Review of the 2010-2011 season

It's that time of the year when we all look back with that most accurate of vision - hindsight. I'm not immune from this so I'll have a go as well. Before we start, I'd like to point out that my predictions before Christmas (after I'd had a look at a few matches) was that we'd finish up somewhere around 10th to 12th and that the two to go down would be Stockport and Barnet. Well, two out of three ain't bad!

Two hours later....

I've just deleted a whole load of old drivel. I was going though the season month by month, but suffice it to say that the highest we got in the table was 7th, the lowest was 21st.

Let's just do some bullet points! I could always turn it into a PowerPoint ;)

We took four points off Chesterfield and none off Stockport.
Wycombe couldn't beat us, Lincoln could.
At times the passing was excellent, at times it was aimless.
Not enough goals from the midfield or defence.
Set pieces (attacking) - awful.
Set pieces (defending) - awful.
Movement off the ball - poor.
Goalkeeping - shot stopping (especially penalties!) excellent, decision making variable, catching and kicking poor.
Defence - wobbly. Often only three at the back as a fullback was far too far upfield. Need to stand their ground sometimes rather tahn falling back and back and back.
Midfield - strengthened by the arrival of McLaren, but unable to retain or distribute the ball when challenged by a combative opponent.
Attack - didn't score enough goals. Mainly as a result of the midfield shortcomings, but also a reluctance to shoot at times!
Formation - a bit too much of a rigid 4-3-3. I'd like us to have the confidence to switch formations in a game if required. Often we were out thought when an oppostion manager made a change (Macclesfield away, Wycombe at home for example).
Players - we went through a lot of them! No point in signing wingers if we aren't going to play that system.
Discipline - not bad. A bit too quick to talk ourselves into the book sometimes.
Home crowd - a bit quiet at times, but impressive increase in numbers.
Away travel - brilliant. Supportive, loud and lots of us!
Home kit - too blue. Shirts would have been OK if the blue and yellow were switched.
Away kit - too blue! Think about it. There's no point in having an away kit that is the same colour as the home kit. Evidenced by the fact that we ended up wearing the white 'third' kit as much as the blue. Or some horrible mixture of the two.

For next season, I would like:

Defenders who defend as their primary responsibility.
A midfield that can win, retain and distribute the ball better.
An attack that will show more movement.
Passing in front of players so they can run onto the ball, rather than to them (so they have to stop) or behind them (so they get the ball with backs to goal).
Quicker movement of the ball - not hoofing, just less sideways stuff. Especially in front of our own goal with opposition attackers bearing down on us!
Less passing to a colleague who is already surrounded by three opposition players.
Less short free kicks and corners. We always lose the ball, especially when it just gets passed back to the person who took the kick and is still standing in the same place. We haven't gained anything at all from that, except that the defenders are three yards away rather than 10.
More practice of attacking and defending set pieces.
More shooting from a reasonable distance as well as the intricate stuff. That way defences have to try to close down quicker, leaving more space for the tricky stuff.
Flexibility in formation and tactics. I think we have found out this year that what works against the Chesterfields of this world doesn't work against the Stockports!
A predominantly yellow shirt that we wear home and away as much as possible. A second kit (not an 'away' kit) that is different enough from the primary kit so that we wear that when we have kit clashes.

Who would I keep?

GK: Clarke
Defence: Worley, Wright, maybe Batt and Tonkin (although both of them are borderline)
Midfield: McLaren, Payne, maybe Heslop (borderline).
Attack: Beano, TC, Alfie

I wouldn't keep:

MacLean - has dipped alarmingly, and is probably expensive. The way he's been recently, I'm not sure I'd sign him if he was cheap!
Hall - hasn't provided the goals or the creativity needed from midfield.

Most of the others (Purkiss, Kinniborough, Green, Deering, Clist, Midson) have been told they can go. Sangare looked OK in the few matches he played though.

I wouldn't mind seeing Burge and Doble back. Woodley? Doesn't look like a world beater on the little I've seen of him at first team level.

We certainly need (at least):

An experienced centre back. New LB and RB. Attacking midfielder. Nippy central striker. New GK to push Clarke.

So, first season back in the league. 'Satisfactory'? Just about. 12th is OK. Not terrible, not brilliant. We are almost exactly midtable, with the same number of wins as losses, and (near enough) the same amount of goals conceded as scored. Middling in every way.

It was nice to make the acquaintance of LincolnYellow, Leicester Yellow (who enjoyed meeting me so much he seems to have moved abroad!), Scoob and YellowHoods; none of whom I'd known before this season, all of whom I'd more than happily share a pint and/or a terrace with again next season.

So that's it. I'll try to update the blog with some stuff to keep you all amused over the football-less summer. See you all next season and....


COME ON YOU YELLOWS!!!