Back to Earth with a bump at Derby yesterday. The reality of where we find ourselves as a League One outfit was laid bare. Dean Holden's boys tried desperately hard but were beaten by a Derby side that didn't have to get out of third gear.
We tried to get forward throughout the match and whilst we could put two passes together moving out there was almost nothing in the final third. Technically we were woeful when we got there. Scott Fraser looked outclassed, Corey Blackett-Taylor was marked out of the game and Macauley Bonne ran about looking to head balls on to no-one. Rak-Sakyi at least looked lively but there was no end product. Aneke eventually came on for Bonne as if to underline the fact that we have nothing upfront without Leaburn.
Albie Morgan was back in for the disappointing Kilkenny but gave another stuttering performance. Dobson did Dobson stuff but he was operating in an over-run midfield.
Michael Hector earned his first start as Inniss was rested but he conceded the penalty for the opening goal with a naive handball and could only watch as the smaller Eiran Cashin held him off to power home the second which ended the contest. That January transfer window is beginning to look exactly what it was - cost-cutting and squad shrinking.
It was demoralising to watch and we might have taken a beating if Derby had bothered to find their higher gears. Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth might just manage that. I expect us to start March back in the bottom-half as we stumble to a mid-table finish. Half of our existing squad will then disappear as loanees depart and out-of-contract players look for better offers. Without an ambitious takeover, we look set for another Groundhog Year under Breakeven Sandgaard or an equivalent. A modest takeover might be an improvement but we need so much more to compete seriously in this league, like Ipswich, Wednesday, Derby, Bolton and Plymouth.
Thomas Snadgaard may want to save face and hope for a future windfall by retaining a minor share in the club, but surely he realises that his chances of doing that are only going to be enhanced by selling to an ambitious and financially capable bidder? Piddling about with those barely capable of meeting the 80% purchase price is only going to continue his financial liability and delay any chance he has of being able to one-day cash-in on his minor stakeholding.
As supporters desperate for real change, we really need to be refusing to simply handover our cash committing to another season in advance of seeing the extent of the owner's (whoever it is) ambition. It's all we have left bar the shouting.
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