Just Back

Quoted from Bigdog

It's a good point to make. We've had a great set of results this month without playing well in a footballing sense. We've learnt how to stay in games and have found ways to score and both have to be taken as huge improvements from where we were. I get the impression that we are short in certain areas which means we do get pushed back too often. My opinion is that our squad is still a work in progress and as a whole is still unbalanced and hopefully this will be addressed in the transfer window. There is the added problem we've had with injuries to consider too. With what he has had at his disposal, I don't think MJ could have got much more out of the squad and the players themselves couldn't have pulled together a better points haul this month than they have. Is it sustainable how we're playing? I'd say no. What is sustainable is the work ethic and team spirit but to progress we will need to improve certain areas in the matchday eleven. Looking at the transfer window coming up, this is my assessment of the squad..

Sticking with MJ's favoured 4-5-1 / 4-3-3

GKs - we're ok here

Right Back - If Hendrie stays we're fine here
Left Back - If Fox goes, we'll need a replacement unless Famewo is available

Centre Backs - If we look forward two weeks after injuries and suspensions, we're fine here if everything is ok with Famewo

Central Midfield - If Embleton stays, with Hess, Rose, Clifton, Embleton, Welsh we're ok for numbers

Forwards - We've got Thomas, Cook, A Rose and Cardwell which as we play one up front is enough numbers wise but every club should be on the look out for a signing in this department that's going to result in extra goal threat.

Then we come to what I see is the problem area. We seem settled with a midfield three of Hess, Embleton and Clifton. These three are very effective in closing down space and with Clifton and Embleton bursting forward carry a considerable amount of attacking threat. Defensively at times I think they can be physically bullied and defensively I feel that they are left exposed by our wide men as much as our full backs are. There's no doubt that our wide men are putting the effort in, but have they got the attributes to make a cohesive unit?

Wide Areas - Pringle, Woolford, Cardwell, Vernam. Does this area look as strong as other positions? Out of the four, I only see Vernam as a long term prospect for a progressive team in this position once he fully learns aspects of defending.responsibilities. Once he's rounded his game he has the perfect attributes in driving us forward and will be a goal threat and dangerous on counter attacks. Cardwell is a hard working square peg in a round hole at the minute doing the best he can for the team. I see him more as a back up to Thomas in the holding the ball up one up front role. Then we come to left hand side. Both Pringle and Woolford are ball players with a lack of pace and this area I think we need a more dynamic player to help with the pace and physicality of our team unless we stiffen our midfield three up with a more physical player and play Embleton out wide, but then again, this would reduce Embleton's effectiveness. If Fox stays, could Ring do a job here?

So on balance, and hoping Embleton and Hendrie stay until the end of the season, the most important areas I feel we need to improve to impose greater authority and control in games is out wide in midfield. As a club we always need to be on the look out to improve in every position, but wide midfield is our weak link in my opinion and it impacts in every other area of our play..

Quoted from Paris Mariner

We have just brought in Ring who is a left back.

Quoted from Poojah

I think we need to be measured in this transfer window. It’s easier to disrupt what’s already working well in January than it is to improve the squad in my opinion. With what I imagine is a fairly tight budget, we need to spend wisely.

I think back to Bignot’s (only, thankfully!) transfer window two years ago when we signed no less than 8 players - Yussuf, Gunning, Asante, Osborne, Clements, Jones, Dyson and Maxwell. I’m not suggesting they were all bad players, but in totality that window ultimately took us backwards, not forwards.

Short-term injury problems and suspensions aside, I don’t think the squad actually NEEDS that much. For me, we should only be looking to sign players if the opportunity arises to bring in someone clearly and demonstrably better than what we’ve already got, or someone that gives us an option we’re currently missing (i.e a direct, pacy / tricky wide man).

Ring makes obvious sense if Fox is indeed about to leave, and a short-term loan deal for a centre back may also be prudent, but over and above that I’d be far happier with one or two really smart signings than several ok ones.

Anyway, I’m not too worried - if Bignot was as mad as a bag of chips Jolley is a sea of calmness and serenity by comparison. I’m confident we’ll get it right.

Quoted from Mrs Doyle

Yeah I prefer half full it always feels great when you battle and win against the odds.

Not getting carried away and we have ridden our luck on occasions but who could have foreseen this dramatic turn of form from a couple of months ago?

The most satisfying aspect is the hard work and determination put in by EVERY player and seeing the young players growing better and better.

Pollock took his chance really well and did himself the world of good with that display can be very proud of his first outing.

The balance of youth and experience looks right. Macca, Collins, Thomas, Vernam and Woolford all have bags of that and with the energy of younger players like Cardwell, Rose, Embelton and Clifton to keep up the tempo.

Just glad we have eased our way out of a tricky situation anything else will be a massive bonus.

M.J. and his coaching staff are doing an excellent job in moulding this squad into a fighting unit.

Quoted from Poojah

I think we need to be measured in this transfer window. It’s easier to disrupt what’s already working well in January than it is to improve the squad in my opinion. With what I imagine is a fairly tight budget, we need to spend wisely.

I think back to Bignot’s (only, thankfully!) transfer window two years ago when we signed no less than 8 players - Yussuf, Gunning, Asante, Osborne, Clements, Jones, Dyson and Maxwell. I’m not suggesting they were all bad players, but in totality that window ultimately took us backwards, not forwards.

Short-term injury problems and suspensions aside, I don’t think the squad actually NEEDS that much. For me, we should only be looking to sign players if the opportunity arises to bring in someone clearly and demonstrably better than what we’ve already got, or someone that gives us an option we’re currently missing (i.e a direct, pacy / tricky wide man).

Ring makes obvious sense if Fox is indeed about to leave, and a short-term loan deal for a centre back may also be prudent, but over and above that I’d be far happier with one or two really smart signings than several ok ones.

Anyway, I’m not too worried - if Bignot was as mad as a bag of chips Jolley is a sea of calmness and serenity by comparison. I’m confident we’ll get it right.