After yet another toothless display last night it's now glaringly obvious that we have some players who lack passion and conviction and we have a few others that lack quality.
In the second half in particular we had a fair amount of posession with no end product. Whitaker, Furman, Parker and Colbeck are guilty of lacking quality and/or the absolutely essential ingredient-a pride and desire to play for our club! With such a sizeable portion of our squad lacking we are and will continue to struggle to win matches and maybe just as importantly attract new/stay at home supporters.
Penney has spoken about his reluctance to bring in 'unsettling' loan players which I can fully appreciate after seeing its effect under Sheridan's reign. 'Needs must' at this time with the sheer amount of injuries we are having to deal with and maybe a couple of loan signings have been much needed. But how many times last season did we bring in so-called quality loan signings- and there were a few strikers among them- to see their contribution fizzle out or more accurately never get off the starting blocks whatsoever!
One noticeable effect and reason to be a little more optimistic after last night's match was the introduction of Ryan Brooke who added height and direction to a woefully misfiring foward line. It really does raise the question why our conveyor belt of talent from our youth set-up isn't tapped into more often at this time when we are somewhat paralysed with injuries. Kieran Lee, though not a product of our youth set-up, would benefit-and this is vital-from an extended opportunity in the first team. Dale Stephens although, on loan at the moment, is another youngster with something to prove. Not had much of a look-in though. The younger players don't look out of their depth when they enter the fray which is more than can be said about certain members of the current starting line-up. The younger players show a hunger, enthusiam and offer potential that Penney regards as key qualities to have success.
Our fans all appreciate good football played above all with endeavour and pride and if we go down to a defeat then let it be not for want of our team's will to win being brought into question. To walk off the pitch to a standing ovation after a gallant display despite the result knowing the team had given their 'all' to the cause is surely the way to win back our disillusioned supporters. After all the hard working people from our working class town only want to see their team efforts on a matchday mirror the way they are duty bound to approach their own professions.
Keep the faith.