Statistics

Quoted from diehardmariner

Yet we were almost swashbuckling at times earlier in the season.

No doubt, Hurst's preferred approach is one of caution.  I think he admitted as much during his first spell with a comment along the lines of 'I always preferred those 1-0's when you're defending for your life for 89 minutes than thumping someone 6-0'.   But I think it's unfair to say he can't install attacking flair, nor bring in players who are capable of doing it.  His first spell proved with countless signings that he could bring in genuinely exciting players.  Hearn, Neilson, Arnold, Bogle, Nolan....all players who looked to do something.  Even Conor Townsend is someone who I would count as a player who always looked to go forward.  McAtee and Sousa are both attack minded players who have the first thought of attacking the defence rather than playing safe.  

What I think is evident is that Hurst, his teams too, get more defensive when they don't get the rub of the green.  It becomes a vicious cycle, you've not scored for a few games so you defend deeper...before you know it you've got 10 men parked in front of your own goalkeeper.

The only stat that matters is the points column.   At this minute in time we're struggling on that front.  We need to arrest that decline, get back on track regardless of how we get there.  With the defence still fairly solid, I think there needs to be a bit of unshackling.  However I'm not convinced that we've enough quality to consistently hurt teams.  Sadly, I think a few posters have already summed it up in that we've been sussed out already.  Taylor has been nullified as the focal point, similarly to how Hanson was 2 years ago.  Without him bringing others into play we're down to Sousa and McAtee.  Sousa is erratic and lacks end product, whereas McAtee has barely played for two months. There's not really much creativity in the rest of the team to look at.  A lot of endeavor but few who will change a game.  Huge couple of weeks ahead in terms of recruitment.

Quoted from diehardmariner

What I think is evident is that Hurst, his teams too, get more defensive when they don't get the rub of the green.  It becomes a vicious cycle, you've not scored for a few games so you defend deeper...before you know it you've got 10 men parked in front of your own goalkeeper.

Quoted from Maringer

Biggest issue is a lack of pace for me. Admittedly, this has long been my complaint about GTFC teams, probably ever since the Slade Mk. I era!

Right now, we've got no real pace amongst the defenders - Efete probably the quickest we've got, but he's a strong runner as opposed to a quick one. Clifton and Fox not slow, but not exactly fast and the same went for Hunt while he was still here. Coke definitely looking a bit slow these days. Sousa is quick, Wright is quick but rarely fit, Bapaga was quickish. JML doesn't appear to have any real pace. Does Scannell have any pace these days? Who knows? McAtee and Taylor are fast enough but not quick, LJL looking slow compared to his previous spell with us.

There's no doubt that an addition of pace makes a huge difference at any level and the options off the bench for Taylor/LJL/McAtee have been very limited indeed. Bell looked distinctly nippy but never really had the chance of a run in a settled team.

On the assumption that we're going to sign a few more players this month, I'd hope that one or two of them can pep things up by adding that extra yard of pace in the important areas of the field as that could make a real difference.

Quoted from Mrbump53

It was interesting to listen to PH post match when I got back last night from the game. He raised an issue about choices that being made in some situations which is not what these players are making in training. In some instances last night we broke quickly to expose their defense but then stopped to get a "safer" pass option. This allowed their players to get back in numbers and stifle the attack on the training ground they probably would have taken a risk to get players in. This what people may call "flair" in taking a riskier approach but if the confidence is not there then players may looking for safer options. This looked to be the case in some instances last night when a shooting opportunity arose but the player chose to pass it and the space was closed off.

Quoted from ginnywings

I've not seen a side that are demonstrably better than us yet this season.

Quoted from davmariner

These stats lack context and are an unhelpful and mischievous comparison.

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

It wouldn’t surprise me if the champions fail to break the 90 point barrier this season (or even 86 with two fewer matches than usual).