Jorge’s asks is experience the key

KB was quoted as saying it will not be ability that will keep us in the league one next season. Although I am sure it helps. What was alcking saturday was the mental strenght to closed down a game and grind out a win. So really is experience the key to us staying up. If so what does our squad contain.

In Goal Rene Gilmartin as KB said after the game on for the future, definately not one for a survival fight. Andy Oakes, seems to be a confidence player and this is quite rare for a goal keeper. Andy is a relatively quiet keeper, and I worry about his mental ability to cope with the crunch games, if he makes a mistake and we go one down will he be able to pull himself around and keep us in the fight….I don’t know if he could which is a worry.

Defence The important thing for a relegation threaterned team is to be hard to beat and keep picking up points. With two 19 year old defenders in Gerrard and Fox we have a lack of experience. Gerrard saw us out of trouble last year but he was part of a winning team, Fox has never been in a relegation fight. So we have Roper see it been there won and lost knows what it takes. Westwood, spent most of his career fighting for promotion rather than against relegation, a different type of pressure. Pablo Mills, young but was key to MK Dons fight to pull out of trouble last year, could well be our Red Adare. Craig Pead, KB doesn’t seem to fancy him as ful back, and unproven in a scrape like Gerrard.

MidfieldPablo Mills can also play midfield and Simon Osborn also has the experience, both will be key additions to the squad following suspension. Dean Keates has been in fights for top and bottom, last seasons fight with Kiddy means he knows what it takes to do it. Kevin James has some experience battling the championship drop with the Gills, but I question his attitude. Grant Smith and Micheal Leary have experience of battles at both ends of the table but as loan players does it mean enough to them. Ishmal Demontagnac, pace to burn, potential by the bucket load but could be a liability with his disciplinary record and his poor tackling technique, bench only for Ishmel.

Forwards Barrowman, Constable, the answer is no, Scott Fitzgerald is like James should have but something in his make up makes me question his attitude and desire. So that leaves Stevie Claridge and Paul Devlin a big yes they have the experience but perhaps not the legs.

In KB and Mick Hassall we have the experience, we have in my opinion enough about the team to pull us around. Question marks about some of the younger players should be balanced out by Claridge, Devlin,Osborn, Roper Westwood and Mills. The problem goes back to the Paul Merson legacy, the left side and Andy Oakes.
With support rather than abuse we have the ability to stay up.