I hope we have spent time during the summer recess improving our tactics to create more chances in the final third. In our relegation season, it was criminal to watch our lads humping long balls forward out of defence only for our opponents back four to head the ball back in our direction. Last year we pumped far too many high and hopeful balls into our opponent’s penalty box which more times than not the defenders cleared with ease. There was a certain amount of deja vous watching the Women’s World Cup. I was surprised with the tactics employed by France; as soon as their midfield could get a clear sight of the opponents penalty area the ball was belted into the box, albeit generally on the ground, in the hope that either it would find a team colleague or that a defender would make a mistake which allowed a shot at goal. When Germany employed the same tactic it became clear that this was part of the women’s game. We have to be better than that if we are to achieve anything this year. This year the forwards will need to be a lot more creative in front of goal and let’s hope that they have worked on a lot of things together during the summer as we are going to need it. I see that the calls are out for more forwards in a search for the ‘magic bullet’. OK, there are obvious gaps which need to be filled, but how many more goal scorers do we need to import before we realise that those we have will be able to do the job if they get their heads down and sort out the best tactics which suit them and get us into the top seven?
We still need a striker IMO by the sounds of things we missed a lot chances against Cheltenham still a lot of work to be done lets hope Easter stays fit as I think he can get the goals we need.
I am not sure that the strikers we have are capable of getting twenty plus goals per season apart from Easter and Harrison if he gets a fair run in the side. I hope that I am wrong because if I am right then its going to be a long season and we could be fighting to stay clear of the bottom rather than getting into the top 7, a lot will depend on our defence doing its job properly
If Easter and Harrison get twenty goals each I reckon we'll be an automatic promotion spot. I think only Tubbs got twenty goals or so last season. The great thing about the way we played last season was that people chipped in from all over the place. I'm not a big fan of relying on one striker and I think we've got plenty of goal scorers and match winners out there. I wish Monkhouse had stayed, but the squad looks ok to me and they did ok last time out.
Easter just need minutes on the pitch. Goals will come. But cane he stay injury free? Lucas and Blissett have impressed me but this is just by reading the match reports, not from personal viewing as I havent watched any pre season friendlies. Dont know much about Lucas but DC seems to think he has goals in him. Blissett is a confidence player so we need to stick with him giving him support. He will be a handful for many league 2 clubs so worth keeping. Taylor works hard and got us over 20 goals last season. Can he do it a step up? Time will tell. But his game play is impressive. Harrison is hot and cold and needs love (DC's own words). On his game he can win us 3 points on his own. From these 5 strikers, I think if Easter is fit then he should start games. Then its out of Harrison and Taylor who joins him. We are 1 winger short and both Harrison and Taylor can play out wide or could even play a front 3. Blissett is worth a place on the bench just by what he can offer with his height and pace. He would be defenders nightmare coming on in the final stages when needed. I think we got enough to challenge the top half of the table. I think the strikers have earnt the right to have a chance to show what they can do this season and we can always fall on the loan market if injuries occur or if things are not working out. Last season we all were saying (including me) that we didnt have enough goals in us and we did struggle to break teams down and finish teams off. But we still got promoted and only just missed out of being champions. Yes if there is someone better available then im all for them joining us. But there seems to be a good relationship between the forward players and I wouldnt want to bring in yet another forward to the party just yet who could distrupt things. I think young Lucas will be jumping at the chance to have a chance. Another winger is a must and then use the loan market wisely to fill in gaps when needed,
Today we lacked quality everywhere on the pitch. Its a bit worrying listening to DC's interview after the game that the players didnt do what he asked them to do. He didnt want the hoofballs etc. How can these players get it so massively wrong already!
The only way these players will make an impact in this league is by working their socks off like they did last season. Any less and our lack of quality will be cruelly exposed time and again. Last season we created lots of chances and were wasteful. Harrison and Taylor will need to be a lot more clinical this season.
CJS I think we played hoofball because that was all the time Northampton gave us time to do. I felt yesterday that we lacked a leader somebody to shout cajole and inspire his team mates
