Gloversblog (Page 8)

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Yeovil Town picked up three points on the road with a 3-1 win at Boston United yesterday and Gloverscast Ben was back behind the mic for BBC Somerset.

Here are his five key takeaways from the game in Lincolnshire……

Red Cards Change Games.

Both Jordan Richards and Jake Wannell can have little-to-no complaints about their red cards. Wannell had a rush of blood to the head, made a silly decision and will now sit out next weekend’s game at AFC Fylde.

I won’t be throwing him under a bus for it, the reigning Glovies’ Player of the Year has got us out of far more sticky situations than the ones he’s got us in during a season and a bit. Don’t do it again, Jake. 

I was amazed that so many people in the Boston crowd (which I was sat amongst) did not think the Richards challenge warranted a red. It’s a bog standard reckless challenge for me and it’s a red card all day long. The amount of contact is almost irrelevant, if Charlie Cooper’s foot is planted in the ground at point of impact you’re looking at a leg breaker. The Boston manager said they’ll consider appealing the three-match ban. I’m fairly confident in saying he’ll sit those games out. 

Red cards do change games, and both of Saturday’s certainly did, it was a chaotic affair which was only exaggerated by a couple of crazy moments.

Jake Wannell sees Red

Anyone got any defenders?

Raphael Araoye has a dead leg and went off yesterday, Morgan Williams has a concussion from Monday, and now Jake Wannell has next weekend off.

Alex Whittle was in Boston, in kit, but not named on the bench, Finn Cousin-Dawson looked good for the most part and Michael Smith was.….well, he’s Michael Smith, of course he’s spectacular.

But we had, at different points in the game, Matt Worthington, Charlie Cooper, Sam Pearson (!) and from the bench, Jordan Thomas as part of the defensive unit. It might just be one game were we look eye-catchingly short, but I don’t fancy going to Fylde with a Thomas-Smith-FCD-Pearson back four.

We have seven days to find a defender or two, maybe just for a month. We need some bodies at the back, preferably someone who can play left back too in case Whittle isn’t quite ready to do a full 90 twice in a couple of days. 

Does it end up being ex-Glover and now Cheltenham Town defender Tom Bradbury who was linked with us this week? I don’t know, but I do know, we need some depth in there and it needs to come from someone with some experience and quality.

We played the game, not the atmosphere.

I really liked the fact that – aside from Jake Wannell’s “moment” – we didn’t fold under pressure against a physical and riled up Boston.

Charlie Cooper was the perfect player to play pantomime villain in the game. He took the shocker of the challenge which led to the red card and then proceeded to walk around with a target on his back where the number 24 once was.

Cooper was cool headed throughout, he took the kicks and knocks and play acting from those who he so much as breathed too heavily in the vicinity of and let it all brush past him and I really think we’re going to need more of that as the season goes on.

He has the nous, experience and je ne sais quoi in the tough moments and he led the way with that yesterday. Cooper was my Man of the Match, we’ve spoken about needing a bruiser in the middle of the park to compliment McGavin and Worthington, and Cooper can do that.

Furthermore, I was impresssed with the way that some of the younger players handled those moments, not afraid to put their body on the line, in harms way and get it done a touch ugly. Harvey Greenslade, Jordan Young and Sam Pearson will all have bumps and bruises on Sunday morning, but they kept their heads and that, I think, was vital in seeing the game out.

Urgency, Urgency, Urgency.

Eurgh, I hate to do a negative one when we’ve won a game, but I have to mention something which I spotted against Gateshead and Rochdale… and then again against Boston.

Get. On. With. It.

I like the fact that we keep the ball so well, I don’t mind that sometimes the ball goes backwards, I don’t mind that it goes sideways.

What I do seem to mind, is that when the ball goes dead, it can take 30-40 seconds for someone to trundle over, pick the ball up and think about maybe throwing it to a friend.

In that same 30 seconds, every one of the opposition players have tracked back, got into position and immediately cut off the routes to goal which our players are more than capable of going through. That then leads to the ball going backwards or sideways as we look to find another way through.

I do wish we’d hurry up a bit when the ball stops. Free kicks, get it moving, get someone running down a line and be brave enough to get the ball up there. Throw ins, go and grab the ball and be ready to get going – ideally forward – quickly. I truly believe it will give us better positions to get that final ball right more often. 

We’ll end on a positive though.

Brett McGavin Saturdays.

When Yeovil were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box, I proclaimed on air, it was “Charlie Cooper Territory”, I’m afraid there’s a new Territorial Kingpin in town.

Brett McGavin has a famed long shot on him as his YouTube reel will testify. We saw that with his second goal later on in the first half, but the free-kick goal was one of the purest strikes, I think I’ll ever see of a set piece.

It could not have been placed any better, any more fierce or any more pin point perfect.

Boston’s Cam Gregory is not a small goalkeeper, he had a large wall, and he got nowhere near it, on his side of the goal. Absolute “Top Bins” (that’s what the cool kids say, right?). I feel like we’ll watch that goal a few times this season, it’s probably already earned its spot in the Glovies’ Goal of the Season nominations.

My challenge to you Brett is… before the end of the season, score an even better one. I dare you.

We’ll be here watching this clip on loop until you do. Cheers.

 

 

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It ends in defeat at home for Yeovil, as they fell to a late winner in a 1-0 defeat to Rochdale. Tom Bailey was in the stands for this one, let’s see what he thought.

A gutting result following a valiant effort. We just didn’t quite have enough in the end to get over the line, in a literal sense as well as a wider perspective. For the first 60 minutes, we looked like we had something about us, getting forward and putting the Rochdale defence under some pressure, including two goal line clearances, but it just wouldn’t get over the line today.

A shame to see us drop off in the last half hour or so, as we had another decent attacking showing today, with nothing to show for it.

I don’t think McCooper worked as a midfield duo today. I was initially surprised by the benching of Matt Worthington, before remembering he’d played every minute of every league match so far, and I then became curious at the possibilities of Brett McGavin and Charlie Cooper in the middle of the field. While it wasn’t a bad showing, I don’t think it quite worked today. McGavin felt a little lost at times, when he got on the ball he’d hold for too long in deeper areas, and at times Cooper felt like the attacking threat of the two – I see it working the other way round, with McGavin pushing forwards and Cooper sweeping up. Not against seeing it again, but it didn’t click for me today.

The subs didn’t work out. When Harvey Greenslade and Sam Pearson entered the field, renewed hope filled me, Greenslade will run until the sun goes down, and Pearson has proven to be a threat on both wings so far this season. Unfortunately, they simply vanished today, and it coincided with the team dropping off and Rochdale growing into the game. I wouldn’t say it’s their fault, purely bad timing, but Cooper’s usual subs to spark something didn’t help us today.

Sam Pearson. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.

Just needed to speed things up a bit. At points today, there were opportunities to break quickly, and instead we closed ourselves off to build from the back. When you’re a goal ahead, or clearly dominating the game, this is all well and good, but when you’re hunting for that opening goal, particularly as times wears on, it becomes difficult to understand why we won’t counter with pace. When Sam Pearson came on, he had acres of space to run into from a caught corner, a brilliant opportunity for Ollie Wright to sling a long throw out into his path, but we waited… and waited… and waited… until Rochdale had regained their shape and high line, causing us to start from the back once again. A bit of pace and intensity could’ve got us over the line today I felt.

The fans were class today. A nod to the fans today, that second half was buzzing. I was in the Screwfix stand, and hearing the Thatchers off to my left in fine voice for a good 75 minutes or so was brilliant to see, and I do think it helped the boys along. A few long stoppages sucked the life out of the game and the fans unfortunately, but brilliant work you Glovers!

On to Boston!

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Well that was a frantic game wasn’t it?! Tom Bailey was in the press box for Three Valleys Radio on Saturday, here’s what he thought.

What a game. End to end for almost the full 90 minutes, we witnessed two teams who set out to play good football, and defend later. Sadly, we were punished much heavier for this, alongside other problems we need to face up to, but both sides were keen for goals today.

Gateshead displayed their attacking quality from the off, with many chances for different players showing why they’re almost certainly going to be involved in the playoff picture come the end of the season.

Yeovil too showed what they’re made of, going forwards and asking questions of the Gateshead defence, some good chances were made and wasted, but positive signs for a Yeovil attack that can look stodgy at times.

We missed Alex Whittle today. Our Scouser didn’t travel today, following the knock he received in the Ebbsfleet game midweek, and it showed how important he really is to this side. Jordan Thomas was chucked in at the deep end as Mark Cooper switched to a 5 man defence, with Sam Pearson having to fill the LWB position to little effect.

Cooper recognised this and switched things up, and we did look steadier for a period with Thomas at LB, but you have to feel that Yeovil could’ve done so much more had Whittle been fit. Raphael Araoye didn’t even have a look in, which may be an early cause for concern, but of course it’s early in the season still.

Alex Whittle. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

That was Aaron Jarvis’ best game so far. He’s had an indifferent start to the season has Jarvis, as he’s looked involved, but never really in with a shout of scoring, until today. He was terrorising the Gateshead backline, and making himself some really good space. The goal came from a beautiful Michael Smith cross, and he worked hard to win the header to get Yeovil back into the game.

It’s unfortunate he had to come off at half-time, early speculation suggests he was holding his back as he walked off following the whistle, so hopefully there is nothing too serious in that, as he really started to show why there was hype around him during the off season.

Brett McGavin is going to cause some headaches. I’m really enjoying the dynamic that Brett McGavin is bringing to this Yeovil side, I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t 100% sure on him throughout pre-season, but he’s very quickly proving me wrong!

He’s got such a deft touch on him, some great footwork, he’s picking up better positions too when Worthington takes his turn to go forwards, and he’s got a cracking shot to boot (as we saw against Ebbsfleet), he’s going to cause some selection headaches if he keeps playing like this while Charlie Cooper returns to full fitness.

Brett McGavin salutes the Thatchers Stand after scoring v Ebbsfleet

We can be proud of that. Yes, it’s a defeat, and yes there were some silly mistakes and questions surrounding the defence, however within the context of the full season, I think we’ll look back and be proud of how we did today.

Gateshead are going to be around the playoffs barring some extreme circumstances this season, and having started the season with 10 points from 12, you know for a fact they’re setting themselves up for some kind of success come May.

We showed grit and determination to get ourselves back into it, and kept ourselves in it until the penalty at the end, the tactical switch from Cooper following the second goal brought stability and shape that we desperately needed, showing how game-smart he really is, and all this against a team that could easily finish the season in the top 3.

Yes we’re Yeovil Town, and we’re massive, but we’re also a newly promoted team that is only in its second year of a rebirth following over a decade of torture. Let’s be proud of ourselves, especially considering how we played the last time we came here…

Up the Glovers!

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Has the heart rate dropped to normal yet? Gloverscast Ben‘s just about has… just.

Here’s how he saw it – from the comfort of his own home, on National League TV

That first half was positively delightful: Oh, I could watch that first half over and over again. There was pace, power, control, flying wingers, defenders heading stuff away.

We saw neat link up play, one-twos falling perfectly, we got some Frank Nouble specials – where he just bulldozes through the midfield, into the attack and does something nice. Pearson looked lively – and got booted about a lot, Worthington ran himself into the ground and Ollie Wright did what he had to do with minimal fuss.

We saw Whittle and Smith getting forward – the latter getting into the mixer to bag from close range. Give me more of that.

It was arguably the most complete 45 minutes of football we have seen since we took Taunton Town apart on Boxing Day. It had everything.

Brett McGavin Tuesdays: We have a real player on our hands here, don’t we?

I made a call on the podcast that McGavin might be someone who can win Glovies this year – and games of football, I spose – but for periods of the first half, the ball stuck to his foot, every pass was calm and concise and he’s got a turn and trick up his sleeve to get out of trouble.

He ran the show, orchestrated the midfield allowing others to play to their strengths and there’s no-one else in the team you’d want the ball to fall to 20 yards out, is there?

I heard “Brett McGavin Saturday Lunchtimes in Gateshead” are also a thing, which is handy.

Brett McGavin salutes the Thatchers Stand after his opening goal. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown

Josh Sims – Crikey I’m excited: In just a short amount of time, we’ve seen enough about Josh Sims to realise there’s a player in there that’s probably a bit too good for the National League.

We have a fitness management issue, he’s clearly not up to full fitness and two games in 48 hours this weekend might not be doable, but as he builds up a full level of fitness, so long as we’re careful, we’re going to get more out of him that maybe we quite know at this point.

His ability to link up, almost telepathically with Frank Nouble and Alex Whittle down the left hand side was very nice to watch in that first half.

He’s got a low centre of gravity, he thinks fowards – he wants to get up towards the opposition box, which sounds obvious, but isn’t always the case. He’s direct, he can change direction quickly. He only lacked a finish on Tuesday night to seal a pretty impressive 45 minutes.

He came close with a curled effort into the far corner after cutting in off the byline, but he definitely offers something different to Dylan Morgan, Jordan Young and Sam Pearson. 

He’s a player who’ll get Huish Park off their seats, he’ll raise the noise a decibel or two. 

If we manage him, especially early on, if we can get that final ball, or final finish from him… we’ve got another one we’ll be able to stand on a Michael Smith pedestal.

Josh Sims in the warm-up at Braintree Town.

What the heck happened after half-time?: Let’s get into it, shall we? Minutes 46-67 were, absolutely bonkers, weren’t they?

Firstly, at half time, the sub of Sims for Cooper confused me. We knew Josh Sims was only slated for 45 minutes, that’s fine – but to completely change shape, to bring on a defensive midfielder and change the set up when things were going so well in the first half seemed an odd call.

It felt like a “more of the same lads” type team talk and a Young or Greenslade swap for Sims. Same position, same link ups, same outcome… no? 

Ebbsfleet were always going to throw the kitchen sink at it, but Wannell and Williams hadn’t really had much to do and with Araoye coming on down the left, dealing with a few lumps into the box wouldn’t have been an issue.

The team got deeper, the pressure mounted for a good ten minutes, we couldn’t get out of our half, because we invited them in. 

Then, a keeper error. Look, I’m a card carrying member of the GK Union (the Wednesday night 5-a-side branch, we’re not invited to the End of Season do… anyway, I digress) and I don’t quite know how Ollie Wright gets into bother when trying to deal with a cross, which should either have been claimed or dealt with in distance. In the end, neither happened and you end up with a 7-foot ‘keeper sprawled across the floor and the ball in the back of the empty net.

Then, it’s game on – and you leave yourself open to a pot shot from distance, a moment of magic. Blink and you’ve gone from 2-0 up and cruising to Desmond 2-2 and wondering what on earth was going on.

I hope we take stock of that moment and realise that this isn’t the National League South, teams are going to be good enough to get back into games… some of them are good enough to not let us win them either.

Harvey Greenslade fires Yeovil back in to the lead.

I’m chuffed for Harvey Greenslade: I really liked the addition of Greenslade this summer, we’ve said on the podcast that it was a signing that just ticked so many boxes and he’s made a real impact.

He looked lively in pre-season, he missed a couple of tough chances against Hartlepool and maybe didn’t quite get going to his absolute best against Braintree. 

But do you ever get the feeling this signing is just going to work out? That the player will be popular with fans, will run for the name on the front of the shirt and we’ll remember the name on the back?

It’s early days, of course it is, but I’m quietly (and now quite loudly) excited. Maybe it’s an impact role off the bench for now – he’s only 20 remember – maybe it’s doing a job as a 9 sometimes, as a 10, wider on occasions. But he’s giving more established attackers a headache now and wants their place in the side. 81st minute winners are a GREAT way to do it. I like it.

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It was a first win, a first goal and a first clean sheet for Yeovil Town as their second match of the new National League Premier season saw them pick up a 1-0 win at fellow newly-promoted side Braintree Town yesterday.

A neat finish from defender Morgan Williams was enough to seal the points on a sweltering afternoon in Essex and get the Glovers off the mark at the second time of asking.

Here’s how Dave saw it from his spot in the away end at the Rare Breeds Meat Company Stadium…..

 

The first W: On Friday’s podcast we spoke about how getting a win on the board was the most important thing and it almost didn’t matter how it came. This was not a pretty performance and the cliched ‘game of two halves’ with a first 45 minutes which had all the hallmarks of the frustrations against Hartlepool seven days earlier, but the second 45 showing far more promise. It didn’t matter how it came, it just had to come – now we’re off the mark with a great opportunity to build on it against Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday night.

Pass and move – quicker: We really toiled in the first half, like really toiled. The only real moment for those slowly cooking on the away end came right before half-time, some neat build-up and Michael Smith found himself away down the right. It showed that moving it quicker is going to be everything this season. In the second half we did that and got opportunities but against better sides than Braintree (and there’ll be a few of those) we cannot afford a slow start.

Yeovil Town celebrate Morgan Williams’ goal.

Drought warning in Essex?: In the words of someone who knows his way around a piece of turf (Clue – you’ll often see him tending to the Huish Park pitch), rarely have you seen a pitch be such a leveller in the second game of the season. I don’t know how warm it’s been in Braintree this summer, but the pitch looked like it had not seen water in months. It was not conducive to any kind of football and hopefully evidence we left such poor surfaces behind in National League South.

Defensive solidity will be crucial: Before the match, all the talk was about Braintree’s new signings Inih Effiong and John Akinde, but they were well-handled by our defence. Effiong showed some moments in the first half but that was it, whereas I hardly noticed Akinde when he arrived as a second half substitute. Morgan Williams and Jake Wannell can take credit for that, whilst Alex Whittle and Michael Smith both looked solid. As I have already said, they will face very different and tougher tests in the season to come and a solid defence will be crucial if they are to do anything this season.

Sims showed a bit: I’ll caveat this conclusion by saying it was two moments in about 20 minutes on the pitch, but Josh Sims looks like he has some quality. His first involvement having arrived on the 76 minutes and he drifted in to space to fire a shot just past the post, then he made a great turn inside the box to set up Whittle just before the end. He is obviously lacking match fitness having not played for three months and far too soon to get too excited, but there was enough to suggest there’s a decent player in there. If Brett McGavin and Matt Worthington are to be our midfield two, a lot will depend on what the three forward players in front of them can do, and Sims looks like he could be a good addition there.

Josh Sims in the warm-up at Braintree Town.

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Words by Seb White

On April 22, 1993, the day before The Glovers beat Boston United 2–1 at home (Mickey Spencer scored a brace. Of course he did) the release of the Mosaic Web Browser marked the genesis of today’s internet. Three decades on, we live in a time of information overload, the incessant pinging of social media notifications, and instant communication with friend or foe via a litany of apps. It’s sometimes easy to forget how things used to be, how different it all was. The mid to late nineties was a time of landlines, pagers and me and my mates getting our first mobile phones. Communication was doable but sporadic.

Finding out the latest news about your favourite football club was hard, and it was even harder if that favourite was in the 5th tier of the English football pyramid. If you were lucky, the latest signing or managerial change would be announced on Ceefax or Teletext. It seems ridiculous now, but you’d wait for a local newspaper to come every Thursday for a shred of commentary, opinion or analysis outside the basics. God bless the Western Gazette.

“I had no real idea who people with daft names like Badger, Taff Glover, Hoagy or HHH were, but I knew they really liked the same thing I did”

Then the internet came along—which we’d have to dial up to—and initially, it was just a lot of text on screen. But it was something. ytfc.com was the first website I’d go to, and not long after, it was also something brilliantly named called ciderspace.co.uk. The forums on both sites were the first time you could chat with people outside the actual match. It really was a whole new world, and I was in hook, line, and sinker. I had no real idea who people with daft names like Badger, Taff Glover, Hoagy or HHH were, but I knew they really liked the same thing I did and had given us all a platform for us to chat about that silly thing, and seemingly they sounded like they knew what they were talking about.

As the late nineties edged towards a new Millennium, awaydays would also involve joining the dots and making online real-life connections. Can I remember exactly the first time I met Badger? Or Hugh? Or Taff Glover? I won’t pretend and say I did, but I know, looking back at some point, the nods became greetings, they became chats and sooner or later, they were just the people you gravitated to on match day. It helped that they literally mapped out their pre-match schedule in brilliantly and accurately researched away day guides that would take you away from the beaten track. As an information resource, Ciderspace was more than enough for a fan of a 5th-tier football club: it also had a brilliant tone of voice, no cut and pasting of press releases, but proper analysis that got to the nub of the matter and communicated exactly what you need to know just like a fan on the terraces.

Off the pitch, Yeovil Town fans were spoilt rotten, really, thanks to a gang of hardy, funny volunteers who somehow, in between their day jobs, created and fed a community that grew and grew. Community, for me, is and will always be the most important thing about football. The goals, the highs and lows, and the awaydays all help to embellish the moments and experiences but are nothing without other people and a real bond.

“If it wasn’t for Ciderspace and the basis of knowledge, support, potential contributions, and customers, I’d probably not have started a football fanzine”

It may have just been an independent fan site, but If I’d not messaged someone called will_ran on the Ciderspace forum to see if he wanted to go halves on a room for a pre-season tour, I might not have ended up having a drink post a Yeovil game a few years later with his sister-in-law who ended up being my wife. If it wasn’t for Ciderspace and the basis of knowledge, support, potential contributions, and customers, I’d probably not have started a football fanzine; if I’d not done that, I wouldn’t have made that first step in a career in football media that has shaped my life. If it wasn’t for Ciderspace, I wouldn’t have set up the Capital Glovers and made friends for life. If it wasn’t for Ciderspace, the Capital Glovers wouldn’t have a WhatsApp group which, a few years back, expressed concern that Martin Badger Baker hadn’t been heard from on a match day. I lived closest, so I jumped in an Uber to go and check on him, but I was much too late and then had to ring and tell HHH that he was no longer with us.

And if it wasn’t for Ciderspace, there wouldn’t be the same WhatsApp group of Yeovil Town fans of different ages, different backgrounds, different stories suddenly pinging into life in the early hours of the morning because the daughter of one of the said group has to explain the cancer her dad didn’t want anyone to know about had taken the life of a wonderful man prematurely.

No more pre or post-match pints dissecting on and off-the-field shenanigans as we had done and hoped to do so for more years to come. No more relying on the Yeovil Town oracle to clarify or confirm a cloudy memory or hazy recollection of a green and white past. We’ve been through this process when Badger unexpectedly passed away. It will feel like something is missing on a match day, but life does indeed have to go on.

“One thing is for sure: Taff, Badger and Hugh more than did their bit and should be remembered as much as those on the pitch in the annals (physical or digital) of Yeovil Town history.”

It might feel a bit like the end of an era now the three founders of Ciderspace are no longer with us, but in Gloverscast, their spirit very much lives on. Enjoy it, contribute to it, support it and make the most of it.

Who knows how Yeovil fans will follow goings on via the Information Super Highway about their favourite football team in the years and decades to come, but one thing is for sure: Taff, Badger and Hugh more than did their bit and should be remembered as much as those on the pitch in the annals (physical or digital) of Yeovil Town history.

I missed the funeral as I was on holiday, and the lads tell me the ales were raised. Consider this my contribution to paying respects. So thank you, Hugh, for your contribution to my and many other people’s Yeovil Town fandom. As a teacher, father, and grandfather, you already leave a great legacy, but you made a bigger mark than most by also doing a daft website with your mates. Rest in peace, sir.

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Football is back, Yeovil Town are back in the National League and Five Conclusions is back too. Ian was in the press box for BBC Somerset, and here’s how he saw it… 

We struggled to find a way through. There were familiar patterns to the game as Yeovil resumed with the possession-based style which served them so well last season and felt in control for most of the game. But, where there was control, there wasn’t that creative spark to cut through a dogged defence. Not until the end of the match, where an error at the back allowed Harvey Greenslade an opportunity at an open goal, did Yeovil create something clear cut. Mark Cooper said his ‘nippy’ players need to more. Morgan struggled to find a way into the game. Young, who was scythed down by Parkes early on, wasn’t allowed to find his rhythm on the ball. We brought Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Harvey Greenslade and Sam Pearson in to make something happen, but they couldn’t make the decisive impact.

A physical encounter on the opening game of the season against Hartlepool United. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

 

Hartlepool did exactly what you’d expect. I’m not sure it’s fair to tarnish Darren Sarll with the ‘typical Sarll’ brush, but every time we’ve played him since he left, we have lost 1-0 and it’s been a war. Yesterday was the same, it was physical, it was long ball and it was knock downs from the big man Dieseruvwe. I actually thought we coped well with it, but for a spell in the second half. Wannell and Williams handled the physicality, but in that second half patch Hartlepool found more space around Yeovil’s box, had the Glovers stretched and it was a well-struck finish from Jack Hunter that won the game in the end. The onus was then on the Glovers to break down a resilient side that often went into a back six and, as is their right, burned away the time by any means necessary.

Aaron Jarvis relished the battle. When Yeovil’s new number 9 lined up against a centre back pairing with nearly 900 games between then, I think he knew the afternoon he was in for. Tom Parkes and Luke Waterfall were the nasty bastards you’d expect from a Darren Sarll defence, but I thought Jarvis gave as good as he got. He was physical with them, won some headers and also seemed to get under their skin too. He’s got that Murphy/Hyde-esque edge to him. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the service into him to make anything happen at goal, but it was a game where he had to show he was up for a fight, and I think he was.

Alex Whittle. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Alex Whittle was back to his reliable best. The left-back, who was missing for the run-in through injury last season, returned to the side and was every bit the player we low-key loved last season. He might not have that Michael Smith swagger, but he’s an absolute machine on the left. He dealt with the pace and strength of Joe Grey. He was tough in the tackle, perceptive in the moments where he needed to be in the right position and is just Mr Dependable. My man of the match.

It was nice to be back! There was a good atmosphere at Huish Park (and plenty of Bradfords bucket hats) and as always, the opening day expectations are high – despite having not won on the opening day since 2015/16. (Goals from Kevin Dawson and Otis Khan scored against Notts County). The pitch was great, the stadium was looking the part and the buzz was there. While the result didn’t match the mood, football is back and there’s a long way to go!

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It’s the start of the National League season tomorrow and the Gloverscast team have shared their thoughts, hopes and dreams for this season…

Ian Perkins

Thoughts on Summer:

A summer as Champions, I could get used to this. After the upheaval following 2023’s takeover, 2024 has felt quieter. There’s not been any need to shout about the vision of the club to get people back through the turnstiles. We have added some more young, hungry players to the squad, signed a striker who has scored goals in National League, Mark Cooper has signed a new three-year deal and been given a boost to his budget too.

What are you most excited about?

Last season, I was excited for goals and we got plenty. This season I’m excited to see us compete at a more challenging level. Through plenty of matches last season there was total control and an ability to keep teams at arms-length. I’m excited to see what this united squad, with momentum, can do against much tougher sides than NLS.

Frank Nouble tries to play forward
📸 Gary Brown

Who is our key player?

If I had to pick an individual, I think it would be Frank Nouble. The Guvnor is a firm fan favourite and carried the team at points last season. He leads by example, and seems to find an extra gear when you least expect it. I’m going to bend a rule though here and say I think a combination of players is key – Jake Wannell and Morgan Williams. That partnership was imperious last season and rarely put a foot wrong. We saw their capability against Southend and Gateshead in the FA Cup and will no doubt be asked a lot more questions this season than last. If that duo can reproduce 2023/24 performances, who knows what’s possible?

Who will be our breakout star?

Dylan Morgan has certainly been the standout during pre-season with some lovely goals. After signing halfway through the season he started to show some flashes of brilliance towards the end of the last campaign and with a full Mark Cooper pre-season under his belt, I think he might be the one to set things alight.

Where will we finish?

After our last season in the National League, I will be very happy with a consolidating, safe season. I have that sneaking suspicion that momentum might take us further than that though. If Mark Cooper can get these players on a run, and we can keep attackers at bay like we did last year, there’s no reason why we can’t compete higher up. 11th

David Coates

Thoughts on Summer:

The recruitment does not appear to be over at the time of writing (the day of our final pre-season friendly at Weston-super-Mare) and hopefully there are more arrivals to come, but I’m happy with the business we have done. We can’t underestimate the quality already in our ranks and a decent pre-season suggests there’s more to come.

What are you most excited about?

Seeing what this side can do against better opposition. Mark Cooper has made it clear that he wants us to continue his brand of possession-based football which got us promoted last season. But we’re playing against better sides this season and hopefully that will mean not having to chip away eleven men behind the ball every week. There’s so much attacking talent in this side and if they get the opportunities they can really excite.

Who is our key player?

Michael Smith. We know what a great player he was for us last season and he alongside Frank Nouble represents the experienced head in our side. We know how important character is at National League Premier level and he’ll be the one who makes sure standards don’t slip.

He shoots, he scores! Finish from Sonny Blu Lo Everton
? Gary Brown

Who will be our breakout star?

I’m not sure he counts as a break-out, but this feels like it could be a moment for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton to shine. Far and away out most technically gifted player, he’s shown his ability to be a regular starter as well as his versatility. He’s a very different player to the one which played at this level for us last time. If he’s not a break-out, maybe Dylan Morgan.

Where will we finish?

I’m living by the philosophy of not getting too high with the highs or too low with the lows. There are still players to be added to the squad but as I write this on the day of our final pre-season friendly with Weston-super-Mare, our squad seems a little too thin to be realistic promotion challengers but enough to keep us clear of bother at the bottom. 12th.

Ben Barrett

Thoughts on Summer:

I feel like we’ve upgraded in just about every position, we’ve strengthened an already very strong defence and added depth and flair in all areas of the pitch.

I feel like we have Plan B’s throughout and the additions of Aaron Jarvis, Brett McGavin and Harvey Greenslade stand out, but it’s been a nice, calm, considered summer.

The biggest deal of all though, is tying down the Manager for the next three years.

What are you most excited about?

Playing games up north!!

Also, playing games against teams for whom we’re not the big fish, we’re going to have some even battles, some attack minded games and hopefully some expansive football, it feels like a league with plenty of sides that are capable, willing, hoping and trying to make the play-offs, we are one of them!

Who is our key player?

I think Ollie Wright has a huge season ahead of him, he has big Gloves to fill replacing Joe Day, but he’ll need to be strong, commanding and clear in what he has to do.

He’ll undoubtedly have to keep us in games as times, and in behind a defence which performed so well last season brings with it a pressure to maintain confidence and be dominant if Yeovil are to achieve more success.

Who will be our breakout star?

I’ve already called out Brett McGavin as a potential Glovies winner, so I wont say him, i’ll go for Harvey Greenslade. His arrival made a lot of sense early on in the summer and was probably overshadowed in the headline stakes but Aaron Jarvis coming through the door.

But Greenslade will definitely get chances and has shown he might just have the ability to make himself undroppable. With more subs available, he’ll play in a LOT of games and I can’t wait to see what he can do.

Where will we finish?

The word for me this season is ‘progression’, on and off the field. In a really competitive division, we have a genuine chance of finishing just about anywhere.

We are certainly in a huge group of sides who will know that Play-Offs are in our grasp, but we understand that it will need a bit of luck, a bit of a run somewhere and a few other sides to under perform.

We’ll flirt with the Top 7, but my heart and head says we’ll fall just short. I’m going for 10th, which is very much a huge amount of progression.

Harvey Greenslade. Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

Callum Gould

Thoughts on Summer:

This summer for the Glovers has been ok, and no doubt I’ll get some stick for saying that. Yes, on the pitch it’s been good when playing against weaker opponents. It’s nothing against Melksham, Frome and Buckland Athletic but they aren’t National league level and when we have come up against better sides we have struggled, Farnborough were no walkover and we lost to Exeter and Bristol Rovers, who are more the calibre of teams I expect to face this year.

Transfer wise I don’t think we’ve done nearly enough. Whether that’s been for budgetary reasons or not 1) I don’t feel the squads big enough and 2) I don’t think we have the quality to compete with the likes of Forest Green, Oldham and Rochdale. For me we are missing an out and out goal scorer and a central midfielder, because if either Matty Worthington or Charlie Cooper gets injured, we haven’t got the depth to replace them sufficiently. Hopefully Mark Cooper utilises this injection of cash the chairman has said he’s put in.

What are you most excited about?

 

For the upcoming season I’m most excited about not playing non regional football. Don’t get me wrong it was nice last season but I’m glad it was only one season. Playing better opponents, although tough, will be nice again. Also playing York, for obvious reasons.

Who is our key player?

It’s always difficult to tell in pre-season which players have peaked early, which players need more time and which players aren’t actually good enough. Ultimately though one player has stood out and that’s Dylan Morgan. He has contributed hugely so far in pre-season and hopefully he carries on this form.

Who will be our breakout star?

Our breakout star will be Finn Cousin-Dawson. His pedigree is clear to see and it wouldn’t surprise me if he breaks into the starting eleven at some point. Good on the ball and his experience at a young age could be pivotal.

Where will we finish?

Another tough one to predict, especially in such a difficult league. If I was being honest with myself top half of the league will be a struggle for us, with how many good teams there are in the division. I think anywhere between 12th and 16th will be good for the Glovers (I hope to be proved wrong).

Callum Hallett

Thoughts on the summer:

After the success of last season and the quality of our squad coming into the 24/25 season, it was clear that we only needed to add in certain areas, mainly depth related. I am very with the transfer window we have had, adding plenty of youth to give ourselves an exciting future for beyond this season, with an average aged squad of just 23.6.

What are you most excited about?

I just miss football… having to deal with watch Gareth Southgate’s England for a month over the Summer made me realise how much I miss watching league football. For me this season, I won’t just be watching Yeovil but I am so excited to meet up with some old faces and have a good laugh. It’ll be exciting to watch this young, promising side play some great, controlled football against quality opposition.

Morgan Williams 📸 Gary Brown

Who’s our key player?

 

I could go through a list of 5+ players who could be counted as key players. However, I’ve decided to go with our 24 year-old central defender, Morgan Williams, who is the second longest serving player at the club. His excellent pace and physical attributes allow us to play a high line as well his qualities on the ball, being able to dictate games from the back.

Who will be our breakout star?

Am I going to be boring and go with Dylan Morgan? Yes. This season’s Jordan Young? He certainly looks like he’s taking up a similar path in pre season. His footwork is absolutely brilliant adding a real pace and directness to our attacks. I feel he will reach a minimum of 15 goal contributions this season, which is VERY impressive for a 21 year-old in the National League.

Where will we finish:

In my National League predictions I had ourselves to finish 16th, comfortably avoiding relegation but making no real threat of the top half. I would be very happy with this as the jump from Step 2 to 1 is massive, meaning many promoted teams seem to struggle. We have an exciting project happening with a very young squad so safety would be a success in my eyes.

Ollie Marsh

Thoughts on summer…

Is it possible to have a bad summer when you’ve just gone up as Champions? There’s been no need to galvanise or rebuild as there was in the summer of 2023; instead, the only job this year has been to keep the good feeling and team spirit going. I’ve been encouraged by our signings, with proven goalscorer Aaron Jarvis naturally becoming the headline arrival. I might have liked to see a bit more EFL experience – most of our signings have come from below rather than above – but it feels like this year’s Michael Smith-esque addition could be forthcoming.

What are you most excited about this season?

Being able to arrive at an away ground and not immediately think about how far we’ve fallen. It’s hard to call a return to National League ‘back in the big time’, and I’d hope the feeling around the club is that we’re still one division away from where we should rightfully be, but not having to go to made up towns such as “Aveley” (just not a real place) will be a welcome relief.

Who’s our key player?

While the goals were shared around the team last season, I think this season’s success could depend on whether we can get a song out of Aaron Jarvis. He’s scored goals aplenty at this level and a double figure return could be the difference between relegation and staying up, staying up and mid-table, mid-table and play-off push etc. etc. Other than that, Frank Nouble’s experience and leadership will be equally as valuable.

Who’s going to be our breakout star?

In the final game of last season, Dylan Morgan looked like he had a point to prove. His performance against Dover that day, which saw him sweep home two goals in a 3-1 win, was enough to earn him a contract, and he’s carried that momentum into this pre-season. I’m rooting for him.

Where will we finish?

As we find our feet back at this level and adjust to not playing semi-pro sides every other week, I’m not expecting consistency. I do pessimistically think we could go through some sticky patches, but I back us to steer clear of any relegation dogfight.. 13th.

James Graham

Thoughts on summer…

I think a very notable takeaway from this summer was the strength of our retained list, the fact we’ve kept the majority of the title winning squad together and tied down Mark Cooper for another three years can only be positive. As well as this, considering the manager’s known ability to recruit well, I am confident in the signings Yeovil have made.

What are you most excited about this season?

I’m excited about facing a different calibre of opposition compared to last season, as it was no secret that Yeovil were on a different level to most of our opposition, in regard to the stature of the club. This season we will not have the problem of facing eleven players camped in their own half. I’m looking forward to bigger clubs visiting Huish Park and bringing a proper following, equally there are multiple exciting away fixtures this season such as Oldham, York and Forest Green, amongst others.

Aaron Jarvis. Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

Who’s our key player?

While it’s difficult to choose one key player, I think Yeovil’s new frontman Aaron Jarvis could be crucial this season. Having signed from Torquay this summer, after rumoured interest from football league outfit Cheltenham, Jarvis opted for the Glovers and I think his goalscoring pedigree in this division will be an important asset this season. In his last spell in the National League, Jarvis returned 15 goals in a relegated Torquay side from 37/46 league appearances. With the squad we have built I think Jarvis has an opportunity to be Yeovil’s talisman and lead from the front. Regardless of the cliché, goals win games and having an established National League goal scorer will bode well for the newly promoted Greens. I also think our new loan recruit between the sticks, Ollie Wright, will be an impressive addition to the squad, he has had a good pre-season and will be a perfect replacement for Joe Day in my opinion.

Who’s going to be our breakout star?

I think Dylan Morgan is in a position to have a very good season if he stays fit. He’s been in good form since the tail end of last season, notably netting a great goal against Dartford, and a brace away at Dover on the final day. Morgan has also had a promising pre-season, scoring four times. As well as this, I think it’s worth mentioning Harvey Greenslade and Brett McGavin, both of whom I think will prove to be important players for us in the coming season, they, like Dylan Morgan have impressed in pre-season.

Where will we finish?

I think we have a good opportunity to finish mid-table this season and cement our place in the National League, possibly to stage a more realistic promotion chase in the 2025/26 season. While I think it is relatively possible that Yeovil challenge for the play-off positions in the coming season, I think due to it being our first season back, as well as the sheer quality of the teams around us, we will fall short of a fairytale promotion push. I don’t think a mid-table finish would upset any Yeovil fan, and I would definitely call it a success if we were to finish where I am predicting.

Tom Bailey

Thoughts on the summer…

I think we’ve had a solid summer, less exciting than last year but I don’t think we needed an exciting summer. We’ve got a great core of players already, and Mark Cooper has done a really good job at building off of that, adding where we needed depth and quality without breaking the bank. There’s also the new kits and sponsors to continue the revitalisation of the club, with the likes of Bradfords and Tamburinos coming back as sponsors after time away, so it’s been a positive summer all things considered! Oh, and of course we can’t forget, summer as a champion can’t be beaten!

What are you most excited about this season?

Stadiums! I only started going to away games last season, and I can’t lie, going to some of the grounds we went to throughout the season, compared to Wrexham for our “big day out” really put into perspective where we had fallen to. Going to “proper” stadiums again this season, with actual stands, with sides, and seats, will be a great experience, I’m personally looking forward to Southend and Oldham!

Who’s our key player?

There are so many options, but I have to go for Jordan Young. He had a breakout six months at the start of last season, and while he tailed off towards the end, if he can find that kind of form at the division above, I think he’s going to be a big influence on where we finish this season. Honourable mentions go to Jake Wannell and Matt Worthington (if Perky can bend the rules, so can I!)

Jordan Young | Pic: Gary Brown

Who’s going to be our breakout star?

One answer – Dylan Morgan. I’ve been really impressed with his pre-season, and end of last season was just a taster for what we could see this year. I’m seriously excited to see how Dylan fares at this level, and I think he’s going to flourish into one of the most dangerous wingers in the division!

Where will we finish?

With our current squad, and the lack of depth in it, I think I’d be expecting a mid to lower mid table finish – I’m going to go for a comfortable 14th place finish, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some extra reinforcements help push us a little further up the table!

Jonathan Hooper

Thoughts on the summer…

It is great that most of last season’s squad has been retained, this will help with the teams cohesion and hopefully lead them to a positive start to the season. Sad to see a couple of faces leave but they have been replaced well.  I think Mark Cooper’s transfer business has been solid but not spectacular. I don’t think there has been that jaw dropping signing that gets me really excited.

What are you most excited about this season?

Yeovil going into matches and not being clear favourites and not playing against teams who sit 11 men behind the ball. Also up there is the fact Sofascore data now covers the National League 🤓

Who’s our key player?

Ollie Wright. With a whole new Goalkeeping team and how last season’s two goalkeepers at the start of the season were released or sent out on loan before Christmas, Ollie Wright and the back four need a good start to the season if the Glovers are to be successful.

Who’s going to be our breakout star?

I’m going to go for Dylan Morgan who just edges Harvey Greenslade for me. Dylan was great in the last couple of games last season and has been in red hot form in preseason. I can see him really pushing on this season.

Where will we finish?

I do think we have the talent for the top 7, however, I don’t think we have enough depth to properly challenge. We are light in a couple of areas still which may see us struggle at times this season and the bigger benches will help the teams with bigger squads. I’d prefer us to finish 17th if not in the top 7 – just so we avoid that awful new competition with premier league U21 teams next season. Prediction: 15th

Former Gloverscast Quiz Champion Rob Manley

Thoughts on the summer…

I’m glad it’s finally over and football for three points is back. It’s been a weird feeling seeing a number of the squad from last season depart and new lads coming in and I would prefer us to have completed our squad before the season has started (sounds like at least one more still to come) but in Cooper we trust!

What are you most excited about this season?

Being back at National League level. Last season was great in terms of the results and the feel good factor, but we only did what we should have done. We are too big for the NLS but realistically we aren’t one of the biggest sides in the NL anymore. So, I’m looking forward to going toe to toe with some big clubs, visiting some new grounds with the boy (and the away day gloves) and supporting the team week in week out.

Who’s our key player?

Ollie Wright. Big gloves to fill the void of Joe Day for the youngster and he’s going to be busy this season both with his hands and feet.  We’re going to need him to make saves he should be making, and saves that he shouldn’t be making as well. Hopefully he’ll be worth/win us 10-15 points by keeping cleanos and taking some pressure off the attackers needing to score multiple goals to win us matches. 46 1-0s will do me nicely.

Dylan Morgan. Picture courtesy of Iain Morland.

Who’s going to be our breakout star?

Dylan Morgan has looked on it this pre-season and carried on his purple patch from the end of last season. It’s great to see him with a full full-time pre-season under his belt. If we can get 10 goals and assists out of him then it sets us up nicely. He’s the one player I think we could be looking to make a decent profit on if a bigger club comes in for him. Outside of Morgan, I’m hoping for decent things from Greenslade and Pearson as well

Where will we finish?

50 points as soon as possible is my target. Anything on top of that, for me, is a bonus in the first season back in the National League. Staying in it is a must and I think we’ll be in and around mid-table.

What do you reckon Yeovil fans? Let us know your views in the comments!

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It’s the summer of polling it seems, and once again, at the Gloverscast we’ve completed the most comprehensive survey of Yeovil Town FC supporters out there. For the third year in a row we asked supporters to score how they feel about issues on the pitch and off the pitch on a scale of 1-7.

Who took part?

This year, 387 supporters completed the survey – down on the 552 and 499 from the previous seasons. More than half of respondents (54%) were over 45 years old and 90% were male. 

What did they tell us?

One of the major developments at the club since Martin Hellier’s takeover last summer has been the improvement to the facilities and match day experience, and that is coming through clearly in the data. We’ve seen a jump of nearly 2 points on the match day experience, customer service and atmosphere and a nearly 3 point jump in Huish Park being ‘well looked after’.


There’s also been an improvement in the perception of the food and drink offering and value for money. With the quality of food increasing to 4.47 vs 3.15 and drink to 4.85 from 3.53. Supporters also think they’re getting better value for money than previous seasons, with the average score 4.34 out of 7, compared to 3.15 and 2.88 in 2022/23 and 2021/22.

In other areas off the pitch, supporters have recognised the improvements made. Supporters feel communication has significantly improved, feel more valued and proud of the club. There is also a recognition that the club has made more effort in the community in the last 12 months.

Areas where there has been improvement, but the score is average is around listening, and who to contact. 

On the pitch

Of course, it was a championship winning season for the Glovers and that is reflected in the scores with support for the job Mark Cooper and the job he did.

And if any wasn’t sure, Jake Wannell was voted as player of the season – again.

The Future

Looking to the future of the club, supporters are narrowly more optimistic than they were last season (we surveyed just after Martin Hellier took over.)

Supporters Groups

When we surveyed in 2023, the Glovers Trust had just hosted the meeting at Johnson Park about the creation of a supporters group that represented all supporters. In the survey last year, the support for a group that represents all supporters scored 5.76 out of 7 and that support has held up this year with a score of 5.38. 

78% of supporters surveyed aren’t part of any group and those who aren’t also support the idea of one group with a score of 5.32.

In Conclusion

We are a much happier bunch than we were in the last two seasons and with good reason. On the pitch we’ve won the National South at the first time of asking and off the pitch, the match day experience is night and day compared to previous seasons. Huish Park has had investment which has seen the creation of The Ciderspace, the upgrading of the Alec Stock Lounge and corporate facilities and those changes are clearly impacting how people feel about the club.’

I am most surprised that the support for a single supporters group has held up, showing that even in these good times the supporters of the club would welcome an organisation that represents them and they can be a part of.

As Yeovil head back into National League after one season, the strides the club has taken has made it nearly unrecognisable from the club 12 months before and that is clear in the numbers.

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After being rumoured to join for well over a year, signing number five is finally through the door! At last, former Torquay United striker, Aaron Jarvis has signed on the dotted line, to complete a move to the Glovers’ which has been a long time coming. The 26 year-old forward has signed a 2-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2026.

In this article, I will be doing an analysis on Aaron Jarvis. The article will include:

  • Player Profile
  • Previous History
  • Key Strengths
  • Areas To Improve
  • Key Stats – 23/24
  • How he suits the “Mark Cooper System”
  • Conclusion

Enjoy the read! Any feedback would be massively appreciated as I continue to analyse every signing the Glovers’ make this summer. I would also be interested in hearing your opinion on the signing of Aaron Jarvis and how the summer has gone so far?

PLAYER PROFILE

  • Name: Aaron Jarvis
  • Position: Forward (Striker)
  • Age: 26 (24/01/98)
  • Height: 6ft 2in (188cm)
  • Strong Foot: Right
  • Previous Club: Torquay United (2022-2024)
  • Previous Club Stats: 56 Games – 24 Goals
  • 23/24 Season Stats: 19 Games – 1596 Minutes – 9 Goals – 1 assist

PREVIOUS HISTORY

2016 – Signs his first professional contract at Basingstoke Town.

2016-2017 – Basingstoke Town – 47 Games – 14 Goals.

2017 – Signs for Luton Town from Basingstoke.

2017-2018 – Boreham Wood (Loan) 4 Games – 0 Goals.

2019 – Falkirk (Loan) 12 Games – 0 Goals.

2019-2020 – Sutton United – 25 Games – 3 Goals

2020 – Hemel Hempstead (Loan) 6 Games – 1 Goal

2020-2022 – Scunthorpe United – 32 Games – 4 Goals

2022-2024 – Torquay United – 56 Games – 24 Goals

Aaron Jarvis

KEY STRENGTHS

Local – One thing that has been a pattern of our recruitment over recent seasons is our ability to pull the best local players to Huish Park. This has continued in the current summer window with signings such as, Harvey Greenslade, from Bristol Rovers and Brett McGavin from Torquay. Aaron Jarvis follows this pattern, also from Torquay United.

National League Experience – Aaron Jarvis’ best season in his career came in the National League, in a season where his side were relegated. In the 2022/23 season, Aaron Jarvis scored 15 goals in 39 matches, despite the Gulls’ being relegated. He was one of the best strikers in the National League that season because of his physical attributes and quality in front of goal.

Player Familiarity – When joining a new club, player familiarity is always a big part of settling in, having people you know around you can make things a lot more comfortable. In his time at Torquay, Aaron Jarvis played with Brett McGavin and Frank Nouble. The forward combination of Jarvis x Nouble almost kept Torquay in the National League at the end of the 22/23 season, as they scored 8 goals between them in 9 games. In this time Torquay lost just 2 games.

Work rate  – Obviously work rate is mostly a positive thing. In my “areas to improve” I have given my reasons why I believe Jarvis presses too much, however, this can also be seen as a positive. Jarvis working hard allows us to press higher up the pitch, allowing his to sit higher and win the ball back in dangerous areas. His defensive actions are excellent because of his work-rate.

Entering His Prime – Jarvis is the oldest signing we have made this season, at just 26, which shows the way we are trying to recruit this summer. We have lots of experienced players in such as Frank Nouble, Michael Smith and Alex Whittle so bringing in a few more young talents is a good option. Aaron Jarvis joins the likes of Matt Worthington, Charlie Cooper and Jordan Maguire-Drew as the players in their prime ages of 26-28. Bringing these players in meaning they can still improve but have enough experience in the senior game to help the younger players.

Ariel Threat – One of the strongest parts of Aaron Jarvis’ game is his ability in the air. In the 2023/24 season, Jarvis made 15.1 Ariel duels per 90, winning 40% of these. I’m sure he will want to improve his success rate of the duels but he doesn’t shy away from them.

Movement – One of the most important parts to a forwards game is his off the ball movement. If you are slow and lethargic when creating space for yourself or teammates, you will miss the chance and a defender will cover your run. Jarvis is able to mix his runs up, sometimes he will come to feet to hold up the ball, other times he will spin I behind to stretch the defence.

Goal Output – In his two year spell in Devon, Jarvis has netted 24 goals in 56 games. Despite only playing 19 times for the Gulls’ last season, the big number nice scored a goal every 178 minutes, taking his tally to 9 for the season. In a team that really struggled, near the bottom end of the table, these are impressive numbers.

https://www.twitter.com/vanarama/status/1802644857552560544?s=46&t=Wqhbr9zW6SC9Vqq85Pu_MQ

AREAS TO IMPROVE

Injury Worries – Over the last year or so, Jarvis has spent lots of time in the medical room trying to recover from his injuries. Jarvis spent half of the season out with a knee injury last season, meaning he was only able to make 19 appearances for the Yellow Army. Yeovil took the risk signings injury prone players last season with likes of Rhys Murphy and Jake Hyde. It’s a risky move but one that can be awarded if he is kept fit.

Passing – In a Mark Cooper side you have to be a quality passer of the ball. His teams like to keep possession of the ball so having good ball players is vital. Jarvis man certainly isn’t a bad passer of the ball but his accuracy needs to improve. Cooper will be able to coach this into him and he will get used to style of play throughout pre season.

Overpressing – A final weakness to Jarvis’ game is one that could be said about former player, Alex Fisher. Jarvis is more agile and free-moving than Fisher, but the same things apply to this weakness. I have explained the positives of a hard worker, so here are the negatives. If Jarvis is to press hard, running from side-to-side, this could then see him out of position and away from play if Yeovil do win the ball off of the opponents. I would much rather see Jarvis be given the instructions to “stay between the penalty box lines”, to keep him in position centrally.

KEY STATS – 23/24

Stats produced by FevsFootball.

General Passing;

  • Passes Per 90 – 19.0
  • Passing Accuracy – 67%
  • Progressive Passes Per 90 – 2.5
  • Progressive Passing Accuracy – 64%
  • Passes to Final Third Per 90 – 2.9
  • Passes to Final Third Accuracy – 61%

Creative Passing:

  • Key Passes Per 90 – 0.35
  • Passes to Penalty Area Per 90 – 1.26
  • Passing to Penalty Area Accuracy – 48%
  • Through Passes Per 90 – 0.15
  • Through Passing Accuracy – 67%
  • Crosses Per 90 – 0.56
  • Crossing Accuracy – 45%

On The Ball:

  • Touches in Box Per 90 – 3.4
  • Dribbles Per 90 – 2.1
  • Dribble Success Rate – 56%
  • Fouls suffered Per 90 – 2.7

Goals/Assists/Shots:

  • Shots Per 90 – 2.73
  • Shots on Target – 39%
  • xG Per 90 – 0.51
  • Goals Per 90 – 0.45
  • Conversion Rate – 17%
  • Assists Per 90 – 0.05

Duels: 

  • Offensive Duels Per 90 – 13.2
  • Offensive Duels Won – 29%
  • Defensive Duels Per 90 – 2.9
  • Defensive Duels Won – 60%
  • Ariel Duel Per 90 – 15.1
  • Ariel Duels Won – 40%
  • Loose Ball Duels Per 90 – 8.8
  • Loose Ball Duels Won – 37%

HOW WILL HE FIT IN?

In this picture above I have provided a squad update which shows what sort of role I believe Aaron Jarvis will take up in this Yeovil side. With the incomings of two strikers so far this summer in Jarvis and Greenslade, our forward options are improving drastically. I believe that Jarvis will be our starting striker next season because of his experience and proven record of goals at National League level for Torquay.

With the 4231 formation being the likely tactic that Cooper applies next season, Jarvis is likely to be used as a single striker, with three just behind him, probably including Frank Nouble. I’m sure we will see the brilliant linkup of Nouble and Jarvis, similar to what we saw at Torquay at the end of the 2022/23 season.

This is shown in the photo below.

Similar to all of my other analysis’ I will explain what sort of role Jarvis would play in a 5 at the back formation, which is sometimes used by Cooper when we are leading or lacking the wide players.

The photo below shows how we will probably line up if we do play a 5 at the back. Jarvis and Nouble would make a fantastic partnership up top with Jordan Young playing behind them. The width comes from the wingbacks, who will be given a licence to get forward and deliver crosses into the box, which play to the strengths of Jarvis and Nouble.


CONCLUSION

I really like this signing, I think it adds a lot of quality and depth to our front line. We have brought in a player who is entering his prime at 26, so should be in peak performance. Jarvis has a lot of experience to help improve Harvey Greenslade whilst also giving us quality going into this season.

His previous link up with Frank Nouble at Torquay has the potential to cause serious issues for opponents as they are aware of each others strengths and have proven records with one another.

If we can keep Jarvis fit I believe we have a player who can score us 15-20 goals next season but that is the most important thing. We MUST keep him fit, whether that means bringing him off earlier in games or resting him in a busy period.

Overall, I am a big fan of the signing and I can see it being a successful acquisition.

What are your thoughts on the signing?

As I have previously stated, any feedback or comments are massively appreciated and taken on board. I hope you enjoyed the read, Thankyou!