Our defence looks fine, except that Anyon is such a bad keeper no-one has wanted to rid us of Caldwell's putrid legacy. Jalal is okay, amazingly came out a Vandy Pandy keeper of the year last season ahead of Grant Smith, but if he's really good, why in his mid thirties was he earning next-to-nowt with the Silkmen and why were they so happy to replace him?
We've brought in two important players to our midfield and Curtis Weston over whom I've got questions ....... but far our best midfielder last time was a loanee who has returned to real life.
Up front? Well I liked the idea of grabbing Gozie from Woking, but he's had a year out and unless he's changed massively he is not a lone striker. For two years we have had no plan to attack (or defend). I can see defence shaping now that we have a midfield that will tackle, but I can't yet see how we score when teams want to stop us.
I know Martin Allen talked about his squad of 19 ...... and I'm pretty sure he's trying to inspire them with his idea that you few are my chosen men, I'll look after you, and it's us against the world. That's fine, BUT there are 5 subs in this football. 5 and 11 is 16, so that will leave us three injured or pressing the 16 for places. It's not a lot as Paul Daniels wouldn't have said. I'm fine with Ofoegbu and the new Handsworth boy in the team or on the bench, but I can't forget saying last season that I couldn't see how we could score enough goals as we only had Dennis and Ugwu with any decent record of hitting the back of the net. So far we've got Ugwu back from a season out and Carter, who showed he can score teens from midfield ....... the goals record of the rest is well ........ er. BUT I am sure Martin Allen, with all his experience knows this and is old-fashioned enough not to be intending to play the kind of football that gets us 48-60% possession every week and three or four shots. Maybe MA sees Rowley combining with Carter to add goals - to be fair Rowley went back a bit last season, but that doesn't mean he isn't making huge strides forward now.
I'm just worried that when you look at the signings our opponents are making to add to already-decent squads I wouldn't pick us out as contenders.
We've brought in two important players to our midfield and Curtis Weston over whom I've got questions ....... but far our best midfielder last time was a loanee who has returned to real life.
Up front? Well I liked the idea of grabbing Gozie from Woking, but he's had a year out and unless he's changed massively he is not a lone striker. For two years we have had no plan to attack (or defend). I can see defence shaping now that we have a midfield that will tackle, but I can't yet see how we score when teams want to stop us.
I know Martin Allen talked about his squad of 19 ...... and I'm pretty sure he's trying to inspire them with his idea that you few are my chosen men, I'll look after you, and it's us against the world. That's fine, BUT there are 5 subs in this football. 5 and 11 is 16, so that will leave us three injured or pressing the 16 for places. It's not a lot as Paul Daniels wouldn't have said. I'm fine with Ofoegbu and the new Handsworth boy in the team or on the bench, but I can't forget saying last season that I couldn't see how we could score enough goals as we only had Dennis and Ugwu with any decent record of hitting the back of the net. So far we've got Ugwu back from a season out and Carter, who showed he can score teens from midfield ....... the goals record of the rest is well ........ er. BUT I am sure Martin Allen, with all his experience knows this and is old-fashioned enough not to be intending to play the kind of football that gets us 48-60% possession every week and three or four shots. Maybe MA sees Rowley combining with Carter to add goals - to be fair Rowley went back a bit last season, but that doesn't mean he isn't making huge strides forward now.
I'm just worried that when you look at the signings our opponents are making to add to already-decent squads I wouldn't pick us out as contenders.