Isn’t it amazing how just 90 minutes can define a season?
Yeovil Town had yet another ‘all guts, no glory’ performance against Chesterfield and came out on the losing side, with a first half stoppage time worldie changing the game and being the difference.
These conclusions are starting to feel like a broken record, but here are Ben’s five key takeaways from the Technique Stadium.
Pic: YTFC YouTube
Ben Barclay ‘gets it’ – he loves defending, he must be a joy to have in the defensive unit.
He’ll put his head in where it hurts and considering we love Luke Wilkinson and Max Hunt for similar traits, he’s quickly becoming a bit of a find for us.
At the time of writing, I’d like to know what his contract status is at Stockport, because if they go up, or deem him not to be in their plans, I’d certainly be looking to bring him in permanently.
Ben Barclay – he loves defending, and he loves defending for us.
At the other end… sometimes, you can’t do much more to score.
It’s no secret we’ve had our attacking problems this season, but at least yesterday it wasn’t for the want of trying.
Tom Knowles could have had a hat-trick, Luke Wilkinson should have had a least one, Adi Yussuf came close, Josh Staunton had a crack.
But sometimes, the fine margins don’t go your way.
On another day, Scott Loach in the Chesterfield goal doesn’t get his hand up, or Knowles’ wonder strike goes in off the bar rather than bounces out.
If the first half ends 3-1 to us, we go on and win the game.
Those moments haven’t gone for us all season, but on Saturday evening it looked destined to never fall for us.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
… and on that… I’m done with Adi Yussuf.
Sorry, I don’t like calling out individuals, but I’ve gone from giving him the benefit of the doubt to really struggling to understand what he brings to the table.
He gave away free-kicks, he misplaced key passes in attacking areas which would have led to more chances, he managed to somehow not bundle the ball home from a yard out in the second half, he got in the way of others, and he constantly got caught offside.
Reuben Reid needs to be given a run in the side above Yussuf in the pecking order if Olomola isn’t fit. Reid looked brighter in that final 10 minutes.
Sorry Adi, nothing personal.
I think, I’m looking forward to a Staunton, Gorman and D’Ath midfield.
Actually, I know I am, I quite excited by it.
Worthington, Barnett, Bradley and Lo-Everton have their place and in a squad environment they’ll all be very very handy, but, Josh Staunton looked he needed his mate, Gorman out there. Like Ant without Dec, Phil without Grant, it just looks a better fit for the team.
And as for D’Ath, he’s genuinely one of the best players in the league.
He’s that good. It’s all so effortless for him to pick a pass and to have the composure on the ball that so many around him were lacking.
If we can get those three on the pitch together singing from the same hymn sheet, that’s a bloody good midfield.
And finally, the manager made his clearest statement yet regarding the off-the-field future of Yeovil Town and it needs to be the catalyst for clarity.
Every word he spoke was correct, this is a team worth supporting, getting behind, enhancing, developing and moulding into a squad that can get Yeovil Town promoted.
If, as many now think, this season is over… next season must begin ASAP. That means clarity and plan of how we approach the medium to long term future of the team.
His own position included, either he needs to be told to go and get who he needs because he’s in charge, or told he won’t be allowing a new person to assess the squad.
That sounds brutal, and harsh and I’m very much ‘Sarll In’ but the time for next season to start is coming… and it’ll be here far sooner than the end of this current campaign.