After yesterday's dismal display and being one game away from the midpoint of the season the phrase 'must do better' is the most diplomatic one that springs to mind. So here goes with a few thoughts about individuals: Brown, Leutwiler, Halstead, Ogogo - merits for consistently good effort and have all had their moments - keep up the good work Gerrard, Whitbread, Black - seem to be settling in well after various problems at their previous institutions but now making positive contributions and their life experiences should have them well prepared for the struggles ahead. The former needs to keep away from the School tuck shop Kaikai, Cole and Smith - shown some early promise but need to listen to advice from tutors and mature to create a more consistent impression Vernon, Lawrence, Collins and Grandison - have ability but all need to work faster in class Barnett - would do much better if he cut out the daydreaming Macalinden, Whalley, Akpa- Akpro - investigate for truancy as not seen very often but not really noticeable when they are there Tootle and Sadler - are their names still on the register? Mellon - passed his GCSEs with flying colours but failed to do any serious preparation in the summer holidays and is currently struggling to come to grips with the depth of tactical knowledge required for A Levels - lets hope he does not drop out of the course Governor Roland - needs to spread the responsibilities more and to release funds for better recruitment if the academy is not to be put into special measures. Overall a difficult first period with several features less than satisfactory and needing urgent attention.
A tougher than expected start to the season. Some disappointments including Sadler, and maybe not as much Tootle. Weso has been a huge blow with his injury. The question of why Whalley, and Patterson have not really featured will never get an answer, yet they seem to do well in reserve games. Brown supposedly has huge amounts of pace yet he is played at left back. We have a missing link between defense and the strikers. Swindon readily shot at our goal from central midfield outside of our penalty area. No one seems willing to do that for us, we instead insist on crossing into the box where no one or very few players seem capable of being ready for that cross.
I agree with pretty well everything you say Matster. A fascinating thread on B and A compares the present team to the one we had in League 1 a couple of seasons ago and the current team does look stronger man for man. Perhaps the overall standard has improved but that seems unlikely given how well the other promoted teams have done this year. MM does have experience as assistant manager in this league so I am not sure the standard has come as a great shock to him and the coaching staff. What seems to me to be missing is a coherent strategy of how the team are going to play that gets the best out of the players we have available. Seven home defeats from eleven games is the highest total in League 1. You could say we have been unlucky in for example the Crewe game but we have also ridden our luck for example in the Bury game. The atmosphere inside the ground is absolutely dire because the team give us so little to cheer in terms of worthwhile efforts on goal. MM is still trading on goodwill from a very successful first season but I suspect that will not last much longer if the current malaise at home continues.
With Kaikai now recalled it makes things even more difficult - so much for Pardew waxing lyrical about him staying here all season - we really need a fringe player such as Whalley to get a run in the team and step up to the mark as the standard of our crossing (Brown excepted) is poor.
Apparently Dagnall has already turned us down twice in the past so I did not hold out much hope of him signing anyway. Perhaps MM can come up with a decent striker or wide man in January but it will probably have to be a loan.
