This bit sums up exactly how I feel. Looking at the squad as it stands...
Keepers (the least of our problems)
Arnold - bang average
Mitchell - bang average
Defenders
Harriman - versatile and fairly dependable, won't set the world alight but will do a job.
Bolger - Jekyll and Hyde; occasionally looks a strong centre back, occasionally a liability.
Horsfall - Looked good in his first few games, poor ever since. Confidence?
Kioso - Defensively suspect but offers a good bit of flair going forwards.*
Mills - ditto*
Jones - A half decent player and the defence has got much better since he joined.
Sheehan - A class act, just can't get fit.
Sowerby - I rate him. A decent box-to-box player. *
Watson - Good on his day, I think his head goes down sometimes but has ability.*
McWilliams - Our best player, by some margin at the moment.*
Morris - Looks decent from what we've seen so far.*
Marshall - A good attacking option, probably best used as an impact player from the bench.*
Forwards
Hoskins - Marmite, I know, but I personally really like him and think his dynamism is much under appreciated.*
Korboa - Not sure. He looked a revelation in his first few games but more like a competition winner of late.*
Miller - Looked good, but only seen half an hour or so from him before injury.*
Ashley-Seal - There's a player in there if he gets service.*
Edmondson - Offers nothing but runs about a lot.*
Chukwuemeka - Very raw but an exciting prospect.*
Rose - Our most potent attacker at the moment.*
Those marked with a star are the players I think would be able to play/would fit much better into a more progressive footballing side (i.e. one that wants to pass the ball to another player on our team rather than welly it for someone to chase after like a demented labrador).
So to save you adding up, that's all the midfield, all the attackers and two of the wing/full backs.
Much has been made of the poor recruitment, but the truth is when you look at the squad it actually isn't that bad. It just isn't built for a kick and rush style of football. Give some of these lads some service and I think they'll do OK, they just won't make something out of nothing or come out too well in a tussle with a 6'4" centre back when the ball is dropping out of the sky near them.
The problem isn't so much the players, it's the style of play, and that comes from one man. Remove him from the equation, let the players play and we have half a chance of survival in League One.
Absolutely right that we can be much better than we are. A manager and formation change with the players we have could make a big difference.
