Up against it

Dean Holden takes his troops up to Peterborough United this weekend hoping and praying for a result to keep the wishful-thinking candle burning after a humbling League Cup exit at struggling Newport on Tuesday. 

Football fans are fickle (as we know) and ours with more reason to be than most. However, the out-pouring of dissatisfaction following Tuesday's defeat surprised even me. The pre-season tidal wave of new dawn optimism following the consortium takeover was ludicrously over-the-top and far too many of us forgot just how poor our side was last year (ok, we finished tenth in the end). Yet the side facing Leyton Orient last week started with nine players who were on our books last year. Our two top scorers were absent and instead we were relying on diminutive Alfie May to fill the gap.

I fully expected us to bring in a striker this week to allay the glaringly obvious weakness as things stand but at lunch-time on Thursday there is no sign of it. I know these moves aren't straightforward but we were told on several occasions that we had identified all our targets and that we were desperate for the takeover to conclude so we could do our business. It begins to look very much like another striker wasn't in the plan and that perhaps they are prepared to wait another few weeks for Leaburn to return. If that's the case, the notion of a serious promotion challenge is laughable. Without May or Leaburn our only option is the inexperienced Kanu whose game has yet to transfer from the Academy to the First Team.

We also picked-up a rash of injuries on Tuesday which I am hoping were more 'in my defence' type of knocks given the parlous showing and defeat than serious injuries. Dean Holden will, no doubt, enlighten us today but we don't look in great shape to face one of the league's more consistent home performers on Saturday. Posh's Kabongo Tshimanga is being linked with a £500k move to Wrexham but Jonson Clarke-Harris, Kai Corbett and David Ajiboye remain. 

We managed two draws against them last year but were a tad fortunate to cling on at their place back in March. Injuries aside, I am very worried about us playing three at the back and they are not the side to be trying it against once more. They get the ball forward quickly with runners and will make it very difficult for us if we persist. I would much prefer to see four at the back and five in midfield when we only have one proven striker available. Please, please, no more Charlie Kirk.

If we go 3-5-2 again I can't see us returning with anything. I can see a routine 2-0 home win.