Mark_GT
Well-known member
We've made it to the halfway point in this up and down and mostly underwhelming season. I'm sat watching the football related misery andtidote that is the great Carry on Cleo ("Sic transit Gloria" "Fakir - off!" etc ), so I thought I'd give this a whirl. See if you agree - or more likely, not......... Who's ahead of, or below, expectation? Who will transorm the second half of our season? Will Critchley release the brakes and fire us to promotion in a dazzling 433?
Keepers
Grimmy - some great saves, but poor concentration lets him down: 5
O'Donnell - has looked good in the little time he's been given. Worth a go?: 6
Chapman - nothing to say yet - 5
Defenders
Husband - started brilliantly but his passing has suffered badly lately. Should be left back in a four*: 6
Connolly - better than his reputation but would be better without the back three: 6
Marv - major wobbles in distribution but still our best last ditch tackler. Passing from the back under pressure clearly not his thing: 5
Pennington - decent but prone to switching off: 5
Casey - our best defender this season, so naturally he was dropped after suspension 7
Tharme - not much to say yet: 5
Lyons - wasted on the left therefore: 5 - when it should be a higher mark
Thompson - energetic and busy, but generally does at least one scary thing per game: 4
Gabriel - our best right back - should be playing right back in a four: 6
*As a general point I think every defender on our books would be more comfortable in a back four.
Midfielders
Dale - looks a much better player since his loan: 7
Norburn - hasn't quite kicked on after a good start. Would be more to come from him in a better midfield shape : 5
Morgan - some good signs but doesn't suit the system: 5
Dougall - our best midfielder by a mile. What a shame we might lose him: 7
Carey - finally improving but needs to toughen up: 6
Dembele - a shining light in a sea of mediocrity. Finally, some skill and a player that is prepared to beat his man and make things happen: 8
Virtue - worth a run now he's fit? 5
Oakley-Boothe - hmmm, has offered nothing so far: 3
Weir - has never quite got going: 4
CJ - better but frustrating as ever - we all know what he can and can't do well so why ask him to do the things he can't do well?: 6
Forwards
Lavery - has been doing OK and gives much needed energy and bite, so his injuries are a shame: 6
Beez - promising as a support striker and willing runner. If our crossing was any good he would be more of a threat: 6
Rhodes - doing a great job of keeping us in the safe half of the table. Thank you: 8
Joseph - hasn't found his feet properly yet. Hoping to see more from him in '24: 5
Kouassie - another one who had a promising start spoilt by injury: 6
Management
Critchley - poor so far. Tactically inflexible with that default horrible lopsided 352ish set up and seems incapable or unwilling to adapt things "in game": 3
Brunskill - not sure what he brings apart from clapping: 3
Garrity - not sure what he brings apart from clapping: 3
Banks - needs to sort out Grimmy's concentration levels: 4
Keepers
Grimmy - some great saves, but poor concentration lets him down: 5
O'Donnell - has looked good in the little time he's been given. Worth a go?: 6
Chapman - nothing to say yet - 5
Defenders
Husband - started brilliantly but his passing has suffered badly lately. Should be left back in a four*: 6
Connolly - better than his reputation but would be better without the back three: 6
Marv - major wobbles in distribution but still our best last ditch tackler. Passing from the back under pressure clearly not his thing: 5
Pennington - decent but prone to switching off: 5
Casey - our best defender this season, so naturally he was dropped after suspension 7
Tharme - not much to say yet: 5
Lyons - wasted on the left therefore: 5 - when it should be a higher mark
Thompson - energetic and busy, but generally does at least one scary thing per game: 4
Gabriel - our best right back - should be playing right back in a four: 6
*As a general point I think every defender on our books would be more comfortable in a back four.
Midfielders
Dale - looks a much better player since his loan: 7
Norburn - hasn't quite kicked on after a good start. Would be more to come from him in a better midfield shape : 5
Morgan - some good signs but doesn't suit the system: 5
Dougall - our best midfielder by a mile. What a shame we might lose him: 7
Carey - finally improving but needs to toughen up: 6
Dembele - a shining light in a sea of mediocrity. Finally, some skill and a player that is prepared to beat his man and make things happen: 8
Virtue - worth a run now he's fit? 5
Oakley-Boothe - hmmm, has offered nothing so far: 3
Weir - has never quite got going: 4
CJ - better but frustrating as ever - we all know what he can and can't do well so why ask him to do the things he can't do well?: 6
Forwards
Lavery - has been doing OK and gives much needed energy and bite, so his injuries are a shame: 6
Beez - promising as a support striker and willing runner. If our crossing was any good he would be more of a threat: 6
Rhodes - doing a great job of keeping us in the safe half of the table. Thank you: 8
Joseph - hasn't found his feet properly yet. Hoping to see more from him in '24: 5
Kouassie - another one who had a promising start spoilt by injury: 6
Management
Critchley - poor so far. Tactically inflexible with that default horrible lopsided 352ish set up and seems incapable or unwilling to adapt things "in game": 3
Brunskill - not sure what he brings apart from clapping: 3
Garrity - not sure what he brings apart from clapping: 3
Banks - needs to sort out Grimmy's concentration levels: 4