We're 12th in the National League, we have shown we can deliver against good sides and I do believe that man for man we have strengthened the squad.
Yet we now have 1 win in 12 games. What's happened? I don't know, I think there are a number of factors (losing Thompson at Yeovil, Solihull game, loanees, losing Mooney, FA Cup exit, ground problems) that have contributed to this run but it needs sorting out, starting Saturday. These players are better than they are showing and it seems like we've got a lot of availability now.
I may have got this completely wrong, but I am starting to think that this group doesn't have the feel of the Alty squads that Phil & Neil have put together in previous seasons.
There was something special about our previous groups, it felt like a real cohesive squad with a clear idea of what role everyone had to play. I always got the impression they played for each other and that transferred itself onto the terraces as a bit of a bond. The likes of Max Harrop, for example, had a clear role as a back up and that was okay. I look at it now. Who is the foil for Jake Moult? Is it Pringle? Whitehead? Furman? Porter? I appreciate competition but is that healthy? How invested are some of these lads in what we want to do here when they've dropped part time and can't get a consistent gig? I do wonder sometimes. If that's not the case then prove me wrong.
It feels like a huge collection of football players more than it does a squad, to me. And I do apologise if I'm wide of the mark here. There are a number of players that you see once every 3 or 4 games. Why? Is this injuries? If so, we've had an awful lot. Or are players falling out of favour? I don't know about this, either. Maybe we're just a football club in transition and it's part of the process.
It just seems like we see players for a couple of weeks then they fall off the face of the earth, only to return last night and put in a bitterly disappointing performance.
We need a striker. That much is obvious. Until then:
I don't know. Runs of form are part of football. That's definitely true with us under Phil & Neil - we are a momentum team due to the style of football we play. It relies on mojo and self belief, both of which have been severely dented over the last month or so. All at a time where the fans haven't been able to fully get behind them as they'd have liked.
I'm not asking or expecting us to turn it around 180' over this very tough run of games. Let's start by playing like Alty again over a full 90 minutes. It will result in points.