Manse at Right Back?
Posted: 12 Feb 2014, 12:38
... never again please, Greavsie!
I must admit I have never rated him in that position as he is far too easily skinned. It was obvious, early in the first half when their winger waltzed around a statuesque Manse, like he was a training cone, that it's just not his position. He was indeed "horrific" last night, to quote him, and whilst being an admirer of his battling qualities, his distribution last night was truly dreadful. If he is to keep his place in the team then it can only be in central midfield and yet with the likes of Labadie, Lathrope, Harding, Cooper, Rudge (where was he last night?) and Craig all fighting for a place in the team there, you have to feel that his days may be numbered.
It is now a huge call for Greavsie as to how many of his "mates" he chooses to keep in the team as it was clear that Northampton deliberately targeted the area between O'Connor and Nicholson on the left side of our defence and consequently benefited to the tune of two goals last night. This has happened all too often over the course of the last couple of seasons and needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, certainly in the case of the second goal, Nico was let down by some poor defending by young O'Connor and like others have said, I felt Pokey could have done better with both goals last night too. Unfortunately, I don't think Cruise is good enough defensively to warrant a place in the side either.
As for young O'Connor, excellent though he is most of the time he is prone to the odd costly error and personally feel he would be better off being played at Right Back where he has been excellent every time I have seen him there.
I also feel Downesy, should be restored to our defence as although he hasn't had the best of seasons, not helped by injury, he is surely too good to be left on our bench.
I feel we still have the makings of a decent enough side if some BIG decisions are made. We still have the options of Harding, who we haven't seen the best of yet and Cooper to come back into the side and they will feel like TWO new signings. We also have young Rudge, who we really don't know enough about to judge whether he could improve us and to a certain extent young O'Brien needs to be given a chance too as 10 minutes off the bench is not enough. He scored plenty of goals at the level below, for Aldershot, in the last few months and should at least be fairly confident in front of goal which is more than can be said for some, if not most, of our current strikers!
As for Lathrope in midfield, whilst by no means our worst performer last night (there was plenty of competition for that!) I know he has been largely excellent in our recent performances on the road but I am not sure that such a defensively minded central midfielder is what is required at Plainmoor where the emphasis has to be on taking the game to the opposition.
I thought Stockley battled valiantly up top last night and was, along with Chapell and Pearce, someone who could at least hold their head up high after last night, but was disappointed with Elliot alongside. Benyon seems to have lost his touch in front of goal since he last played for us and you have to ask what he brings to the team(other than admittedly a huge appetite for hard work) if he isn't delivering where it counts most. Time to give young Chapell or indeed O'Brien a run out up there, or recruit another loanee if they are not up to it.
It's time for Greavsie to make some big decisions and for the sake of his fledgling managerial career I really hope he gives it his best shot and makes the calls that are needed to get us out of this mess, otherwise I fear our time may be up (again).
No sentiment, no regrets.
I must admit I have never rated him in that position as he is far too easily skinned. It was obvious, early in the first half when their winger waltzed around a statuesque Manse, like he was a training cone, that it's just not his position. He was indeed "horrific" last night, to quote him, and whilst being an admirer of his battling qualities, his distribution last night was truly dreadful. If he is to keep his place in the team then it can only be in central midfield and yet with the likes of Labadie, Lathrope, Harding, Cooper, Rudge (where was he last night?) and Craig all fighting for a place in the team there, you have to feel that his days may be numbered.
It is now a huge call for Greavsie as to how many of his "mates" he chooses to keep in the team as it was clear that Northampton deliberately targeted the area between O'Connor and Nicholson on the left side of our defence and consequently benefited to the tune of two goals last night. This has happened all too often over the course of the last couple of seasons and needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, certainly in the case of the second goal, Nico was let down by some poor defending by young O'Connor and like others have said, I felt Pokey could have done better with both goals last night too. Unfortunately, I don't think Cruise is good enough defensively to warrant a place in the side either.
As for young O'Connor, excellent though he is most of the time he is prone to the odd costly error and personally feel he would be better off being played at Right Back where he has been excellent every time I have seen him there.
I also feel Downesy, should be restored to our defence as although he hasn't had the best of seasons, not helped by injury, he is surely too good to be left on our bench.
I feel we still have the makings of a decent enough side if some BIG decisions are made. We still have the options of Harding, who we haven't seen the best of yet and Cooper to come back into the side and they will feel like TWO new signings. We also have young Rudge, who we really don't know enough about to judge whether he could improve us and to a certain extent young O'Brien needs to be given a chance too as 10 minutes off the bench is not enough. He scored plenty of goals at the level below, for Aldershot, in the last few months and should at least be fairly confident in front of goal which is more than can be said for some, if not most, of our current strikers!
As for Lathrope in midfield, whilst by no means our worst performer last night (there was plenty of competition for that!) I know he has been largely excellent in our recent performances on the road but I am not sure that such a defensively minded central midfielder is what is required at Plainmoor where the emphasis has to be on taking the game to the opposition.
I thought Stockley battled valiantly up top last night and was, along with Chapell and Pearce, someone who could at least hold their head up high after last night, but was disappointed with Elliot alongside. Benyon seems to have lost his touch in front of goal since he last played for us and you have to ask what he brings to the team(other than admittedly a huge appetite for hard work) if he isn't delivering where it counts most. Time to give young Chapell or indeed O'Brien a run out up there, or recruit another loanee if they are not up to it.
It's time for Greavsie to make some big decisions and for the sake of his fledgling managerial career I really hope he gives it his best shot and makes the calls that are needed to get us out of this mess, otherwise I fear our time may be up (again).
No sentiment, no regrets.
