Cambridge United boss Garry Monk was left exacerbated as his side slipped to yet another defeat, asking local media ‘what can I do’ in the wake of his side’s 2-1 loss against Wycombe Wanderers.
The defeat at Adams Park extended Cambridge’s winless run in all competitions to nine matches this season, six of which have been in the league. Despite a spirited performance, the U’s were undone by a late strike from Wycombe midfielder Cameron Humphreys, leaving Monk to once again face the media and reflect on his side’s shortcomings.
Cambridge fell behind early to Gareth McCleary’s eighth-minute opener, as the former Jamaican international capitalised on a long ball from Aaron Morley to break through the United defence and beat goalkeeper Vicente Reyes with a shot that clipped the post on its way in. But Monk’s men responded well and were back on level terms after 22 minutes when Dan Nlundulu scored his first league goal for the club, finishing smartly from close range.
The U’s worked hard to stay in the contest, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances in the second half as Wycombe dominated possession. The home side pressed for a winner, with Bez Lubala, Josh Scowen, Richard Kone, and Kieran Sadlier all coming close. The pressure finally told in the 85th minute when Ipswich Town loanee Humphreys fired home a low shot to secure the three points for Wycombe.
Reflecting on the match, Monk was visibly frustrated with his team’s inability to convert promising performances into results. “I feel like we’ve lost games, it’s not like we’ve been beaten if you can understand what I mean,” Monk said. “It’s not like teams are beating us off the pitch, and you can then stand there and say, ‘do you know what? They’re just a better team.’”
Despite being competitive in most of their matches, Cambridge have only managed to pick up one point from a possible 18, and Monk was clear that the situation needs to change quickly. “For all the games we’ve been in and amongst it, it’s the odd goal here and there that’s cost us from getting the result we need,” he added. “I’m not going to make any excuses. Yes, we’ve got players missing that will add quality to us, but that’s no excuse—we’ve got to get it right.”
Monk also emphasized the effort and commitment his players have shown, despite the difficult run of results. “I can control what I can control, the players can control what they can control – they turn up every day, work hard, their attitude is spot on, and they go out there and try to deliver a performance worthy of getting points,” he said. “It’s really difficult. The bottom line is we haven’t got enough points, we haven’t won enough games. That has to change, but we’re trying to control what we can control, which is our mindset and how we train.”
The loss to Wycombe means Cambridge remain bottom of the table, with just one point to their name. The U’s have struggled to find consistency this season, and with back-to-back home games against Lincoln City and Rotherham United on the horizon, Monk knows his side must start turning performances into victories if they are to climb out of the relegation zone.
“Everyone’s frustrated, and that’s understandable,” Monk admitted. “I felt for everyone today that we couldn’t see it out. But that’s not what people want to hear. What can I do? The players are working hard, and we’ve just got to keep going.”
Writer’s View
Garry Monk’s frustration is palpable, and rightly so. Cambridge have shown glimpses of competitiveness in their performances, but it’s those fine margins that are proving to be the difference between securing points and slipping to narrow defeats. Monk is doing the right thing by focusing on what can be controlled—attitude, effort, and preparation—but there’s no denying that results need to start soon if the team is to pull away from the foot of the table.
Cambridge’s defence has looked vulnerable at times, and while they’ve managed to stay in games, their inability to hold out or find a decisive second goal is a recurring problem. With key players returning from injury, there’s hope that the squad will be bolstered in the coming weeks, but Monk needs to find a way to unlock his team’s potential and turn their hard work into tangible results.
The upcoming fixtures at the Abbey Stadium could prove crucial in determining the direction of their season, but with Lincoln chasing a club-record 13th away game unbeaten and Rotherham desperate to climb towards the top six where they believe they belong, Monk’s side have their work cut out.
Founder of The Real EFL, Gary is a passionate Lincoln City fan with extensive content creation across the Championship and EFL. He also shares expert football betting tips.
Already looking forward to next season on League 2 !!