Barrow believes in firepower
4:39pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008
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By Connor Murphy »
GRAHAM Barrow is confident Alty's attacking options will keep them afloat in the coming campaign.
Alty scored just 56 goals throughout the whole of last season but Tuesday's 3-0 win over FC United made it 12 goals in just four preseason games so far.
"Our attacking options are good, we just need to get the other end of the pitch right."
Graham BarrowThe Robins' assistant boss isn't about to fool himself that preseason results will transfer to league form but he believes the signs are good nonetheless.
Speaking after the win over FC United, he said: "We’re a lot brighter and more positive going forward. The most important thing to me is that we do look better than last year, on the ball going forward.
"We are obviously trying to sort out the back bit and you never know till August 9 but the response from the players in the training that we’ve done and the games we’ve played so far has been very good.
"We know preseason is a little bit false and it’s a bit scary looking at what some of the Conference clubs have done in the transfer market.
"But we’ve just got to adopt the mentality that it’s a great challenge and that we’ll take it on and try and achieve something."
And Barrow said the three goals scored on Tuesday night were made all the more pleasing considering both top scorer Colin Little and star winger Chris Denham were absent.
"If you look at the players who weren’t involved tonight there’s even more promise," he added.
"We know we’re not the finished article but we also know that we’re going down the right lines.
"The attacking options are outstanding as long as we can get the best out of them. When you look at Colin Little’s record last year, we’ve got Joe O’Neill still to come back and Chris Senior banging the goals in, it can only be good."
Senior's form has been one of the major plus points in preseason so far.
The striker has banged in eight goals in three games, while looking incredibly fit and sharp in all aspects of his game.
One of the reasons for Senior's success, however, has been the arrival of Dale Johnson.
The former Hyde hitman appears to be the targetman Alty have coveted for so long. Good in the air, adept at holding the ball up, yet with a delicate touch and a surprising turn of pace.
He has already linked up well with Senior and Barrow believes he can be a major asset for the club.
He said: "For the first time in a while we’ve got a player who can hold the ball up. He’ll be very important to us and that’s why we’re wrapping him up in cotton wool at times.
"It’s always been a must to have a big targetman in your squad but players like that aren’t easy to find and I think Graham’s come up trumps this time."
Now the focus for the Moss Lane management team is finalising their squad ahead of the season's start.
The need for a centre half is still pressing but former Wrexham man Danny Williams impressed while on trial in Tuesday's game and is one of a few options Alty are considering.
Barrow confirmed that decisions on the squad would be made very soon.
He said: "Our attacking options are good, we just need to get the other end of the pitch right.
"There was promise tonight with Danny Williams. He’s obviously very experienced but we’ve spoken to a few experienced centre halves and obviously they’re still training with League clubs.
"Now it’s coming to crunch time we’ve got two or three irons in the fire and he’s one of them.
"We have to be encouraged by what he showed because he linked up well with Greg Young and what I know about Danny is that his ability and distribution on the ball is outstanding.
"In terms of the other trialists, we know what we want. It is simply the defensive end of the field and possibly, just possibly, in midfield but it would have to be the right player."
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Barrow believes in firepower
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