Nathaniel Mendez-Laing: Derby County wideman ready to 'burn out' in 'graveyard shift'
- Published
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has featured in all but two of Derby County's league games this season, contributing seven goals and seven assists
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing says Derby County's players have 'no excuses' as he fills boss Paul Warne's 'graveyard shift' in their promotion push.
Winger Mendez-Laing has been used in a right wing-back role by Warne, whose side are outside the League One play-off places on goal difference.
The Rams have failed to win seven of their past eight matches following their 1-1 draw with MK Dons on Monday.
"A draw feels like a loss," Mendez-Laing, 30, told BBC Radio Derby.
Mendez-Laing added: "Those are the standards we've set. It's unfortunate that's how it is, but it's such a big club. Against MK Dons, we should have won four or 5-0.
"It happens sometimes - we just need to keep playing how we are and put away our chances. It's a long season.
"I've seen Sheffield Wednesday have the same little dip, Barnsley had a dip. You just need to press a little reset button and go again."
Derby were closer to the two automatic promotion places than falling out of the top six after their 5-0 thrashing of Morecambe in February, but a patchy run since then has left their top-six hopes reliant on teams above them dropping points with five games of their regular season remaining.
Mendez-Laing says Derby's players are "not physically" tired and does not feel he has been unduly affected by missing out on a full pre-season for the past three campaigns.
"We've got a fit squad, we train hard and there are no excuses to be made," he said, discussing his adaptation to his new position. "We need to go out there and do the business.
"I've only played wing-back briefly in my career but the gaffer always says 'if you burn out, you burn out'. It's a graveyard shift, he calls it.
"Surprisingly, I'm enjoying it - more than I thought I would. I'm getting more of the ball. It's a shift out there but that's what we play football for. It's hard work and it's not going to be easy."