On our day we can outclass most of the teams in the third but we lack strength in depth and we need to reinforce a few areas. For my money, ourselves and Hull have the best teams in the division on paper, yet Oxford are top. Many have said they are exactly like we were a couple of seasons ago- VERY tight at the back and sneaking goals at the other end. They say that this is how you need to play to get out of the third. For me, we need to keep our flair but also add a bit of tightness at the back.
With this in mind, I've been looking at our squad and thinking about how we could strengthen it.
Goalkeepers
Rog hasn't got much leftin the tank. He has lost some of the old magic already- he doesn't communicate effectively with the defence and doesn't command his penalty area like he used to. He has a couple of years left in him hopefully but we need to be looking atwho is going to fill his boots. If Murphy is going to be given the chance then fair enough- I haven't seen enough of him to pass judgement but he is still very young and will be prone to errors. If he is only good enough to be a back up on the other hand, we should be looking in the off season to be bringing someone new in.
Left back-
Michael Howard. What can I say, i'm not as anti-Howard as some but it is true that he goes missing in some games. With the lopsided formation we play with Maylett as a forward and Robinson tucked in, we really need our left-back to be bombing forward when we break- in the cup game against Macc we needed this desperately and all too often Howard hid away and didn't offer himself as an outlet. I don't mind him making mistakes but he's got to give his all and for me, he seems to pass the buck too often.
Hylton- Haven't seen much of him and he is young. Hopefully now he's fit he will make the left back berth his own. When I have seen him play he looks good going forward, seems comfortable on the ball and has a decent cross. Again, with the formation we play we really need an 'Ashley Cole' type of player who has bags of stamina and gets forward to support attacks. Hopefully Hylton will provide us with this and Howard can become an extremely competent replacement.
Iriekpen- Has switched to left back on a few occasions and looked very good there. Solid defensively and good enough on the ball to get forward. I doubt this will be his position in the future as he definitely has the 'build' of a centre-half but is a good backup option.
Centre back-
Has been a problem position for a while now.
Iriekpen- Still in his early twenties and has all the attributes of an excellent centre half. With experience and maturity I'm sure he will become an excellent defender. In my opinion he is already the best we have- he wins everything in the air and rarely puts a foot wrong, but we need someone to play alongside him.
O'Leary- I would like to see O'Leary as a good squad player. I don't think he's good enough to be our first choice centre half but throughout the course of a season he could fill in anywhere at the back or in midfield when we pick up injuries and suspensions.
Tate will most likely come back to the Vetch when his contract expires but I'm not sure he's the answer. I believe we really need a leader at the back (be it in goals or defence) someone who will bark orders to the other defenders and will get the back line playing as a unit. You have to admire Oxford's defence- whilst they don't offer too much going forward they are rock solid at the back and that is the foundation for a good team.
Right back- Duffy- Awesome, gets better with every game. I really hope we can hang on to this guy for at least another season as I think his stock will continue to rise. He is composed, confident, always wants the ball and rarely makes mistakes. He reminds me a lot of Mark Delaney in both build and style of play. Hopefully we can tie him to at least a year's contract extension- the club will not hold him back if bigger clubs come in for him but at the same time we deserve a good return for a player we've developed from a kid.
Jones- I was surprised to see us sell Jenkins as we are a bit light on defenders. Haven't seen enough of Jones to comment- don't really know what his best position is.
Midfield- Before I start on individuals, I have a point about our formation. Whilst it has served us well up until now I remain to be convinced with Flynn's 4-3-3. We employ Maylett as a Winger/Striker pushed high up the field on the right. I believe this is too lopsided and other teams are beginning to figure us out.
With our current formation we only offer attacks down the right and it doesn't take the opposition long to figure this out and double up on Maylett. There is often acres of space screaming out to be used down the left, yet in recent games Robinson has been too narrow and Howard refuses to push forward. For me, we need to find another player in the Maylett mold for the left wing. This would add balance to the team and we would have threats through the middle AND down both flanks.
Johnrose- is an able deputy for Martinez in the anchorman role but I do not believe he warrants a starting position in our strongest line-up. Against Oxford we really needed someone to take the ball down and look for a killer pass, Martinez can do this but Johnrose can't. He is solid defensively but when it comes to a counter attack he will just hit and hope. A good squad player all the same though.
Martinez- Captain fantastic. The reason we stayed up last season and this term, his injury is the reason why we have fallen away from the leaders. He is the heartbeat of our team- when we are playing well, everything goes through him and he adds a composure and fluidity to our team that is sadly missing when he's not there. Unfortunately he is in his thirties now and is not one for the long term. Who can you get to replace the irreplaceable?
Britton- An electric start to the season but has been a little more subdued in recent weeks. Teams have possibly started to figure him out and mark him very tightly but he is always capable of a moment of magic which can turn a game. One of the best in the football league with the ball at his feet although he should score more goals. Still young though and is too good for this division.
Robinson- What a signing. Has come from nowhere to become a first team regular and crowd favourite. Dependable with a bullet shot- his work rate is what has endeared him to the Vetch faithful. In our strongest team I don't feel he would start but he would certainly be pushing the others and competition for places is never a bad thing.
Connolly- Hasn't played much but hopefully he can have an injury-free run and recapture his form from his Wrexham glory days.
Maylett- Another excellent signing. Many doubted he would make the grade but I was always impressed when I saw him last season. A winger who has good control, is fast and willing to run at people is a scary proposition in the lower leagues- defenders really do not know what to do! A hattrick on the opening day signalled that Bradley would be a force to be reckoned with and so has been the case. Hopefully he will be at the Vetch for many years to come.
Coates- Not a fans favourite due to his inconsistency. Wouldn't be in anyone's ideal starting eleven but you cannot deny that he is a useful squad player.
Durkan- I'm really not Durkan's biggest fan. He has never impressed me and it remains a mystery why Flynn ever signed him. I'll admit he has a decent right foot and can deliver an excellent cross but he is slow, cannot go past a man and rarely finds himself in positions where he can deliver a telling ball.
Corbisiero- Again, haven't seen much of him but is one for the future.
StrikersNugent- Has really done a job for us both this season and last. His goals really rescued us last term and this year he has really cemented his place in the team. He is fitter than last year and he works his socks off for the team winning balls in the air and supplying much of the ammunition for Trundle. Is in the twilight of his career however and surely in the off-season we must consider bringing in a new striker as he cannot have many more seasons in him.
Thomas- Last seasons top scorer has surprisingly been in the shadows this season. Rumours of a rift with the boss have been bandied around but surely the reason for his omission has been the form of Trundle and Nugent. I was impressed with the Thomas-Trundle partnership in pre-season games but we are yet to see the best of Thomas this term. I would like to see him given a run in the team, hopefully it will happen for him soon.
Trundle- Mr Magic Daps. Surely the most talked about player in the division. Whenever he gets the ball there is a sense of anticipation around the ground. He is painfully one-footed but who cares when the left is so potent! Skillful and entertaining but always a team player, trundle is already a jack legend. Long may it continue.
So this is what I feel we need:
1) A Centre-half. If Izzy or Kris get injured we really will be in a lot of trouble. As much as it pains me to say it, Matthew Bound is the best in the division- I feel we need someone of this calibre.
2) A left-winger. Maylett gives us genuine width on the right but we only have makeshift wingers down the left.
3) A striker- Nugent can't last forever and Thomas may not be the answer.
So Brad Maylett's left footed twin brother, a clone of Lee Trundle and Matthew Bound's return to the vetch!
Seriously though, with a move to White Rock on the horizon we are a club on the rise. Our current starting eleven, I believe, is a match for the majority of teams in the second but with a 25000 seater stadium on the way and (hopefully) the fanbase to fill it surely we need to be looking at being a First Division team at the very least. We've a long way to go but the Management team, the board and the players all seem to be pulling in the same direction and I have every confidence in them. It's a very exciting time to be a Jack.
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