This Is A Fight.

[davewebbsbrain]

It's not just Mantom scoring twice as many as league goals as Wordsworth this season as Dieng has scored twice as many as Timlin this season, who is playing a division lower.

Mantom and Dieng have already matched the league and cup goals than our central midfield quarter of Leonard, Wordsworth, Wright and Timlin combined for last year.

Where we haven't scored enough goals from is out wide. After 37 matches Kightly has 1 league goal this season (he obviously hasn't played all 37). He scored 3 for Powell in 10 starts last season. McLaughlin scored 4 in 17 for Powell last season (with 7 assists). This season he has 1 goal and no assists.

The plan this season was, as it was last season, to have two wide players who ran forwards, breaking the lines and offered a goal threat and they would provide service to a mobile target man.

This is the game plan we started the season with. Unfortunately Kightly - our highest paid player? - either can't be arsed or his legs have gone. McLaughlin's form has evaporated.

Obviously it would be stupid to go into the season relying on just two players, particularly an ageing Kightly. But Powell wasn't that stupid. He signed Barratt who had an impressive 25 minutes cameo to start his Southend career but then tragically did his ACL. So we then signed Harry Bunn - who's scored the same many league goals as Wordsworth this year in almost half as many starts. However like Wordsworth he's proved to be unreliable fitness wise.

That necessitated a move to 5-3-2/3-5-2. I agree that I don't think we've got the right balance in midfield for three central midfielders but I think with Bunn and McLaughlin on the wings and Barratt and Hutchinson off the bench there's enough goals and forward runs from midfield in a 4-4-2 if we can ever get them fit.

What rubbish. How will that ever fit in with the Powell outers opinion that he is clueless with no tactical nouse and has no plan B?

 

[Grayson]

It's not just Mantom scoring twice as many as league goals as Wordsworth this season...

I've cut it short in the quote but this is a brilliant post with detailed rationale.

Would be great if the forum could automatically publish this post in response to every baseless negative soundbite posted on here for the remaining few weeks of the season.

 

[Tampa Blue]

The title of this post says it all for me and unfortunately with so few leaders either on or off the pitch (Cox excepted), then I am struggling to see Management or Players who are actually 'up for a fight'.

Plenty of poor teams have stayed up in the past through sheer hard work and effort, whilst plenty of 'talented' teams have been relegated because those are the very two attributes that they lack.

The two attributes that we need are the two that we most miss.........................so far!!

 

[Zeuss]

Dieng has scored 10 times in nearly 200 first team appearances and Hyam 3 times in nearly 170 appearances. Mantom 28 in just over 250 games and Dru has yet to score.

Very interesting stats,thanks......
Hyam: obviously not good,but he’s a defensive miidfielder.
Mantom: just about ok for the role he plays
BUT Dieng and Dru......

 

[EnzoBlue]

I don't really expect a CM to be up there with being a top scorer , I expect them to provide cover for the defense when stretched , and link play to help stimulate our attack , Now whilst I don't want to appear to harsh on Dieng and Mantom , How many games this season has passed them by this season where they appear ineffective. It also appears our wingers have had an absolute mare of a season so i don't want to appear like I am picking any one individual but with the loss of Dru's form our midfield this season has been commented by many as being non- existent . so yes excellent stats but doesn't really count for much if the opposition are out scoring us and beating us most weeks IMHO.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

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COME ON.