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BEHIND ENEMY LINES |
Wednesday, August 18, 2004BEHIND ENEMY LINESHi everyone. Well, here we are only two weeks into the new season and we already have enough juicy gossip at the Vetch to fill every tabloid in Fleet Street. Roberto Martinez is appointed club captain and then unceremoniously dropped after the Northampton defeat - justified or not? Let me sit on the fence on this one for a moment and say both yes and no. I personally don't think the team can accommodate both Roberto and Leon Britton, especially in this division. I also believe that the opening match showed that Leon is no right winger so here lies the manager's dilemma. He needs to fill the two central midfield berths with one pretty player and one enforcer and has apparently decided upon Leon and Kris O'Leary, with Adrian Forbes and Andy Robinson occupying the wide roles. Yes that's correct, Kris O'Leary. Roberto was the midfield sacrificial lamb after Northampton but it could easily have been Leon or O'Leary. I personally think Andy Robinson was the best of the quartet. I didn't see either of the games at Rochdale or Macclesfield but I understand that O'Leary produced decent performances. Sorry, but we all know he simply isn't a midfielder. Kenny has not yet started with Brad Maylett, who is the only out-and-out winger in the first team squad but why? Brad gives us such an outlet and playing without him is like having a bow with only blunt arrows. Also, the 'enforcer' role has to go to Andy Robinson, who has been well below par so far but is never afraid to mix it. Kenny seems to insist on a regular starting berth for Adrian Forbes so why not play him wide on the left and keep him switching flanks with Brad, as all quality wing partnerships do. So, it's back to Roberto or Leon for the remaining position and I believe the popular Spaniard is now chomping at the bit to prove Kenny wrong so I'd throw him back into the arena for Saturday's visit of Cheltenham. Does Kenny rate Lee Trundle? Only Mr Jackett himself can answer this one but reading between the lines it appears not. If you believe Colin Calderwood, Trunds was offered to the Northampton boss on a silver platter by Kenny but nothing happened as they couldn't afford him. Jackett later refuted this but there's no smoke without fire and Magic Daps must have been hurling bottles of peroxide at his bathroom mirror at home in anger - I certainly wouldn't have been happy. Is Kenny not aware of what happened during the first half of last season, when Trunds was scoring for fun and illuminating the whole country with arrogant trickery not seen since Paul Daniels had a whole head of hair? As for suggestions of Trundle not fitting into Jackett's style of play then change the style. On his day Trunds is a matchwinner and a player around whom a team can be built around. I personally believe it's an insult for Kenny to publicly state that Trundle is not guaranteed a place in his starting line up - we've just lost to Macclesfield for God's sake. Our attack was completely toothless against Northampton and although this owes much to the Cobblers' back four, Paul Connor and Forbes just didn't hit it off but another factor (already mentioned) was the absence of Brad Maylett. With all respect to Kevin Nugent, he shouldn't be pulling on a shirt to start matches for us at the moment, whether Trunds is fit or not. We lost our last game so Kenny has the opportunity to give James Thomas (yet) another chance. Surely Thommo knows that in the final year of his contract he is drinking in the last chance saloon so should (like Roberto) be busting a gut to prove something to both his manager and the fans, whether it's alongside Connor or Trunds. Poor Stuart Jones' howler gifted Northampton that early goal on the opening day and poured a huge bucket of cold water over the powderkeg atmosphere and set the tone for the next 88 minutes. I'm sure the youngster could become an accomplished defender but he appeared out of his depth after his mistake. We are much stronger defensively with Kevin Austin at left back and the impressive Sam Ricketts at right back. Alan Tate and the superb Garry Monk is arguably the best central defensive partnership with Monk so far appearing to be the signing of the summer. It is too early to criticise Jackett, though if we are struggling by Christmas the poisoned chalice could well be passed on to the next victim. However, I really don't think that will happen and believe our season will kick-start on Saturday. Hopefully with both Roberto and Trunds on the pitch. Ianto
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