Club silent over McLeod

The Official Site was quick to acknowledge our failings at Northwich Victoria but was strangely silent on the elbowing incident at the restart when Izale McLeod flattened an opponent off the ball. There has been no comment or sign of any action since. The television cameras spotted it and the match commentators were quick to condemn McLeod. Presumably something was said but there the end doesn't justify the means and we were lucky not to be reduced to ten men.

With hindsight, McLeod's sending off wouldn't have made any difference for us and might even have garnered a response from the others. As it is, it can only be a matter of time before McLeod is cited and punished by the authorities for his violent actions. In his current form fans will hope for a long ban. He hasn't made the grade at Championship or League One level and it's high time we acknowledged this and moved him on.

The big problem is that we don't have anyone who is visibly any better. What surprises me is that with an obvious shortage in defence we are quick to enter the market as Yassin Moutaouakil will testify, but the management and Board seem blind to the deficiency upfront. Dickson and Fleetwood are obviously not the answer and neither are Burton and McKenzie, although both could do a job this season with a proper striker in tandem, assuming they were fit and both look short of that to me.

I wouldn't like to be picking the side for the Southampton game tomorrow night. What a quandry? Does he change it around and risk losing three in-a-row? If he does, then he will at least have a ready-made excuse. If he doesn't and goes with the same side to attempt to atone for Sunday, then he risks tiring the first team squad for the important league match against MK Dons. At least Mk Dons also have a JPT match this evening against Northampton.

I guess changes to the formation are needed as much as the personal although it's hard to argue against 4-5-1 at St Mary's and 4-4-2 at home on Saturday. I would change our central midfield formation and bring Bailey back into the heart of things. That probably means no place for Racon but he's been out-of-sorts lately and needs to think about his contribution.

We look light on the left flank and moving Bailey to the middle won't help that. If Luke Holden is fit, he should be tried. That or play Sam left and Wagstaff right. Upfront is a bit of a lottery but we shouldn't waste a shirt on McLeod. I'd play Burton and McKenzie but would let them know I have Tuna on half-time standby. No place for Shelvey then, but he's simply not playing with the directness and focus of last season or the first games of this year. Can't see much different for Saturday unless Richardson is fit.

Carl Ikeme didn't do anything wrong at Carlisle, but the folly of dispensing with our number two was clear from Sunday's game. Randolph must play in the next couple.