Saturday’s lacklustre performance against Orient was bereft of any team confidence. It’s not just one game either. We have lost 3, drawn 2 and won 1 from our last six league games. What worries me is I still don't believe we have hit rock bottom yet. A tonking is due from someone, which may well come this weekend against a very in form Bristol Rovers. Such a result could irrevocably damage morale and we could well see this season fade away. Automatic promotion is beyond us and we will do very well just to finish in the playoffs.
Our home form has been dreadful for a team targeting automatic promotion. We have drawn far too many games to give us any realistic chance of finishing in the top 3.This aspiration of 'going on a run' seems to be based more in hope than reality. We have not strung more than 2 wins on the bounce all season. From the games I have attended thus far, I cannot see any evidence of reversing this trend. Plus the fact, there are many other clubs thinking their team can do exactly the same. And therein lies the problem, there are still so many teams in with a shout of the play offs, it’s going to make our task that much harder.
Cook also appears to be displaying signs of the ‘tinker man’ syndrome, which was evident in his recent change in formation and player selection. Having started the vast majority of games this season with 4-2-3-1, Cook is now adopting 4-4-2, just to accommodate the new signings. It doesn’t suit the players we have or our style of play. You have to ask the question whether Cook knows what his best team is? I can understand why he dropped Davies to rest him on Saturday, but Evans the league 2 player of the month for December? Why did Cook not rest Bennett or Roberts who has been struggling since returning from injury? Naismith looked useful when he started against Morecombe, so why not give him a go?
On the subject of new signings, we have now recruited 5 loan players with more on the way according to recent media reports. From what I saw of Smith, he is a poor version of Ryan Taylor. His first touch was woeful and I hope that's more to do with him not being match fit than anything else. We should attempt to go all out and resign Lavery on loan to fill the lone striker role for the rest of the season. Smith can be used as an impact sub. As for Freeman, his debut at right back on Saturday was one of the worst I have ever seen. One swallow doesn’t make a Summer, but reinstating ‘player of the season’ Davies is an absolute must.
I don’t disagree that the football we have played this season compared to previous years has been excellent, but it has been far too inconsistent. Statistics gleaned from recent games has yielded plenty of possession, but we have hardly had any shots on goal. Our current position in the table tells us all we need to know. Cook’s target of promotion was extremely optimistic when overhauling practically the whole playing squad. Let’s be honest, did anyone think we had a realistic chance of automatic promotion with 20+ new players?
Even if we do make it into the play offs, I don't think we have enough about us to beat a rival who is organised and motivated team over two legs. Based on current form, it is going to take a shift of seismic proportions to win on Saturday, bearing in mind that Rovers could be potential opposition in the lottery of the play offs.
This post may seem rather negative and I really do hope I am proved wrong, but from what I have seen so far this season, playoffs are the best we can hope for. Remember, it took Cook 18 months to get Chesterfield promoted. Oxford and Northampton finished mid-table last season with the same managers at the helm, now look at them both! The past 12 months has been work in progress and suggest we look forward to next season for automatic promotion.
PUP PPU.