From this distance it looks to me like we are having real problems breaking down teams in these home games, four defeats in five home games against modest opposition is an appalling record for a team with promotion ambitions.
Noticeably, those four defeats have included only two goals from us (one of which was Mills streaky effort against Plymouth) which is a clear sign that we are lacking guile in the final third of the pitch.
We can scrap for these 1-0 wins in the away games but in these home games you need a bit of craft to get yourself ahead and for my money that is where we are seriously missing Todorov's ability to get the ball to feet and create chances for others.
None of our other strikers can do this so we are very predictable in the final third which means that seeing as Toddy is a goner for the rest of the season we need to bring some craft in up front....
Maybe Sheringham might do a job for us although its not clear whether Colchester would let him go and maybe Rowan Vine from Brum (currently on loan at QPR) could be useful although he is a different sort of player.
Anyone got any ideas who could do this type of job for us?
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Varney had a reasonable game today but is still a bit raw.
Dickson seems to be putting them in the net at the Gills (they may well be tap ins I dont know) but he doesnt appear to be in Pards plans. But I dont see why he shouldnt be given the chance before we look elsewhere. Also James Walker at Yeovil is the same situation.
That's where he hid last time :-)
I agree about missing Toddy a bit, though i think the absence is making us think he was better and more important that he was in our search for 'the answer'. We're just not functioning effective in key areas of a team's make up at the moment; a steelness throughout the side that gives little away, a determination to scrap when things are going against us and 'raise it a gear', a desire to get ball wide and then get bodies into the box.
We have some decent players for this level, but as a collective unit, we're simply not getting enough out of them. Whether that's the manager or the individual, i don't know
I totally agree Len. A player with his guile would always be capable of doing a job at this level. Thinking slightly out of the box, I am wondering, what if we played ZZ as a striker alongside Big Chris or Varney? He doesn't always have his shooting boots on but he never fails to try and doesn't hide. He is also technically strong. That way, maybe we could bring Racon into the team rather than Holland who really is lacks the engine now to make a difference.
that's not a bad little shout you know.
Elliott Ward - a season or so ago he was loaned out from West Ham to Plymouth Argyle as a 20 year old for the experience.
He spent 3 months with the Greenies in the Championship and they reckoned him a hero.
Their defence from leaking goals soon became pretty watertight and they steadily climbed away from the relegation places.
Ward is particularly strong in the air attacking the ball. And bravery is second nature.
But he doesn't have the years of experience yet and perhaps organisational ability & leadership we may well be looking for.
Does he still have his long, long hair? It didn't bother the Greenies.
They gave him a standing ovation and a special thank you celebration & award before his final game at Home Park.
He made that much difference.
But which Centre Half would move to the bench.. Fortune or Sodje?