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This year we have a bigger budget better resources than ever and more been put into the science side of the game...

BUT we look a poorer team with an argument that we have a couple of stronger individuals. It's been a good few months for the team to show what they can do and honestly I'm not too impressed, we definitely don't looks as good as last year as a team on the pitch despite the playing budget being increased quite a bit.

Paul Hurst is a good manager and has been for us , I'd like to think every town fan respects him but we are definitely not showing too much on a match day. I'm not to the stage of Hurst going as he's earned the right at our club to be given time and respect for what he's done for us but things need to pick up imo.

Something is not quite right atm and whether it's the quality he's bought in isn't quite what he thought it was I'm not sure but he has some searching to do in the dressing room.

Quoted from jonnyboy82

This year we have a bigger budget better resources than ever and more been put into the science side of the game...

BUT we look a poorer team with an argument that we have a couple of stronger individuals. It's been a good few months for the team to show what they can do and honestly I'm not too impressed, we definitely don't looks as good as last year as a team on the pitch despite the playing budget being increased quite a bit.

Paul Hurst is a good manager and has been for us , I'd like to think every town fan respects him but we are definitely not showing too much on a match day. I'm not to the stage of Hurst going as he's earned the right at our club to be given time and respect for what he's done for us but things need to pick up imo.

Something is not quite right atm and whether it's the quality he's bought in isn't quite what he thought it was I'm not sure but he has some searching to do in the dressing room.

The manager seems to agree with you going by the post match interview. To be honest it has been obvious for several weeks but for their own reasons some on here wanted to shout down anybody saying what they could see with their own eyes.

At least now we can all agree something is not right, the players we signed are not performing so now the attention turns to what we are going to do about it.

It is Hurst and the coaching teams job to do something about it, and they have got two and a half months to work with these players till the next window to see if they can mould them into a cohesive and hopefully an attacking and entertaining unit.

We have a large squad but nobody who regularly scores. So if we don't have a rock solid defence it's pretty obvious we'll struggle to challenge.

Rose: 4 goals in 10 league appearances
Eisa: 5 goals in 11 league appearances

That's pretty regular.

Our three new strikers have all been hampered by injuries and we haven't been able to play them together. If we could keep them all fit and playing regularly then we might have the goal threat we've all been craving

Quoted from BraStrap

We have a large squad but nobody who regularly scores. So if we don't have a rock solid defence it's pretty obvious we'll struggle to challenge.

We don’t have a large squad. With no loans permitted outside the window, this is the main issue for me. We’ve suffered a combination of injuries, loss of form and older players perhaps not quite as good or able to last the pace. We don’t have the quality to bring and our younger prospects, Bramwell and Gardner, aren’t quite ready (otherwise presumably they would be picked for league games on the bench).

Wonder if anything’ll happen with the lad Murphy at Newcastle as rumoured in the summer? 4 games for their u21s this season, not been in the squad for their EFL Trophy games & nowhere near the first team squad from what I can see.

Quoted from Maringer

Rose: 4 goals in 10 league appearances
Eisa: 5 goals in 11 league appearances

That's pretty regular.

Regular but not impressive. We need somebody who is impressive. How many on here are impressed. I am depressed.

Quoted from mimma

Our three new strikers have all been hampered by injuries and we haven't been able to play them together. If we could keep them all fit and playing regularly then we might have the goal threat we've all been craving

How many times have we played 2 strikers together nevermind 3 ?

Quoted from golfer

How many times have we played 2 strikers together nevermind 3 ?

Almost as many times as we've had 3 fit strikers available. (Yes, I agree that only having 3 strikers on the books at the moment is a problem)

Quoted from golfer

Regular but not impressive. We need somebody who is impressive. How many on here are impressed. I am depressed.

Not depressed; disappointed or underwhelmed perhaps…maybe it’s like a young lady pulling a 6ft 8 second row rugby player with very big feet one night and finding things are not as proportionate as she had hoped…actually I think that’s more like how Bradford fans feel every season…

Quoted from golfer

Regular but not impressive. We need somebody who is impressive. How many on here are impressed. I am depressed.

Not impressive?  Over the course of a full season that would see Rose on 18 goals and Eisa on 20.

This comparison to the previous season is confusing me.  Have I slept for a whole year and imagined the amount of criticism that was thrown at the team, the style of play, the tactics, the lack of attacking threat....?

This year hasn't quite hit expectations and I'm as disappointed as anyone, so far.  But anyone would think we were all conquering and as entertaining as Keegan's Newcastle last season with the amount of comparisons made already.  Just like how the Luton, Southampton, Plymouth games shouldn't mask an unentertaining and largely dull season, the first quarter of this season shouldn't define our whole season, especially after a game in a excrement competition that no-one really cares about.

Quoted from golfer

Regular but not impressive. We need somebody who is impressive. How many on here are impressed. I am depressed.

That’s 15-20 goals a season. That’s fairly impressive!

Most teams would take that output from one player, never mind two. In fact, all the better it’s two!!

You will be depressed if you think a 2-1 defeat in a dead rubber, in a competition that shouldn’t even exist is, as you put it last night, the most disgraceful and embarrassing defeat you have ever (!) seen.

My observations, defensively, we do not look like a Hurst team at the moment. My solution, would be Effete right back and Amos at left back. Round pegs in round holes. Mullarkey has been ok but we look worse than last season. Maher and Roger as centre backs. Midfield , Clifton reverts to left side where he was effective last season.
We are porous and so this is where I would start to plug the holes. Mullarkey poss comes in as a centre back of 5 at the back. We concede far too many. I always feel that we will concede at the moment.
I am certainly not despondent and don't expect 5 star entertainment . I am 100% with Hurst, what is different at the moment is normally I get his logic but at the moment a few strange calls. He is a good manager and will work this out. Accrington Stanley , who are they. Actually pretty good whenever I have seen them utm
Utm

I'm finding it hard to fathom that some don't think we have improved massively up front since last season.

Last seasons top scorers, and don't forget this is for the entire season.

Clifton-7
Lloyd-5
McAtee-4
Taylor-3
Khan-3

We currently have Eisa on 5, Rose 4, Wilson 2 and Pyke 1, from a quarter of the season.

The current problems are at the back and stem from the injuries to Maher and Amos. The stats with those two in the side gulf the stats when they are missing. The whole defence becomes unbalanced, with Rodgers having to shuffle over to the left side, and Efete playing on his wrong side because Glennon has fallen off a cliff with his form.

It will be interesting to see if there is an uptick in points gained once we get a settled defence and have a less onerous set of games.

I am just a little disappointed but not worried.

The players are not jelling as quick as expected but it will come.

When we have a fit squad to choose from I am sure we will get better results.

I’m not really fussed about moving up the leagues, I’m happy with sustainable mid table football, hopefully, with the odd cup run here and there. In hurst we trust

Quoted from Dave Gilberts Left Peg

I’m not really fussed about moving up the leagues, I’m happy with sustainable mid table football, hopefully, with the odd cup run here and there. In hurst we trust

I do love a good parodic post!

Quoted from grimsby pete

I am just a little disappointed but not worried.

The players are not jelling as quick as expected but it will come.

When we have a fit squad to choose from I am sure we will get better results.

It’s difficult for the defence to gel when for whatever reason we don’t have the same players playing their best positions on a regular basis, we have 2 left sided fullbacks in Amos’s and Glennon but they are overlooked and a right footed player Efete is played in that position. Hunt and Holohan don’t seem to be able to justify their selection in midfield and I think Hurst still is unsure what his first choice starting 11 is and is definitely a more defensive thinking manager. I’m sure everything will work out fine and probably finish much higher up the league than where we are now.

Quoted from Spurn boy

It’s difficult for the defence to gel when for whatever reason we don’t have the same players playing their best positions on a regular basis, we have 2 left sided fullbacks in Amos’s and Glennon but they are overlooked and a right footed player Efete is played in that position. Hunt and Holohan don’t seem to be able to justify their selection in midfield and I think Hurst still is unsure what his first choice starting 11 is and is definitely a more defensive thinking manager. I’m sure everything will work out fine and probably finish much higher up the league than where we are now.

I know I’m an Alex Hunt fan but he’s had one league start since the second game of the season. He's not exactly had a decent run in the team having seemed to be pivotal to the formation used in pre season.

Quoted from Zmariner

My observations, defensively, we do not look like a Hurst team at the moment. My solution, would be Effete right back and Amos at left back. Round pegs in round holes. Mullarkey has been ok but we look worse than last season. Maher and Roger as centre backs. Midfield , Clifton reverts to left side where he was effective last season.
We are porous and so this is where I would start to plug the holes. Mullarkey poss comes in as a centre back of 5 at the back. We concede far too many. I always feel that we will concede at the moment.
I am certainly not despondent and don't expect 5 star entertainment . I am 100% with Hurst, what is different at the moment is normally I get his logic but at the moment a few strange calls. He is a good manager and will work this out. Accrington Stanley , who are they. Actually pretty good whenever I have seen them utm
Utm

on the one hand i agree Z. What happened to the 1-0 backs against the wall Hurst away win? What happened to the durability, the hard work, the diligent tracking, the determination not to concede or be beaten?
But that's exactly why PH was criticised, the defensiveness, the lack of flair etc etc.
He's try to resolve this, but it's obvious Eisa, for example, can't do a defensive job, so you sacrifice durability for his skill, creativeness, and goalscoring prowess.
The other problem is that many L2 clubs have spent as much, if not more, and we are probably still (upper?) mid table in our budget. Add into that all the added extra time which is making the goals tally significantly higher than previous seasons. As PH said our defensive record isn't that bad compared to the rest of the division, yet to my untutored eye, we are leaking goals, mainly due to poor defensive discipline, which is so un Hurst like.

God knows how we resolve this, but have to say ( as a v. big pro Hurst fan) it's looking very like amid table team and finish

Hurst has provided a very solid defence for the last 2 seasons. For some reason this season they seem to have fallen apart and shipped in silly goals. We have excuses for players playing out of position, injuries, formations etc. All of this happened in the last 2 seasons as well but coped.

As I mentioned in other threads, and a poster above, we do not seem to have the team spirit we once had, the do or die attitude and the reputation of the 'come back kids' has dwindled into the past. To me, we need to sort out the defence and attitude of the players.

Let the players not forget it is the supporters that pay their wages and we look on them, as professional footballers, to do their very best when they cross the line, both physically and mentally.

Quoted from ginnywings

I'm finding it hard to fathom that some don't think we have improved massively up front since last season.

Last seasons top scorers, and don't forget this is for the entire season.

Clifton-7
Lloyd-5
McAtee-4
Taylor-3
Khan-3

We currently have Eisa on 5, Rose 4, Wilson 2 and Pyke 1, from a quarter of the season.

The current problems are at the back and stem from the injuries to Maher and Amos. The stats with those two in the side gulf the stats when they are missing. The whole defence becomes unbalanced, with Rodgers having to shuffle over to the left side, and Efete playing on his wrong side because Glennon has fallen off a cliff with his form.

It will be interesting to see if there is an uptick in points gained once we get a settled defence and have a less onerous set of games.

Oh there you go…being all rational, and balanced and patient and pretending things aren’t black and white and actually simple when they are. I mean, it’s not even as if you’ve watched much football over 50 years or something is it! Stop shouting people down! Take off your rose tints you happy clapper. Something else about B Corp, a million pound budget…… blah blah….tails off…..

We are attacking better, and we are struggling defensively.

If anyone knows how to improve a defence, it'll be Hurst, and I'm sure he'll be holding players to account. The more players we have fit, the more he can exert pressure by dropping folk who aren't busting their balderdash to get a block in etc. A handful of games out of the team might turn some around, and if we can build on the 4 points in 6, the confidence will certainly grow.

I'm hoping we can get Amos and Wilson back and fit, keep Maher fit. It could help use massively.

Some very good points made here.

I'm with ginnywings in regards I'm keen to see what we're like once the defence is settled again. The loss of Maher has been massive in my eyes, only compounded down the left flank as Rodgers has had to switch to cover and in turn he's not got an in-form/natural left-back next to him.

Maher coming back should resolve a lot of our problems, I think/hope.  But the left-back slot really remains an ongoing concern for me and I'm disappointed it wasn't resolved in the summer.  Throughout the whole of last season it was clear that Hurst didn't feel he could trust either Amos or Glennon on a consistent basis.  There's no real justification for not addressing that position and the fact that he's used Efete by choice rather than via a forced hand suggests he knows that he made an error by not addressing it (I'd add probably not through a lack of trying).

Good point from forza about Eisa in the team. Defensively he's very limited and that does leave an already exposed left hand side even more vulnerable.  Switching Eisa to the left would remove his ability to cut inside when he's most effective, we also saw in the early stages of the season that playing in a central No 10 type role doesn't really suit him.

The midfield is one I can't get my head round.  Conteh started like a train but has slowly tailed off, his recent games I think he's looked anonymous.  But ahead of him it's constant chopping and changing.  Holohan plays well but seemingly isn't in Hurst's first XI plans, Clifton still hasn't recovered his form of last season but yet we still look a lesser side without him, I really like the look of Andrews but can't work out if he's a sitter or needs to be further forward and as much as I want Hunt to succeed, I just don't think it's going to happen for him here.  There's a temptation in my mind to think that we're lacking Kieran Green's steel in midfield, but that would completely go against this early season approach of keeping possession and building out from the back.  But then again we look to have abandoned that anyway.

Once everyone is fit, or near enough everyone, in-form and we've got a bit of confidence I'm not concerned in the slightest.  Few tweaks in the January window and I think we'll be ok with a view to pushing on.  But the lack of depth worries me.  Maher's out and we're shot at the back.  Conteh's tailed off and we can't control games.  Clifton's levels drop slightly and we lack our energy.  Wilson's out and the lack of pace is painful.  Rose is inured and there's no-one to lead the line.  I've said a few times that this continuous improvement will see the best players of today become the back up of tomorrow, that's happened with the likes of Waterfall, Holohan, maybe Efete from last season struggling for game-time.  However I'm not convinced we've the strength in depth to say we've improved, not yet anyway.  With better players coming in, there's a natural evolution of our style of play.  But the back-up players seemingly can't play that way so we revert back to type.

Listening to Hurst's last few interviews I get the impression that he's disappointed with a good number of the players and without a turnaround from them, it wouldn't surprise me if we see quite a few going out in the transfer window.

Quoted from Spurn boy

It’s difficult for the defence to gel when for whatever reason we don’t have the same players playing their best positions on a regular basis, we have 2 left sided fullbacks in Amos’s and Glennon but they are overlooked and a right footed player Efete is played in that position. Hunt and Holohan don’t seem to be able to justify their selection in midfield and I think Hurst still is unsure what his first choice starting 11 is and is definitely a more defensive thinking manager. I’m sure everything will work out fine and probably finish much higher up the league than where we are now.

Do keep up old chap. Amos is injured and Glennon is absent due to personal reasons.

Quoted from 123614

Do keep up old chap. Amos is injured and Glennon is absent due to personal reasons.

I do try to keep up with team news but every time I watch a Paul Hurst interview I fall asleep .😔😔

Both Amos and Glennon were on the bench against Swindon yet Efete started at left-back.

Efete also started at left-back against Barrow with Glennon on the bench.

Hurst's hand might have been forced in the last two games but let's not kid ourselves that he's happy with either of his natural left-backs and isn't overlooking them.

Quoted from diehardmariner

Some very good points made here.

I'm with ginnywings in regards I'm keen to see what we're like once the defence is settled again. The loss of Maher has been massive in my eyes, only compounded down the left flank as Rodgers has had to switch to cover and in turn he's not got an in-form/natural left-back next to him.

Maher coming back should resolve a lot of our problems, I think/hope.  But the left-back slot really remains an ongoing concern for me and I'm disappointed it wasn't resolved in the summer.  Throughout the whole of last season it was clear that Hurst didn't feel he could trust either Amos or Glennon on a consistent basis.  There's no real justification for not addressing that position and the fact that he's used Efete by choice rather than via a forced hand suggests he knows that he made an error by not addressing it (I'd add probably not through a lack of trying).

Good point from forza about Eisa in the team. Defensively he's very limited and that does leave an already exposed left hand side even more vulnerable.  Switching Eisa to the left would remove his ability to cut inside when he's most effective, we also saw in the early stages of the season that playing in a central No 10 type role doesn't really suit him.

The midfield is one I can't get my head round.  Conteh started like a train but has slowly tailed off, his recent games I think he's looked anonymous.  But ahead of him it's constant chopping and changing.  Holohan plays well but seemingly isn't in Hurst's first XI plans, Clifton still hasn't recovered his form of last season but yet we still look a lesser side without him, I really like the look of Andrews but can't work out if he's a sitter or needs to be further forward and as much as I want Hunt to succeed, I just don't think it's going to happen for him here.  There's a temptation in my mind to think that we're lacking Kieran Green's steel in midfield, but that would completely go against this early season approach of keeping possession and building out from the back.  But then again we look to have abandoned that anyway.

Once everyone is fit, or near enough everyone, in-form and we've got a bit of confidence I'm not concerned in the slightest.  Few tweaks in the January window and I think we'll be ok with a view to pushing on.  But the lack of depth worries me.  Maher's out and we're shot at the back.  Conteh's tailed off and we can't control games.  Clifton's levels drop slightly and we lack our energy.  Wilson's out and the lack of pace is painful.  Rose is inured and there's no-one to lead the line.  I've said a few times that this continuous improvement will see the best players of today become the back up of tomorrow, that's happened with the likes of Waterfall, Holohan, maybe Efete from last season struggling for game-time.  However I'm not convinced we've the strength in depth to say we've improved, not yet anyway.  With better players coming in, there's a natural evolution of our style of play.  But the back-up players seemingly can't play that way so we revert back to type.

Listening to Hurst's last few interviews I get the impression that he's disappointed with a good number of the players and without a turnaround from them, it wouldn't surprise me if we see quite a few going out in the transfer window.

Many sensible points but Holohan has started 11 games so I’m not sure that he’s a back up.

Well it's 10 and two of them were in cup games  ;)

But yeah, back-up isn't perhaps the right term.  What I meant was more that Hurst probably sees him as someone we need to evolve on from.  Wasn't even in the squad for the opener, only got a handful of minutes in the second game.  After that I thought he was our best midfielder but Hurst dropped him for Swindon (7 days after he got a goal and an assist against Crawley), back in for Barrow and then out against for Tranmere.

As I've said a few times, I'm a fan of Hurst and whilst disappointed I'm definitely not screaming for him to go.  However the one big question mark that remains for me is his ability to improve squads.

For the majority of his first spell it was just a case of build a squad each season with the hope of getting out the Conference.  Of course over time we did see improvements; Tait for Magnay, Toto for Miller, Amond for LJL.  But it was very much a year-on-year project.  The summer of 2016 he was hampered by a excrement budget, that much is clear now.  But the squad, in my opinion, was weakened despite going up a level.  Arnold, Amond, Toto, Nolan, Clay and a few others all went out.  The likes of Chambers, Vernon, Boyce, Summerfield, Berrett...all downgrades on what left.  The only upgrade was Danny Andrew for Gregor Robertson.  When Hurst left we were in a decent position in the table, but I'd have fancied that the side we ended 2015/16 with would have beaten the side of 5 months later.

Summer of 2021 was a bit different as the majority of the squad were out of contract and it wasn't exactly hard to improve on Rag bottom Rovers.

2022 - I'm not so sure.  We needed to upgrade and I think he was arguably a bit too loyal to certain players.  Taylor was one we needed to improve on and we didn't.  Did we get better than Fox?  Probably not.  I don't think we replaced Sousa, I'd have taken Sousa over Kiernan if I'm honest probably Khan as well.

This summer it looks an improvement on paper, but it hasn't clicked yet.  Conteh, Rodgers, Mullarkey, Rose, Eisa should all be improvements on Morris, Waterfall, Efete, (if those two fall down the pecking order rather than leaving), Taylor and whoever we ended up playing on the wing later last season.

I know it's not always a case of just buying a better player than the one you've got, but at each opportunity I'm sceptical if he's actually improved us and that is what I think has the potential to be the thing that stops him progressing with us.

Quoted from ginnywings

I'm finding it hard to fathom that some don't think we have improved massively up front since last season.

Last seasons top scorers, and don't forget this is for the entire season.

Clifton-7
Lloyd-5
McAtee-4
Taylor-3
Khan-3

We currently have Eisa on 5, Rose 4, Wilson 2 and Pyke 1, from a quarter of the season.

The current problems are at the back and stem from the injuries to Maher and Amos. The stats with those two in the side gulf the stats when they are missing. The whole defence becomes unbalanced, with Rodgers having to shuffle over to the left side, and Efete playing on his wrong side because Glennon has fallen off a cliff with his form.

It will be interesting to see if there is an uptick in points gained once we get a settled defence and have a less onerous set of games.

This is my view. A few good additions in January, a starting LB and better quality reserve options at CB and ST are essential as the drop off from the starting XI to the reserves is stark this season.

Michee's done well at LB, but he's playing out of position and a proper LB is surely preferable. Shows what he makes of Glennon's performances,

We have clearly improved forward areas, we are scoring more goals and creating more chances. I'm hoping Hurst can fix the defensive vulnerabilities but we aren't conceding bucket loads of chances even now.

FWIW I think the squad is better but there are issues. The injuries appear to have hampered Hurst's plans on his playing style for the season. Some players haven't performed to their best ability and silly simple defending errors have cost us points. The players don't seem to have " gelled" but considering the constant changes, some forced and some not, then that is understandable to a degree. Things may be clearer as regards our progress as a squad once we approach the January transfer window. I'm sure some of the players will also be aware that if they don't " step up to the plate" then their GTFC futures could also be determined by then.

It'll be disappointing if we get to January again hoping for rabbit, or two, out the bag to improve our season significantly.

Just more so because it felt like we had done so well in the early summer recruitment. Can't remember who said it last week but they noted that it's a team in transition still. At the minute it's just difficult to see the pathway because we've reverted back to type.

Dozen or so games until January, which hopefully will be enough for key players to get back and a lift in confidence.

Quoted from rancido

FWIW I think the squad is better but there are issues. The injuries appear to have hampered Hurst's plans on his playing style for the season. Some players haven't performed to their best ability and silly simple defending errors have cost us points. The players don't seem to have " gelled" but considering the constant changes, some forced and some not, then that is understandable to a degree. Things may be clearer as regards our progress as a squad once we approach the January transfer window. I'm sure some of the players will also be aware that if they don't " step up to the plate" then their GTFC futures could also be determined by then.

A squad getting injuries isn't exactly a new phenomenon though. We had several key players miss long periods of last season (McAtee, Waterfall, Taylor, Khan and Glennon) too.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

A squad getting injuries isn't exactly a new phenomenon though. We had several key players miss long periods of last season (McAtee, Waterfall, Taylor, Khan and Glennon) too.

I never claimed it was a new phenomena, merely that it could disrupt any plans for the early part of the season

Quoted from Mariner_09

This is my view. A few good additions in January, a starting LB and better quality reserve options at CB and ST are essential as the drop off from the starting XI to the reserves is stark this season.

Michee's done well at LB, but he's playing out of position and a proper LB is surely preferable. Shows what he makes of Glennon's performances,

We have clearly improved forward areas, we are scoring more goals and creating more chances. I'm hoping Hurst can fix the defensive vulnerabilities but we aren't conceding bucket loads of chances even now.

Mystery isn’t it, Glennon, when we played better teams last season in the cup he was one that stood out as comfortable against them. Then there were rumours of higher level clubs coming in for him in the summer. First time I saw him this season at Mansfield I actually thought he must have been playing with a bug or a cold or something - he looked that off the pace. Shame, I had high hopes for him this season. We can’t blame PH for that, I’m sure his loss of form has upset squad planning and tactically as well.

For whatever reason, right now, I don’t think we’re as good as last year.

I hope by the end of the season this changes but for me at present we just don’t move the ball quick enough to create opportunities. So often we have some possession and it ends up going ponderously sideways, or backwards.

I like Hurst but at the present time it’s just not working. I hope he turns it around.

I like Hurst and I think we have some quality players in the team but It feels like we need to change a little and not be so worried about the opponents.

I just think we need to go for it a bit more. We might get tonked a few times but I think we actually have the players to hurt teams. We surely would get more points playing this way. We would likely beat some of the better teams instead of hoping to grind out a result which doesn't work most of the time.

We need Maher back desperately as him and Rogers compliment each other so well and already have a great understanding, seems to help the other players to.

It's not been great so far but in my opinion the potential is there.

Maher has become a ‘must’ in the starting 11..

For me (and I know it’ll go down like a lead balloon with some) - I’m not convinced at all on the progression or ‘longer term’ potential improvement on what we’ve seen thus far. Hurst has been fantastic in building squads that’d run through brick walls, be organised from the back/solid etc - I don’t see that in the current set up. It doesn’t look like a ‘team’..never mind a squad imho. There doesn’t noticeably look like we’ve a plan/set way of playing, and we’re conceding such soft goals this season. I also feel we don’t look as athletic/fit as past seasons, and are struggling to match last years squad in that respect. Yes we’ve had multiple injuries which can’t help..but all clubs have that..individually a couple have stood out at times but collectively I’m struggling to think of many times when we’ve looked a good ‘team’.. I know we beat Gillingham etc but they didn’t show up, for me out best performance was the first 45 at Bradford..not fantastic football wise but as an away side pretty much dominated. The stats of losing leads tell a story, and I’m a little concerned about this season in all honesty. We’ve sleep walked into relegation fights before..this could quite easily and fast turn into that scenario. As much as ‘we’re too good/that’ll never happen’ thoughts there’s an argument for not seeing/accepting of what may happen..

We’re all guilty of watching our side and not only wanting us to do well but maybe over inflating them also, and disregarding certain things. I’m being completely honest in that I’m seeing worrying things, don’t like saying it - and I sincerely hope I’m wrong - but I can’t pretend alls ok when I don’t feel it is. The other concern is will the crowds drop off if results/performances don’t improve..that may not seem important but it will be a factor in people’s thinking down the line. I’m actually interested in how many turn up tomorrow..on paper not the best fixture (nothing against Accrington but it’s a bit like when teams play us ..‘oh..it’s only f Grimsby’ etc) but you’d hope most turn up.

Hoping for a good win and/or performance tomorrow..but I’ve a feeling it’s not going to be easy and if it doesn’t go well a game that may be influential in terms of the fan base following the next few fixtures after.