Criticisms and Worries

Criticisms:

- Thought Hatton was very poor today - and Wrexham realised he was the weak link in our squad and tried to take advantage. Noticed that Morrell had been keeping an eye on him and probably realised that he was shite defensively. It wouldn't surprise me if Morrell had decided that he'd made a mistake with the team selection up front and feigned injury so that Cieslewicz could come on and hurt Hatton with his pace. Hatton is positionally unaware and on several occasions left it up to Marshall or Disley to challenge the winger on his flank whilst he was nowhere to be seen. He can't tackle to save his life and isn't particularly great going forward. Bring back Bradley!

- Marshall is wayyyyyyyyyyy too predictable, can't say I've seen anything of him to make me want him to stay beyond his current loan. Yes he got a goal at Ebbsfleet but apart from that I think he's been off the pace, especially in the last two home games. He is reluctant to take his man on down the wing, and his crossing is hit and miss - not particularly fantastic. When he does run with the ball he tends to cut inside which usually leads to him being dispossessed. He also holds onto the ball too long, many people criticise Neilson for this but Marshall is just as guilty IMO which again usually leads to him losing the ball. Replace him, he's no better than Colbeck.

- Aswad: apart from the assist was poor, kept on losing the ball in their half which resulted in him falling to the ground, leading to a Wrexham counter. He really struggled to deal with the big man coming at him down the right (think his name was Wright). Might be a bit harsh but his body language appears half-arsed to me.


Worries:

I think the loan players were our best players tonight. I think we'll struggle to maintain our current forum if we don't manage to hold onto them; we don't look anywhere near as threatening without Hannah or Neilson. It is essential that we sign Hannah and find a player as effective as Neilson. He didn't have his best game today, but I still thought that he was our most lively/dangerous outlet.

Some very accurate statements in there IMO.

Yeah I agree with you regards Hatton and would have picked Wood myself.
But to be fair, I expected worse than what transpired and think he/we did enough to get away with those cracks.
He'll always be better going forward IMO.

Think you're right about Marshall at least for tonight .
But personally think he's shown enough ability and potential and if Neilsons gone (who I thought did excellent tonight and proved you right dav ! Can we reconsider ?...) then he's a must sign for me UNLESS we can get someone else of Neilson's quality (see below) like you say.  

Not Aswads best game for sure but for all that losing of the ball, I respect players who are willing to have a go to make something happen.
To his credit he kept going and helped get us the points with that brilliant first touch past the man and cross.
tbh I was more disappointed when he took a shot from a tight angle when men were in the box !

I share your "worries" but hopefully the opposition won't be as good as Wrexham and others can do a job. (least I hope so !)
But that said yeah, think we need to kick on and not go backwards in terms of quality. Otherwise why did we bother to start off with ?
I trust S&H know what they're doing but there's always risks that a merry go round of loan players (as opposed to permanents) might upset the balance.
Not every player who comes is guaranteed to be a success (e.g. team unity, bonding) no matter how good they are.

For me hatton is a far better player than wood and I'd pick him every time and reckon the managers are thinking this now . Is he that bad defensively ? Still don't see us letting many goals in and he gives way more quality going forward. Most right backs struggle against that's ceselwicz or whatever his name is and I didn't see him skinning hatton much last night . All he kept doing was cutting inside and having shite efforts from 25 yards .

Quoted from louth_in_the_south

For me hatton is a far better player than wood and I'd pick him every time and reckon the managers are thinking this now . Is he that bad defensively ? Still don't see us letting many goals in and he gives way more quality going forward. Most right backs struggle against that's ceselwicz or whatever his name is and I didn't see him skinning hatton much last night . All he kept doing was cutting inside and having shite efforts from 25 yards .

Yes totally agree, I actually saw Hatton make numerous good tackles and he is much better going forward and although we didn't see it with his poor free kick last night, he has a mean set piece. U think Wood is good and once again were lucky to have strength in depth, I'm just glad to see Hatton gas come in leaps and bounds and is clearly fitter than he was at start if the season, was it kiddy in fa cup? We're he was getting skinned left right and Chelsea due to being knackered after about 60 minutes. It is a tough one as wood against southport first game if season was amazing until one mistake and the games after that early on he was mom, so lets just be blessed we have 2 adequate decent players

Aswad is a vital part of a defence that has only conceded 16 goals in 24 games. Last night he basically won it for us with a great cross.  Cheer up, and remember what it was like when Tom Newey was left back.

Marshall is crap on the right wing, when Colbeck comes back and he goes left he should improve. Agree that without Neilson we are going to be half the attacking force we are. Indeed, I think unless a fantastic replacement comes along we will be in trouble.

Pond was MOM by a million miles last night and if we can't keep him I will be sad.

Sums up my feelings nicely too.

Thomas didnt have his best game but his quality and ability to cross an amazing ball came through when he set up the goal.

Hatton isn't the best but we have no issues defensively in my opinion, even if pond was to go. Yes, at times their number 7 had a clear run but I think that was more to do with marshalls defensive issues than hattons. If you look at the positive, he might have gotten past a few times but did he really hurt us?

Marshall might be predictable but so are some of the defenders in this league hence why he's done pretty good since he's been here. We were much the same as Wrexham. They saw our right hand side as a weak point and we saw theirs as one, normally neilson and Marshall swap over but last night they didn't, even when Southwell came on.

Yes there were some criticisms but once again, we looked hard to beat, tight at the back and every single player wants to win at this club and in recent times we haven't been able to say that.

Think you have to remember who we were playing. The best two teams in the league played each other last night and it wasn't going to be an easy game. They have won 6 on the spin and have not lost to a top 6 side, until now, so criticisms are unjust after that result i think. Top of the league and the best defensive record around has to mean something.

Have to admit that i am worried about losing the two best attacking threats we have at present but this is where the rest of the squad has to step up to the plate.

Hatton was superb last night IMO.

Hatton is doing fine. Just because he does not fly in with rash challenges does not mean he is not defending. He is very good at shepherding his winger away from our danger area and winning us a throw in or goal kick. He is also cleverer going forward. If we had a mixture of Hatton and Wood we would have a superb player.