Lets be honest..
..When you look at the fixtures before the season started you would think that Cambridge at home is one we should win.
To my mind it doesnt matter how many signings they make or how good their performances are - Rovers should beat Cambridge United. its a kind of benchmark and failing to win means a difficult season ahead and a disappointing season.
The problem is of course that we traditionally do badly against lower teams who defend deep - which i assume is what Cambridge will do. Indeed last season we lost to every one of the relegated sides who employed that obvious tactic and I feel far from confident despite this being a completely new set of players with a different mentality.
We are in a better position than i thought we would be when i saw the fixtures and despite the gloom of the Stockport game 7points from a possible 12 should be a satisfactory start to the season if indeed we do get the win - particularly when you look at Rotherham and Stockport away as the first 2 away games.
It is of course the nature of Stockport in particular that has been the problem with the lack of any real attacking intent and so when we let a goal in- which inevitably will happen - then we have no real response. That however can change so quickly.
To my mind the problem has surprisingly been in midfield in that we are being over-run and seem off the pace. I had thought before the season started that we would have too many options in that area but it hasnt turned out to be the case and tellingly Kofe Shaw has in my opinion been our strongest player when he is on the pitch. Hutchinson has not showed his best yet but Taylor is sticking with him , giving him to adjust to the pace of the game so that he can build his confidence . I am optimistic that he will show better tomorrow simply because he will find more time on the ball . I hope that Shaw will get 30 minutes tomorrow to see how ready he is for League 1 foootball.
Criticism of the forwards is tough in that they have been so isolated in the last 2 away ,matches and have simply been running down blind alleys chasing hopeful punts up the field.
Promise Omochere reminds me of Emile Heskey who was not a prolific goalscorer but created opportunities for others.. Promise needs players up front to feed off him and to have support from a midfield player just behind him. A fit Ruel Sotiriou should be a good partner up front but last saturday was the first time they have played together and they were facing what is arguably one of the tightest defences in the League. They played like strangers because they are strangers just getting to know each other.
Whilst fully accepting that Chris Martin’s goals saved us last season i always felt that we lost something when he played. The game slowed down and became more long ball and was completely at odds with say Crewe away in the cup when we always looked dynamic and dangerous running at the opposition. I got the impression that Crewe was how Matt Taylor liked to play but needs must and we had to accomodate Chris because he was our only goalscorer.
Indeed that seemed to be endorsed by the decision not to go after JCH - he lacked mobility.
I thought that we were going to have a hard running forward line that would be all pressing and high energy putting defenders under pressure. Chris Martin would be a plan B if we needed a more direct style.
Now that he is injured it will be intersting to see if that turns out to be the case
All opinions are my own . CC
