The hardest time for any footballer is when they are not playing.
All they can do is turn up for training, give it their all and hope to catch the manager's eye, and then get their name back in the side for the following Saturday.
For players, all it is about is being in that starting 11 at 3pm on a Saturday, or 7.45pm on a Tuesday, and if they are not for any period of time, then things can get difficult, and they can become unsettled.
On Tuesday at Seasons, we saw a few of those who have not featured in our manager's 11 thus far - notably Jason Taylor and Billy Jones.
Now, we have had it confirmed that Jones and Taylor have asked Mark Yates if they can go out on loan, news which has provoked a big debate on Twitter.
Some are condemning the players for a lack of loyalty, or the stomach to fight for their place, and others wondering if Yates has damaged morale.
The latter is not the case in my view. This is clearly the players' decision (or their agents).
Of course, we don't know what Yates has said to them, but for now clearly neither is first choice.
Players react to being out of the side in different ways - some really knuckle down and raise their game in training and reserve games to make it almost impossible for the manager to overlook them.
Some go the other way - almost giving up and being happy to take their not inconsiderable pay packet every month knowing that whatever they do they are unlikely to get a game.
Others seek to go out on loan, keen to keep playing, keep their match fitness up, and at the same time keep themselves in the shop window for a possible permanent move.
The latter is the line which Taylor and Jones have taken, and the response from fans seems to have been mainly one of condemnation - 'they weren't any good anyway' or 'babies throwing their toys out of the pram' are two Twitter quotes I have seen.
Some Twitterati have made the very valid point that both players are an injury or a suspension away from being back in the side, and have on that basis understandably given them stick for, seemingly, not wanting to wait around that long.
They have also cited the examples of Sam Deering and Keith Lowe, two players who have equally been on the fringes without (as far as we know anyway) 'rocking the boat' by asking to go on loan.
We know Darryl Duffy did, but his request was denied and it didn't do him much good in the long run, as he didn't earn his place back in the side and spent most of the remainder of the campaign on the bench.
Three games into the season does seem a bit quick to knock on the gaffer's door. But not all sides have their squads fully settled at the moment, and they have more chance of a loan move than they would in, say, November.
It is still the transfer window as well, so that also enhances their chances.
As it stands, they only want to go on loan. Neither have said they don't want to be here full time - just that they want to go and play some proper games for a month or so. Understandable in some ways, as we don't have regular reserve games.
We use loan signings ourselves to keep players fit for other clubs - why shouldn't some of them return the favour, and keep our players fit??
And if they get their wish, then it will be a chance for Joe Hanks, Ed Williams and co to get a look in on the bench.
Taylor, it is true, has found it tough. It is never easy for a player to come to a club in January and settle in straight away (see also Byron Harrison).
Our ex-striker Julian Alsop told me once that it takes at least six months to fully settle into a new club.
On that basis, you would expect to see the best of a player signed in January at the start of the following season, after that settling-in period and a full pre-season - but even then a manger can only pick 11 players, and so far Taylor and Jones have been sidelined.
With the departure of Marlon Pack and Darren Carter this summer, Taylor would have been expecting a big role this season, I am sure.
That has been thwarted by Matt Richards' arrival and a good pre-season from Deering, which pushed him into the forefront.
I was pleased when we signed Taylor as I have always been impressed with him when he has played against us. But he has not hit those heights consistently since he came here - maybe due to the settling-in period I mentioned above.
He has two years left on his contract, and I am sure he is quite high up in the wages pecking order, however, think back to how we got him.
Steve Evans decided he was not in his plans at Rotherham, and it didn't take long for him to pack his bags and move down South to Whaddon.
Taylor does not seem to be the sort of character to sit on the bench and bide his time. For him, it seems to be playing or nothing.
At 26, he should be at the peak of his career, and he clearly feels he cannot waste any time languishing on the bench, and in the reserves.
Billy Jones is four years older, at 30 and was first choice for much of last season, creating goals-a-plenty with his wicked left foot, but not always convincing with his defensive duties.
Jennison Myrie-Williams and Chris Hackett were two of the wingers who really gave him a hard time, and Yates opted to switch Sido Jombati to the left and bring in Keith Lowe.
Then, in the summer Craig Braham-Barrett arrived, and it was a big statement from Yates to throw in a 25-year-old loaned in from a Conference club without any league experience straight into the side ahead of Jones.
He clearly has some doubts about Jones defensively, and with CBB taking his spot, and so far performing adequately, the writing seems to be on the wall.
CBB is only on loan until January, but I would expect that move to become permanent fairly swiftly if CBB carries on playing and improving as he has so far.
Against Torquay on Tuesday, Jones' fine delivery was again evident with corners, free-kicks and whipped-in crosses creating chances for us (which were not taken) but his number one job is to be a defender and he hasn't always done that very well.
So while we are waiting for the next move on Taylor and Jones, we have gone back to 2008 with the very welcome return of our record signing Steve Gillespie.
It is an ironic situation. Like Taylor and Jones, Gillespie clearly wants to go and get some games under his belt, so he is in exactly the same boat, but will not get the same condemnation from our fans - instead a warm welcome back from fans who idolised him for his impact for us back then.
I wonder if the Fleetwood fans are viewing Gillespie in the same light as some of our fans are viewing Taylor and Jones - condemning him for wanting out after three games and not fighting for his place...?
Whether they are or not, we needed a new face with Jamie Cureton and Terry Gornell out, and now we can hope that the Gillespie who comes back here at 28 years old is the same one which left for that £400,000 fee in July 2008.
Like he has done with Steve Elliott, Ian Weston did a fantastic job of keeping Gillespie fit and firing back then - his hamstrings have a history of being decidedly dodgy as does his disciplinary record.
In his four years at Colchester, he started only 46 league games, and came off the bench 52 times, yet still scored 25 goals - testament if it were needed to his continuing eye for a goal - something we are in need of until Jamie and Terry are back at least.
At Fleetwood last season, Gilly started nine times and was a sub 13 times, netting four times - again a decent record.
He hasn't played any games this season - so he may have gone to his manager after three games, and asked for a loan move, and after a stumbling block last Friday (confirmed by CTFC media officer James Brown), he has got his wish, which is great news and I really look forward to seeing one of my favourite players back in CTFC colours again.
Roll on Saturday!!
Thursday, 15 August 2013
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
Sunk by the Spireites
Chesterfield away. Or in Cheltenham Town language, the closest you can get to a certain defeat.
Six previous visits, one draw and five defeats and last season we had our pants pulled down in rather embarrassing style... this time it just happened to our skipper here!!!
This time, overall I felt we deserved to lose the game, but only by a single goal - the second deflected goal of the game was a bit flattering and gave us no reward for an improved second-half display.
The build-up to the game was dominated by rumours that Steven Gillespie was coming back on loan, and would be on the bench at the Proact.
I was sent a message to that effect on Friday evening, and then received another from someone else saying the same - and all the indications were that the deal was done.
But then as I arrived in Chesterfield came a message saying that it wasn't happening. Yatesy was - as to be expected - playing a straight bat Ian Bell would have been proud of post-match and no club officials would confirm or deny that any move had even been close.
So we fielded the same side which started against Crawley on Tuesday night, with one bench change, Ryan Inniss back in after Palace didn't want him involved in the Capital One Cup, replacing Joe Hanks.
But from the off we were finding it tough.
Chesterfield started on the front foot and never retreated from it, with a lot of possession, and good passing and movement.
At times, we were chasing shadows, and fell behind when Gary Roberts' shot was deflected over Scott Brown's dive.
In midfield, Sam Morsy and Jimmy Ryan were dominating Russ Penn and Matt Richards, while on the Chesterfield left, Roberts and Nathan Smith had the freedom of Derbyshire with Sido Jombati and Sam Deering struggling to keep them in check.
But despite that, and with a lot of crosses into our box, we were just about keeping them at arms' length.
Marc Richards had one header wide, and after his slightly fortunate goal, Roberts made a hash of two openings.
Steve Elliott and Troy Brown dealt well enough with the crosses, and despite the paucity of possession and those left-hand-side issues, I felt our shape was adequate and we were working hard to stay in the game.
There wasn't much to feed on for Byron Harrison and Terry Gornell, while Jermaine McGlashan was doing his best to provide an outlet and had a shot over the bar early on.
Harrison had our best chance of an equaliser in the first half when he robbed a defender and lifted the ball over Tommy Lee, but the shot lacked enough power to evade the sliding clearance of Ryan Edwards.
However hard we had worked though, we were second best in the first half - but still very much in the game if we could get into the game.
And we did - Penn and Richards were central to that, both getting more 'in the face' of Morsy and Ryan.
We were also helped by what I felt was a strange substitution by Chesterfield, with Tendayi Darikwa coming on for Nathan Smith.
This moved Richie Humphreys to left-back, but saved us from the marauding Smith, and we kept the threat down to more sporadic attacks and were able to get more possession, and with that a foothold in the game.
Troy Brown had a goal disallowed for offside, and Harrison nearly weaved his way through before Lee blocked his shot, while at the other end Scott Brown had to make a couple of decent saves to keep it at 1-0.
It was much more even after I felt we gave Chesterfield too much respect in the opening half. As well as Penn and Richards, Craig Braham-Barrett got to grips with things defensively and was a threat going forward as Smith had been in the opening 45.
He was unfortunate to get in the way of Eoin Doyle's 90th minute shot to divert it past Scott Brown to give Chesterfield the points and end any hopes we had of pinching something.
But the main blow was the loss of Terry Gornell, who had been excellent in the opening two games.
The good news was that he walked off, the bad news that we might not see him for a few weeks judging by a tweet he sent in response to my enquiry about the injury, where he said he hoped it wasn't too bad but should find out in the next few days, so watch this space.
I can't see him playing a part against Plymouth on Saturday, so that only accentuates the need for forward reinforcements, as we are now left with Harrison and Ashley Vincent.
Vincent came on for Gornell and again didn't look like a central striker to me - and also seemed short of some match fitness, so hopefully Tuesday's friendly with Torquay will provide the chance to get some form and fitness into him.
We do have another attacking option in the club's newest professional - 17-year-old Zack Kotwica, but fresh from signing his two-year deal I cannot see Yatesy throwing him in from the start just yet.
Kotwica came on late in Saturday's game and had a couple of decent runs at an experienced player in Drew Talbot, who got a booking for hauling him down and again Zack didn't look fazed by anything.
I know there is a clamour out there to see Zack from the start, but I remember the same (for want of a better word) hype around Marley Watkins, who was thrown in at a similar age amid similar high hopes.
It didn't work out for Marley, and this is at the back of my mind when it comes to Zack. He clearly has talent and is an exciting prospect, but Yatesy has to get the balance right, and do what is best for his development.
He clearly has faith in him, as we have seen him brought on in all three games, ahead of more experienced players and given him first a squad number and then a two-year contract a year ahead of schedule.
Us fans are excited about him, but we want him to be around for years, not five minutes, so I feel we need to be patient with Yatesy and Zack, and let him bed into the side slowly but surely.
Down the years, and at all levels, we have seen players burst on to the scene at a young age and cause a storm, but then disappear just as quickly.
We don't want that to happen to Zack. He seems like a level-headed lad, and people like Yatesy, Neil Howarth, Russ Milton and Jamie Victory will keep him grounded.
Back to the result, and I had low expectations for this game. Given our record up there and the squad Paul Cook has assembled, a draw would have been a great result.
It was also north of Birmingham, and everyone knows we don't win games when we go past the second city.
This makes it 15 trips up North without a positive result since we won 3-1 at Macclesfield in January 2012. A ridiculous stat, and one I hope we can put an end to at Accrington in a fortnight's time.
We could have pinched it, but the loss of Gornell and a bit of indecisiveness and lack of composure in front of goal when we got a half-chance proved costly.
We need a loan striker, ideally before Saturday, and the Gillespie talk indicates that Mark is trying to bring in someone with a bit of experience and a proven goal threat, which is needed as a stop-gap measure.
I knew this run of games at the start was tough, and there is no panic here, but for everyone's peace of mind we need to get that first league win on the board sooner rather than later.
Six previous visits, one draw and five defeats and last season we had our pants pulled down in rather embarrassing style... this time it just happened to our skipper here!!!
This time, overall I felt we deserved to lose the game, but only by a single goal - the second deflected goal of the game was a bit flattering and gave us no reward for an improved second-half display.
The build-up to the game was dominated by rumours that Steven Gillespie was coming back on loan, and would be on the bench at the Proact.
I was sent a message to that effect on Friday evening, and then received another from someone else saying the same - and all the indications were that the deal was done.
But then as I arrived in Chesterfield came a message saying that it wasn't happening. Yatesy was - as to be expected - playing a straight bat Ian Bell would have been proud of post-match and no club officials would confirm or deny that any move had even been close.
So we fielded the same side which started against Crawley on Tuesday night, with one bench change, Ryan Inniss back in after Palace didn't want him involved in the Capital One Cup, replacing Joe Hanks.
But from the off we were finding it tough.
Chesterfield started on the front foot and never retreated from it, with a lot of possession, and good passing and movement.
At times, we were chasing shadows, and fell behind when Gary Roberts' shot was deflected over Scott Brown's dive.
In midfield, Sam Morsy and Jimmy Ryan were dominating Russ Penn and Matt Richards, while on the Chesterfield left, Roberts and Nathan Smith had the freedom of Derbyshire with Sido Jombati and Sam Deering struggling to keep them in check.
But despite that, and with a lot of crosses into our box, we were just about keeping them at arms' length.
Marc Richards had one header wide, and after his slightly fortunate goal, Roberts made a hash of two openings.
Steve Elliott and Troy Brown dealt well enough with the crosses, and despite the paucity of possession and those left-hand-side issues, I felt our shape was adequate and we were working hard to stay in the game.
There wasn't much to feed on for Byron Harrison and Terry Gornell, while Jermaine McGlashan was doing his best to provide an outlet and had a shot over the bar early on.
Harrison had our best chance of an equaliser in the first half when he robbed a defender and lifted the ball over Tommy Lee, but the shot lacked enough power to evade the sliding clearance of Ryan Edwards.
However hard we had worked though, we were second best in the first half - but still very much in the game if we could get into the game.
And we did - Penn and Richards were central to that, both getting more 'in the face' of Morsy and Ryan.
We were also helped by what I felt was a strange substitution by Chesterfield, with Tendayi Darikwa coming on for Nathan Smith.
This moved Richie Humphreys to left-back, but saved us from the marauding Smith, and we kept the threat down to more sporadic attacks and were able to get more possession, and with that a foothold in the game.
Troy Brown had a goal disallowed for offside, and Harrison nearly weaved his way through before Lee blocked his shot, while at the other end Scott Brown had to make a couple of decent saves to keep it at 1-0.
It was much more even after I felt we gave Chesterfield too much respect in the opening half. As well as Penn and Richards, Craig Braham-Barrett got to grips with things defensively and was a threat going forward as Smith had been in the opening 45.
He was unfortunate to get in the way of Eoin Doyle's 90th minute shot to divert it past Scott Brown to give Chesterfield the points and end any hopes we had of pinching something.
But the main blow was the loss of Terry Gornell, who had been excellent in the opening two games.
The good news was that he walked off, the bad news that we might not see him for a few weeks judging by a tweet he sent in response to my enquiry about the injury, where he said he hoped it wasn't too bad but should find out in the next few days, so watch this space.
I can't see him playing a part against Plymouth on Saturday, so that only accentuates the need for forward reinforcements, as we are now left with Harrison and Ashley Vincent.
Vincent came on for Gornell and again didn't look like a central striker to me - and also seemed short of some match fitness, so hopefully Tuesday's friendly with Torquay will provide the chance to get some form and fitness into him.
We do have another attacking option in the club's newest professional - 17-year-old Zack Kotwica, but fresh from signing his two-year deal I cannot see Yatesy throwing him in from the start just yet.
Kotwica came on late in Saturday's game and had a couple of decent runs at an experienced player in Drew Talbot, who got a booking for hauling him down and again Zack didn't look fazed by anything.
I know there is a clamour out there to see Zack from the start, but I remember the same (for want of a better word) hype around Marley Watkins, who was thrown in at a similar age amid similar high hopes.
It didn't work out for Marley, and this is at the back of my mind when it comes to Zack. He clearly has talent and is an exciting prospect, but Yatesy has to get the balance right, and do what is best for his development.
He clearly has faith in him, as we have seen him brought on in all three games, ahead of more experienced players and given him first a squad number and then a two-year contract a year ahead of schedule.
Us fans are excited about him, but we want him to be around for years, not five minutes, so I feel we need to be patient with Yatesy and Zack, and let him bed into the side slowly but surely.
Down the years, and at all levels, we have seen players burst on to the scene at a young age and cause a storm, but then disappear just as quickly.
We don't want that to happen to Zack. He seems like a level-headed lad, and people like Yatesy, Neil Howarth, Russ Milton and Jamie Victory will keep him grounded.
Back to the result, and I had low expectations for this game. Given our record up there and the squad Paul Cook has assembled, a draw would have been a great result.
It was also north of Birmingham, and everyone knows we don't win games when we go past the second city.
This makes it 15 trips up North without a positive result since we won 3-1 at Macclesfield in January 2012. A ridiculous stat, and one I hope we can put an end to at Accrington in a fortnight's time.
We could have pinched it, but the loss of Gornell and a bit of indecisiveness and lack of composure in front of goal when we got a half-chance proved costly.
We need a loan striker, ideally before Saturday, and the Gillespie talk indicates that Mark is trying to bring in someone with a bit of experience and a proven goal threat, which is needed as a stop-gap measure.
I knew this run of games at the start was tough, and there is no panic here, but for everyone's peace of mind we need to get that first league win on the board sooner rather than later.
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
Creeping past Crawley
As far as Cheltenham Town fans are concerned, the League Cup in its various guises is just something that happens to other clubs.
It usually consists of that game, rather inconveniently chucked in after the first league game, usually at bloody Southend, and resulting in a defeat.
Not this time - although for most of the game it did seem that was going to be the way of it once again.
A goal down after chasing shadows for 20 minutes, then 3-1 down with 20 minutes left - it looked like this was going to be another fruitless League Cup campaign, but then, what a comeback!
And it is amazing that - a week after a performance rightly described as 'shocking' at Aggborough by Mark Yates after tonight's game - Byron Harrison was at the fore again.
Before Saturday's game he was a worry. Even more so maybe during and after Saturday's game, when Jamie Cureton's injury thrust him firmly into the limelight as the focal point of our attack.
But now, maybe, some of those worries have gone after a display which saw him win a penalty, then score the two goals which earned a victory which will go down as one of the best in our recent history.
The touch and finish for the winner was sublime - a stark and very welcome contrast from the frankly disinterested figure we saw ambling around Aggborough last week.
Credit for Mark and Neil Howarth - clearly someone has been in his ear after that game - and credit to Byron for listening to the management and acting on what they have said.
Now the test - more of the same, and consistently. That is always the difficult part, but after a sticky start last night, Byron bullied their centre-halves and got his rewards.
Centre-forwards are always enigmas. They are marmite men - think Spencer, Connor and Guinan from our recent past, players who have worn that number nine and not always realised their full potential.
Only Byron (with a bit of help from us fans) can make sure that he doesn't fall into that category.
It was a shame that only 1,562 were there to see it - but I am sure that number will rise to about 10,000 in future years when CTFC fans sit in the pubs and bars of the town and talk about this - a real 'I was there' kind of night.
When Byron headed that equaliser and then hit the winner, it sounded like there were 10,000 in the ground (yes, I know it only holds 7,000 but you get the drift...) as the noise and atmosphere was fantastic. It was great to hear the place rocking.
Make no mistake - Crawley are a decent side. Some of their passing was crisp and accurate, their movement off the ball was sharp, and Nicky Adams took his two goals (especially the second) superbly well.
But our lads had spirit, character, desire, heart and commitment in spades, and displays like this augur well for the season ahead.
That was led from the front by Byron, but also typified by our midfield terriers Russ Penn and Matt Richards, who overcame Crawley's good start to stamp their authority on the game.
They are becoming a very strong partnership, with Penn's tenacity and Richards' comfort on the ball and range of passing complementing each other very well.
Alongside them, Sam Deering had another good game, his pass finding Harrison for the penalty challenge, a good cross providing Terry Gornell with a headed chance and then his corner for Harrison's equaliser rounding off a good night for him.
I also thought Jermaine McGlashan played well - more so when he moved over to the left where, once again, he and Craig Braham-Barrett showed very promising signs of an effective and hopefully productive partnership down that flank.
I have covered Harrison's performance extensively, and but for his goals, my man of the match would have been Terry Gornell.
He is not a player who has ever stood out in games when he played against us, despite a goal or two, but over the past two games he has impressed me immensely.
On Saturday, he linked the play well, and did the same last night with the added ingredient of being a real goal threat - the header he had saved straight after Crawley's opener, a couple of long-range efforts and the rebound after Penn hit the bar being close calls in addition to his goal.
His goal summed him up. He battled for a lost cause against Kyle McFadzean, won the ball, broke away and when the goalkeeper saved his first shot, he did not panic, stayed calm and slid home the rebound.
Much deserved, and I am sure a big relief to him to get his first CTFC goal on the board - and on the evidence of his first proper 210 minutes in our colours, there are more to come.
Despite their performances, I still think we are an out-and-out striker light. Ashley Vincent is not, and never will be, a central striker, and I still hope Yatesy will get a loan. Doesn't seem like he is a busting a gut to do so, however.
But (and yes, there has to be one of those) while it was fantastic to win the game, there are concerns defensively.
Troy Brown and Steve Elliott were again superb and very commanding in the air, but as a unit, after letting in two goals on Saturday, another three went in last night.
Some may feel I am nit-picking, but after so many clean sheets last season, our new-look back four is still bedding in.
CBB allowed the full back to get down the line a bit too easily for their opener, and then when he dug the cross out, Gary Alexander was not tracked and was able to dive in for the header.
For the second goal, we had chances to clear before Nicky Adams drilled his snapshot in, and for the third, Crawley were allowed to play a triangle on the edge of our box and Adams waltzed in to score.
Behind them, Scott Brown didn't have a chance with any of them, but did make two fantastic saves from Josh Simpson when he was called upon, maintaining his brilliance from last season.
In front of him, we have to tighten up. Yes, I know Crawley play a division higher, and we may not face the same quality every week, but we cannot afford to give two or three goals away every game.
A season of 4-3s might bring the crowds back, I am not sure mine or Mark Yates' blood pressure would survive it!
CBB is a left-footed Sido, and both will have their moments of brilliance, but both will no doubt give us the jitters as well.
Yatesy has decided for now that CBB is the man in possession and Billy Jones must wait for his chance to get back into the side, and that sort of competition can only be healthy.
On the evidence of the first two games, going forward CBB will be an asset but he looks a bit raw defensively and still needs work in that department.
Our new faces have settled in well, and made a big impact on the team - CBB, Troy Brown, Richards, Gornell and Cureton (in the 18 minutes he has played!). We are waiting for Ashley Vincent to join them, but he is a bit behind fitness-wise and will need time to get up to speed.
He got a few minutes last night and struggled to get into the game, but he will play his part.
Young Zack Kotwica was trusted again by Yatesy for the last 15 minutes or so and nearly got himself into a goalscoring position again.
Such promise, but that's all it is - let's hope he signs that contract and realises that potential with us.
But while we wait for that to happen, we can look forward to Thursday lunchtime's draw.
We could play any Premier League club not in Europe - so Liverpool, Villa, West Brom and West Ham could be on the agenda.
At just after 9pm last night, when Crawley's third goal went in, you'd have got good odds on us being in the draw - now let's hope it is kind.
It usually consists of that game, rather inconveniently chucked in after the first league game, usually at bloody Southend, and resulting in a defeat.
Not this time - although for most of the game it did seem that was going to be the way of it once again.
A goal down after chasing shadows for 20 minutes, then 3-1 down with 20 minutes left - it looked like this was going to be another fruitless League Cup campaign, but then, what a comeback!
And it is amazing that - a week after a performance rightly described as 'shocking' at Aggborough by Mark Yates after tonight's game - Byron Harrison was at the fore again.
Before Saturday's game he was a worry. Even more so maybe during and after Saturday's game, when Jamie Cureton's injury thrust him firmly into the limelight as the focal point of our attack.
But now, maybe, some of those worries have gone after a display which saw him win a penalty, then score the two goals which earned a victory which will go down as one of the best in our recent history.
The touch and finish for the winner was sublime - a stark and very welcome contrast from the frankly disinterested figure we saw ambling around Aggborough last week.
Credit for Mark and Neil Howarth - clearly someone has been in his ear after that game - and credit to Byron for listening to the management and acting on what they have said.
Now the test - more of the same, and consistently. That is always the difficult part, but after a sticky start last night, Byron bullied their centre-halves and got his rewards.
Centre-forwards are always enigmas. They are marmite men - think Spencer, Connor and Guinan from our recent past, players who have worn that number nine and not always realised their full potential.
Only Byron (with a bit of help from us fans) can make sure that he doesn't fall into that category.
It was a shame that only 1,562 were there to see it - but I am sure that number will rise to about 10,000 in future years when CTFC fans sit in the pubs and bars of the town and talk about this - a real 'I was there' kind of night.
When Byron headed that equaliser and then hit the winner, it sounded like there were 10,000 in the ground (yes, I know it only holds 7,000 but you get the drift...) as the noise and atmosphere was fantastic. It was great to hear the place rocking.
Make no mistake - Crawley are a decent side. Some of their passing was crisp and accurate, their movement off the ball was sharp, and Nicky Adams took his two goals (especially the second) superbly well.
But our lads had spirit, character, desire, heart and commitment in spades, and displays like this augur well for the season ahead.
That was led from the front by Byron, but also typified by our midfield terriers Russ Penn and Matt Richards, who overcame Crawley's good start to stamp their authority on the game.
They are becoming a very strong partnership, with Penn's tenacity and Richards' comfort on the ball and range of passing complementing each other very well.
Alongside them, Sam Deering had another good game, his pass finding Harrison for the penalty challenge, a good cross providing Terry Gornell with a headed chance and then his corner for Harrison's equaliser rounding off a good night for him.
I also thought Jermaine McGlashan played well - more so when he moved over to the left where, once again, he and Craig Braham-Barrett showed very promising signs of an effective and hopefully productive partnership down that flank.
I have covered Harrison's performance extensively, and but for his goals, my man of the match would have been Terry Gornell.
He is not a player who has ever stood out in games when he played against us, despite a goal or two, but over the past two games he has impressed me immensely.
On Saturday, he linked the play well, and did the same last night with the added ingredient of being a real goal threat - the header he had saved straight after Crawley's opener, a couple of long-range efforts and the rebound after Penn hit the bar being close calls in addition to his goal.
His goal summed him up. He battled for a lost cause against Kyle McFadzean, won the ball, broke away and when the goalkeeper saved his first shot, he did not panic, stayed calm and slid home the rebound.
Much deserved, and I am sure a big relief to him to get his first CTFC goal on the board - and on the evidence of his first proper 210 minutes in our colours, there are more to come.
Despite their performances, I still think we are an out-and-out striker light. Ashley Vincent is not, and never will be, a central striker, and I still hope Yatesy will get a loan. Doesn't seem like he is a busting a gut to do so, however.
But (and yes, there has to be one of those) while it was fantastic to win the game, there are concerns defensively.
Troy Brown and Steve Elliott were again superb and very commanding in the air, but as a unit, after letting in two goals on Saturday, another three went in last night.
Some may feel I am nit-picking, but after so many clean sheets last season, our new-look back four is still bedding in.
CBB allowed the full back to get down the line a bit too easily for their opener, and then when he dug the cross out, Gary Alexander was not tracked and was able to dive in for the header.
For the second goal, we had chances to clear before Nicky Adams drilled his snapshot in, and for the third, Crawley were allowed to play a triangle on the edge of our box and Adams waltzed in to score.
Behind them, Scott Brown didn't have a chance with any of them, but did make two fantastic saves from Josh Simpson when he was called upon, maintaining his brilliance from last season.
In front of him, we have to tighten up. Yes, I know Crawley play a division higher, and we may not face the same quality every week, but we cannot afford to give two or three goals away every game.
A season of 4-3s might bring the crowds back, I am not sure mine or Mark Yates' blood pressure would survive it!
CBB is a left-footed Sido, and both will have their moments of brilliance, but both will no doubt give us the jitters as well.
Yatesy has decided for now that CBB is the man in possession and Billy Jones must wait for his chance to get back into the side, and that sort of competition can only be healthy.
On the evidence of the first two games, going forward CBB will be an asset but he looks a bit raw defensively and still needs work in that department.
Our new faces have settled in well, and made a big impact on the team - CBB, Troy Brown, Richards, Gornell and Cureton (in the 18 minutes he has played!). We are waiting for Ashley Vincent to join them, but he is a bit behind fitness-wise and will need time to get up to speed.
He got a few minutes last night and struggled to get into the game, but he will play his part.
Young Zack Kotwica was trusted again by Yatesy for the last 15 minutes or so and nearly got himself into a goalscoring position again.
Such promise, but that's all it is - let's hope he signs that contract and realises that potential with us.
But while we wait for that to happen, we can look forward to Thursday lunchtime's draw.
We could play any Premier League club not in Europe - so Liverpool, Villa, West Brom and West Ham could be on the agenda.
At just after 9pm last night, when Crawley's third goal went in, you'd have got good odds on us being in the draw - now let's hope it is kind.
Monday, 5 August 2013
Off and running
So there we go then, one down and 45 to go - and it certainly cannot be described as a boring start.
A (hopefully not too bad) injury, a penalty that was not given and one that wasn't that was (hope you are keeping up), some good debuts from our new boys, but, ultimately, two points dropped.
The team Yatesy picked didn't differ from the one which was expected - the 10 lads who were rested at Kidderminster on Tuesday plus Jermaine McGlashan, who had played an hour.
After a scare inside the first 20 seconds - I am still trying to work out how Alex McDonald missed, and also imagining the internet hell Jamie Cureton or Terry Gornell would be getting if the chance had fallen to them - we dominated the first half.
Matt Richards and Russ Penn were scrapping away to good effect in midfield, Gornell was linking the play superbly just behind Cureton, and we were getting joy down the left with McGlashan and Braham-Barrett's pace and overlaps causing problems.
It seemed inevitable that a goal would come, as the young Burton keeper Jordan Pickford, on his debut, looked extremely jittery.
The goal did come, partly thanks to those jitters as he made a right Horlicks of a long Scott Brown punt which nearly sailed over his head, but he clawed it back for Cureton to tap in.
Instant dividend for the poacher extraordinaire, but also the end of his afternoon, and the last we will see of him for about a month at least as he dislocated his shoulder.
But there was a silver lining. Enter Byron Harrison, much-maligned in pre-season (deservedly so in some cases), in dire need of a confidence boost. Here you go Byron, this is your chance, it's over to you.
I don't think I have ever wanted a CTFC player to score more than I did when Byron came on. I was willing him to get on the end of something, to answer his critics in the best way possible.
And so he did. He was there, in the right place at the right time, when McGlashan's shot rebounded to him.
Now Byron... head down... get a good contact... and in it went. Fantastic.
So 2-0 up and cruising. It could have been more. Gornell had two shots well saved by Pickford, then there was the moment when he went down in the box.
He was through. Would definitely have tested the keeper, but down he went. Penalty, surely. Nope... yellow card for diving!
It is the old question. Why would the forward go down in that situation, when he could score his first goal on his debut for his new club?
From my view, it looked like he was caught. The referee was behind it, on the edge of the box, and I can only think he didn't give it because of the 'way' Gornell fell over.
He did seem to stumble on his way down, but if you are tripped, you are tipped and it is a penalty, end of story.
It is a debate which will rage on and on, but no doubt that decision and the one in the other box on the stroke of half-time cost us. From 3-0 up and cruising, to 2-1 up and hanging on.
The other decision re-opens one of those great footballing cans of worms - the deliberate handball.
In recent years, the lines on this offence have become so blurred it is ridiculous. Some of the so-called handballs that are penalised can in no way be described as deliberate.
The Derby-Blackburn game on Sunday saw a player jump for a cross in front of a striker and nudge the ball away. Penalty, clear as day.
Saturday's one saw a cross flicked on into Russ Penn's hand from close range, with him having little or no opportunity to get it out of the way.
He didn't move his hand towards the ball deliberately - it was there, by his side, and the ball hit it. The referee was a good distance away, and didn't think about it, he just gave it.
Our lads didn't complain vehemently, not that it would have done any good either, and Billy Kee put the penalty away, and immediately changed the complexion of the game.
It definitely affected us, as we were a bit flat for the majority of the second half.
We stopped using the left-hand side, where CBB and McGlashan had a lot of joy in the first half, and instead tried to make inroads down the more clogged-up right, where we didn't have any natural width.
Sido Jombati and Sam Deering tried their best to provide it, but we had lost our grip on the game.
In midfield, Rory Delap came more to the fore and Burton looked dangerous on the break, as they changed to a 4-5-1 which caused us a few problems.
Set-pieces too were a an issue, with the Delap throws, some corners and free-kicks not always being defended well by us.
The equaliser came from a corner, as Delap used his nous to make an intelligent run and sidefoot into the net. Clever by him yes, but not great defending by us. No one seemed to track the run.
We had chances to win, with Deering hitting the bar, Harrison having a shot blocked and another effort saved, while CBB got the byline and pulled a cross back which evaded everyone.
But we didn't really stretch the young keeper in the second half, and while Scott Brown wasn't really tested either, of the two sides if I had to name a more likely winner from 2-2 onwards, it would not have been us.
Gary Rowett deserves credit for changing the formation, and stifling us effectively. But we have to find a way of overcoming things like that, a different way to play.
We have to get a bit mentally stronger and stop feeling sorry for ourselves if we concede a goal or decisions go against us.
Too often we have seen this trait - a bright start, get in front, then lose a goal in some fashion or other, and back into the shells we go, instead of staying on that front foot and carrying on what we had been doing.
There is the argument that Mark left the changes too late, in bringing on Ashley Vincent and the teenager Zack Kotwica, but it is a difficult balance.
Changes can be of benefit with fresh legs and impetus, but they can also disrupt the side as it takes time for players to bed in.
But looking at the bench on Saturday, it did not have the strength in depth and options that were there last season - no Carter, Harrad or Duffy to call on with their experience to change the game.
With Harrison on early, instead, it was two defenders (Lowe and Inniss), a defensive midfielder (Taylor) and the ones who came on, Vincent and Kotwica, who, with the game in the situation it was, were the only options.
Kotwica had a chance, and it was shame he couldn't keep it down, but that is the impetuosity of youth - he rather snatched at it and the chance was lost. But he will learn.
All in all, it was frustrating. There were plusses - CBB, Richards, Gornell and Troy Brown all had good debuts, Jamie got a goal, Byron got the lift he needed, and we saw young Zack for the first time.
But the bottom line is that we lost that lead, and ultimately the chance to get off to a flyer, and that's costly even at this ridiculously early stage as our starting games are, on paper, very tricky ones.
By the end of September, we play Burton, Chesterfield, Plymouth, Bury, Portsmouth and Oxford - all sides who have been mentioned as promotion candidates, so a good start is important.
While a draw is not a disaster, from 2-0 up we should have won the game, but a combination of the refereeing decisions, good tactical decisions by Burton and our inability to combat them ensured we didn't.
It is disappointing, therefore, to see comments flying around about a perceived use of 'hoofball' in the second half.
For some CTFC fans, this term seems to be a generic one, meaning 'we didn't win, and we struggled to break the opposition down, so we will say that we started playing a long ball game'. It always pops up after any defeat, or a draw at home like Saturday.
I didn't see much, if any, evidence of any 'long balls' on Saturday. This mythical 'hoofball' must seemingly apply to any pass which is more than a foot off the ground.
It seems that as soon as anyone tries to play a pass down the line, into a channel, or diagonally into a striker looking for a flick-on, hold-up or knockdown, this is immediately classed as us 'playing hoofball'.
Other clubs do it - the ball through from Burton to McDonald for his first minute chance was a 50-yard pass flicked on - so is that hoofball? Probably not, as we didn't do it...
But anyway... I felt the positives outweighed the negatives, and a draw with Burton at home, however much the circumstances may rankle now, will prove to be a decent result later on down the line.
A (hopefully not too bad) injury, a penalty that was not given and one that wasn't that was (hope you are keeping up), some good debuts from our new boys, but, ultimately, two points dropped.
The team Yatesy picked didn't differ from the one which was expected - the 10 lads who were rested at Kidderminster on Tuesday plus Jermaine McGlashan, who had played an hour.
After a scare inside the first 20 seconds - I am still trying to work out how Alex McDonald missed, and also imagining the internet hell Jamie Cureton or Terry Gornell would be getting if the chance had fallen to them - we dominated the first half.
Matt Richards and Russ Penn were scrapping away to good effect in midfield, Gornell was linking the play superbly just behind Cureton, and we were getting joy down the left with McGlashan and Braham-Barrett's pace and overlaps causing problems.
It seemed inevitable that a goal would come, as the young Burton keeper Jordan Pickford, on his debut, looked extremely jittery.
The goal did come, partly thanks to those jitters as he made a right Horlicks of a long Scott Brown punt which nearly sailed over his head, but he clawed it back for Cureton to tap in.
Instant dividend for the poacher extraordinaire, but also the end of his afternoon, and the last we will see of him for about a month at least as he dislocated his shoulder.
But there was a silver lining. Enter Byron Harrison, much-maligned in pre-season (deservedly so in some cases), in dire need of a confidence boost. Here you go Byron, this is your chance, it's over to you.
I don't think I have ever wanted a CTFC player to score more than I did when Byron came on. I was willing him to get on the end of something, to answer his critics in the best way possible.
And so he did. He was there, in the right place at the right time, when McGlashan's shot rebounded to him.
Now Byron... head down... get a good contact... and in it went. Fantastic.
So 2-0 up and cruising. It could have been more. Gornell had two shots well saved by Pickford, then there was the moment when he went down in the box.
He was through. Would definitely have tested the keeper, but down he went. Penalty, surely. Nope... yellow card for diving!
It is the old question. Why would the forward go down in that situation, when he could score his first goal on his debut for his new club?
From my view, it looked like he was caught. The referee was behind it, on the edge of the box, and I can only think he didn't give it because of the 'way' Gornell fell over.
He did seem to stumble on his way down, but if you are tripped, you are tipped and it is a penalty, end of story.
It is a debate which will rage on and on, but no doubt that decision and the one in the other box on the stroke of half-time cost us. From 3-0 up and cruising, to 2-1 up and hanging on.
The other decision re-opens one of those great footballing cans of worms - the deliberate handball.
In recent years, the lines on this offence have become so blurred it is ridiculous. Some of the so-called handballs that are penalised can in no way be described as deliberate.
The Derby-Blackburn game on Sunday saw a player jump for a cross in front of a striker and nudge the ball away. Penalty, clear as day.
Saturday's one saw a cross flicked on into Russ Penn's hand from close range, with him having little or no opportunity to get it out of the way.
He didn't move his hand towards the ball deliberately - it was there, by his side, and the ball hit it. The referee was a good distance away, and didn't think about it, he just gave it.
Our lads didn't complain vehemently, not that it would have done any good either, and Billy Kee put the penalty away, and immediately changed the complexion of the game.
It definitely affected us, as we were a bit flat for the majority of the second half.
We stopped using the left-hand side, where CBB and McGlashan had a lot of joy in the first half, and instead tried to make inroads down the more clogged-up right, where we didn't have any natural width.
Sido Jombati and Sam Deering tried their best to provide it, but we had lost our grip on the game.
In midfield, Rory Delap came more to the fore and Burton looked dangerous on the break, as they changed to a 4-5-1 which caused us a few problems.
Set-pieces too were a an issue, with the Delap throws, some corners and free-kicks not always being defended well by us.
The equaliser came from a corner, as Delap used his nous to make an intelligent run and sidefoot into the net. Clever by him yes, but not great defending by us. No one seemed to track the run.
We had chances to win, with Deering hitting the bar, Harrison having a shot blocked and another effort saved, while CBB got the byline and pulled a cross back which evaded everyone.
But we didn't really stretch the young keeper in the second half, and while Scott Brown wasn't really tested either, of the two sides if I had to name a more likely winner from 2-2 onwards, it would not have been us.
Gary Rowett deserves credit for changing the formation, and stifling us effectively. But we have to find a way of overcoming things like that, a different way to play.
We have to get a bit mentally stronger and stop feeling sorry for ourselves if we concede a goal or decisions go against us.
Too often we have seen this trait - a bright start, get in front, then lose a goal in some fashion or other, and back into the shells we go, instead of staying on that front foot and carrying on what we had been doing.
There is the argument that Mark left the changes too late, in bringing on Ashley Vincent and the teenager Zack Kotwica, but it is a difficult balance.
Changes can be of benefit with fresh legs and impetus, but they can also disrupt the side as it takes time for players to bed in.
But looking at the bench on Saturday, it did not have the strength in depth and options that were there last season - no Carter, Harrad or Duffy to call on with their experience to change the game.
With Harrison on early, instead, it was two defenders (Lowe and Inniss), a defensive midfielder (Taylor) and the ones who came on, Vincent and Kotwica, who, with the game in the situation it was, were the only options.
Kotwica had a chance, and it was shame he couldn't keep it down, but that is the impetuosity of youth - he rather snatched at it and the chance was lost. But he will learn.
All in all, it was frustrating. There were plusses - CBB, Richards, Gornell and Troy Brown all had good debuts, Jamie got a goal, Byron got the lift he needed, and we saw young Zack for the first time.
But the bottom line is that we lost that lead, and ultimately the chance to get off to a flyer, and that's costly even at this ridiculously early stage as our starting games are, on paper, very tricky ones.
By the end of September, we play Burton, Chesterfield, Plymouth, Bury, Portsmouth and Oxford - all sides who have been mentioned as promotion candidates, so a good start is important.
While a draw is not a disaster, from 2-0 up we should have won the game, but a combination of the refereeing decisions, good tactical decisions by Burton and our inability to combat them ensured we didn't.
It is disappointing, therefore, to see comments flying around about a perceived use of 'hoofball' in the second half.
For some CTFC fans, this term seems to be a generic one, meaning 'we didn't win, and we struggled to break the opposition down, so we will say that we started playing a long ball game'. It always pops up after any defeat, or a draw at home like Saturday.
I didn't see much, if any, evidence of any 'long balls' on Saturday. This mythical 'hoofball' must seemingly apply to any pass which is more than a foot off the ground.
It seems that as soon as anyone tries to play a pass down the line, into a channel, or diagonally into a striker looking for a flick-on, hold-up or knockdown, this is immediately classed as us 'playing hoofball'.
Other clubs do it - the ball through from Burton to McDonald for his first minute chance was a 50-yard pass flicked on - so is that hoofball? Probably not, as we didn't do it...
But anyway... I felt the positives outweighed the negatives, and a draw with Burton at home, however much the circumstances may rankle now, will prove to be a decent result later on down the line.
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
Sent to Coventry
THIS was where things started to get serious this pre-season.
After the shadow-boxing of Evesham, Cirencester and Gloucester and the hard fitness work of Wales, this game, and the one on Saturday against Cardiff, will be the ones which will tell us most about the capabilities of our squad.
The diamond worked well on Saturday, but Mark Yates went back to 4-4-2 for this one, with a line-up of Scott Brown; Sido Jombati, Steve Elliott, Troy Brown, Craig Braham-Barrett; Jermaine McGlashan, Russ Penn, Matt Richards, Ashley Vincent; Jamie Cureton, Terry Gornell.
The main focus for me from that line-up would be to see how CBB would fare at left-back, the performances of the wide men and the Cureton-Gornell partnership in attack.
CBB did okay I felt. Nothing spectacular, he defended when he needed to in competent fashion and showed that he likes to get forward and looked to do so in support at every opportunity.
The wide men were fleeting in their impact. Both showed their pace on occasions and smoked past their full-backs, but only once in that first half, when Jermaine sent a great cross over which just evaded Cureton and Gornell, did they look really potent.
Jermaine led a counter-attack from a Coventry corner but was thwarted by good defending, but I felt that both struggled to get into the game for long periods.
Gornell worked hard, frequently dropping deep to try to link the play leaving Cureton to play off the shoulder of the defenders and use his movement to try and create space for others.
He had a couple of efforts on goal but in that first half we didn't really create much in the way of clear-cut efforts to test the Coventry goalkeeper.
Scott Brown was the busier goalkeeper, saving well from the lively Callum Wilson, via the post, and he and the experienced Leon Clarke gave Elliott and Troy Brown plenty to think about.
I have no concerns about that partnership going forward. They seem to have settled in well alongside each other, and if anything Brown has looked the more secure of the two.
He is not the tallest, but has a good spring on him and looks comfortable on the ball, and is a more than adequate League Two centre-back.
I felt the weak link in the back four was Sido, who looked very shaky, and will be definitely looking over his shoulder at Keith Lowe and fearing for his place in the side.
I wasn't overly convinced with the 4-4-2 as it doesn't afford much protection to the back four, as was shown when Clarke had too much time to pick his spot for Coventry's opening goal.
The starting side lasted an hour, then we gradually saw changes introduced, with Lowe, Billy Jones, Sam Deering, Byron Harrison, Jason Taylor, Zack Kotwica and triallist George Bowerman coming on at regular intervals.
Some of the new arrivals made better impressions than others, with Jones, Deering and young Kotwica the pick of them.
CBB will definitely give competition to Jones, but as it stands now I would see Billy starting the season, as he just seems to have that bit more composure and better distribution, but it will be interesting to see how that one pans out.
Deering has, I feel, been the best overall pre-season performer and is putting his hand up to be a regular in the first 11. That wouldn't be part of a two-man central midfield, or in a wide role - he has to either play off a front man or at the top of the diamond.
As for Kotwica, we need to guard against building the kid up too quickly. Remember when Marley Watkins came along, and when Theo Lewis scored as a 16-year-old against Southampton.
We thought this is it - the next best thing. One is now in Inverness, the other in Salisbury, so we must be careful, and not expect too much too soon.
When he came on, he was up against Cyrus Christie, and didn't get anywhere, and it was his error which allowed Christie to run through and score the second goal.
But when he went off, he had a field day against the full-back and it was noticeable that whenever the ball was played over the top, it was directed towards him, rather than out to Jermaine on the other side.
He showed good awareness to anticipate a piece of chest control and lay-off from Harrison, forcing the keeper into a save, and got a couple of crosses over, one of which was nearly finished off by Bowerman.
In his 25-minute cameo, I would say he was more of a threat from an attacking point of view than Vincent and McGlashan.
He needs work on his defensive responsibilities, but there is food for thought for Yates - while I cannot see him in the starting 11, but as is stands he may well be put on the bench early on.
Taylor and Lowe were their usual steady selves, and I thought Bowerman did well in the 12 minutes he had - and we need another forward. I wonder if the money could be found for that one... just might be worth a shout in my view.
I don't like to be over-critical, but he was, I'm afraid, sharper than Harrison, who set up that run for Kotwica but failed to take two half-chances for himself.
I know it's pre-season, but you want players going into the season with confidence and I think Byron's is very low at the moment.
One chance came from a McGlashan cross which was missed by the defender. Byron was in the right place but also missed it. The other was a shot which led to a rejected handball appeal.
There is a place up for grabs alongside Cureton, but at the moment I feel Byron is handing it to Terry Gornell on a plate rather than making him fight for it. He's got two more chances to turn it around.
There were plusses from last night, but also still a number of questions remain.
I think seven players - Scott Brown, Jones, Elliott, Troy Brown, Penn, Richards and Cureton - have pencilled themselves in for Burton. From what I have seen so far, I would play a diamond, and my other four would be Lowe at right-back, Taylor, Deering and Gornell.
I won't be at the Cardiff game as I am off to Scotland, but will be back for Kidderminster, when I think the riddles over that starting side may be answered - I think the eleven which emerges at Aggborough may get the nod...
After the shadow-boxing of Evesham, Cirencester and Gloucester and the hard fitness work of Wales, this game, and the one on Saturday against Cardiff, will be the ones which will tell us most about the capabilities of our squad.
The diamond worked well on Saturday, but Mark Yates went back to 4-4-2 for this one, with a line-up of Scott Brown; Sido Jombati, Steve Elliott, Troy Brown, Craig Braham-Barrett; Jermaine McGlashan, Russ Penn, Matt Richards, Ashley Vincent; Jamie Cureton, Terry Gornell.
The main focus for me from that line-up would be to see how CBB would fare at left-back, the performances of the wide men and the Cureton-Gornell partnership in attack.
CBB did okay I felt. Nothing spectacular, he defended when he needed to in competent fashion and showed that he likes to get forward and looked to do so in support at every opportunity.
The wide men were fleeting in their impact. Both showed their pace on occasions and smoked past their full-backs, but only once in that first half, when Jermaine sent a great cross over which just evaded Cureton and Gornell, did they look really potent.
Jermaine led a counter-attack from a Coventry corner but was thwarted by good defending, but I felt that both struggled to get into the game for long periods.
Gornell worked hard, frequently dropping deep to try to link the play leaving Cureton to play off the shoulder of the defenders and use his movement to try and create space for others.
He had a couple of efforts on goal but in that first half we didn't really create much in the way of clear-cut efforts to test the Coventry goalkeeper.
Scott Brown was the busier goalkeeper, saving well from the lively Callum Wilson, via the post, and he and the experienced Leon Clarke gave Elliott and Troy Brown plenty to think about.
I have no concerns about that partnership going forward. They seem to have settled in well alongside each other, and if anything Brown has looked the more secure of the two.
He is not the tallest, but has a good spring on him and looks comfortable on the ball, and is a more than adequate League Two centre-back.
I felt the weak link in the back four was Sido, who looked very shaky, and will be definitely looking over his shoulder at Keith Lowe and fearing for his place in the side.
I wasn't overly convinced with the 4-4-2 as it doesn't afford much protection to the back four, as was shown when Clarke had too much time to pick his spot for Coventry's opening goal.
The starting side lasted an hour, then we gradually saw changes introduced, with Lowe, Billy Jones, Sam Deering, Byron Harrison, Jason Taylor, Zack Kotwica and triallist George Bowerman coming on at regular intervals.
Some of the new arrivals made better impressions than others, with Jones, Deering and young Kotwica the pick of them.
CBB will definitely give competition to Jones, but as it stands now I would see Billy starting the season, as he just seems to have that bit more composure and better distribution, but it will be interesting to see how that one pans out.
Deering has, I feel, been the best overall pre-season performer and is putting his hand up to be a regular in the first 11. That wouldn't be part of a two-man central midfield, or in a wide role - he has to either play off a front man or at the top of the diamond.
As for Kotwica, we need to guard against building the kid up too quickly. Remember when Marley Watkins came along, and when Theo Lewis scored as a 16-year-old against Southampton.
We thought this is it - the next best thing. One is now in Inverness, the other in Salisbury, so we must be careful, and not expect too much too soon.
When he came on, he was up against Cyrus Christie, and didn't get anywhere, and it was his error which allowed Christie to run through and score the second goal.
But when he went off, he had a field day against the full-back and it was noticeable that whenever the ball was played over the top, it was directed towards him, rather than out to Jermaine on the other side.
He showed good awareness to anticipate a piece of chest control and lay-off from Harrison, forcing the keeper into a save, and got a couple of crosses over, one of which was nearly finished off by Bowerman.
In his 25-minute cameo, I would say he was more of a threat from an attacking point of view than Vincent and McGlashan.
He needs work on his defensive responsibilities, but there is food for thought for Yates - while I cannot see him in the starting 11, but as is stands he may well be put on the bench early on.
Taylor and Lowe were their usual steady selves, and I thought Bowerman did well in the 12 minutes he had - and we need another forward. I wonder if the money could be found for that one... just might be worth a shout in my view.
I don't like to be over-critical, but he was, I'm afraid, sharper than Harrison, who set up that run for Kotwica but failed to take two half-chances for himself.
I know it's pre-season, but you want players going into the season with confidence and I think Byron's is very low at the moment.
One chance came from a McGlashan cross which was missed by the defender. Byron was in the right place but also missed it. The other was a shot which led to a rejected handball appeal.
There is a place up for grabs alongside Cureton, but at the moment I feel Byron is handing it to Terry Gornell on a plate rather than making him fight for it. He's got two more chances to turn it around.
There were plusses from last night, but also still a number of questions remain.
I think seven players - Scott Brown, Jones, Elliott, Troy Brown, Penn, Richards and Cureton - have pencilled themselves in for Burton. From what I have seen so far, I would play a diamond, and my other four would be Lowe at right-back, Taylor, Deering and Gornell.
I won't be at the Cardiff game as I am off to Scotland, but will be back for Kidderminster, when I think the riddles over that starting side may be answered - I think the eleven which emerges at Aggborough may get the nod...
Sunday, 21 July 2013
The present and the future
Today was a unique chance to see the future of Cheltenham Town this morning, before hot -footing it to see how the first-team squad's preparations are coming along.
Russ Milton's under 18 side were playing Notts County, who didn't deserve anything out of the game simply for wearing a hideous orange and black hooped kit.
As it turned out, they were not given any chance by an excellent display from our youngsters, who gave even more evidence that there is a lot of talent bubbling under the surface.
Their numbers were bolstered by young pros Joe Hanks and Ed Williams, who were 'loaned back' as it was felt that they would be better off getting the best part of 90 minutes in, rather than playing a 15-20 minute bit-part later on against Gloucester.
The decision was vindicated as Hanks and Williams were both very impressive playing in a midfield three alongside second-year scholar Harry Williams, who scored a well-taken third goal and looks another fine prospect.
Harvey Rivers was in goal, with first-year Callum Craddock at right-back, Elliott Keightley and Spencer Hamilton in the centre and James Bowen at left-back.
Outside Hanks and the two Williams' were Zack Kirkpatrick-Jones on the left and a triallist on the right with Bobbie Dale up front.
Of the second-year scholars who joined Dale in Wales with the first-team, Adam Powell was injured and Zack Kotwica was with the first team. More of him later...
Dale's goal gave us a half-time lead, and we could have had more with Bowen having one chalked off for offside and Kirkpatrick-Jones hitting the post.
Eavesdropping Russ's half-time team-talk, he was happy with his boys, but wanted them to be a bit more clinical and maintain their intensity in the second half.
Dale added a second and Harry Williams finished off a good move for the third, and there could have been more goals, with Ed Williams having a shot saved amongst other chances.
The late minutes gave a chance to see some of the new first-years, including Jamie Goodwin up front, Reece Daly in midfield and defender Liam Sheppard, and second-year Keiron Whitehead, and apart from conceding a goal they also came out with credit.
Russ was delighted after the game, and with the three midfield starters plus Powell, and the wide men Bowen, Kirkpatrick-Jones and Kotwica, the future in those positions looks very bright indeed. Apparently there are more jewels in the lower age groups too...
As Russ put it, if things go well "this club might not have to buy a winger or midfielder for a few years to come..." Let's hope he is right!!!
If I get the chance, I will definitely go back to Seasons on a Saturday morning to see these lads play and would recommend anyone who gets the opportunity to go and take a look.
So now on the afternoon, and I already had an inkling of the formation we were going to play, as Hanks and Williams' absence meant there had to be a big role for our other four central midfielders Russ Penn, Jason Taylor, Sam Deering and Matt Richards.
So it proved, as they were deployed in the diamond, with a back four of Keith Lowe, Billy Jones, Steve Elliott and Troy Brown, and a front two of Jamie Cureton and Byron Harrison.
Having worked out that the best way to tell Penn, Taylor and Richards apart was the colour of their boots (white, orange and green respectively) that midfield quartet was the most impressive part of the first-half display.
For the most part, the passing was good (we can forgive the odd sloppy pass - it is pre-season...), the movement and interchanging of positions was slick and it yielded two goals.
The first was from Deering, who I feel is up there as the most impressive performer in the three pre-season games so far.
He fired home from 20 yards, a low shot into the corner after Cureton laid the ball back to him, and he was always busy, finding pockets of space, and playing well 'between the lines' with Gloucester playing a more rigid 4-4-2.
The second was from Richards, a superb 25-yard strike which topped off an excellent energetic performance. He was up and down constantly, his passing and movement was very good, and on this evidence he looks like an excellent signing.
They almost overshadowed the performances of Taylor and Penn, but those two also more than played their part, both coming close to goals.
Defensively, Troy Brown and Elliott continue to bed in well as a partnership. Brown, like Michael Hector, looks comfortable on the ball, decent in the air and happy to play out from the back.
With the diamond being deployed, it meant that Jones and Lowe had to provide the width from full-back, and they were able to do that to good effect.
Up front, Cureton was again lively and missed one good first-half chance and his movement was good, as was his work-rate. More evidence that he will score goals if we get the ball to him in the right areas.
His partner, Harrison did a lot of work in the channels and dropping deep, but, unfortunately, did not look a big enough threat where it mattered - in the box.
There was one incident in the second half where Cureton rounded the goalkeeper and put the ball across the box, but instead of busting a gut to get into the box he was still 20 yards away.
On the hour, Mark Yates made seven changes, and the team for the rest of the game was a 4-4-2 line-up of Connor Roberts; Sido Jombati, Danny O'Donnell, Keith Lowe, Craig Braham-Barrett; Jermaine McGlashan, Jason Taylor, Sam Deering, Zack Kotwica; Ashley Vincent, Byron Harrison.
It gave us a first look at CBB ( as he is from now on!!) who looked solid enough but will have more time to bed in over the remaining three friendly games, and heralded the return of Vincent, who played through the middle, could have had a goal and has clearly lost none of his pace.
But most of all it gave another chance to Kotwica, a 17-year-old second-year scholar, who, it has emerged, has been handed squad number 19 and will be part of the first team for the forseeable future.
He had three decent chances, all of which were saved by James Bittner, and he linked well with Vincent especially, and also got some protection from Taylor, who took unnecessary exception to one tackle on the youngster.
After the game, Yates praised his display but was equally keen for people not to get carried away. I would expect him to head out on loan so far, but if he is being fast-tracked into the squad, he has a chance, so now it is all down to Zack.
It is clear that we have good competition and good flexibility in the squad. The only player who did not play a part was Terry Gornell, who was on the bench but not risked due to a slight knee injury, picked up in Wales on the white-water rafting, but he should play on Tuesday.
Mark said that there is one player he is hoping to bring in, another loanee, but seemed to suggest it would not be a forward, as Vincent can play down the middle, left or right hand side.
CBB's arrival gives us left-back cover, we are well stocked out wide and in central midfield, but if there are concerns I think we need one more forward and a centre-half.
O'Donnell is not the answer as cover, and I know we could put Keith Lowe there and he would not let us down, but I feel we need another player there as it will be a big ask for Steve Elliott to do another 46 games.
But it seems the last jigsaw piece is one or the other - and a defender is my guess.
Russ Milton's under 18 side were playing Notts County, who didn't deserve anything out of the game simply for wearing a hideous orange and black hooped kit.
As it turned out, they were not given any chance by an excellent display from our youngsters, who gave even more evidence that there is a lot of talent bubbling under the surface.
Their numbers were bolstered by young pros Joe Hanks and Ed Williams, who were 'loaned back' as it was felt that they would be better off getting the best part of 90 minutes in, rather than playing a 15-20 minute bit-part later on against Gloucester.
The decision was vindicated as Hanks and Williams were both very impressive playing in a midfield three alongside second-year scholar Harry Williams, who scored a well-taken third goal and looks another fine prospect.
Harvey Rivers was in goal, with first-year Callum Craddock at right-back, Elliott Keightley and Spencer Hamilton in the centre and James Bowen at left-back.
Outside Hanks and the two Williams' were Zack Kirkpatrick-Jones on the left and a triallist on the right with Bobbie Dale up front.
Of the second-year scholars who joined Dale in Wales with the first-team, Adam Powell was injured and Zack Kotwica was with the first team. More of him later...
Dale's goal gave us a half-time lead, and we could have had more with Bowen having one chalked off for offside and Kirkpatrick-Jones hitting the post.
Eavesdropping Russ's half-time team-talk, he was happy with his boys, but wanted them to be a bit more clinical and maintain their intensity in the second half.
Dale added a second and Harry Williams finished off a good move for the third, and there could have been more goals, with Ed Williams having a shot saved amongst other chances.
The late minutes gave a chance to see some of the new first-years, including Jamie Goodwin up front, Reece Daly in midfield and defender Liam Sheppard, and second-year Keiron Whitehead, and apart from conceding a goal they also came out with credit.
Russ was delighted after the game, and with the three midfield starters plus Powell, and the wide men Bowen, Kirkpatrick-Jones and Kotwica, the future in those positions looks very bright indeed. Apparently there are more jewels in the lower age groups too...
As Russ put it, if things go well "this club might not have to buy a winger or midfielder for a few years to come..." Let's hope he is right!!!
If I get the chance, I will definitely go back to Seasons on a Saturday morning to see these lads play and would recommend anyone who gets the opportunity to go and take a look.
So now on the afternoon, and I already had an inkling of the formation we were going to play, as Hanks and Williams' absence meant there had to be a big role for our other four central midfielders Russ Penn, Jason Taylor, Sam Deering and Matt Richards.
So it proved, as they were deployed in the diamond, with a back four of Keith Lowe, Billy Jones, Steve Elliott and Troy Brown, and a front two of Jamie Cureton and Byron Harrison.
Having worked out that the best way to tell Penn, Taylor and Richards apart was the colour of their boots (white, orange and green respectively) that midfield quartet was the most impressive part of the first-half display.
For the most part, the passing was good (we can forgive the odd sloppy pass - it is pre-season...), the movement and interchanging of positions was slick and it yielded two goals.
The first was from Deering, who I feel is up there as the most impressive performer in the three pre-season games so far.
He fired home from 20 yards, a low shot into the corner after Cureton laid the ball back to him, and he was always busy, finding pockets of space, and playing well 'between the lines' with Gloucester playing a more rigid 4-4-2.
The second was from Richards, a superb 25-yard strike which topped off an excellent energetic performance. He was up and down constantly, his passing and movement was very good, and on this evidence he looks like an excellent signing.
They almost overshadowed the performances of Taylor and Penn, but those two also more than played their part, both coming close to goals.
Defensively, Troy Brown and Elliott continue to bed in well as a partnership. Brown, like Michael Hector, looks comfortable on the ball, decent in the air and happy to play out from the back.
With the diamond being deployed, it meant that Jones and Lowe had to provide the width from full-back, and they were able to do that to good effect.
Up front, Cureton was again lively and missed one good first-half chance and his movement was good, as was his work-rate. More evidence that he will score goals if we get the ball to him in the right areas.
His partner, Harrison did a lot of work in the channels and dropping deep, but, unfortunately, did not look a big enough threat where it mattered - in the box.
There was one incident in the second half where Cureton rounded the goalkeeper and put the ball across the box, but instead of busting a gut to get into the box he was still 20 yards away.
On the hour, Mark Yates made seven changes, and the team for the rest of the game was a 4-4-2 line-up of Connor Roberts; Sido Jombati, Danny O'Donnell, Keith Lowe, Craig Braham-Barrett; Jermaine McGlashan, Jason Taylor, Sam Deering, Zack Kotwica; Ashley Vincent, Byron Harrison.
It gave us a first look at CBB ( as he is from now on!!) who looked solid enough but will have more time to bed in over the remaining three friendly games, and heralded the return of Vincent, who played through the middle, could have had a goal and has clearly lost none of his pace.
But most of all it gave another chance to Kotwica, a 17-year-old second-year scholar, who, it has emerged, has been handed squad number 19 and will be part of the first team for the forseeable future.
He had three decent chances, all of which were saved by James Bittner, and he linked well with Vincent especially, and also got some protection from Taylor, who took unnecessary exception to one tackle on the youngster.
After the game, Yates praised his display but was equally keen for people not to get carried away. I would expect him to head out on loan so far, but if he is being fast-tracked into the squad, he has a chance, so now it is all down to Zack.
It is clear that we have good competition and good flexibility in the squad. The only player who did not play a part was Terry Gornell, who was on the bench but not risked due to a slight knee injury, picked up in Wales on the white-water rafting, but he should play on Tuesday.
Mark said that there is one player he is hoping to bring in, another loanee, but seemed to suggest it would not be a forward, as Vincent can play down the middle, left or right hand side.
CBB's arrival gives us left-back cover, we are well stocked out wide and in central midfield, but if there are concerns I think we need one more forward and a centre-half.
O'Donnell is not the answer as cover, and I know we could put Keith Lowe there and he would not let us down, but I feel we need another player there as it will be a big ask for Steve Elliott to do another 46 games.
But it seems the last jigsaw piece is one or the other - and a defender is my guess.
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
No to Ashley... yes to Ashley!
BARELY a matter of days after one Ashley turned his car round on the M6 and screwed his nose up at Cheltenham Town, it seems that another will be completing the journey.
Mr Grimes preferred Bury, but Mr Vincent (if the talk is to be believed) will make it to Ikea at Wednesbury and beyond, and come back to Whaddon.
He will be coming from Port Vale, basically a straight swap for Kaid Mohamed - and there are great similarities between the two.
Pace, unpredictability, frustration, goals. Both are equally likely to do something to turn a game, and both will frustrate and divide opinion in the seats and on the terraces.
The latter will certainly be the case as the Nest forum reaction and the Twitter views of the possibility of his return seem polarised - straight down the middle, either people seeing it as great news or a disaster waiting to happen.
My view? I am 50-50. I feel Ashley will be slightly less frustrating than Mo, but I see Mo as a greater goal threat, and more dangerous in the air.
I don't necessarily see Ashley's work-rate being any better than Mo's - but I would think his experience at a higher level will have helped his decision-making
Their records are similar - last season Vincent scored seven goals and set up five in the league for Vale. Mo scored four and set up five for us - and added two more in the Cup.
Both operate down the left, but are predominately right-footed, but the Ashley Vincent which comes back will be different to the one who left for Colchester back in 2009.
He had arrived from Wolves as a 19-year-old, where John Ward and Keith Downing had helped nurture him in the reserve and youth teams at Molineux.
It was a rollercoaster spell, including some superb goals, play-off final success, a cruciate knee injury, a broken wrist and being thrown back on to the pitch at MK Dons by Martin Allen.
He left us for Colchester, where the current Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert gave him a three-year contract - then left after one game for Norwich. That one game? a 7-1 win. At Norwich.
He was part of the 'Cheltenham enclave' in Essex with Ward, Steven Gillespie, Kayode Odejayi and Brian Wilson, and scored 10 times in 71 League games for the Us - with knee injuries again haunting him along the way.
Next stop was Vale for one season, and now all the indications are that he is coming full circle, back to Whaddon to fill our left-wing berth... or is he the fourth striker?
When he was here before, there always seemed to be a dispute over his best position.
He always wanted to play as a central striker - (see this link from 2008) - yet has played most of his career out wide.
So if the deal is completed, will he be the man to replace Mo, or is he the man to challenge Jamie Cureton, Terry Gornell and Byron Harrison through the middle?
Maybe Ashley's return will cover both - ie he will be the left-winger we are after and the fourth striker, diminishing further the chances of Joe Anyinsah and George Bowerman's trials being a success.
That would save money - and, having seen the chairman stressing his keenness to resolve the Marlon Pack saga, as we are still paying him and have already (I suspect) spent a lot of the compensation money we haven't even received yet, reading between the lines I would say the pot is very nearly empty.
As for Pack, common consensus is that Crawley, Bristol City and Peterborough are the three main suitors, with somewhere between £75,000 and £100,000 the much-needed bounty on the table. Apparently the hold-up with one of those clubs is at their end. Get on with it please.
My feeling is that this deal will be it for permanent signings, and anything else will be loans.
Welcome back Ashley!
Mr Grimes preferred Bury, but Mr Vincent (if the talk is to be believed) will make it to Ikea at Wednesbury and beyond, and come back to Whaddon.
He will be coming from Port Vale, basically a straight swap for Kaid Mohamed - and there are great similarities between the two.
Pace, unpredictability, frustration, goals. Both are equally likely to do something to turn a game, and both will frustrate and divide opinion in the seats and on the terraces.
The latter will certainly be the case as the Nest forum reaction and the Twitter views of the possibility of his return seem polarised - straight down the middle, either people seeing it as great news or a disaster waiting to happen.
My view? I am 50-50. I feel Ashley will be slightly less frustrating than Mo, but I see Mo as a greater goal threat, and more dangerous in the air.
I don't necessarily see Ashley's work-rate being any better than Mo's - but I would think his experience at a higher level will have helped his decision-making
Their records are similar - last season Vincent scored seven goals and set up five in the league for Vale. Mo scored four and set up five for us - and added two more in the Cup.
Both operate down the left, but are predominately right-footed, but the Ashley Vincent which comes back will be different to the one who left for Colchester back in 2009.
He had arrived from Wolves as a 19-year-old, where John Ward and Keith Downing had helped nurture him in the reserve and youth teams at Molineux.
It was a rollercoaster spell, including some superb goals, play-off final success, a cruciate knee injury, a broken wrist and being thrown back on to the pitch at MK Dons by Martin Allen.
He left us for Colchester, where the current Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert gave him a three-year contract - then left after one game for Norwich. That one game? a 7-1 win. At Norwich.
He was part of the 'Cheltenham enclave' in Essex with Ward, Steven Gillespie, Kayode Odejayi and Brian Wilson, and scored 10 times in 71 League games for the Us - with knee injuries again haunting him along the way.
Next stop was Vale for one season, and now all the indications are that he is coming full circle, back to Whaddon to fill our left-wing berth... or is he the fourth striker?
When he was here before, there always seemed to be a dispute over his best position.
He always wanted to play as a central striker - (see this link from 2008) - yet has played most of his career out wide.
So if the deal is completed, will he be the man to replace Mo, or is he the man to challenge Jamie Cureton, Terry Gornell and Byron Harrison through the middle?
Maybe Ashley's return will cover both - ie he will be the left-winger we are after and the fourth striker, diminishing further the chances of Joe Anyinsah and George Bowerman's trials being a success.
That would save money - and, having seen the chairman stressing his keenness to resolve the Marlon Pack saga, as we are still paying him and have already (I suspect) spent a lot of the compensation money we haven't even received yet, reading between the lines I would say the pot is very nearly empty.
As for Pack, common consensus is that Crawley, Bristol City and Peterborough are the three main suitors, with somewhere between £75,000 and £100,000 the much-needed bounty on the table. Apparently the hold-up with one of those clubs is at their end. Get on with it please.
My feeling is that this deal will be it for permanent signings, and anything else will be loans.
Welcome back Ashley!
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