Plymouth trip will be the test for next season

[AlexLeicester]

Plymouth v. the Alex will be a real test of our resolve. Hopefully we’ll have a full first 11 back (the youngsters did fine against a demoralised Orient), because Plymouth are still in with a chance of winning League 2, which is surely what they want.
We made them look ordinary at Gresty Road; we need to do so again. This will be the litmus test as to whether the Alex squad and management have the capacity to reverse three miserable seasons.
The last game v. Barnet is a nonentity. Stupid time and neither team will be too interested in anything other than dusting off their passports for a hard-earned holiday.

[Furberstreet]

It will be a real test for the team and I hope the team will be more committed than during the Yeovil fiasco. Both matches are an opportunity for the players whose contracts expire at the end of this season to try and influence Artell's thinking. He will have made up his mind about most of them, but there are bound to be one or two uncertainties. Bingham's sudden versatility and willingness to have played at CH for the team should have ensured a new contract.

Barnet had been on a bad run prior to winning at Hartlepool and Akinde will give our CHs a little workout.

[Proggs]

It will be a real test for the team and I hope the team will be more committed than during the Yeovil fiasco. Both matches are an opportunity for the players whose contracts expire at the end of this season to try and influence Artell's thinking. He will have made up his mind about most of them, but there are bound to be one or two uncertainties. Bingham's sudden versatility and willingness to have played at CH for the team should have ensured a new contract.

Barnet had been on a bad run prior to winning at Hartlepool and Akinde will give our CHs a little workout.

Bingham a new contract - how many times has he been available for us during his contract? So him and Hollands then, well at least they'll be company on the physio bench.

Maybe Guthers too - lets sign the whole lot up for another go, I mean it has been great hasn't it....

5th from bottom of L2 and we wanna keep them all. Couldn't make it up.

[jamesdad]

Agree with your comments Proggs, the majority of our players have had a season to impress two managers and failed in my eyes. Even if the team is performing poorly the young players should still be hungry to shine as they have a future to play for in the professional game but to many appear to give up the fight .I feel this is a time for DA to make his mark and bring in fresh faces as 3/4 of the squad appear to be out of contract if we have the money to spend . This will be the deciding factor in us getting new players or sticking will the present squad so its back to the board to back the manager.

[AlexLeicester]

I fear a little dichotomy. We are in dire need of new faces and proven skills, but the way that the club is run means that the funds to bring these players in don’t exist. Unlike other clubs, our Board is a Board of Management, not a cash cow or charity. Both those, we have seen, are massive banana skins.
In the past we have been able to nurture sufficient talent to stave off what has seemed inevitable these last three seasons. For one of two reasons – player management failing to get the best out of the Academy, or bigger clubs’ academies offering more cash – the intake has not been as good as we’d hoped. We do need fresh faces.
The ‘style’ of play over the last three seasons, with some notable exceptions, has hardly been of the standard to bring back the crowds we need to fund the club and attract better players.
In the distant past, when we were very, very poor, the social infrastructure of Crewe Alex kept us not just afloat, but riding high. In today’s money-orientated world of football I’m not sure what the ‘Crewe way’ can do to generate cash, but I feel it’s very much down to us fans.

[Furberstreet]

Happy to see a clear out of players, including those on the physio's bench more than off it, but is the intake from the Academy good enough to offset our lack of competitiveness when it comes to transfer and signing on fees? This might prevent Artell from releasing the number of players he should. Dario used to take would be players around the Crewe set up to impress them and of course the scouts would flock to Gresty Road. Will that really work now? Hopefully, Artell will be a good salesman and impress them with his passion and ambition. I am just trying to be realistic - if we clear out 10 - 12 players as the last few season's results certainly warrant, what are the odds of the squad being any stronger by next August?

[Proggs]

Happy to see a clear out of players, including those on the physio's bench more than off it, but is the intake from the Academy good enough to offset our lack of competitiveness when it comes to transfer and signing on fees? This might prevent Artell from releasing the number of players he should. Dario used to take would be players around the Crewe set up to impress them and of course the scouts would flock to Gresty Road. Will that really work now? Hopefully, Artell will be a good salesman and impress them with his passion and ambition. I am just trying to be realistic - if we clear out 10 - 12 players as the last few season's results certainly warrant, what are the odds of the squad being any stronger by next August?

I hear ya Furber I am sure in Lg2 the Crewe set up would impress most wouldn't it? I mean some don't have training grounds never mind indoor 4G and hydro-pools.

As for release or keep - release frees up money to use elsewhere, keep means money out of budget. Don't see how keeping those who have had a chance and not done well is a money-saver? Many frees out there and players desperate for a new club?

I worry a Bingham/Hollands 'keep' could see two midfielders in the physio room and money having to be found for a loan etc. Could happen to anyone at any time, but there's two with a history here of the physio room. I'd go with Hollands and replace Bing.

I hope DA stands back an makes his choices without nostalgia, and builds his own core - seems right as he'll be the one under 'Aug to Christmas' judgement.

I'd try to lose 5 and bring in 5, first teamers.

[Furberstreet]

I agree with you. Prefer Hollands against Bingham and hope that, as you say, Artell focuses on building his own team as he will be judged (not least on here) next season on the team's performance.

Plymouth 2 Crewe 0 is my (usually wrong) prediction for today.

[Furberstreet]

Artell seemed very pleased with our ultimately losing performance. What are the views of those who were there? Sounds like we were undone by the height of their substitutes against our make-shift CB pairing. Could do with a big experienced CH next season.

[AlexLeicester]

I was there. Lovely stadium and great to see a full house in a party atmosphere.
The Alex started brilliantly, after Plymouth had looked the home side, spreading the ball wide to try and unsettle a Div 2 side. That played into our footballing style and for 45 minutes we put them under almost constant pressure. Cooper, Cooke and Jones looked particularly lively – and it was Cooper who fed the ball to Jones for a great volley.
Second half, we were still the better side for the most part, but, like the first half, we were unable to break a good defence. A personal opinion, but Dagnall was not getting into the right place (the box) as much as he should and, when he did, the final shot was not powerful enough.
The ‘best’ goal of the game was not a goal as Garratt superbly tipped a fantastic header over.
These comments are somewhat coloured by being at the far end of the ground to the goals and, therefore, not seeing them properly. If there was one thing that came across it was the need for a centre forward, supported by at least two fluid attackers, with the ability to take chances and half chances.
I am biased (and I hope so!). My mate with me was not. He stated frequently that Plymouth were being outplayed and the best footballing side lost.