Originally Posted by
jackal2
When a team is struggling it's natural to question the quality of the components, but there have been several games this season when those components have performed and shown their true potential. The problem has been consistency, and it really isn't surprising, because the manager frequently changes formations, seemingly more concerned with countering the opponent than promoting our own strengths. He also relies far too heavily on a veteran player who, no matter how remarkably fit he is for his age, cannot be expected to carry such a burden. Meanwhile, younger and often newer players are frequently rotated in and out of the team, often playing different positions, and we wonder why we lack consistency.
I think back to watching Notts under the management of Steve Thompson (first time round) and concluding that we had signed a barrowload of rubbish. However, when Sam Allardyce arrived and gradually implemented a consistent structure and formation designed to maximise our strengths and cover our weaknesses, the same players began to show real confidence and consistency and eventually stormed to the League Two title.
I'm afraid I have lost some faith in Neal Ardley at this point, bearing in mind he now has "his" squad and has had ample time to get the team playing "his" way. What I see is a lack of consistent formation and structure, a style of play that if anything exposes our weaknesses rather than our strengths, and a mindset that is far too timid for a club of this stature, with this depth of squad, in this league. As I said in a post the other day, I think if Steve Cotterill recovered from COVID and walked into Meadow Lane tomorrow and assessed this squad, he would conclude they are more than capable of winning this league and he would organise them in a way that would give them the best chance of doing it.
I stand by what I've said previously, that I totally back the owners to make whatever decision they think is right about Neal Ardley, and if he stays then I hope he proves my above concerns to be wrong. We are, after all, still in a position to end this season as FA Trophy and promotion winners if we turn our current form around, and I sincerely hope for the sake of Ardley and the owners that we do. But right now I have to call what I see, which is a team looking increasingly unsure of itself and a number of potentially very influential, match-winning players not being provided with the right conditions or opportunities to perform at their best. I think most of our players would be considered first-team and even star player material in most other squads in this league, so you have to look at why we're not getting the best out of them.