We are the Pirates with a sinking ship

For me the situation is pretty simple, if rumours are true and I believe they are ,the summer transfer activity was unexpectedly cut short, otherwise he simply would not of let Montano go so early. DC has always had a squad with options in every position and now for the first time in three years he has a squad without balance. He has no left wide players , IMO Byron Moore "best" performances have been on the right and he is the option for Bodin. there is no Monkhouse type player to protect Brown and allow him to get forward, consequently that pulls the back four out of position and we have players like Gaffney and Harrison who spend more time having to chase balls into the corners than in the box where they should be hurting sides.
IMO both Goalkeepers are competent at this level but are being exposed, Sercombe and Nicholls are quality footballers when those four signed I was starting to believe with a couple more it could happen ,then it stopped. We all know where we are short of quality many have been saying it all season and DC more than anyone will know, I fear though come January the money for the right players will not be available and any signings will be loans or kids though with the development squad we seem to have an abundance of those.

DC knows what he is doing but is now in the situation of trying to make a silk purse out of a sows ear, he will like any manager worth his salt protect his players of that I am convinced as for those above him in the food chain I am not convinced at all and most probably why he is over here and not at his desk at the bank !!

IMO strategies on and off the field are biting us on the backside now, and DC must carry at least one handle of the can. I feel he believed his own hype and thereby has patently shied away from help and experience in the squad and on the coaching side. He has mishandled public remonstrations of players and their futures in the past, and he has been responsible for recruitment, irrespective of budget. It has been obvious to many of us for so long that we have needed an experienced midfield shield to the back 3 or 4. DC has talents, but now is the time to bring in an experienced, respected ex- manager to take an objective,step-back overview of the playing strategy and personnel. DC can then go into the recruitment market in January with much better perspective than has been evident so far. Problem is, where do we get such a mentor for DC?

one that he would listen to

A half hearted report this week which matches the entertainment or lack of it that was dished up. Last week I missed my first game for a few years and all I can say tonight is that I wished I'd have stayed on holiday a few more days such was the crap that was dished up by a team who honestly now look like they have met for the first time and my main question would be "What on earth do they do in training"?.
the first important thing to say is that this like Notts County, Swindon,West Ham under23s and most of the teams we have played this season was a rank average League 1 team that we gave the freedom of the park with a mix of no understanding, individual mistakes , a system that nobody appears to know what their part is and a team that seems intent on passing sideways and back where each pass puts the team in more trouble. the front players come back so far to try to get the ball and then the bloody keeper spends the entire game hoofing the ball up to the opposition.

I despair where our next point will come from and we are a CLUB that looks in total downfall with no leadership either on the field or off it. We are a total shambles and it is about time that the "nicey nicey" owner provides some leadership and tells us what the bloody hell is happening to our club. I wish I could say that DC will get it right - I thought he would but I now have total doubt as to whether he has the ability to put it right- I certainly have little faith that he is capable of making the sort of signings we need in January unless he receives help from an experienced person who has the knowledge of quality players and probably the charisma needed to persuade them to come.

Smith 5 Some good saves but no command of six yard box and nearly gave away another calamity when dropping a simple ball



Leadbitter 5 Attacking wise did well but went missing on at least two goals- needs to get defending right FIRST

Lockyer 2 Welsh international-my ass.

Broadbent 3 Too many mistakes but not helped b y more experienced players- at least he can pass a ball

Brown 3 Great goal but another who needs to get defending right as priority

Sinclair 2 Most over rated player in the squad,perhaps put his head on the other way and he might make a forward pass

O Clarke 1 Was he out there today? A long rest needed

Lines 3 We don't need a player playing right in front of a back four who all seem to play more forward than him- must be DC awful tactics

Sercombe 6 The best midfielder but lost out wide.



Harrison 6 Runs about but has to run everywhere to get the ball and then we have no striker at all

Nichols 3 There's a player in there but totally lost as is our forward line in general



Subs:

Sweeney 6 better than what he replaced but the damage had already been done

Bodin 6 Obviously lacking match fitness but skill is always there

Gaffney 6 Why can't DC just stick with him for a few games and tell him he is a centre forward



Crowd 3 Can we really be blamed when such pathetic performances are now becoming the norm.

Ref 6 Ok

Dons 7 Another rank average team that make us look stupid



Dc 1 has now changed so much that he doesn't know where to start. He has provided us with a lightweight team that EVERY team we play can now dominate us all over the pitch. He must select a team and stick with it till January barring injuries and leave out some of his obvious favourites.

I have no magic answer to our problems other than picking a team and saying to them that if they perform well they will keep their places for at least 5 games. We need the back four to earn their money as DEFENDERS and push up with Sweeney organising to ensure defenders are marking opponents. We must work on pressurising from the front and the discipline must be concentrated on imposing OUR game on the opposition rather than the present which allows the opposition to impose itself on us home or away!
Team

Slocombe
Leadbitter
Sweeney
Broadbent
Bola

Bodin
Sercombe (Captain)
Lines
Harrison

Gaffney
Nicholls

Unless I witness a great improvement at Blackburn next week than I won't be attending many more away games as at present it is a waste of time and money. UTG