Chesterfield (Away) The Flanagan and Balance Match Thread

[Tuesds]

I keep reading that we are ‘stronger on paper’ this year than last year. I just don’t see it.

Last year we had a load of players who had been playing in the league, either starting or making frequent appearances (Wordsworth (L1), Preston, Parrett), or who were at least regulars in play-off teams in the National League (Binnom-Williams, plus Loach, Dunne, H Taylor…). This year we’ve signed a load of players who couldn’t get a game last season. Bloomfield, Thomas, Sargeant, Brundle (for the last few months), Greenidge, Doherty were all completely out of favour at their respective clubs and barely started a league game all season between them. Payne was out of the starting XI at NL South mid-table Ebbsfleet, who released him.

Up front last year we signed a proved goalscorer at this level in Hooper, who’d scored 20 in his last 40-odd games at this level. Plus we had some real quality in Petrasso. On paper, ie based on what they’d done prior to coming to us, those two were a lot stronger than Bloomfield & Marriott, for example.

Plus last season we kept acquiring players through the season in an attempt to improve our prospects. Eg taking the example of strikers alone we signed Courtney-Baker Richardson, Faal, Effiong, Adeloye etc. This season we have fewer strikers to start with (a pathetic 2 in the whole squad; too few whatever the level) and have made an even worse start, yet as far as we know there’s no intent to sign another, despite an injury-hit squad.

[Tuesds]

Those highlights are frightening. How can you leave Tshimanga unmarked at a set piece? BRE's lunge for the first pen was extremely reckless.

If Kewell really is as happy with performances as he says, then that can only mean he has decided that the squad he’s got (/he’s been given?) is severely sub-standard for this level and that he’s getting the best out of them with 2 points from 18. I hope that’s not the case, and that in reality he truly believes they have the capability to be performing a lot better than they are.

[becbee]

To be fair to TK, we thought Flowers was a good appointment. We thought Kewell and Brennan were good appointments. In fact the appointment that we probably had least faith in was Bassey!

Er I beg your pardon but who is this "we" here? You might have thought this, but not everyone did by any means - in my opnion anyway.

I've just had a look at the posts on here when he was appointed and they were generally positive / favourable. Of course many of us who were taken in by his interviews.

[letchbee94]

To many cooks maybe with all the coaching team?

[Tuesds]

To many cooks maybe with all the coaching team?

I don’t think it can be that. We’ve got two coaches - the head coach and the assistant (Butler). Other than them we’ve got a goalie coach and a fitness guy, but there’s no reason why they would expect/seek to make decisions about how the team plays/who plays etc.

Doesn’t seem excessive to me for a professional football club. A lot of our fellow conference clubs seem to have more coaches involved with their first team. Indeed, we have done ourselves previously, eg. John Still having Currie as his assistant and Junior Lewis as first team coach.

[john dockers shorts]

I do think some people on here have completely forgotten how utterly woeful we were last season....excluding the last few games. It was mind numbingly boring. Terrible at back and toothless up top.

I've watched our 3 home games and I see a team that are lacking in confidence but not ability. Who have shot themselves in the foot giving 5 pens away.We also need a spot of luck like getting a pen.

We have shown that there are goals in us, of course I thought we would have more points but hopefully we can get the centre backs fit which would help.

Maybe I'm the eternal optimist!

[Agewills]

Last season was the worst I've seen in my twenty+ years supporting the club (I'm sure older fans may have seen worse!) but based on what I've seen this season so far (granted it's early days) I don't see much of a change. Many different players, but ability-wise, they seem comparable with last year - i.e. not up to standard for us to challenge in this league. I dearly hope to be proved wrong. Maybe my optimism has just been ground down over these last few years!

[jerroll]

I have seen 4 of the 6 games inc all Hive games. my early opinions are we are well stocked at fullback, look decent going forward with Sesay and Tasdemir & front 2 look bright & Bloomfield looks much better than i expected. The 2 glaring areas are central midfield and centre back. Centre back wise we have 2 injured (Turley & Greenidge) and 2 shaky players in Richards-Everton & Nugent. it is glaringly obvious that Kewell doesn't rate Nugent & would rather play a midfield player in Brundle there! due to that 2 rookies are being deployed in central midfield, both look reasonable prospects but need an experienced head in their to hold their hands so you have to ask if Payne was signed to fill that void why he has fallen out of favour so quickly. I was shocked to see he is only 30 as that is very young for legs to have gone! if there is any room in the budget another central midfielder would be useful along with another central striker but i fear that is unlikely.

[amberforever]

Could this seasons squad pull of a 1-0 cup win against Burton as per last season? I doubt it tbh.

[DSM]

Could this seasons squad pull of a 1-0 cup win against Burton as per last season? I doubt it tbh.

That win may have been more a reflection of Burtons predicament than that teams ability.

For me I think we’ve got enough to survive if we don’t have a disproportionate number of injuries, buy 1 more dynamic midfielder and have a competent manager (jury out on HK but in 2 games time will know a lot more)

[LeftSideRun]

Could this seasons squad pull of a 1-0 cup win against Burton as per last season? I doubt it tbh.

It was astounding last season's squad managed to do it, even more so with 10 men. An anomaly.

Surely Nugent should be given a game and Brundle played in the middle, especially if Harry isn't playing there. We're too weak in the middle and don't work hard enough to win the ball back and stop shots (based on just the one game from this observer).

Thought Bloomfield and Marriot (when fit) could be decent but we obviously need an option off the bench.

[Patel89]

Could this seasons squad pull of a 1-0 cup win against Burton as per last season? I doubt it tbh.

It was astounding last season's squad managed to do it, even more so with 10 men. An anomaly.

Surely Nugent should be given a game and Brundle played in the middle, especially if Harry isn't playing there. We're too weak in the middle and don't work hard enough to win the ball back and stop shots (based on just the one game from this observer).

Thought Bloomfield and Marriot (when fit) could be decent but we obviously need an option off the bench.

I'll admit it I was very critical and at time scathing of Nugent and Binnon williams last season disliked both however the last two games I went to see at the hive Nugent looked quite good Bassey seemed to get the best out of him! and i'd certainly like to see him given a chance right now ahead of Brundle! especially as we have no other options

[bzzzzz]

Last season was the worst I've seen in my twenty+ years supporting the club (I'm sure older fans may have seen worse!) but based on what I've seen this season so far (granted it's early days) I don't see much of a change. Many different players, but ability-wise, they seem comparable with last year - i.e. not up to standard for us to challenge in this league. I dearly hope to be proved wrong. Maybe my optimism has just been ground down over these last few years!

Without question the worst I've seen. Throughout my time as following if we've been in the conference we've usually been competitive and relegation has not been a serious worry.

It's difficult to compare squads but I think this years is marginally better. I had a look at this time last year and (to my surprise) I was relatively upbeat. We'd had a disaster of a first day hammering from Eastleigh. But after that we'd picked up a [lucky] win at Daggers (Ha) and also beat Burton in the FA cup. It was around this point in the season that I started to think, maybe things weren't as bad as I'd anticipated. However our follow up was losing to Bromley and Kings Lynn and Woking - all quite heavily. After that the team lost their way. The Flowers appointment looked good. If you care about interviews his were about the best. He was able to analyse the game, identify the errors and came across as deeply passionate - after a while I got fed up with being told to "listen" and his feats at Solihull. It was a dark spell as on the field the team lacked cohesion and despite several changes in personnel there was little improvement on the pitch.

The next 4/5 games are critical - this time last year it was those games that set the tone for the rest of the season. Muster some points and a couple of wins and this season doesn't have to take the same downward spiral as the 20/21 debacle.

[becbee]

Could this seasons squad pull of a 1-0 cup win against Burton as per last season? I doubt it tbh.

Burton were poor, only off the bottom of L1 on goal difference and it showed. I don't remember much threat from either side apart from Wes Fonguck's well taken goal. As much a case of Burton losing as us winning.

Crewe and Doncaster are currently 23rd and 24th in L1. Crewe like us have 2 points from 6 matches, Doncaster only have 1 point from 6 matches so an even worse tally than ours. Maybe if we were to play one of them this season ( assuming their form doesn't improve), maybe we could pull off a 1-0 win? Especially if Wes could be back by then?!

In reality, we'll probably draw another NL club away in the 4th qualifying round, get well beaten and so the question will be academic.

[bzzzzz]

Could this seasons squad pull of a 1-0 cup win against Burton as per last season? I doubt it tbh.

In reality, we'll probably draw another NL club away in the 4th qualifying round, get well beaten and so the question will be academic.

You know how it works