HertfordBee
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One week in ...
… and it’s far too early to make assessments, but here goes!
Our new Head Coach has shown naivety and bravery in equal measures over the course of the three games. I can’t say that’s entirely unexpected but Marinus’s success or failure will no doubt be somewhat based on how well he balances the two.
I posted some weeks back that I felt that the Sporting Directors had not lived up to their summer promises and I still subscribe to that view, as so much emphasis was based on having a big squad allowing Dijkhuizen to be able to rotate … “we want so much more choice than last season, etc, etc.” I know that injuries have hampered their efforts but – even allowing for the long-term losses of Bjelland, Jota and McEachran, we are still left with a squad of just 19 (and that’s assuming Andre Gray stays). We have to assume that this season's planning took place with the names of Hogan and Macleod on a separate piece of paper.
Ron Noades said little that I concurred with but I do recall one of his comments being that one should always assume that 10-15% of the playing squad will be unavailable through injury. So that’s about par for the course then – the huge drawback being that this batch are long-term absences. (By the way, that 19 includes Tebar, Yennaris and Saunders who we may not have expected to see too often).
So, what’s the impact of the injuries? I reckon Bjelland is a massive loss. His 40-minute display against Oxford was uninspiring to say the least, but he was clearly brought in as the mainstay of a back four intended to be much less porous than last season. Can O’Connell and Barbet fill his boots? Who knows, but over the course of a whole season the prospect of one of two inexperienced youngsters playing such a key role is a big, big gamble. I don’t for one moment believe that anyone really expected Dean and Tarkowski to be centre-back partners for the start of the season and I’d be amazed, and frankly disappointed, if they are there for the duration.
Jota’s loss is also a major blow. Aside from the entertainment value he provides, the goals he contributes are priceless. Personally, I don’t think his assists are anywhere near good enough – he has so much possession in dangerous areas but delivers such a small percentage of assists – but just look at last season’s goal-scoring credits. We scored 78 goals, I think. Take away those netted by Jota, Pritchard, Douglas, Dallas and more than half have disappeared. If Gray’s 18 were to go too, I reckon that’s 75% of last season’s goals that need to be found from elsewhere!! I’m not saying it’s impossible to achieve, but what a monumental ask!
McEachran’s absence is a frustrating one. If he was to be the holding midfielder and from the very, very limited view we’ve had of him, he doesn’t look to be someone to provide the defensive shield that the back-four is crying out for. We’ve seen already that Toumani probably doesn’t play that role either and the failure to have acquired a player like Mokotjo might prove to be the biggest loss of all.
What of the other newcomers who have so far remained fit and healthy? Gogia is a more exciting wing-man than Dallas but far less effective in providing a left-sided attacking/defensive partnership with Bidwell. That might change as he gets used to English football but will he be able to contribute the goals and assists that Dallas did? Hopefully so.
Kerschbaumer has got potential without doubt. So far he’s shown himself to be a willing worker and hard-runner but, and only to be expected in his early days, he alternates between impressive and invisible and does not influence the game in the way that Douglas was able to do. Maybe the loss of Douglas was inevitable and welcome off the field, but on the pitch his replacement is not ready-made at the moment.
Yoann Barbet looks promising but it has to be remembered that this time last year, he’d never kicked a ball in anger in a first-team professional game so patience will be a necessary virtue in his development.
Jack O’Connell looks the real deal – and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that he’ll turn out to be the unexpected star of the season!
And so to the front men. The Andre Gray scenario changes so rapidly that by the time I’ve finished typing this, he might have gone elsewhere! If he does, I genuinely fear for the season ahead. It has taken him a year to develop into the player he is and ready-made replacements within budget may not exist.
Philipp Hofmann will score goals I believe, maybe not as many as the tally that Gray notched last season. Lasse Vibe may score goals too, but he looks to be someone who a) needs a bit more time to become accustomed to the pace and strength of Championship football and b) needs to find a suitable role for both himself and the team.
Going back to where I started and the activities of the Sporting Director boys and the recruitment team. I can’t see much likelihood of a late influx of players to boost the ailing numbers so perhaps this really will be a genuine season of transition and stability with the January window proving to be the busiest we’ve seen since the Andy Scott days.
I reckon the shopping list so far reads: a replacement for Bjelland (on and off the field), a strong and effective defensive midfielder (six steps up from Alan McCormack) and a true ‘number 10’ (have we got anyone who can currently play that role with ease?).
A couple of loans wouldn’t go amiss either – a wide player to cover for Jota’s absence and a left-sided player to compete with the only two currently at the club (Bidwell and Gogia).
And Andre Gary? Who knows? But don’t forget all those goals that need to be made up!! I'm not thinking about that any more - it's too frightening.
Our new Head Coach has shown naivety and bravery in equal measures over the course of the three games. I can’t say that’s entirely unexpected but Marinus’s success or failure will no doubt be somewhat based on how well he balances the two.
I posted some weeks back that I felt that the Sporting Directors had not lived up to their summer promises and I still subscribe to that view, as so much emphasis was based on having a big squad allowing Dijkhuizen to be able to rotate … “we want so much more choice than last season, etc, etc.” I know that injuries have hampered their efforts but – even allowing for the long-term losses of Bjelland, Jota and McEachran, we are still left with a squad of just 19 (and that’s assuming Andre Gray stays). We have to assume that this season's planning took place with the names of Hogan and Macleod on a separate piece of paper.
Ron Noades said little that I concurred with but I do recall one of his comments being that one should always assume that 10-15% of the playing squad will be unavailable through injury. So that’s about par for the course then – the huge drawback being that this batch are long-term absences. (By the way, that 19 includes Tebar, Yennaris and Saunders who we may not have expected to see too often).
So, what’s the impact of the injuries? I reckon Bjelland is a massive loss. His 40-minute display against Oxford was uninspiring to say the least, but he was clearly brought in as the mainstay of a back four intended to be much less porous than last season. Can O’Connell and Barbet fill his boots? Who knows, but over the course of a whole season the prospect of one of two inexperienced youngsters playing such a key role is a big, big gamble. I don’t for one moment believe that anyone really expected Dean and Tarkowski to be centre-back partners for the start of the season and I’d be amazed, and frankly disappointed, if they are there for the duration.
Jota’s loss is also a major blow. Aside from the entertainment value he provides, the goals he contributes are priceless. Personally, I don’t think his assists are anywhere near good enough – he has so much possession in dangerous areas but delivers such a small percentage of assists – but just look at last season’s goal-scoring credits. We scored 78 goals, I think. Take away those netted by Jota, Pritchard, Douglas, Dallas and more than half have disappeared. If Gray’s 18 were to go too, I reckon that’s 75% of last season’s goals that need to be found from elsewhere!! I’m not saying it’s impossible to achieve, but what a monumental ask!
McEachran’s absence is a frustrating one. If he was to be the holding midfielder and from the very, very limited view we’ve had of him, he doesn’t look to be someone to provide the defensive shield that the back-four is crying out for. We’ve seen already that Toumani probably doesn’t play that role either and the failure to have acquired a player like Mokotjo might prove to be the biggest loss of all.
What of the other newcomers who have so far remained fit and healthy? Gogia is a more exciting wing-man than Dallas but far less effective in providing a left-sided attacking/defensive partnership with Bidwell. That might change as he gets used to English football but will he be able to contribute the goals and assists that Dallas did? Hopefully so.
Kerschbaumer has got potential without doubt. So far he’s shown himself to be a willing worker and hard-runner but, and only to be expected in his early days, he alternates between impressive and invisible and does not influence the game in the way that Douglas was able to do. Maybe the loss of Douglas was inevitable and welcome off the field, but on the pitch his replacement is not ready-made at the moment.
Yoann Barbet looks promising but it has to be remembered that this time last year, he’d never kicked a ball in anger in a first-team professional game so patience will be a necessary virtue in his development.
Jack O’Connell looks the real deal – and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that he’ll turn out to be the unexpected star of the season!
And so to the front men. The Andre Gray scenario changes so rapidly that by the time I’ve finished typing this, he might have gone elsewhere! If he does, I genuinely fear for the season ahead. It has taken him a year to develop into the player he is and ready-made replacements within budget may not exist.
Philipp Hofmann will score goals I believe, maybe not as many as the tally that Gray notched last season. Lasse Vibe may score goals too, but he looks to be someone who a) needs a bit more time to become accustomed to the pace and strength of Championship football and b) needs to find a suitable role for both himself and the team.
Going back to where I started and the activities of the Sporting Director boys and the recruitment team. I can’t see much likelihood of a late influx of players to boost the ailing numbers so perhaps this really will be a genuine season of transition and stability with the January window proving to be the busiest we’ve seen since the Andy Scott days.
I reckon the shopping list so far reads: a replacement for Bjelland (on and off the field), a strong and effective defensive midfielder (six steps up from Alan McCormack) and a true ‘number 10’ (have we got anyone who can currently play that role with ease?).
A couple of loans wouldn’t go amiss either – a wide player to cover for Jota’s absence and a left-sided player to compete with the only two currently at the club (Bidwell and Gogia).
And Andre Gary? Who knows? But don’t forget all those goals that need to be made up!! I'm not thinking about that any more - it's too frightening.
