With two home games coming up against Chesterfield and Cambridge United, David Artell wants his team to get back to playing the ‘Crewe way’. The Alex boss was extremely frustrated with the performance and result at Grimsby on Saturday and says that he wants us to rediscover the courage to play our football through the lines.

Artell was angered by the number of times we whacked the ball forward in the direction of Chris Porter and says that ‘not many came out with any credit’.

Artell told the club’s official web-site: “I don’t think playing at home or away at our level makes much of a difference but if someone asked me for a preference I would like to play at home. I’m sure the players feel the same way.

“We know the fans will be on our side and the pitch will be in good nick. We have two home games in a short space of time. One at a time and the opportunity is there for us to get some more points.

“We didn’t turn up at Grimsby and I was disappointed with the way we played, never mind the result. They were not much better but managed to nick a goal and that was the difference on the day.  

“It was frustrating because we played nowhere near the standard we set. We whacked it too often and I told the players that. We don’t do that here. When you have six, seven, eight players not up to the standard then we are going to struggle to win football matches. Not many of them came out with much credit.

“We have to get back to playing the Crewe way. I want us to pass the ball and have the courage to get on the ball. We were bang average at Grimsby and we have to do a lot better.”