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[RMS Hale]

With apologies for Gene Krantz' grammar, and assuming for a moment that we are not going to have a total mid-season squad restructuring (we are already well into the 30s in terms of number of players used – 20 debutants in 6 Neil Young matches!) I guess we need to consider how to get the best out of what we’ve got, however depressing a prospect some might think that is. So here goes……

Goalkeepers

Not our biggest problem – Deasy looks OK and Dawber frightens me to death either with the ball at his feet or when doing his Dracula impression.

Full backs / wing backs

Also not our biggest problem – despite the stigma of being signed by Young, Patterson looks a decent player – bit early to judge McWilliams, but he looks better than Doherty (this is called damning with faint praise)

Centre halves

Too early to say re: Thomas; he has a good pedigree but age is not on his side – I think he would work best in a three at the back. I think Hannigan looks good (the best Young signing?) if he can stay fit and on the pitch, otherwise this position worries me. Cyrus has lost all confidence – he has the physique and the pace but not the technique or the composure required, and Hall looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Not seen enough of Heathcote to judge. Goodall is not a centre half (he has neither the pace nor the height), so I won’t judge him as one.

Defensive central midfield
Also really worrying, although it shouldn’t be if players were playing up to potential. Moult looks completely out of sorts and seems to foul everything that moves (he’s my bet for our next red card) and I would be interested to see Goodall play this role (obviously not at Lincoln though), which I think is his true one. He certainly tries his heart out for the team. I feel sorry for Richman, who is in and out of the team like mad – at least he puts his foot in and tackles. Joyce doesn’t look anything special on what I have seen of him.

Attacking central midfield
The trouble is we have three decent players who all want to play the same role. Of the three I think Lawrie is the most versatile – frustrating as he can be he does do some brilliant things on the pitch – so should be the one who plays in a wider role on the right. Miller does not look remotely at home playing on the left – the trouble is he and Wilkinson want to be playing in the same place, which is the number 10 role, and I don’t think they can be effectively deployed anywhere else. Miller does score goals out of nothing, but the team looks a lot better with Wilkinson in it (witness the last 2 matches).

Wide midfielders / wingers

Both Cain and Hasler-Cregg look promising but are lightweight and inexperienced. Cain has the advantage of playing in a position where we do not seem to have anyone who can play effectively, but you can’t expect him to be consistent at his age and level of experience.

Strikers

Reeves is a frustrating player - he does brilliant things but not enough of them. He looks a good striker in a strong team, but in our team at the moment he is a luxury, as he does not have the physical presence to threaten the opposition or lead the line as a sole striker. It is taking Marsh a while to get match fit – he looked good in his first two sub appearances but not so much since. I suspect he will link up play better than Reeves once he is fully fit. Hobson is not the type of striker I instinctively warm to, but he played a blinder for half an hour at Stalybridge (our best half hour of the season?) at ‘inside left’, winning every header and linking up well with Marsh, which may not be a coincidence given the Stalybridge connection.

And then there is Densmore – probably best not to rely on him getting fit again, but he would be useful if he did, more so in central midfield than at right back it seems to me (this may also be more realistic physically as he recovers match fitness).

Summary

Away from home I think we need to play three at the back in some form, with wing backs (God help us if Patterson gets injured), with two central midfielders and two people playing off a lone striker. At home we might be able to sit a central midfielder in front of a two and play either an extra striker or (more likely) an extra attacking midfielder.

In terms of personnel I suggest the following:

Away (5-2-2-1)

Deasy
Patterson
Hannigan
Thomas
Heathcote
McWilliams
Goodall
Richman
Wilkinson
Miller
Marsh
Substitutes: Dawber, Moult, Lawrie, Reeves, Hobson

Home (4-2-3-1)

Deasy
Patterson
Hannigan
Thomas
McWilliams
Goodall
Richman
Lawrie
Miller
Wilkinson
Marsh
Substitutes: Dawber, Heathcote, Moult, Reeves, Hobson

Of course injuries and suspensions will play havoc with this, but I think these line-ups would be our best bet. With 7 mainly defensive players Miller and Wilkinson should be able to avoid getting under each other’s feet away from home, while at home I would play Miller behind Marsh and Wilkinson at ‘inside left’ rather than the other way round. The benches give reasonable options if (when?) it all goes wrong with the starting line-up.

If we are going to sign some more players the clear deficiencies are at centre half (quality not numbers), central midfield (ditto) and wide midfield (both quality and numbers) – the latter is why I think we should go with wing backs for our width with current personnel. Incidentally we have no cover at full/wing back whatsoever, which would be another issue to address. If we could offload Cyrus, Hall and Moult we might be able to find wages for a new centre half, central midfielder (unless Densmore fully recovers) and left wing back, which would be a help.

I happen to believe that Jim Harvey has as good a chance as anyone of sorting out this mess, and that creating yet further instability at this stage would be madness.

At the moment it requires a vivid imagination to see us staying up, but I think the above structures would give us the best chance. So come on all you Moult and Reeves fans, persuade me otherwise!

[Timperley The Best]

Neither of the teams without 3 or 4 new additions will keep us up imo

[oneedham]

Moult has never been the same player since moving him from defensive mid, where he basically was told to mop up and win headers which he was really good at. Asked to do more means he has become sloppy in forward play. I would have Moult sat in front of Hannigan and potentially Thomas. I see potential in Cyrus but he needs educating and to keep it simple. Agree with Reeves, he needs players like Nicky Clee creating openings.

We are far too narrow which means Lawrie and Miller cut in and this means it is not so open for Reeves in and around the box. Lawrie needs to be benched, especially away from home as he is very often a passenger and you can't have players like that at this level. If he plays then it is number 10 position only, ridiculously how many times this has been mentioned and still managers stick him out wide. My midfield would be Moult ( DM) with Richman  ( CM closing down and winning balls back ) and Wilkinson ( CM more disciplined in defending and being more wise in forward play.

We need wide creative players who can beat players down the wing, who have a decent cross or even beat players then cut in. We need to open up the middle of the park. When Crowther and Clee were fit and confident we had a go at National teams. We basically need those sort of players but who will remain fit, not at all easy to find but we need natural wide men who can simply beat a man.

We never have teams thinking about us, we are always thinking about the other team and on the back foot. Defend from the front and I wouldn't moan at a player who attempts to drive at the opposition defence. We have no drive, confidence, determination and more worryingly heart.

[roytonmike]

RMS Hale has provided a thoughtful, thorough & reasoned summary of where we're at. I might disagree on one or two points of detail - e.g. both our current full-backs fit the standard Alty mould (better going forward than doing their real job); it should be possible to play both Lawrie & Wilkinson if the former plays immediately behind a lone striker (who has to be Reeves at the start of the game, at least until Marsh is fully match fit) & the latter slots into the midfield as creator - but overall I think the analysis is excellent; far better thought out than a lot of what one reads on here. Thanks very much, sir.
My variation on a selection/system theme (with Saturday in mind) would be
Deasy
Heathcote - Thomas - Hannigan
Patterson - Moult - Richman - Wilkinson - McWilliams
Lawrie
Reeves
with Dawber, Cyrus, Miller, Cain, Marsh (& any two others on Saturday) in reserve.

[Ashley Alty]

Clee