NL: Barnet v Torquay United 3pm 19 November 2022

Dreading this game.

It’s one thing getting hammered by Chesterfield and Derby County but I’m envisaging something like 3-0 tomorrow and losing like that to Barnet really would be deeply concerning.

To be honest, I am not too upset by shipping goals against Derby County.

I am more concerned about being able to beat the likes of Gateshead and Yeovil - not draw.

Would be great to get a win at Barnet. Odds firmly against, but not impossible.

We are desperate for fresh legs but it is clear Johnson has deemed our mountain of centre backs and central-midfielders not good enough. So I would be very keen for Smith to start.

We cannot keep overusing Lapslie and Hall. For me, Lapslie should start with Hall ready to replace him for the last twenty minutes.

If we can put Smith in, we don’t have to work out which of Hanson, McGavin and Donnellan is least bad. The answer to that is probably Donnellan, but we probably need him at right back.

If Wyatt or Martin were fit, I would play Moxey at centre-back and give Ellis a rest.

As they are not, I would have Moxey at left back so probably need Ellis in the middle. Alternative would then be to leave out Ness. You then need to pick the least bad out of Marshall, Omar, Tomlinson and Donnellan. Bit of deja vu. The answer to that is probably Donnellan but we probably need him at right back.

If Moxey is at left back, we could play Crowe at right back, but Donnellan is less bad than him there.

If Goodwin is injured, we can play all of Ness, Ellis and Smith, but we are left very short up front.

Andrews is playing his way back to fitness and does not look to me like he is ready for a start.

Alternative would be 4-2-3-1 with probably McGavin in the hole. Trouble is that position needs someone with verve and energy - qualities McGavin badly lacks. He is no Lemonheigh-Evans who had the energy to be both a third central midfielder and a second striker.

Our problem is not so much that 4-4-2 is necessarily wrong, it is that it is impossible to play any system well if you lack pace and energy. 4-2-3-1 was great with Nemane, Lemonheigh-Evans and Whitfield. With what we have, Jarvis would be isolated. 3-5-2 is great if you have wing-backs who get up and down. With this squad, it has looked absolutely terrible.

4-4-2 is as good as anything but the middle two have to be a “solid two”. Hall five years younger would be great, but not now for ninety minutes. Lapslie and Smith would be o.k. Before the season started, I though Hanson and / or Donnellan would be o.k. Not so sure now though!

Smith frozen out. Evans now on bench to make the 5th loanee. Well, let’s hope Hanson and McGavin can come good. I’ve not seen a good performance from either yet.

I hope we haven’t buggared him up by pressing him into action before he was ready. Has not looked anything like fit when coming on as a sub.

A real kick in the teeth for Smith that we would rather have an unfit Evans on the bench than have him start.

If we buggar Evans up by bringing him on before he is ready, Smith might get a chance next week.

I really hope De Silva is not out for long. When I complain about the squad’s lack of pace and energy, De Silva is possibly the only player who is totally exempt from that criticism.

.. other possible shape is Goodwin wide in a 4-2-3-1.

Commentator suggests back four with Wearne in front of Donnellan, so is Goodwin wide on the left?

Well that didn't take long did it?
Were like a leaky bucket.