[BaggieSteve]

Given what has happened in the last couple of years - being in a financial mess, losing our best players on frees (Yokuslu and Kipre), the owners having to sell anyone with value and replace them for a fraction of the cost - mid table obscurity could actually be seen as a success this year, on paper at least.

However, it does feel that this squad should be capable of more...

I've seen a lot of criticism aimed at Heggebo. People saying we haven't got a striker. But for me, the problem is down to a lack of creation rather than the striker himself.

I could be wrong, but I don't think there's a striker in the land would score much in our side.

I mean, is there a team in the division who has a better trio of strikers than Heggebo, Maja and Dike? I'm not sure there is...

Admittedly, Heggebo was poor yesterday, but in other games I think he's looked good. I've seen us lump useless balls forward and he's bullied defenders, gathered and kept the ball. The lad is strong, passes well and looks good technically. But he's a target man who needs people to link up with. How many times has he had a 10 yard ball played into his feet for a one-two or link up? I can't think of it happening even once.

I've seen him make runs but the player on the ball has chosen to pass backwards. Often that has been Issac Price, a player who is supposed to be our number 10 and playmaker...

We seem to constantly want to play all of our football on the edge of our own box rather than in the opposition half. Our midfield are 20 yards too deep and as a result the wingers and constantly doubled up on and the forward is totally isolated.

That was the frustration for me yesterday, the fact we lost by a single goal that we'd handed to the opposition on a silver platter tip tapping around in our own final 3rd. Not for the first time.

What's the point? Is that supposed to be attractive football? Personally I find it attractive when a team attacks, shows flair and tries to score. I don't get anything out of watching the goalkeeper role balls into the midfielder who is on the edge of his own box. We're not Man City or Barcelona. There's no game plan to do it to bring the opposition on and break the press. We just seem to do it because it's the "in thing".

Is it Mason's fault or are we just lacking quality? I'm torn. It's probably somewhere in the middle. But the balance of the team doesn't look as good as it should with the squad we have IMO.

My gut feeling is that with the personnel we have, we might suit a 3-5-2 like what Darren Moore played to accomodate both Jay Rodriguez and Gayle.

I think if you had Heggebo up top with either one of Dike or Maja, I think we would pose far more threat.

Plus we haven't really got any decent full backs...

Phillips and Mepham both look good and the ball and could suit a 3 man defence. Bielik is a good ball playing centre half and could play between them.

Illing Junior has played left wing back before, and in my opinion, the best I've seen Issac Price play was when Tony Mowbray used him at right wing back. He's got the legs to play the role, crosses well. Plus he's never a number 10, frankly.

Alex Mowatt could then move a bit higher up the pitch and actually try to start passing forward, rather than constantly looking for safe possession football. Mikey Johnston would be effective in the 10.

Will the coach try a different system or persist with what he's been doing just changing individuals (the predictable Johnston or Illing Junior for Grant swap)?

Probably the latter, but I do think we should try something to get two forwards in the side.

The aforementioned Thomas-Asante is a case in point. Yes, he's doing well for Coventry this season, but is he a better player than what we have? Would he have scored those goals for us? We will never know, but I'd highly doubt it.

But what we do know for sure if that he's doing well for Coventry playing up front alongside another striker, whether that's Ellis Simms or Haji Wright. We only ever play 2 up top if we're chasing the game. Maybe we could look at his improvement in form and actually learn something.

I agree with your comments, Slick. I cannot understand why we are not playing two strikers (I’d be tempted to play Dike and Maja, but that’s no criticism of Hegebbo who gets precious little support or service). Currently we seem to be relying on either Johnston or Price to score a worldy, without which we are creating next to nothing.

I honestly don’t believe Coventry’s squad is twice as good as ours but they clearly are being allowed to play with a freedom and pattern that suits their players, including BTA. I honestly think he would struggle in the current Albion set up and style of play, and yet, with Coventry’s approach, he’s demonstrating the obvious talent he has.

I was delighted when we appointed Mason, after a succession of dinosaurs (Corberan obviously excepted), but I’m having serious doubts that he can get the best out of this squad, even accepting its injury hit and light on talent. I really hope to be proved wrong.