the_mighty_bosh

Same to you Barry.

This paragraph hits the nail on the head and will be the ultimate test of the club's recruitment strategy, whether we have a detailed or specific role in mind for our signings compared to the scattergun approach of the previous regime.

Not complaining because we'll need all the help we can get at the moment, but surely there's going to be some players leaving soon to offset all these signings? Our wage bill must be pretty big for this level now.

So after last night's results, we still find ourselves out of the dropzone despite teams around us having played two games more (except for Gateshead who we play at home for their game in hand).

From what I've seen I'd be happy to give these two a bit more time.

For what it's worth, I think that now is the time to properly back a manager as this is clearly the board's choice. I just hope that what Unsworth expects to get and what the board is willing to give are the same. Unsworth in the meantime needs to cut out the public criticism of the squad until he takes responsibility himself for this situation. The longer that he doesn't the worse the situation will get.

I'm not defending the players in saying this, but I'm not impressed with Unsworth's approach to the task at hand yet. Hopefully he does have the backing to completely reconstruct the squad and he can build a team that can match the standards he wants to set, but a manager with as little managerial experience as he has should not be publically throwing his team under the bus as much as he's doing. Before this major surgery that he's talking about, I want him to show that he's got enough skills for us to trust him with the scalpel. At the moment my prediction is that he may kill the patient while trying, blaming the tools while he tries.

As shit as it is to go through this again, get mentally prepared for another relegation battle as a club. We are no longer a basket case off the pitch but we can't believe that we're too big to go down on the pitch. No matter what infrastructure is being put in place (and it should continue to be) we need to prepare for the short term on the pitch. Also get Abraham signed up for as long as possible for this season. Not because of his (lack of) goal record or piece of skill he showed for the goal, but for the pace that we are so desperately lacking.

Am I right in thinking that we set up like this? Norman Clarke Okagbue Maynard Francis-Angol Couto Threlkeld Sheron Rooney Tollitt Fondop If so that's 7 players who are naturally defensive-minded with 3 who are attacking-minded. Of those attacking players it sounded as though Rooney was playing deeper and Tollitt isn't what I'd call and out-and-out striker (more of an attacking midfielder or winger). Then you've got wing-backs who are much more naturally full-backs (Clarke especially). I know that size of club isn't everything, but to set up like that away to bottom half National League team that hasn't won many for a club of our stature and expectation is unacceptable and as a result Unsworth should primarily take the blame for last night. I would go as far as saying simply switching Couto for Carty and going 4-3-3 on Saturday and we would see a decent performance and result, which would be vastly better than last night without major changes to players.

Agreed. This squad as a whole is proving itself to be poor with not a lot of it that could be salvaged, but the formation that Unsworth has used so far just invites other teams onto us. Setting up in a negative fashion is not going to improve the confidence of a "soft" squad. 4-2-3-1 could keep us pretty solid but at least give us a reasonable attacking outlet. We have enough experienced players available now that we don't need to clog up the defence and midfield with numbers. Tollitt and Fondop have chipped in so far, but there isn't anyone else who is even close to helping because they are set up so deep. A win is important on Saturday, but so is playing with the right intent. Unsworth may be right about the players but I'm sorry, he needs to prove his ability with the tools that he has to work with as well.

Sorry but I can't agree. There's enough attacking players available who we could play off Fondop and be more of a threat. At the moment we seem to be playing Tollitt off him for 60 minutes and no one else. We are setting up in a way that invites teams onto us and hope for a 0-0. We shouldn't be doing that at all against bottom half National League teams even with the poor squad we have. Unsworth is responsible for tonight's defeat.

I'm fairly certain Frank doesn't have a lot of knowledge about on the pitch matters, but he's surrounded himself with enough people who should do.

Sounds like we've been outplayed but not even tried to attack and take the game to them. If Unsworth wants to play this defensive, results are essential. Otherwise it's completely unacceptable.

Dominic McHale, a Lemsagam era signing based on having links to a sponsor I believe, scores twice on his debut for Gloucester City in a 5-1 win. Just the one level below us.

Probably the worst draw possible ahead of tomorrow, Wrexham away is the best motivation that Chester could get.

How did we set up today? The fact that we've let the lead slip in the last 4 games is a concern, because by the looks of it we've set out to defend after getting the lead and failed every time.

Just the 5 for now, not that it makes it any better.

Clarke off injured at half time. Roberts off (injured?) 2 mins into the 2nd half. Not a lot of luck there.

Unsworth is the first manager since Vaughan got his first appearance in the 1st team under Kewell that I though would give Vaughan more starts as I thought he would be looking to develop our youth players by giving them more minutes (especially with Shez's comments that he may have made a mistake by not giving him more game time). So it's interesting that Vaughan hasn't got a look in yet under DU. I'd have no problem with building the team around him with a view to him being a star player at this level next season, but it's almost a case of having an experienced and competent enough team around him that he can thrive and not get bogged down amongst the shit, which I'm not sure we currently have (and I'm sure some will say that we never will). In the meantime, I'm glad that Unsworth has created the B team to allow the likes of Luamba, Couto and Vaughan to get more regular minutes.

Worst so far. We'll lose to a bottom placed National League team before we leave this league.

I'll happily pop down the A38 to Plymouth to do a (very) amateur scouting report if that helps?? All the best to him, they are doing very well this season aren't they?

Wouldn't be surprised to see him keep them up and do an OK job there.

Just got in and switched on iFollow. The cut outs are almost as bad as the commentary. How we can come out after the last match and be 2 down with 30 mins is desperately poor. I'm a Shez fan but he's on borrowed time if we don't come back.

He's not a manager, he's a miracle worker.

Halifax have had a terrible start. Add that to how well Barrow have started this season and it's fair to say that Pete Wild's stock is soaring at the moment.