Darlington V Alfreton

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theoriginalfatcat
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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Sat Aug 28, 2021 10:03 pm

I thought T.T. In goal looked a bit wobbly in the second half. He made some saves but when he had to mix it with the Alfreton heavies he looked indecisive and worried - usually coming off second best.
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Darlogramps
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Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Darlogramps » Sat Aug 28, 2021 11:11 pm

Quakerlad wrote:Have to say I agree again with you Darlogramps, very poor but not really surprising when you saw the defence and attack, both of which looked a long way below what is needed at this level. Against not a great side either who should probably have been 4 up by half time.

To me Some funny decisions on the day but basically AA has got his summer recruitment very wrong.
I know you love an OTT, knee-jerk negative reaction. But we’ve had one game of the season. It’s ridiculously early to be saying he’s got his recruitment wrong, particularly given 2/3s of the squad are new.

I know why people like you do this. You’re covering your bases. If it doesn’t work out, you can say: “Told you so”. If the signings do work out, you can say: “Happy to be proved wrong as Darlo are doing well”.

Here’s a radical thought, let’s give players more than one game before writing them off as bad signings.
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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Quakerlad » Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:34 am

Darlogramps wrote:
Sat Aug 28, 2021 11:11 pm
Quakerlad wrote:Have to say I agree again with you Darlogramps, very poor but not really surprising when you saw the defence and attack, both of which looked a long way below what is needed at this level. Against not a great side either who should probably have been 4 up by half time.

To me Some funny decisions on the day but basically AA has got his summer recruitment very wrong.
I know you love an OTT, knee-jerk negative reaction. But we’ve had one game of the season. It’s ridiculously early to be saying he’s got his recruitment wrong, particularly given 2/3s of the squad are new.

I know why people like you do this. You’re covering your bases. If it doesn’t work out, you can say: “Told you so”. If the signings do work out, you can say: “Happy to be proved wrong as Darlo are doing well”.

Here’s a radical thought, let’s give players more than one game before writing them off as bad signings.

To be fair you were also pretty downbeat in your opinion of the players and team yesterday too.

I reckon 90% of supporters who have seen the pre season and yesterday’s game also think he has got his recruitment wrong. I’m not covering any bases here, just an opinion, and of course I hope I’m proved wrong as want us to be successful and win games at the end of the day.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Darlogramps » Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:08 am

Quakerlad wrote:
Darlogramps wrote:
Sat Aug 28, 2021 11:11 pm
Quakerlad wrote:Have to say I agree again with you Darlogramps, very poor but not really surprising when you saw the defence and attack, both of which looked a long way below what is needed at this level. Against not a great side either who should probably have been 4 up by half time.

To me Some funny decisions on the day but basically AA has got his summer recruitment very wrong.
I know you love an OTT, knee-jerk negative reaction. But we’ve had one game of the season. It’s ridiculously early to be saying he’s got his recruitment wrong, particularly given 2/3s of the squad are new.

I know why people like you do this. You’re covering your bases. If it doesn’t work out, you can say: “Told you so”. If the signings do work out, you can say: “Happy to be proved wrong as Darlo are doing well”.

Here’s a radical thought, let’s give players more than one game before writing them off as bad signings.

To be fair you were also pretty downbeat in your opinion of the players and team yesterday too.
There’s a big difference between saying ‘We performed badly yesterday’ (which is what I’m doing) and ‘Our recruitment has been terrible, AA has got it completely wrong’ off the back of one match (which is what you’re doing).
Quakerlad wrote: I reckon 90% of supporters who have seen the pre season and yesterday’s game also think he has got his recruitment wrong. I’m not covering any bases here, just an opinion, and of course I hope I’m proved wrong as want us to be successful and win games at the end of the day.
Answer me this - why do you need to form an opinion on it at this incredibly early stage? Why can’t you wait a few competitive games before making a judgement (as we’ve seen with York, pre-season is utterly irrelevant).

You know there’s no way players can gel together by this point when 2/3s of our squad weren’t here last season. You know that has been exacerbated by having two Covid outbreaks in a month before the start of the season. You know any player takes time to bed in.

You claim you want the squad to do well, yet are writing them off after one match (and don’t claim you’re not, because that’s exactly what you’re doing).

I just don’t understand why you can’t wait a bit of time before forming an opinion about our recruitment.
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theoriginalfatcat
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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:37 am

Gabbiadini’s first game was nothing special. It took a little while for him to show us all what he could do.
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Quakerlad
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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Quakerlad » Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:40 am

Would like nothing better if after a few games it all gels and comes good and am sure you will remind me if it does.
Just wish you would stop inferring that I only “claim” I want us to do well. If you knew me you would have no doubts about my allegiance.
Equally though, I do believe that after seeing some players now 4/5 times against different opposition it’s not unreasonable to have formed an early view on them like many of the 1200 die hards have done.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Darlofan97 » Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:43 am

AA does have to take some responsibility for not starting Purver, instead of putting in Charman who was clearly off the pace. Once Purver came on we did look at bit better and started playing it through midfield (where both of our goals came from), instead of lumped balls up to Cassidy.

Our problems are pretty simple. We have centre halves who don't talk, don't organise and don't dominate, any form of physical centre-forward in this league has their number and we struggle to cope. Brown & Burgess, for all of their flaws, could at least do the basics of being a centre half correct and you could back them in a scrap like yesterday.

The problem for Alun is that there doesn't appear to be many options to fix this issue. Loanees and lads released from academies just aren't moulded like old-fashioned centre-halves anymore, it doesn't appear that Wheater fancies dropping down to this level and Lawlor went to Pools.

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Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Darlogramps » Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:56 am

Quakerlad wrote:Would like nothing better if after a few games it all gels and comes good and am sure you will remind me if it does.
Just wish you would stop inferring that I only “claim” I want us to do well. If you knew me you would have no doubts about my allegiance.
Equally though, I do believe that after seeing some players now 4/5 times against different opposition it’s not unreasonable to have formed an early view on them like many of the 1200 die hards have done.
You can’t make any judgements based on pre-season, particularly one as disrupted as ours. Look at York. A fantastic pre-season followed by three defeats from three. Pre-season is so different to the normal campaign so you can’t make any judgements about it. It’s a fitness exercise and nothing more.

Just give it a bit of time before spouting off about how “terrible” our recruitment has been. There’s a difference between forming an early view and leaping in two-footed as you’ve done with “AA has got his recruitment completely wrong”. You’ve gone in too hard too quickly, which is what I’m objecting to.

A true fan wouldn’t be writing off the new signings after one match like you’re doing.
Last edited by Darlogramps on Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Vodka_Vic » Sun Aug 29, 2021 10:13 am

If AA hadn't started Charman people would have criticised him for at least not giving him a chance to see how his fitness levels were, so he couldn't win that one.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by jjljks » Sun Aug 29, 2021 10:48 am

Charman hasn't had playing time with Cassidy to form much of an understanding & partnership. It looked like a bad tackle near touchline & clattered his ankle / Achilles. He gave it a couple of minutes but then sensibly came off to get proper treatment. AA forced into some changes, but Purver gave us a better balance & Hedley in for Hope helped defence. JH looked good going forward but gave their winger far too much space. As others have asked, where is Smith? We need to get back 4 sorted & quickly.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by darlobaz791 » Sun Aug 29, 2021 1:31 pm

So changes need to be made tomorrow.
Taylor
Griffiths
Beeden
Taylor
Smith/Hedley
Wheatley
Hatfield
Purver
Rivers
Cassidy
Dos Santos

Subs: Martin, Hope, Nelson, Charman (if fit), Mondal

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Darlo_Pete » Sun Aug 29, 2021 3:15 pm

Very poor performance, we deserved nothing from the game. If we'd managed to scramble a draw at the end then we'd have got away with murder. They had so many chances especially in the first half, that they could and should have been 4 or 5 up by half time. The number of times we pumped the ball forward, giving the ball back straight away to Alfreton was ridiculous. Towards the end we started keeping the ball on the ground, but by then it was too late. I was impressed with Alfreton as they played some really good football & didn't play hoof football that we all expected them to play. Things can only get better.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Old Git » Sun Aug 29, 2021 5:22 pm

Darlo_Pete wrote:
Sun Aug 29, 2021 3:15 pm
Very poor performance, we deserved nothing from the game. If we'd managed to scramble a draw at the end then we'd have got away with murder. They had so many chances especially in the first half, that they could and should have been 4 or 5 up by half time. The number of times we pumped the ball forward, giving the ball back straight away to Alfreton was ridiculous. Towards the end we started keeping the ball on the ground, but by then it was too late. I was impressed with Alfreton as they played some really good football & didn't play hoof football that we all expected them to play. Things can only get better.
Very much agree with your assessment of the game Pete. Sadly it was all a bit predictable after our interrupted preseason and there are valid excuses that help to explain a poor performance. If there was ever any doubt we now know for sure that we desperately need to strengthen the central defence as we hardly won a header in our own penalty area.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Wiseacre » Sun Aug 29, 2021 5:49 pm

Things can only get better. Says Pete, like Old Git I'd endorse most of his post. The weaknesses were apparent before the game and Alfreton were better than their hoofing image suggested so lets be patient. The team against Curzon will be different and if we can pick up the spirit shown in the last half-hour of Saturdays match I think we can get a point at least. I think it must have been hard for those lads on Saturday and there are reasons why; unfamiliarity, fitness issues. Also the central defence problem has been well known for some time. There are obviously real difficulties recruiting at our level so the mutterings about 'recruitment policy' need to accept this - I think Armstrong is a sound manager at this level and we should keep the faith in what could be a testing season. My prediction is that we'll finish above York this time.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by bga » Sun Aug 29, 2021 7:13 pm

Darlogramps wrote:
Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:56 am
Quakerlad wrote:Would like nothing better if after a few games it all gels and comes good and am sure you will remind me if it does.
Just wish you would stop inferring that I only “claim” I want us to do well. If you knew me you would have no doubts about my allegiance.
Equally though, I do believe that after seeing some players now 4/5 times against different opposition it’s not unreasonable to have formed an early view on them like many of the 1200 die hards have done.
You can’t make any judgements based on pre-season, particularly one as disrupted as ours. Look at York. A fantastic pre-season followed by three defeats from three. Pre-season is so different to the normal campaign so you can’t make any judgements about it. It’s a fitness exercise and nothing more.

Just give it a bit of time before spouting off about how “terrible” our recruitment has been. There’s a difference between forming an early view and leaping in two-footed as you’ve done with “AA has got his recruitment completely wrong”. You’ve gone in too hard too quickly, which is what I’m objecting to.

A true fan wouldn’t be writing off the new signings after one match like you’re doing.
Gramps I agree with you we need to give all the new players a bit of time. However, you are quoted earlier in this thread "I've said before I don't rate Cassidy at all" so haven't you written him off already?

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Darlogramps » Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:51 pm

bga wrote:
Darlogramps wrote:
Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:56 am
Quakerlad wrote:Would like nothing better if after a few games it all gels and comes good and am sure you will remind me if it does.
Just wish you would stop inferring that I only “claim” I want us to do well. If you knew me you would have no doubts about my allegiance.
Equally though, I do believe that after seeing some players now 4/5 times against different opposition it’s not unreasonable to have formed an early view on them like many of the 1200 die hards have done.
You can’t make any judgements based on pre-season, particularly one as disrupted as ours. Look at York. A fantastic pre-season followed by three defeats from three. Pre-season is so different to the normal campaign so you can’t make any judgements about it. It’s a fitness exercise and nothing more.

Just give it a bit of time before spouting off about how “terrible” our recruitment has been. There’s a difference between forming an early view and leaping in two-footed as you’ve done with “AA has got his recruitment completely wrong”. You’ve gone in too hard too quickly, which is what I’m objecting to.

A true fan wouldn’t be writing off the new signings after one match like you’re doing.
Gramps I agree with you we need to give all the new players a bit of time. However, you are quoted earlier in this thread "I've said before I don't rate Cassidy at all" so haven't you written him off already?
How is that writing him off? Interested to hear your logic.

I’ve said I don’t rate him based on his record for other clubs and the games I’ve seen here. But that’s not writing him off. It’s just saying his record so far hasn’t impressed me.

And there’s a big difference between saying I don’t rate one player based on his entire career, and Quakerlad already condemning AA’s summer signings as being not good enough based on one game.
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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by JE93 » Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:01 am

Watching the highlights (not particularly pretty). Agree with the sentiments we were bullied at CB, Rhead will be a handful for lots of CBs this season if he stays fit but in reality we didn't really lay a glove on him. Saying that the first two goals are on Charman, unfortunately, loses his man on the flick on for the first and miss judges the flight of the ball for the second. Looking at the 3rd think Hedley is too deep and playing their man on from the through ball. Hatfield seemed his usual hard working self and I think Taylor deserves more credit, made some really good saves especially during the first half.

Think we need to change things up re-Curzon, go for a 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 and try and control the ball a bit more and give ourselves more cover of an extra midfielder to try and stop balls coming into the box at source. I've given Beeden a nod because why not based on or defending from Saturday. Let Charman build his fitness slowly if he is feeling the after effects of covid. Bring Rivers in if he is fit enough for 60 odd minutes, he works hard is good at holding the ball and gives good cover to his full back, maybe put someone a bit more experienced at full back for Hope too, presuming Smith won't be fit I'd put either Griffith and Hedley at FB they can pick between them which side they want to play. I'd go for:

‐---------------------- Taylor -----------------------
Griffiths --- Taylor -- Beeden --- Hedley
-------- Purver - Hatfield - Wheatley -----
Rivers ----------------------------- Dos Santos
--------------------- Cassidy -----------------------

Subs: Hope, Storey, Mondal, Charman, Nelson

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by darlobaz791 » Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:31 am

JE93 wrote:
Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:01 am
Watching the highlights (not particularly pretty). Agree with the sentiments we were bullied at CB, Rhead will be a handful for lots of CBs this season if he stays fit but in reality we didn't really lay a glove on him. Saying that the first two goals are on Charman, unfortunately, loses his man on the flick on for the first and miss judges the flight of the ball for the second. Looking at the 3rd think Hedley is too deep and playing their man on from the through ball. Hatfield seemed his usual hard working self and I think Taylor deserves more credit, made some really good saves especially during the first half.

Think we need to change things up re-Curzon, go for a 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 and try and control the ball a bit more and give ourselves more cover of an extra midfielder to try and stop balls coming into the box at source. I've given Beeden a nod because why not based on or defending from Saturday. Let Charman build his fitness slowly if he is feeling the after effects of covid. Bring Rivers in if he is fit enough for 60 odd minutes, he works hard is good at holding the ball and gives good cover to his full back, maybe put someone a bit more experienced at full back for Hope too, presuming Smith won't be fit I'd put either Griffith and Hedley at FB they can pick between them which side they want to play. I'd go for:

‐---------------------- Taylor -----------------------
Griffiths --- Taylor -- Beeden --- Hedley
-------- Purver - Hatfield - Wheatley -----
Rivers ----------------------------- Dos Santos
--------------------- Cassidy -----------------------

Subs: Hope, Storey, Mondal, Charman, Nelson
Same as my team for today. Fully agree with your reasoning.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by en passant » Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:05 am

JE93 wrote:
Mon Aug 30, 2021 8:01 am
Watching the highlights (not particularly pretty). Agree with the sentiments we were bullied at CB, Rhead will be a handful for lots of CBs this season if he stays fit but in reality we didn't really lay a glove on him. Saying that the first two goals are on Charman, unfortunately, loses his man on the flick on for the first and miss judges the flight of the ball for the second. Looking at the 3rd think Hedley is too deep and playing their man on from the through ball. Hatfield seemed his usual hard working self and I think Taylor deserves more credit, made some really good saves especially during the first half.

Think we need to change things up re-Curzon, go for a 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 and try and control the ball a bit more and give ourselves more cover of an extra midfielder to try and stop balls coming into the box at source. I've given Beeden a nod because why not based on or defending from Saturday. Let Charman build his fitness slowly if he is feeling the after effects of covid. Bring Rivers in if he is fit enough for 60 odd minutes, he works hard is good at holding the ball and gives good cover to his full back, maybe put someone a bit more experienced at full back for Hope too, presuming Smith won't be fit I'd put either Griffith and Hedley at FB they can pick between them which side they want to play. I'd go for:

‐---------------------- Taylor -----------------------
Griffiths --- Taylor -- Beeden --- Hedley
-------- Purver - Hatfield - Wheatley -----
Rivers ----------------------------- Dos Santos
--------------------- Cassidy -----------------------

Subs: Hope, Storey, Mondal, Charman, Nelson
If Charman is suffering as much as it appeared on Saturday it might make sense to give Beauchamp his chance on the bench.

Darlogramps
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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Darlogramps » Mon Aug 30, 2021 2:49 pm

Always rated Cassidy. Cracking player.
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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by real_darlo_85 » Mon Aug 30, 2021 3:22 pm

bga wrote:
Sun Aug 29, 2021 7:13 pm
Darlogramps wrote:
Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:56 am
Quakerlad wrote:Would like nothing better if after a few games it all gels and comes good and am sure you will remind me if it does.
Just wish you would stop inferring that I only “claim” I want us to do well. If you knew me you would have no doubts about my allegiance.
Equally though, I do believe that after seeing some players now 4/5 times against different opposition it’s not unreasonable to have formed an early view on them like many of the 1200 die hards have done.
You can’t make any judgements based on pre-season, particularly one as disrupted as ours. Look at York. A fantastic pre-season followed by three defeats from three. Pre-season is so different to the normal campaign so you can’t make any judgements about it. It’s a fitness exercise and nothing more.

Just give it a bit of time before spouting off about how “terrible” our recruitment has been. There’s a difference between forming an early view and leaping in two-footed as you’ve done with “AA has got his recruitment completely wrong”. You’ve gone in too hard too quickly, which is what I’m objecting to.

A true fan wouldn’t be writing off the new signings after one match like you’re doing.
Gramps I agree with you we need to give all the new players a bit of time. However, you are quoted earlier in this thread "I've said before I don't rate Cassidy at all" so haven't you written him off already?
How long do you gloss over the fact that the recruitment this preseason has been below par from the last two? We have a forward line made of glass, midfield is probably just about adequate but beyond those that start there is nothing and we are scarily woeful at the back. We'll be lucky to finish near the top of bottom half maximum and I said this back in June. I'm not sure what has happened but this feels like a big step back to almost the type of recruitment TW was making.
"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Wiseacre » Mon Aug 30, 2021 3:55 pm

[/quote]

How long do you gloss over the fact that the recruitment this preseason has been below par from the last two? We have a forward line made of glass, midfield is probably just about adequate but beyond those that start there is nothing and we are scarily woeful at the back. We'll be lucky to finish near the top of bottom half maximum and I said this back in June. I'm not sure what has happened but this feels like a big step back to almost the type of recruitment TW was making.
[/quote]

Many of the posts on this thread make the point that there have been reasons for the difference this pre-season. I believe Armstrong has tried as hard as he can but how easy is it to get the players we might want to join a part-time club unless there's nothing better on offer, and if they're not getting better offers are they worth having? It seems to be getting harder in this league on a few fronts and the covid complications have made a big impact so we might struggle this season and a mid-table position might not be so bad. On the other hand we're only one game in and the side should come together. In my view it's not a step backward more aiming to do the best we can given the circumstances. Armstrong is so much more experienced at this level than Wright - I honestly don't know what else he can do.

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Re: Darlington V Alfreton

Post by Yarblockos » Mon Aug 30, 2021 6:37 pm

Wiseacre wrote:
Mon Aug 30, 2021 3:55 pm
Many of the posts on this thread make the point that there have been reasons for the difference this pre-season. I believe Armstrong has tried as hard as he can but how easy is it to get the players we might want to join a part-time club unless there's nothing better on offer, and if they're not getting better offers are they worth having? It seems to be getting harder in this league on a few fronts and the covid complications have made a big impact so we might struggle this season and a mid-table position might not be so bad. On the other hand we're only one game in and the side should come together. In my view it's not a step backward more aiming to do the best we can given the circumstances. Armstrong is so much more experienced at this level than Wright - I honestly don't know what else he can do.
I know AA says there are a shortage of good centrral defenders available, but there are plenty of part-time sides in this league and all of them appear to have been able to attract defenders that are good enough to keep them off the bottom of the table. At the moment it looks like we have the worst defence in the league.

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