It's just over a fortnight since the end of a first full season under Ben Strevens that can most generously be described as challenging. Here, I assess all 28 players to have represented the club during it, in various capacities across the National League as well as our fleeting involvements in the Fa Cup and Trophy.The glimpses of quality showcased during his sporadic appearances in the first half of the season made it incomprehensible why he was limited to such. Lo and behold, upon finally being granted a run of games from late-December onwards, the youngster had a single-handedly transformative effect on the side. Not only did he revolutionise the previously pedestrian midfield through technical craft above everybody else's, combined with boundless energy, but also gave licence for Jake Hessenthaler and Josh Rees to excel in more advanced roles. That's the sign of a top player, making those around him much better, and so he leaves as our most adored loanee in years, destined for a career much higher in the pyramid. Highlight - stunner on Boxing Day to cement his newly-earned place in the side. Rating - 9 The least involvement of anyone in our season, playing just the stoppage time period away at Maidenhead, shortly before exiting the club on a loan deal turned permanent to Braintree. Has done well there so fair play, but doubt we'd have seen the same potential come to fruition. Rating - N/A Will keep this as brief as his spell at the club - a season loan cut short after nine days when he was sent to prison. The only footballing contribution we saw him make in that time was the concession of a needless penalty to cost us the impressive point we were hanging onto with ten men at league leaders Chesterfield. A complete embarrassment. Rating - 0 Our 'Player of the Year', to little surprise because this signing was almost guaranteed to be an emphatic success, perhaps more so than any other in the division last summer. The epitome of rock-solid reliability, he arrived as the exact mould of defender we'd spent years being desperate for, having spent his entire career in the Football League. There have been a few shaky moments, like the slip to gift away a goal at home to Rochdale, but he's largely not put a foot wrong. Also a real aerial threat from set-pieces, where he often wins first contact, leading to four goals. Highlight - scoring the late winner in a crucial game at Kidderminster. Rating - 8.5 To miss a third of the season yet still end as our leading scorer and assist-maker is testament to the sheer quality of our borderline irreplaceable striker, whose influence still goes far beyond merely those outstanding numbers for he is so important to our overall play too, especially in making the ball stick or carrying it upfield to earn us crucial yards. That whole package is why he will be so highly sought-after upon his contract expiring this summer, therefore we simply have to make it our number one priority to keep him at the club if at all possible. At his unplayable best, which we saw so frequently this past season, there are few that even come close in non-league. Highlights - Woking winner, demolishing Oxford City, screamers at home and away to Eastleigh, matchwinning braces against Rochdale and Dorking. Rating - 8.5 Two starts apiece in September and October, with the former earning him the 'Player of the Month' award, but senior returnees would always come back into the side at his expense. Ended up back at parent club Luton, just as well because he was never going to get the sustained opportunities to nurture his growth well enough here. Rating - 6 It's easy to forget how impressive he'd been until an injury in November which would keep him out for almost the entire remainder of the season, restricting him to just 18 games overall. Nonetheless, he's averaged a goal contribution every three of those, which is seriously impressive for a defender to evidence the abilities that have probably gone slightly understated - a good passing range and crossing ability, on top of doing his primary role well. Highlight - both assists at home to Woking, the latter among the best of the season in stoppage time. Rating - 6.5 If the best ability is availability, then Hessenthaler stands out above all other outfielders having played every single minute this season. For a long time, this felt unwarranted because he looked a million miles away from someone who'd racked up over 250 appearances as a stable midfield operator in the Football League. That experience certainly hadn't come to the fore, nor any other redeeming qualities either. However, that all changed after Christmas, since which he improved enormously by every metric, benefiting from Appiah-Forson's emergence in the side. Now dictating and breaking up play with equal efficiency, he also added a fair few assists, which hopefully continues into next season. Highlight - scoring the opener at York then setting up the vital leveller at Bromley to double his goal contributions inside three days. Rating - 6 Didn't have a clue what to expect from this signing, but it certainly didn't jump out as immediately exciting given his history and a goal record that had never reached double figures in a season... until now, as all of that proved incredibly misjudged. For he has been nothing short of superb, maintaining high levels throughout all the season, even while disrupted by occasional injuries. During those periods of unavailability, we desperately missed his direct running and trickery out wide. Peaked in the final third of the season, with an impressive eight goals in fifteen games including a couple from the spot, where he proved quite adept as another string to his bow. A prolific scorer, skilful dribbler and tireless source of energy - we've got ourselves a brilliant asset whose career peak hopefully continues. Highlight - screamer at home to Fylde, mere moments after missing a one-on-one. Rating - 7.5 A lesson on how deceptive pre-season can be. Sydney Ibie looked to have undergone a year plus of evolution during the summer, returning as a seemingly polished powerhouse who excelled in the friendlies, even against higher-calibre opposition. This led to a contract extension to safeguard our talent, but reality would prove quite different as he fell completely the other way, slipping out of the first-team picture after increasingly poor performances, before unsuccessful loans at Aveley then Billericay. There's no future here now. Rating - 2 A really stop-start season, featuring clusters of games interspersed with spells on the sidelines. Six starts in a row was the most he was able to put together. During that time in particular, as well as the other brief periods when he was starting, I thought he looked much more a secure presence than we've seen in the past, with much fewer mistakes than before, although would still have him below Vincent and Page in the overall pecking order. Highlight - a superb, goal-saving block enroute to us getting three points at Ebbsfleet United. Rating - 5.5 We remain in very safe hands, quite literally as a continually outstanding goalkeeper, but also person representing our football club so commendably every single day with an unrelenting desire to drag us forward to better places. Great to see his qualities deservedly rewarded via a couple of international call-ups for England C this season. He'll feel he's had slightly more impressive ones, as there were a handful of disappointing goals in the mix that he'll be disappointed to have allowed past, but he's still saved us so many points as always. We've become so accustomed to his brilliance. Highlight - a stunning stoppage-time save away at Oldham, denying them victory. Rating - 8 Some youngsters can wilt in their first taste of senior men's football but Kedwell visibly relished the experience, exhibiting immense courage through a willingness to get stuck in. That character will take him far, but technical abilities didn't stand out quite so much, as he didn't exhibit a lot on the ball. He therefore became a player we'd introduce off the bench for some energy and grit. That he was able to provide the latter over more senior players, again, is testament to his willpower. Rating - 5 It's a telling sign that any praise of Kendall here usually pertained to his work ethic. That's certainly not a bad thing, as he was a real dedicated grafter, but there wasn't much firepower to supplement it, quite surprisingly for a man who'd scored 29 goals a within a year for Eastbourne Borough of the division below. The same ratio was never going to translate to this level but we still expected more than three from 25, which was not good enough, albeit the supply line around him left a lot to be desired. Kendall just didn't get into good positions, nor took advantage on the rare occasion he did, so there was little regret when his loan was terminated halfway through by parent club Lincoln City, in order to facilitate a permanent move to Woking. He's fared slightly better there by all accounts, not just numbers-wise, but is still nowhere near prolific. Highlight - scrambled stoppage-time winner at Ebbsfleet, an absolutely massive goal. Rating - 4.5 Another whose performances merited more involvement, Lawless brought youthful vigour to an otherwise pedestrian midfield on his occasional starts prior to Christmas, then would only be given one since, that being the final game while mostly restricted to scraps off the bench or being out of the squad altogether. Highlight: his first goal for the club, a tidy strike off the bench at Woking. Rating - 5.5 Our most consistent outfielder for absolute years now, Ling provides guaranteed stability and commitment to the utmost degree, as a proper servant to this club having now spent six years here across two spells. If you can rely on somebody to step up, even when all others around him are failing to do so, then it's him - the ultimate leader by example. However, there were a few moments this term that felt quite uncharacteristic, from positional lapses to the sending off at Aldershot for going studs-up into the chest of an opponent upon a counter-attacking turnover, though of course by pure accident. Nonetheless, he's generally been a dependable 7/10 most weeks as has always been the case, and will therefore continue to be a vital part of this team. The long-throw ins have also proven to be an effective, somewhat surprising, addition to his repertoire. Highlight: a quality performance helping us to a clean sheet at home to Oldham Athletic. Rating - 7 Don't think he's ever been good enough by a long stretch. Much better when it comes to dealing with direct stuff in the air, but completely out of his depth with the ball on the floor. His first period of action this season ended when he got himself sent off while not even on the pitch anymore, before being loaned to Eastleigh, who weren't inclined to extend his stay beyond the initial month. Due to extreme defensive depletion upon returning to us, Longe-King came back in to start five games in a row and was praised despite his almost identical lapses gifting two goals to eradicate clean sheets at home to Maidenhead then away at Boreham Wood. It speaks volumes if that's his solid best. Rating - 3.5 Pound for pound, possibly the worst signing of our entire history, which we were willing to write off completely this time last year before giving a second chance shortly into the new season. Initially did well, scoring in back-to-back games and looking a repentant character, only to soon get frozen out again for good. Leopards don't change their spots. Rating - 3.5 Didn't see him on the pitch long enough to formulate a real opinion, only playing around half an hour across four substitute cameos, although one of those did feature a tremendous defensive recovery at Southend United so he gets credit for that. Rating - N/A Was always going to be a massive risk given his injury history, yet then again he would not have been anywhere near this level without that fact. It was one I was glad we'd taken after the class showcased throughout pre-season, but did not pay off in the end as constant niggles prevented any real rhythm from building. The longest run he could manage was six starts towards the end of the season, the latter ending with him going off injured before half time for the fourth occasion, which unfortunately killed any chances of getting a renewal to his initial one-year deal. They were never long spells on the sidelines, mostly a fortnight or so, but he's just so fragile. What a shame for him and a career that deserves to have been spent much higher. Highlight: his first goal for the club to cap a 'Man of the Match' display against Maidenhead. Rating - 6 Went off the boil a bit around the middle of his loan spell, but its high points were certainly that. With raw talent in abundance, we saw him able to jink beyond bodies at effortless will, notably going solo through the heart of Hartlepool's defence to score a great goal on the penultimate weekend. There were also the ones against Solihull and Aldershot, as well as four assists, but probably his best contribution of all was an unplayable second half to inspire the comeback away to Bromley - certainly the best 45 minutes from anybody all season - as the stoppage-time equaliser originated from his perfect free-kick inswinger. Highlights - that second half, and the individual effort against Hartlepool. Rating - 7.5 Surpassing thirty appearances for the second consecutive season after all the hardships beforehand is testament to the warrior-like character that always shines through on the pitch, even if sometimes at the expense of composure with the rash moments that still remain on occasion, although are understandable in what was only his second full season playing at centre back. Overall, he's done well there, probably ahead of expectation in the season before last so this one felt like a bit of a drop-off, especially after the shift to a back four meant he lost his place. His appearances thereafter were as a makeshift striker off the bench when chasing a game, and he adopted the role completely after Effiong's injury, to the disbelief of supporters. Thrown into the deep end now, he obviously lacked the attacking radar but did unbelievably well beyond all expectations, with a record of two goals from five starts - both seriously well-taken - that would be respectable for anyone, let alone a defender. Highlights: the goals against Altrincham home and away, the former his first start up front, and latter a 98th minute leveller. Rating - 7 The disparity between performance levels across both halves of the season has been referenced with other players but nothing comes close to that of Rees. Arrived looking a heavily declined imitation of the man who who'd hit double figures like clockwork at his peak a few years prior, still bagging the odd one but some way off justifying his anonymity besides. Then came the new year and everything changed, as he thrived in a more advanced position shadowing the centre forward, which didn't just bring an explosive goalscoring sequence of a dozen in the last 21 games, but a complete evolution throughout so many other aspects too. Though it took him a while to get going, the eventual numbers speak for themselves in illustrating a brilliant season. Highlights: a practically last-kick equaliser at Bromley, overhead heroics as part of a hat-trick against Oxford City, sublime finishes against Boreham Wood & Ebbsfleet. Rating - 8.5 Doesn't look anywhere near ready for this level, though we probably haven't given him the best conditions to acclimatise. Initially thrown him in at the deep end, albeit without much alternative on our end, he then faced the opposite extreme of being limited to barely any minutes at all. A smoother, more consistent transition would have been much better. Will benefit from a decent pre-season. Rating - 4 There are many instances here of signings starting awfully before eventually turning out to be great this season. Well, Sears was the exact opposite. The former West Ham prodigy, who then spent over a decade in the Football League, looked an absolute cut above on his first start away at Aldershot Town by scoring one and assisting the other. However, that was as good as it got before the staggering descent set in. He wouldn't find the net again during over twenty appearances, in which he looked completely finished while completely disinterested on top. I've no doubt that actually wasn't the case but, either way, it was unanimously welcomed when his contract was mutually cancelled. Highlight: that brilliant display at Aldershot which sold us dreams, giving way to nightmares instead. Rating - 3.5 Our best ball carrier and passer, not just among the defence but possibly entire side in general, there was always the feeling that Tavares would excel once fit for a sustained period. Sure enough, he was absolutely immense throughout the opening couple of months this season, making several top interceptions in good positions, while also driving us upfield at will, most notably with a great assist away at Wealdstone, two days after another when he forced the winner versus Barnet on home soil. An injury layoff came in October, and he came back well with a strong return off the bench against Solihull, before another absence from which he would not reach anything resembling the same heights whatsoever. Clumsy penalty concessions on consecutive Tuesdays in January were symptomatic of a seismic loss in form that would not be regained, only levelling out to average in the end. Highlight: his role in our first win of the season against Barnet, making the own goal happen. Rating - 6.5 Our most exciting acquisition in terms of perceived creative influence upon the side, much was expected from the ex-Notts County midfielder, but reality proved incredibly underwhelming to begin with as he was wildly inconsistent. There were some very good performances, none more so than Oldham away where he completely ran the show, but an equal amount during which he'd constantly give the ball to an opposition player or hack it out of play altogether at will. Fluctuating between these extremes often from one week to the next, the turning point was a trip to Fylde when he filled in as a makeshift left-back so unbelievably well that he remained there even when the natural occupants of the position returned, not just solid but really good bombing forward too. The biggest compliment you can pay is that Vincent never once looked an imposter out of place, and even though his season ended with a broken arm in mid-February, he'll surely begin the next as our first choice, so well did he do. Highlights: a thunderbolt at home to Oxford City, among our goals of the season, and borderline 10/10 showing at Oldham. Rating - 6.5 There's always been a lot of love towards Westy, the epitome of role model professionalism who'd been such an influential presence both on and off the pitch since signing in 2020, so it was a real shame to lose him halfway through the season. Strip away that sentiment, his powers were waning at the age of nearly 36, having produced just a single assist by way of attacking contribution the past calendar year, but we would still be worse off without his unique skillset. That was now at Bromley's disposal, a clever bit of business from them which repaid itself through his brilliant brace in the play-off semi final recently. Not many players get an upwards move in this stage of their career. Rating - 5
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The Cup exploits of our initially-scheduled opponents made for a rare empty weekend just gone, but certainly not a quiet one coming off the announcement that our American owners are putting their shares on the market with immediate effect.
A statement by the consortium's Executive Chairman and main spokesperson Peter Freund was published on the club website, explaining the decision which was initially revealed externally by news corporation the Athletic. He mentioned immense regret at failing the supporters, in not being able to deliver promotion, and feels the time is right to pass the reigns to another entity who can fare better on that front. While somewhat sudden in its timing, this news does not come as a complete surprise given how their investment has scaled back since the latter segment of last season when higher earners began being offloaded from the wage bill, allowing for a reset in the playing budget this time around. They were entirely justified doing so to their business, especially having previously funded a budget easily within the division's top seven, though performances on the pitch were never anywhere near good enough in proportion to take us there. Indeed, the season where we went from the early frontrunners - and third as far as the new year - to missing out on the play-offs altogether was by far the closest we came to success, which really speaks volumes. As for the rest... 18th, 17th, 12th, 10th - all a long way off where we should have been. Though not for the want of trying or extensive investment along the way, on the pitch where the success of a club fundamentally hinges, we have gone in complete circles to eventually end up no closer to our Football League ambition than when they first came into the club. While acknowledging this brutal if undeniable truth, the Americans cited infrastructural improvements as evidence of a positive legacy besides, as would be remiss not to mention. These have certainly given the place a more polished aesthetic which may well enhance the image through the eyes of any prospective buyers, but it's the football which anchors everything, in determining supporter satisfaction and consequently how many turn up. While ultimately just peaks and troughs in a directionless cycle, two distinct periods stand out as positive memories under them, the first being the final two months of 2018. Seven wins from eight, including consecutive against the top (and eventually promoted) two Salford City then Leyton Orient within half a week, not to forget that surreal stoppage time turnaround at Hartlepool United as well - things really couldn't have got much better. That felt like something of a honeymoon period which was always going to level out, but two years later came genuine belief that we had finally found the formula that would yield long-term success, as a stunning victory over title favourites Stockport County commenced to an electric spell atop the division while scoring goals for fun. However, this also preluded the impulsive mistake which arguably set the wheels in motion towards this very situation, as the prematurely-awarded new contract to Daryl McMahon had to be paid up early, while many of his expensive recruits still had running deals we either had to terminate at further cost or fulfil to the detriment of current resources. Who knows how different everything would have been otherwise? Maybe not at all, but either way that was a reckless call and I remember everyone thinking so even when all was still going well. Perhaps, then, the biggest flaw was naïvety. That word also comes to mind, bordering on negligence infact, when considering that there was never a trusted representative of the consortium itself, based permanently at Victoria Road to actively implement their visions on a daily basis. While there would certainly have been correspondence, I think we would have benefitted from a that hands-on, frontline authority. Whatever happened, or didn't, one thing for sure is that nobody wanted it to go this way. Now, what next? Freund has indicated he will continue funding the club, presumably not leaving us in the lurch with significant outlay like his predecessor, until a suitable replacement is found. Whether there will be further cuts to the budget throughout that time, however long it turns out to be, is as yet unknown. Certainly, we're entering an unknown period on which the future may just be shaped - possibilities and great apprehension. To summarise this chapter: these are very successful businessmen in the field of franchise sports, but in the volatile and unforgiving cauldron of English football where underperformance can jeopardise everything, merely having money was just not enough. This brief interlude from league action at approximately its third way checkpoint - as the FA Cup momentarily seized focus with the retrospectively ironic possibility of some desperately-needed escapism - feels like an opportune time to deconstruct our progress thus far... or rather lack thereof.
For it has been simply disastrous, illustrated by our positioning within the dreaded bottom four alongside the National League North's promoted duo AFC Fylde and Kidderminster Harriers, plus perennial strugglers Maidenhead United, around whom our company is neither put of place nor misaligned with all performance metrics. Quite simply, we are where we deserve to be, having played enough games for the table to hold credibility. Case in point, that the bottom four this time last year contained three of the sides who eventually went down in Maidstone United, Scunthorpe United and Torquay United, while the other, Yeovil Town, were just outside. Gateshead, in 22nd, were the anomaly we must seek to emulate although I'm not convinced whether there are the necessarily the requisite tools to do so. Whether a survival battle does ensue, one must wait and see, but it's certainly not fear-mongering to suggest the possibility on all evidence so far. Primarily the 'Goals Scored' column, which is of staggeringly stark contrast to previous years when our potency at finding the net would frequency mask the deficiencies at the other end. They are now been somewhat resolved, with our tally of 20 conceded actually lower than league leaders Chesterfield, although still more than we can muster in response thus a recipe for us narrowly losing games by fine margins. However, when these repeat so regularly, they polarise in the grander scheme, hence how things are. The obvious rebuttal and source of encouragement against all this is the fact there have been strong spells among virtually every performance - we did a real job on Barnet, had Chesterfield worried for 70 minutes, plus merited a point against both Bromley and Hartlepool to reference just those inside the top seven, while controlling many other games, but if anything this only amplifies the concern further because we surely reach higher gears than already, so there is little alluding to a change in fortunes. Unless we somehow conjure up three points via a sudden moment of magic or luck, as happened in the latter category at home to Barnet, which proved the springboard for two further victories. Minus that solitary week, though, the form is deplorable with none besides. Chuck in the hand grenade of last Saturday's humiliating cup exit to Bracknell Town and any remaining leeway towards Ben Strevens has surely expired. For all his affirmations about building a team on foundations of workmanlike graft, whom we can be proud of, at the minute feelings could not be more drastically opposed. Everybody wants him to succeed here, possibly more than any predecessor in the dugout, because his genuine desperation to do so is clear to see. He's not a blagger attempting to pull the wool over people's eyes, rather a decent guy who truly deserves the backing, having inherited a difficult challenge. That being said, the judgement was always going to come when he built his own side. It is plainly not living up to expectations, and downgraded ones at that, in proportion with a budget that has evidently been cut but not to the extent which justifies our current placement. Certain factors have undeniably conspired against him - from unfortunate unavailabilities like Josh Hare and Tom Eastman within the opening fortnight, Myles Weston while on international duty for Antigua, now seemingly Ryan Hill too - to ones completely out of the ordinary, in essence Inih Effiong. However, most teams go through these spells with few, if any, ever able to name their strongest theoretical eleven. It has not been ideal for us, but also isn't an excuse for how poor we've been. So arrives a huge few days whereby Woking then Boreham Wood visit Victoria Road. We simply cannot afford to drop more points than we take from this double-header otherwise questions really will have to be asked. The placebo of pre-season football arrives invitingly to reel you in from the drought of summer. While pleasurable to watch your team again, the yearning for something more, something real, very quickly supersedes. The cravings it seems to satisfy only grow stronger, yet the wait is so nearly over... For, next time we step onto a pitch will be the authentic occasion that everything has been building towards. These friendlies have served to prepare us well through very valuable tests against a variety of sides - ranging from West Ham to Romford with most being a decent barometer of our credentials - in which we've looked largely impressive although this time of year can of course be deceptive. Case in point, us beating Crystal Palace five days before a 2015/16 season whereby we tumbled unceremoniously out of League Two's backdoor without winning a single home game until March. However, patterns of play are a window into events on the training pitch and trends can foreshadow what to expect. Certainly both are worth paying attention to more than the superficial result on the surface, and probably the most important has been our deployment of a 5-3-2 formation throughout as it indicates with near certainty that Strevens will be configuring us that way going forwards. This would rightfully concern the fanbase given his predecessor's flawed attempts at playing that way, which forced square pegs in round holes, however this time is likely to be with more balance in the side. Logically, that comes first and foremost by using players suited to the position. Lewis Page and Josh Hare, our likely starters on either side, possess great positional sense plus a strong engine which can carry them across the flanks, while Ryan Hill and Sam Ling could easily fulfil the role too. It will be an enormous difference to forcing natural wingers like Myles Weston, Mauro Vilhete, etc, there in lopsided fashion - these players fit the system better rather than being shoehorned into it. Pertaining to personnel, there was major worry about our midfield after the entire department Strevens initially inherited was torn apart: Dean Rance leaving virtually straight away, Matt Robinson's long association coming to an end, Mo Sagaf begrudgingly moving on and Omar Mussa (though still under contract) exiled from the club without any realistic chance of representing it again. Therefore, an enormous rebuild was required there this summer and it's testament to the recruitment that we might actually have a better, more cohesive unit on paper at least. Jake Hessenthaler, Conor Lawless, Frank Vincent and Josh Rees are our new options, comprising a nice blend of robustness, technical craft, passing range and attacking awareness. Playing against quality operators in that field like Tomáš Souček, Darren Pratley and George Moncur of late has been a decent measure, with our lads holding their own. Lawless is a potential young gem among experience, who can absolutely reach the skill and physical stature required despite looking somewhat lightweight. A few Gillingham players found out that's certainly not the case when he flew into crunching tackles. I'm confident we'll have nobody shirking or shying away from those with Hessenthaler in there. Fondly regarded by former clubs including the most recent one Crawley, the general consensus is that he could still play League Two. Frank Vincent, too, is highly thought of by Notts County where you don't spent two years (albeit loaned out for a bit) unless a very talented footballer. Rees is a bit different having slightly regressed by all accounts, with his game time declining at Boreham Wood, but he brings a goal threat there which we haven't had for a while. Another problem we've attempted to address is a defence that was horrifically porous in shipping over seventy goals. Lewis Page and Tom Eastman are Football League calibre additions there without doubt, which changes things monumentally. The latter is the mould of centre half we have long been crying out for, Colchester's record four time 'Player of the Year' moving across Essex (location in reality the only reason we got him) with the potential to transform us having spent his entire career at a higher level, which definitely shows. Likewise Page, although he is much less of a safer bet given recurring injuries have plagued him for ages, but it's a risk worth taking based off the ability showcased during the friendlies. Quite simply a cut above, the left-sided technician reads the game seamlessly through superb positioning, can drive purposefully down the line and deliver perfect crosses - all with the technique of a footballer far beyond this level so *if*, and a big if, we can keep him fit then there is major cause for excitement. The backline also has the continual safety net of knowing that the excellent Elliot Justham, now deservedly our captain on top, is behind it. While the ex West Ham and Charlton player's class was expected, that of Sydney Ibie or more specifically its stark progression took many by surprise. He seems to have undergone a year plus of evolution in the summer so any thoughts that he might go on loan like Blair did, or even just be an impact sub at times, have been replaced with the overriding one that he deserves to start. A throwback to the unpolished diamonds we used to unearth deep among the non-league wilderness, the Dutchman could cause big problems via his unique combination of pacy trickery allied with a target man frame. Here are three variations of how we might start off, all under the assumption we will line up with a back five of Page, Ling, Eastman, Phipps and Hare, while Hessenthaler and Vincent play in midfield, behind our main attacking force Effiong. The first selection has Ibie supporting him, Rees as an advanced number ten but may he displaced by Lawless who could sit further back besides Hessenthaler. Alternatively, all four midfielders could play in separate banks of two, namely Rees and Vincent ahead of the deeper duo, then Effiong alone up front. It almost feels disrespectful not incorporating Weston somehow so of course he may have a place. Notwithstanding the big hopes around him, likewise for our loan capture Charley Kendall, it is slightly concerning that our only guaranteed marksman is Inih Effiong. Even if he manages to replicate his career-high 23 goals, it won't match the cumulative impact of Walker, McCallum and Morias whom we had this time last year. There is therefore an element of ambiguity about our overall attack whereas it used to be a sure-fire inclusion within the most prolific. Perhaps our new trio will be lethal in their own way, but there are certainly cautious question marks, so we can only hope that the ingredients come together like they have the capacity to. Therein lies the truth of not just our strikeforce but the entire side - it's an unknown quantity. Quite how we will do is subject to contrasting opinion. In a drastic alteration from previous seasons where we were widely tipped for the play-offs to no avail, the external viewpoint this time around seems to be that we will likely be anywhere between mid-table and just above the relegation zone following our biggest summer turnover of players in years. Understandable looking solely at the players we've lost, but it fails to acknowledge that we've still got the best keeper in the league (or at least on the podium), have recruited a more balanced midfield with more varied attributes and significantly bettered our defence. The attack is irrefutably weaker, but a reduction in goals at both ends will still serve us much better. We'll lose games, maybe quite a few, but never while passively rolling over in the disgraceful manner we saw last season. This will be a gritty, earthier Dagenham that do not make it easy for anyone. I'd have us in that bracket between 10th and 14th simply because we are further back in our evolution than competitors who have made further strides through their recruitment, so we might have to settle for making the gap narrower without bridging it quite yet. Then again, the lack of concrete expectation may enable us to surprise under the radar - exactly how Strevens' Eastleigh did. First and foremost, before thinking long-term, is reverting to our lapsed identity of workmanlike grafters who can defy expectation. Do that, then everything else can steadily take shape from those stable foundations. Now, let the games begin...With the tentative preliminaries of pre-season commencing this week, thus has the excitable countdown to the all-important date of August the 5th when Ben Strevens' tenure gets properly underway in terms of his own stylistic imprint. We can now visualise through a clearer lens how that might look; his prospective side is finally taking shape, albeit a few more bodies are needed through the door before we can consider ourselves ready to compete. Under what expectations is the pertinent question after an obvious budget reduction. Whether engineered by us, via circumstance or a mixture of both factors, the biggest earners have departed since Daryl McMahon did plus another couple are transfer listed towards the same end. Though not necessarily a bad thing nor reflective of any waning interest from the overseas owners, rather a welcome change in direction the fanbase can unanimously get behind. We've long had a squad comprising 'individuals' (that being operative word) who were often among the most talented for their previous clubs but never gelled in unison here besides intermittent spells, yet now seem to be reverting to our recognisable identity of hard-workers bound by unbreakable team spirit. In the modern National League ecosystem, you still need a somewhat healthy budget and we certainly will, just reduced and managed more diligently one would hope. Certainly it will be akin to what the likes of Barnet have managed to achieve a top seven finish on. They're actually a useful reference point having undergone a serious transformation during just a single summer, with a good manager in Dean Brennan at the helm, as we will be seeking to emulate. There had been some frustration over the speed, or more specifically lack thereof, we have been doing so. The partially enforced yet wholly welcome rebuild that dawned upon last season's conclusion, duly exacerbated by the subsequent departures of many prominent first teamers, was materialising slowly by way of discernible progress - certainly given the magnitude required - until suddenly accelerating into life over recent days during which two monumental additions have been announced: Tom Eastman and Frank Vincent. Both bring considerable pedigree verified by the shining endorsements from their previous employers. At 31, Eastman has vast experience under his belt but still plenty more years in the tank too. That signing could have a revolutionary impact on our most problematic area in the centre of defence, adding EFL-nurtured knowhow that will not only be valuable in itself but also could be imparted upon the very impressive if occasionally rash Harry Phipps, for whom such a mentor could be huge in development. A potentially great partnership right there.
With Vincent, it's more about replacing what we lost in midfield, and an arrival of his calibre is pleasantly surprising. Being surplus to requirements at Notts County is no shame but the fact he was still part of a winning culture there for a considerable period counts for a lot, so it seems very astute business. Like Eastman, all former clubs' fanbases could not be more complimentary, describing a player with good spatial awareness and invention. Alongside fellow new boy Josh Rees, that area of the pitch is manifesting nicely now, though we still need a couple more. Specialised defenders Nik Tavares, David Longe-King and Sam Ling all filled in there last campaign - the latter two under Strevens - but square pegs in round holes again is presumably not his intention so there should be more additions soon. Elsewhere, too, for the attacking options are shallow in depth. Out wide, we have Ryan Hill then Sydney Ibie and Myles Weston, both of whom will need their minutes managed due to being on opposite ends along the experience spectrum. We were certainly over-reliant on the latter throughout the past two years, especially deploying him at wing-back where defensive duties were additionally required, so need to treat him carefully to maximise efficiency. Weston embodies professionalism, and is probably in better condition than some a decade younger, but it catches up eventually. As such, more creative options are needed to lighten the burden, plus probably another goalscorer otherwise we are solely reliant on Inih Effiong replicating his career-best numbers. How or indeed whether any of that happens remains to be seen but one thing for sure is that the wheels are firmly in motion. |
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May 2024
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