A busy working week has thankfully deflected my attention away from this football team I associate myself with. Perhaps this is a sentiment shared by many as the manic period of Christmas hurtles towards us. Though now, given the chance to take a deep breath away from the rigours of the working week, my mind cannot help but be drawn to this mess.
So I change my tone of writing after each match. Sometimes I'll sound wonderfully upbeat and talk about good things, but defeats of the manner in which we suffered against Bradford, and they are becoming more regular, will only serve to make me write negative drivel.
First things first, this game was played out between two appalling football teams. Nobody appeared to have the ability to pierce through weak defences. Chances and openings were few and far between. We were missing a few regulars it would be fair to say, but the lack of creation was somewhat alarming, especially against opposition who seemed similarly limited.
Bradford's one dimensional play towards defender-cum-striker and apparent footballer Luke Oliver was tedious. This appeared to be their only plan. However the fact that their two goals, within the space of five second half minutes came from an altogether different outlet surely says more about us than it did about their lack of Plan B. Two dreadfully identical goals I hasten to add.
The first half was a drag to endure. It was like watching two fat old boxers who just didn't want to be there exchange lame blow to eachother, not doing any damage, not showing any will to do any damage. God it was awful. Downright awful.
There is not much else I can add to it than that. A season's best crowd, aided no end by the international break, were being served up some dross. Many of those floaters will not be back any time soon, as they watch our Football League experience get continually worse. The squad now is so weak compared to what we came up with. I remember lamenting the team of 2006/2007, but I look at the ability within that team now and clamour for it. Sinclair, Bailey, King, Puncheon, Kandol...need I go on? Do we have one player of that ability now? Questionable.
I'll quickly brush over these two goals for you. Number one. Goalkeeper throws the ball out from a weak cross. Left winger collects it. He runs a bit. The ball is passed around and the left winger scores. Number two. Goalkeeper throws the ball out from a weak cross. Left winger collects it. He runs a bit. He kicks the ball over a static and slow defence, weakened by the departure of Grant Basey. The striker kicked it in. Utterly dreadful.
It's hard to find positives. I keep having to physically remind myself about the positive signing of Izale McLeod the other week. And even he is not a guaranteed success. You get the feeling he will be a big key in our survival. Because that is what is it is. A survival battle. There is such an air of negativity that these positives just fade away into nothingness. Maybe I'm just being cynical. But people are voting with their feet here.
And so that brings me on to Stockport. How many people are actually going to go there? We have our little Northern fanbase that may well be in attendance. And then how many more? 50? 60? Good luck. Anyone travelling from the south deserves some sort of medal. Either for lunacy or showing the blindest of the blind loyalty. Fair play if you do go. Sticking with it now is something many of us find a bit hard to stomach, you're obviously made of stronger stuff.
Can anyone see anything other than a nailed on home win? I struggle. We'll have Southam back with any luck but we are a little decimated by injuries. And with a squad with no depth that's only going to spell trouble. Stockport have their own off field troubles right now but their on-field plight has not been too bad of late. I expect that they will soothe that further this weekend.
I don't want to be this negative, but I just can't help it. There isn't much positivity to cling on to. You watch us win now and everything be good again. We can hope.
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