An awful lot to pick to bits so probably best to start from back to front.
Back four looked solid earlier this season because, in my opinion, it was settled. Davis' injury and then with Ohman having time out it's become disrupted. Waterfall is a good addition but I think we've got 4 centre backs all relatively similar, all big commanding types without any who are really the type to bring it out from the back. Of the four, Davis and Pollock are the better with the ball at their feet. I think in terms of balance it's a strong argument that it has to be one of Ohman/Waterfall and then one of Davis/Pollock. I dare say Davis and Pollock are the quicker of the four two and as both are quite commanding anyway, you could pair them together. But Ohman and Waterfall is far too rigid and don't have the ability to bring it out from the back, resulting in every ball being long and relatively aimless/hopeful. In all honesty I would go with Davis and Pollock as the pairing.
At full-back, Hendrie is bang out of form. It's that simple. I think he's a fine player but if he's out of form he needs dropping and resting. I don't think Jolley has helped him with switching him all over the place. Hewitt is on current form a far better right-back plus offers his delivery from wide which we've stopped utilising. Gibson on the left is absolutely fine and should be first choice on merit.
Midfield - Problem we've had for the last 20 years. We've a fair few decent midfielders, none of whom appear comfortable playing in a 2. Hessenthaler is quality if he's got that quarter back style role where he shields the defence and breaks everything up in front of him. Put him into a two and he's lost. Clifton and Whitehouse are both very busy, industrious and eager players. Neither has real quality or the ability to dominate games from a 2 man midfield. Craig Clay, a man we all deemed probably not good enough to step up into League Two, bossed us from start to finish. In hindsight we probably discarded Clay a bit too eagerly but he's not a world beater. In my opinion the limitations of our midfielders to play in a 2-man midfield means we have to play a 3. It's a bit limiting but when yo factor in our lack of width, 4-4-2 isn't a real option anyway.
Early season we got away with packing the midfield with energy. Hessenthaler is one of the first names on the sheet and I'm still comfortable with that, he's one of (if not the) best players and one of the very few who can dictate our tempo. Ahead of him going with Whitehouse and Clifton isn't enough I'm afraid. We lack creativity anyway so our attack-minded midfielders need more than just the ability to run and get stuck in. One but not both for most games, of course there will be occasions where you want both in there - I'm thinking something like the Scunny games where you anticipate it will be blood and thunder. That leaves the other slot for either Robson or Cook to fill in. I like Cook and I think if you play him off a striker he can be effective, Robson on the other hand bring natural balance with his left foot and passing range but your energy levels drop with him in the side. It's a fine balance needed.
Attack - Hanson is fine as the centre forward, as long as the service is good and varied. Long punts up are pointless. Teams have soon realised that everything is aerial and through him, one defender in front and one behind and we're screwed. For most of Saturday he was chasing balls down into the corners, he'll do it as he's a professional but it's a waste of time. We might as well put Rose as the centre forward to chase loose balls down as at least he's got the pace. Play Hanson, but play him effectively. We can of course go long when we need to, but not every time!
Partnering him is a different issue. We've a lack of width (none in the absence of Max Wright) so it becomes naturally very narrow. Saturday was a classic example with Rose and Vernam (then Ogbu/Green) out wide. All four did their best to stay out wide but they're not wingers so look lost. Rose has the physical attributes but not the footballing savvy at this stage, Vernam is in danger of falling off the radar whereas Green is a player who I'm struggling to see what he offers. Ogbu is an enigma and unless he's deployed as a centre forward doesn't really know where to play/stand. When Wright is fit he has to be one of the players to go up top with Hanson, the other berth is up for grabs. I want it to be Vernam because he's probably the only player in our squad with genuine technical ability better than this league. He needs to deliver though and his bits of games here and there isn't giving him the time to deliver either.
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