Mansfield Town midfielder George Maris believes the Stags are currently playing the best football since he arrived at the club over three years ago.
The 27-year-old has been a part of the squad which is enjoying an unbeaten start to the season in all competitions – the only side to do so in the EFL.
And speaking at a news conference today at RH Academy, the ex-Cambridge United man says the Stags are playing with style.
“For me it’s the best we’ve played since I’ve been here,” said Maris.
“I know we’ve showed snippets in previous years that we can play like this but this year it all seems to have clicked together. The confidence in the squad is the best I’ve seen it.
“You see it on the training pitch. Everyone is playing their hearts out in training to get a shirt and it can only stand the team in good stead.
“To have no defeats at this point is good. We’re the only club in the EFL to do that so we have to take it as a big compliment and we could have possibly won more of those games.
“We have a good squad. We’ve had a lot of injuries but the squad’s good enough. It shows with the results we’ve had.
“We’ve played very well. If you look at the stats we’re always up there in terms of goalscoring chances and chances against us, we’re not conceding too many.”
Maris was impressed with Stags’ latest victory, a 3-0 win at Accrington as Mansfield earned a first away win of the season.
“It was very professional. I don’t think we started the best but once we settled into the game and Davo [Davis Keillor-Dunn] scored his overhead kick, it was only going to be us who won the game. Azza’s [Aaron Lewis] brilliance sealed it off really. It was one of the best goals I’ve seen live in my career.”
The Sheffield-born midfielder has scored three goals this season in eight appearances, an early feat which he believes has been helped by him playing in a slightly more advanced role.
“I’m playing further forward this year,” he said. “[In the] First three years at Mansfield I was playing in a deeper role.
“Since Reedy has come in it’s allowed me to go further forward and I’m enjoying it. I feel like every time I’m on the pitch I can get some sort of chance or shot away.
“Throughout my career I’ve always been an attacking player. In the last four or five seasons I’ve played a bit deeper and not got those chances that I have this season.
“If I’m required to play further forward this season that’s what I want to do, provide the team with goals and assists.”
