After witnessing the abject performance against Stockport yesterday and reading all the various threads on here this morning, blaming different players etc. for the position we are in, it set me thinking that the player we miss most from last season's team is Matt Gill, who used to link midfield and attack so well. Also he was a leader on the field, something that was clearly lacking yesterday.
It is easy for everyone to blame the forwards for our lack of goals, but the service up to them is appalling. Last season we managed to make things work from the midfield because of Matt Gill doing all the hard graft, making time to play a forward ball and making others look better around him too. He made us tick as a team and while we also miss Deano, without Gilly we are now descending into a hoof ball team, with no invention or ideas going forward.
Alex Russell and Liam Sercombe had the opportunity to take on Gilly's role this season and have both been found wanting. It could be said Liam is too young, but maybe he will never fufill the promise he showed at the end of last season and as for Russell, his time has definitely over as a !st team player, but with no other alternatives, I'm sure Tis will continue to play him. I'm sure Tis expected more from both players this season.
Now how do we get round this problem now? For me there are three options, get Matt Gill on loan foir the rest of the season from Norwich, which is very unlikely to happen, sign a similar midfield player on loan, which is a possibilty or give the team some width and sign a winger on loan. That could be the way forward, particularly as Craig Noone made such a difference when he was with us on loan. Whatever happens, Tis must do something, as the midfield as it is at the moment isn't working.
It is easy for everyone to blame the forwards for our lack of goals, but the service up to them is appalling. Last season we managed to make things work from the midfield because of Matt Gill doing all the hard graft, making time to play a forward ball and making others look better around him too. He made us tick as a team and while we also miss Deano, without Gilly we are now descending into a hoof ball team, with no invention or ideas going forward.
Alex Russell and Liam Sercombe had the opportunity to take on Gilly's role this season and have both been found wanting. It could be said Liam is too young, but maybe he will never fufill the promise he showed at the end of last season and as for Russell, his time has definitely over as a !st team player, but with no other alternatives, I'm sure Tis will continue to play him. I'm sure Tis expected more from both players this season.
Now how do we get round this problem now? For me there are three options, get Matt Gill on loan foir the rest of the season from Norwich, which is very unlikely to happen, sign a similar midfield player on loan, which is a possibilty or give the team some width and sign a winger on loan. That could be the way forward, particularly as Craig Noone made such a difference when he was with us on loan. Whatever happens, Tis must do something, as the midfield as it is at the moment isn't working.
