What position do we need to strengthen

[Colorado Gull]

All the players are so low in confidence with the recent results and performances; you could see that from Saturday’s game. We were always looking to go forward and attack, but we just don't have any confidence going forward. For me personally, I think we do have the players and just need a shuffle around and drop some players. Nicholson, he's been very poor recently, is very slow at the back and gets caught out too easily. What's wrong with Cruise? Why shouldn't we give him a go? We got him from Arsenal, he’s played in the champions league, he can't be any worse than Nicholson surely? A change would do us good; I think Cruise should be given a go and replace Nicholson.

Secondly, the midfield, it's just all over the place. Yes I know Alan Knill looked impressive with playing Jarvis, Howe, Benyon and Bodin and I'm not knocking Knill but playing Jarvis on the wing is just pointless. Don't play him! He's been poor as well and he needs to be dropped, play Benyon and Howe up front and play Macklin on the wing. Billy Bodin, he's been having a shocker for months now and he needs to be dropped (to the bench). Again, we have the players? What's wrong with Niall Thompson? Next, Lee Mansell. Yes he's our captain and it seems incredibly unlikely that Knill will ever drop him to the bench, but just because he is the skipper shouldn't mean that his place in the starting XI is a definite every week. Mansell has been very poor this season, his only two good games were against Exeter, really not like himself. I would bring Nathan Craig in for Manse, Nath is a top top player and he should be used in his position, as a CM! With Nath, I would play Lathrope. Easton didn't have a terrible game against Vale on Saturday, but I just prefer Lathrope to Easton and personally think Damo is a better player.

My starting line up for tomorrow's game would be;

Poke

Leadbitter
MacDonald (as Downes is injured))
Saah
Cruise

Macklin
Craig
Lathrope
Thompson

Howe
Benyon

That team for me would start a change in our fortune! Just looking at the line up we seem more attacking with more width, Howe and Benyon would get more service and we even look more structured as a team. I do hope that Knill sees this, but I have doubts.

(EDIT: I saw the mention of Eastleigh? Remember, anyone in that constituency....Vote UKIP! By-election on Thursday! )

[stevegull]

Shameless plug for UKIP there Danny! hahaha! Love it!

[PhilGull]

Why are people calling for a creative central midfielder? With neither Morris nor Craig making the bench, let alone starting on Saturday it seems pretty clear that Knilly wants a solid midfield with the goals being created from out wide.
If Nicho and Manse are responding positively to Knill's arrival and new tactics the only additions I expect are out wide and up front - with Jarvis being given the nod on the wing and Yeoman being the only striker on the bench I expect two players to challenge/replace them.

As for Lee Mansell, he is our Steven Gerrard(!) He is Mr Torquay and completely undroppable, no matter how poor his form or how good the competition on the bench.

[Chris B]

PhilGull - the reason we're calling for it is central midfield has been at the heart of all of our problems this season. We've been so poor in that area, no matter what the combination. They've offered no defensive support to the excellent but exposed Saah and Downes, no control of the game in terms of ball retention, and no danger whatsoever of providing a modicum of guile or creativity to our attacking play.

For what it's worth, I unfortunately suspect you're right, Knill won't look to strengthen that area, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't highlight it as a critical weakness in our team. Your point about Mansell is exactly how I fear Knill, Taylor and Ling see his position. For me, he's been sub-standard this season and needs to earn his place.

[cambgull]

on to our current midfield.- i am absolutely sick and tired of hearing phrases such as holding/defensive/creative/attacking midfielder. if these players are in the middle of the park they should be good enough to adapt and play whichever role or perform whatever task their manager asks of them. these guys are supposed to be "professional" footballers. if they cant keep a foot on the ball for a few seconds look up and find their team-mate with a pass they have no damn business being there.

the game is not easy i grant you but the principles and basics should be to a "professional". if any player cannot make the right decisions at the right time and pass the ball left, right, back or forward then they should not be playing. all the pro's on the pitch should have a good knowledge of the game and an abundance of skill which should see them be able to adapt and play at least adequetely in any position on the pitch.

also coaching and management should take some blame for our midfield creativity lacking. what the hell do they do in training. the players should all know their job by now and where each other are. a coach should have a team drilled in all the football, tactics, patterns and team-play that is required, if not what do they do.

we all hear how hard it is to make it and how a lot of players dont get in a league club. well tell me how the hell did our midfielders make it if they are unable to make a telling forward pass or even string a few possesion passes together.

[SteveDeckchair]

Some very strange views on this thread. Chunky has obviously never played football in his life and Danny suggesting we drop Manse for Lathrope! I mean, come on. Lathrope has been useless when I've seen him this season.Can't pass for toffee and has been missing his tackles, which is what he's there for.

[markw]

Judging by Knills comments a centre back is top of the shopping list, which I can understand given downes imjury thought McDonald looked knackered on Saturday , now understand why .. He was sick Friday night / sat morning, but think he is good enough to start, cover is still needed.

Danny , your team certainly has lots of pace, but is very , very limited in terms of experience and it would be one thing I would be very worried about .

I don't know when the loan window closes, but I would like to see Macklin, given a chance to prove himself on the wing, before we look to strengthen there, he has missed so much of this season that a run of 4/5 games might just be the difference in not just his season but career, remember he was out on his ear at the beginning of it.

To me the biggest question is what has Craig done/ said to mean his total absence from the squad, it i would have him in the squad , not sure about starting as I would feel better with he two holding midfielders ..manse/Easton/lathrope and 2 more attack minded wide players Bodin/Macklin backing up Rene and Benyon.

[Dave]

Thats interesting , Cp said earlier that Knill was suggesting a wide player was what he was looking for, any way went to Torquay this afternoon and spoke to someone who suggested that Aaron Downes had a scan and no damage was found, could play Tuesday night, if not should be back for the w/end, so watch this space and let see if that is true.

[AustrianAndyGull]

That's potentially good news regarding Downes Dave but given we are playing Accrington on saturday on what is one of the worst playing surfaces in the football league and can get heavy, plus Accy likely to put us under direct pressure i would perhaps prefer it if he sat out that one just to make doubly sure he is going to be ok. I'm sure Aaron would come back in and do a professional job if fit though.

[chunkygull]

Some very strange views on this thread. Chunky has obviously never played football in his life and Danny suggesting we drop Manse for Lathrope! I mean, come on. Lathrope has been useless when I've seen him this season.Can't pass for toffee and has been missing his tackles, which is what he's there for.

yes, i have played the game. i read about it daily. i have watched it regularly for nearly 30 years whether it be live or on tv. i have watched many videos/dvd's about the game and the history of it. i listen to the radio about it with people talking about it and giving various opinions nearly everyday for hours and hours.

a lot of the things i said i hear similar views from a lot of ex pro's and pundits/experts on the radio everyday.even today a couple of them said similar things to myself about professional players, that they should be able to adapt and perform whatever role a manager/coach expects them to play in their position.

if you ask a central midfielder to stay in a more defensive position allowing others to get forward whilst he wins the ball and sets off attacks then they should be able to do so. if you ask him to get forward and attack and create more i would expect them to do that also.

i wouldnt ask someone like danny stevens to perform rene howes role or anything daft like that. or elliott benyon to fill in at left back but i would expect central midfielders to be able to either help their defence or be able to support their attack.

i know players specialise in certain positions and types of play but as professionals they should have enough about them to adapt and play different ways.

look at the principles of the holland teams playing total football where every player knew what they were doing and if a player was needed to slot into any position or cover someone who had got forward they were adept enough to do so.

. everybody keeps coming up with different solutions of how we should play and team selection and it has been written on here many times tactics, style and selection are the problem.

all professional footballers should be adequetely skilled in all aspects of the game.the most basic of things like passing the ball and shooting are our problem. passing especially.

the creative midfield debate is interesting because if you really watch a lot of our premier league how many midfields have a proper out and out creative player.

most tactics and styles of play rely on 2 central midfield players winning the ball working and working it to wide areas, normally on the deck and creating chances from there.you dont get that many forward, defence splitting sublime passes unless a team is playing the counter on the break type of game.

to be honest the trouble with our team is they dont know what type of football they are expected to be playing, apart from try and be tight, defensive and negative - hoof the ball up to rene and hope somethings going to happen.

[Banging_Them_In]

Some ask, 'why do we need a creative midfielder'.

The answer is, just imagine what this team would be with Alex Russell in it, knitting everything together

[Trojan 67]

It appears to me that the position in need of strengthening is the financial one.

Good at spending Mrs Bristow's money they are.

[Trojan 67]

Football is a simple game,

Made complex by simpletons who see not the simple.

[madgull]

I've been thinking, and I genuinely believe we need to change our current style of play to a slightly more direct one... bare with me, I'm not sure I will explain myself that well at this time of night.....

I think our style of play really isn't suited to the lower divisions and players of this ability. We aren't direct enough, and we're too focussed on breaking teams down with our passing. Without a creative centre mid, we just sit of the edge of the box, and shoot from distance. The wingers don't cut inside and score, because Craig isn't a natural goal scorer, nor is Jarvis, and Billy has been hopeless in front of goal, and wants it on his left foot, and he's usually on the left wing anyway.

The current pitter-patter powder puff passing and posession game that we try to play is far far too easy to defend against it seems, and there is a much higher percentage chance of the move breaking down due to the number of passes, and touches, and flicks involved. If we were more direct from the wings, all you need to do is get the ball out wide, ball goes in the box, and two forwards compete to head at goal. It can take a few passes and you're already giving yourselves an opportunity on goal. We take about 15 passes at the moment, one players loses posession, and all the good work is undone without even coming close to their goal....

I'd be looking to be a tad less pleasing on the eye, and a fair bit more direct from the wings... In fact, Ling's passing game is the most boring style of football I've ever seen at Plainmoor possibly. .

This is a wind-up, right?

[PhilGull]

I don't think we know what Knill wants yet Phil do we? He's only had one game, and hasn't had time to experiment much in training etc? Maybe you're right and Wycombe will be the same!

No we don't know. My thoughts were based on neither Craig nor Morris even being on the bench, suggesting to me that Knill has no plans for anything other than a hard-working midfield, otherwise he would have at least given himself the option on the bench...