Hereforthefootball
Well-known member
I never thought 'bouncing back' at the first attempt was going to be that easy. Not many clubs do it and there are enough clubs still in League One like Portsmouth, Derby, Bolton, Barnsley, Charlton etc who have struggled to get to grips with this league.
Despite being appointed a few weeks after the season ended, the fact we had changes with Mansford etc, I don't think our window last season was as good as they would have hoped and we're all in agreement there were a few positions we struggled filling. Not getting Rhodes in the first few games, Joseph and Beesley's injury, the injuries to Lavery and Kouassi has meant our forward line has been a bit stop/start but we've seen enough examples of how effective that can be.
Midfield has struggled for me considering we play a 5 and whilst we have the bodies, I don't feel we have the right personnel and defence has been a bit of an achilles heel and is probably where we need most work.
We are a work in progress and as loathed as Critchley's formation is, I can see what he's trying to do. He's far from blameless - predictable team selections, no Plan B and not getting to grips with teams on the road (and showing them way too much respect) has been a problem.
However, go back to the Billy Ayre era - dominant at home but we struggled away and yet no one called for his head.
The club has a plan and I would give Critchley two more windows. January could help us get a running start next season and the summer is important. There is a lot of deadwood and I hope, unlike with Hamilton, that they don't just keep what we have.
We have a 3rd round FA Cup game and a quarter final in the BSM Trophy to come and anyone writing us off with 21 games to go and just 7 points off the Top 6 is being very pessimistic.
I still think we are in with a shout this season but more than that it would be daft to throw out our plans after 6 months.
I get things aren't great and I have been as frustrated as anyone but let's stick together and see if we can't just string a few wins together and who knows pull off a couple of cup shocks?
Despite being appointed a few weeks after the season ended, the fact we had changes with Mansford etc, I don't think our window last season was as good as they would have hoped and we're all in agreement there were a few positions we struggled filling. Not getting Rhodes in the first few games, Joseph and Beesley's injury, the injuries to Lavery and Kouassi has meant our forward line has been a bit stop/start but we've seen enough examples of how effective that can be.
Midfield has struggled for me considering we play a 5 and whilst we have the bodies, I don't feel we have the right personnel and defence has been a bit of an achilles heel and is probably where we need most work.
We are a work in progress and as loathed as Critchley's formation is, I can see what he's trying to do. He's far from blameless - predictable team selections, no Plan B and not getting to grips with teams on the road (and showing them way too much respect) has been a problem.
However, go back to the Billy Ayre era - dominant at home but we struggled away and yet no one called for his head.
The club has a plan and I would give Critchley two more windows. January could help us get a running start next season and the summer is important. There is a lot of deadwood and I hope, unlike with Hamilton, that they don't just keep what we have.
We have a 3rd round FA Cup game and a quarter final in the BSM Trophy to come and anyone writing us off with 21 games to go and just 7 points off the Top 6 is being very pessimistic.
I still think we are in with a shout this season but more than that it would be daft to throw out our plans after 6 months.
I get things aren't great and I have been as frustrated as anyone but let's stick together and see if we can't just string a few wins together and who knows pull off a couple of cup shocks?