January 2023 - Transfer Talk - Stick or Twist

Walsall signing Stevens from FGR to partner Jamille Matt, reassembled strike force that took Forest Green up less than a year ago.

Not a bad way to replace Johnson.

 

In fact it’s 4.2 a game - even worse.

 

That’s good business in my eyes. We sign a Defender - we are embarrassingl.

 

Shots on target are misleading. We had just one against Stockport, an feeble Oliver effort straight at the keeper. As a defensive unit, we are good enough for the automatics, as an attacking threat we are the lowest goal scorers in the top ten. As the old adage goes, a good defence keeps you in games, a good attack wins you games.

 

Sorry. I meant in the 4 matches prior to Stockport.

Swindon top the footie L2 shots per game stats with a whopping average of, wait for it, 4.85 shots on target per match.

https://fbref.com/en/comps/16/shooting/League-Two-Stats

In other words, unbelievably perhaps, in those four matches we've produced an average better shots on target rate than the No.1 team for this stat.

It means little though. Grimsby are 2nd. And we're better than Leyton Orient.

Typical us though, 12 of them were against Salford and Wimbledon, who now have only lost 1 in 15.

My point is, we're not as bad as you think for what is needed in L2. It's our resolve and nerve when we are 1-0 up - i.e. we must stop giving such leads away. The Top 4 rarely do.

 

It didn’t do the job - we’re getting further and further away from the top three every week.
Now ten points.

 

Yes they have a midfielder one of the best in the division who was derided when he played for us

 

But we're talking about the point he was rested

 

57 reasons to stay negative, eh?

Do you think having played just once in what will be three weeks, might be a factor?

Or have I fallen asleep and we've lost those games in hand

 

I agree. Just pointing out, that we're not that bad. It'll take a marginal change for us to improve and that's mainly in the mindset - which is why I think Hughes has gone for better characters in this window.

 

If you mean Callum Guy, I remember lots of us rated him. He was one of the only positives about that terrible second half of the 17/18 season.

 

We’re always saying ‘if we win the next two games’ ffs.
We’re ten points behind Carlisle (in third, not even top), with two games in hand.
Even if we win the games in hand we’re still adrift.
Far far too many people accepting us being average at best, underachieving and being bettered by far smaller clubs.
No wonder we’re in the doldrums year after year after year

 

It does seem the squad needed more character. Clayton certainly adds to that, Stubbs as well apparently. Defensive wise i think we are fine, just not convinced as an attacking threat. I watched Carlisle tonight, looked a threat on goal all night. And now they have the best goal tally in the division. Goals win you games, and we don't have many in us with Cook on the bench.

 

Never understood why you think fans accepting where we are, is responsible for on field performances. This the first promotion race we've been involved in going into February, in 6 seasons. That's not "in the doldrums"

You suffer from 'big club mentality'. We've had five piss poor seasons and yet you seem to think that should be turned around easily, without any hitch. It's simply not reality.

 

Carlisle are very confident. They stuffed Salford at their place, back in late November I think and have never looked back.

If (and it's a big one) we can play as well as we did against Salford, although there were weak moments, say for a few matches - I think we'd develop that type of swagger.

Of course it can easily go the other way.

 

One decent midfielder and most would see this as a decent window, without it’s a poor one. Just shows how finely balanced football is.

 

Stevenage finished 4th from bottom last season and are now odds on to go up this season, currently sat in 2nd with two games in hand.

 

Hughes seems caught in two minds in how he wants us to attack and it shows with our goal return and general low chance creation. If he can change that mindset we have a chance but it needs a few players to hit top form.

 

I don’t think it should be turned around easily. Six years on, we’ve not turned it around, what do you think is acceptable then, 10 years? 12 years? 15?
It’s not a big club mentality at all. Are we a big club for the level we’re at? Absolutely. A huge club for the level in fact.
Do I think we have a stronger squad than most at this level? Yes
Do I think the management are making the most of that squad? Far from it.
Do I think we’re had a successful transfer window that has improved us having made 8 signings?Absolutely not
We’re changing the squad in high volume transfers but with seemingly No joined up thinking.
We won’t get promotion from this point in the season without an attacking mindset.
And I don’t believe Hughes has even come close to demonstrating that.
All I want is for us to give it a bloody good go - if we fail trying then I can accept that.

 

Not being funny but how can you possibly know if they are better characters? Yann is a great team man, Wright was full of enthusiasm, Foulds is proud to be part of his home town club etc - its far too early to say if Hughes has replaced them with better.