Home Truths?

By the time I've finished I'll be expecting some flak!!! Firstly, we are not as good as we think we are ? our current position is about right, a top eight team, and there's a few reasons for this. I don't like to criticize individuals, but there are certain areas of the pitch and aspects of our play where we are lacking. In defence, we are particularly vulnerable on the flanks, and have looked that way all season. Any pace seriously exposes us, and Josh Low consistently tore us apart, and put in quality crosses on Monday night. Contrast that with us ? no wing threat whatsoever.

Midfield ? some decent, hardworking footballers, but again no pace, so we are not able to hurt the opposition, and ally this to the fact that we have no pace up front, and although we have some tidy footballers, we lack the edge to make it count. For an hour on Monday we were playing pretty crossfield football up as far as the halfway line, where Northampton decided to take the ball off us by showing greater physical strength, commitment and pace to close us out. Eventually we ended up hitting 50 yard aerial balls, and Nugent, who had one of his tired games, wins little of this supply of ball even when he is on song. This is not being critical of him as I think that generally his contribution to the side is very good. This will be sacrilegious to many, but I have to say that if any club comes in with the rumoured big bids for a couple of our players (and I don't believe the rumours for one minute), then we should bite their hands off for the money. Personally, good as he is for us, I do not think that Lee Trundle can play successfully above Second division level ? he has the ability, he simply does not have the sharpness or pace. First division defenders will be that much cleverer, fitter and quicker. Back to Monday ? Northampton weren't even a good side, but they thoroughly deserved to beat us ? that says much about our current standing. They were there for the taking for the first hour, and they beat us not because they were so good, but because we were so poor. Although Robinson, Britton and Trundle have good ball retention and player beating capabilities, they neither have the real pace to themselves get away from the opposition, nor have the outlet of any teammates with pace that they can utilize. A simple case of lack of balance in the team which Maylett, despite his limitations, does give us. All is not doom and gloom, however. We can still mount a serious promotion challenge ? with an injection of pace (perhaps Maylett) and the return of the man who I have always considered to be our most important player. Not Trundle, whose magic when on song does provide that bit extra, but the player who more than any other drives this team ? Roberto Martinez. Let's pray for an injury free remainder of the season for him. I don't necessarily expect a lot of agreement with my views, but I am interested in other peoples' opinions so share them on the message board

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