Transfer Failings

At the business end of the season, for a side chasing promotion, one goal in three games is bad news. Darren thinks that the reason for the teams shortfall in front of goal is down to the manager.

It was inevitable.

Jim Magilton was quite clear that finding a forward was a priority in the January transfer window. He was quite clear that finding a forward was also a priority in the loan transfer window.

Both came and went and the club failed to bolster their squad sufficiently. Now, here we are just a few weeks later and the goals have dried up. As a result of this, so have the points.

At the end of january, we had three established forwards available to us- Jon Walters, Pablo Counago and Alan Lee. If either of the latter two got injured or lost form, then Jon Walters stepped into their shoes, moving from his midfield position to a forward role. But what happens when Jon Walters isnt fit? Then what happens when Pablo Counago is suspended? And then if Alan Lee suffers a chronic loss of form? There was no other alternative.

It could be construed that we were a little unfortunate to lose two forwards at the same time (plus short term fix, Shefki Kuqi), but when you know that the squad is short of forward options, its perhaps negligent not to be better prepared. Of course, the management will say they searched high and low, the proposed signing of David Nugent demonstrating some effort, but the fact remains that we were left short when we really needed it and we should have known better.

We wont get those games back again, and you wonder what Billy Clarke must be thinking, marooned on the substitutes bench in Falkirk whilst his employers go through a striker crisis.....