three goals within an 11-minute span immediately after half-time. “We didn’t put our body in the line, especially for the first goal. It’s naive defending for the second and then you’re two-nil down,” he stated to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. “The first two were so avoidable. You didn’t see that coming after the first half when I felt we in the game and doing well.” “It cost us dearly. No excuses, we have to do better.” Victories achieved by Leyton Orient and Crawley Town on Tuesday expanded Cambridge’s deficit to safety to five points. Following a difficult beginning to the season, marked by eight losses in their initial nine matches, the U’s appeared to have improved, securing three consecutive league wins as part of a five-game winning streak across all competitions. Notwithstanding a 6-1 defeat in the derby match against Peterborough, Monk’s team subsequently achieved three draws. The manager of the U’s recognizes the necessity for a comparable display of resilience after their recent setback, particularly as they prepare to face a Shrewsbury team that could overtake them in the standings should they defeat Blackpool on Wednesday. “As disappointed as we are, I know there’s more than enough in that changing room in terms of attitude and I’m sure we’ll dust ourselves down and make sure there’s a huge response on Saturday,” Monk stated. “We know every game is huge but Saturday’s even bigger now – we need to put a response in.” “The feeling we have now, we have to harness that. There’s enough character there. There will be a response. We’ll make sure everything is geared up towards that.”