Three games in charge and three defeats for new Gaffer Jim Gannon with todays 0-1 disaster at home to Cheltenham Town. Not the greatest of starts really. In terms of popularity he's up there with Dean Glover right now as our season continues it's alarming slide with calamity lurking around every corner.

Todays game was doomed from the start, from the moment Gannon chose to partner Anthony Griffith with centre-half Ritchie Sutton in midfield. Ritchie Sutton in central midfield! Why Jim? Why? Ok, we have been shorn of Gary Roberts (suspension) and Doug Loft (injury), and of course Tommy Fraser (mutual consent), but surely, surely Sam Morsy or the fit again Louis Dodds should have been starting today in midfield? Ritchie Sutton? Midfield general? Mind-blowing! Truly mind-blowing...

Obviously some aspects of todays game we cannot blame on Gannon. Gareth Owen getting sent off for a professional shortly before half-time wasn't Gannon's fault (given the 'history' between Gannon and Owen I bet there was an interesting conversation between the two regarding the incident). The fact that Lewis Haldane - after his life threatening insect bite over the summer - is simply not the same hustlin', bustlin', falling-down-for-no-reason-what-so-ever player that we marvelled over last season.

We carried no threat today. Justin Richards clipped the post in the last ten minutes, but we never tested the Cheltenham Keeper. Let's consider again our central midfield pairing, Griff and Sutton. Not an ounce of creativity between them, let's face it they can barely pass a ball. So given that could we really expect either of them to deliver defence splitting passes? No, we can't. Honest grafters, the pair of them, but they are not going to dictate play, they will not be pulling the strings.

New loan signing Jay O'Shea was given a full ninety minutes, and had a decent enough first-half, but couldn't keep up with the game during the second. Our other new signings, Kaylden Brown and Romaine Sawyers also joined the action late on, but couldn't provide any significant influence on the game.

We remain in fourth place, just two points behind Rotherham, and have plenty of home games to come, although if we see any more performances at Vale Park like todays that won't be any kind of advantage.

Ritchie Sutton? In Midfield? C'mon Jim, get a grip...

Photo: Action Images

valiant added 20:06 - Jan 22 Our season is becoming a joke! No way are we making the play-offs let alone automatic promotion. What is Gannon doing? He hasn't got a clue!!!
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