FOOTBALL TOPIC !!! Form of some players.....

[SourceOfTheTrent]

If you read what I put I'm referring to his last three games in particular. I've recognised his ability and I certainly don't dislike him, it's his desire, motivation and workrate I'd question. On his day he's arguably the best striker in this division but he won't live up to that strolling through games at 75-80% capacity.

[cheshirevaliant]

If you read what I put I'm referring to his last three games in particular. I've recognised his ability and I certainly don't dislike him, it's his desire, motivation and workrate I'd question. On his day he's arguably the best striker in this division but he won't live up to that strolling through games at 75-80% capacity.

 

SOTT, I understand and agree with you. I'm just saying that 3 poor games, particularly when they were so close together can be explained away by mitigating factors, injury or illness being the 2 obvious ones. The top and bottom of it is though, if this season is not to go completely bust, we need everybody to get behind Richards above everyone else IMO, as he is the only one who is capable of scoring the goals to get us back into the top 7. All this talk of Rigg, JR, Pope, Dodds etc... is a case of rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic in my view

[TheSage]

It is indeed a welcome change to talk about football matters!

 

I tend to agree with most of the above.

 

I think confidence is the big thing. Swapping managers three times in one season and changing tactics and formations cannot help one bit - and I feel a bit sorry for the players in some respects.

 

That said, apart from McCombe and Owen I don't think the rest of the defence has been anything special since the New Year. Tommo and Yates have done ok generally but Collins seems to have one good game followed by a lethargic one, and K Taylor really cannot defend at this level, sadly, unless playing in a 3.5.2 team. Left backs are defenders first and foremost and he can't do this well enough.

 

In midfield we have a lot of mediocre players who are much of a muchness.

Roberts has been poor since November. Griffith offers nothing but tenacity and tackling ability which is fine at times but no good if we are trying to get forward and score goals. It's a pity because they have potential but R Taylor has underperformed and Haldane (let's be fair) missed all pre-season and has been pretty lousy. Dodds is in and out as usual and Rigg I think offers us something but Gannon ended his season. Loft for me is our best, most consistent midfielder but does not score enough goals.

 

Up front, as everyone has said, we need a quick nippy striker to play off a big man (Richards or Pope) but that leaves JR in the cold in spite of his valiant efforts all year.

 

Where does that leave us? In mid table probably.

 

Next season we need a better left back, a fast direct and consistent wide player, a goalscoring midfielder who is better than Dodds and a nippy striker.

We lack both pace and movement.

 

The basics are here to form a decent team but the players we lack are the ones that are hard to find and costly. But as we all know, add say Whitaker and Davies to our side and we'd go up, so there isn't much between success and failure at this level.

 

Above all, of course, we need a proven manager who can get the best out of the players. Taking over 1500 to Chesterfield illustrates the potential of the Club and it remains a plum job at this level for the right person with the right backing.

[davayul]

its insane not to

 

Thank you

[davayul]

I told Mickey Adams about leaving a fast player on the half way line because they will keep two back as cover. It makes sense, what use is a 5' 7'' in our penalty are anyway??

 

and thank you too, was begininning to think it was just me

[WV]

I do wish we would work on our free kicks. I can't remember us scoring off a corner either. What's all this messing about with short corners all about, get it in the box! Short free kicks the same, it'll be a short pass then back to the taker by which time they are closed down and we end up going backwards when it could have gone straight in the box.

 

Yates for me has been poor the last few games, looks shakey and certainly nowhere near the player he was before Christmas.

 

 

I really hope the lads all put in 110% for the remaining games and get us promoted. For us and for the players. Some of them lOok happy to be playing in league 2 sometimes. Do they want to challenge themselves on a higher stage and ultimately become better players?

[1]

Bit early for these decisions, but whilst I agree some wing quality is needed, and a pacy forward wouldnt go amiss, no way should Griff be dumped. The big question will be whether Roberts starts next season with us and how his form plays out.

 

I just mean axe Griff from the starting line up really. Sacrificing stability for goal threat and creative flair. We need more options and having half a dozen wingers is eating into our minuscule wage budget. I think we have lots of players who are no better than one another battling for the same positions - which essentially means changes in personnel doesn't lead to changes in shape or tempo when we need another gear.

[davayul]

much as I love Griff, but for me we need to 'Go For It' in these last few games, so has to be Loft & Roberts central, and Dodds/Rigg/Taylor wide with two up front so we can carry some sort of goal threat

[The_godfather]

Collins probably suffers from being too flexible. He's the best left back in the squad, but also the best cover at centre half, so is constantly switched between the two (how many games has Owen missed through injury/suspension?) A decent run in one position should lead to some consistency.

[Guest Sandyfordvalefan]

Without doubt i think Griff and Roberst in the middle gives us out strongest midfiled, i also like to see loft too as he gets about. Only prob we have is none of them contribute the goals we need from those positions.

 

We need an ian taylor type of player, when i watch the football league show loads of team in our league have players scoring from midfeild, we don't.