New men are not always the answer

New signings always generate excitement. But for every massive January hit at Posh like Sammie Szmodics and Jack Taylor there’s been a dismal flop like Shaquile Coulthirst or Adil Nabi.

Having said that I was disappointed not to see a new face or two arrive at London Road.

This season more than any other season, with its bonkers schedule and a Posh pitch that would receive a heavy going rating on a racecourse, fresh legs will be needed and the impact made by Szmodics and Reece Brown last January, two players who had hardly played before they pitched up at Posh, couldn’t have been more dramatic.

Posh were transformed from a misfiring outfit to the best team in League One. The boost to the squad and the fanbase was immeasurable.

Shrewsbury, a modest outfit with little attacking threat, unleashed a newbie who was full of running against Posh last weekend and he won them the game with two goals.

The way he drove at defenders before unleashing powerful shots was very reminiscent of Szmodics (right) last season.

I look with envy at the January transfer window business done by the likes of Hull, Lincoln and Doncaster, especially as Posh will be relying on attacking back-up from an 18 year-old who has never scored a Football League goal and a £1.2 million signing who has looked lost for 12 months now.

There are three forwards who cost close to £1 million in the current squad so I don’t blame the owners for expecting their summer outlay to be properly repaid with a promotion though.

But feeling disappointed as I do, does not mean I believe Posh promotion chances are over. Far from it, although I’m now convinced a top six finish is far more likely than top two.

That in itself would represent progress and that’s a decent achievement in these troubled times.

Anyway I remain hopeful because Posh have first-team players who would walk into every League One side (Dembele, Kent, Taylor, Thompson) and I still believe the main rivals for promotion don’t look that strong.

There’s no team playing the fantastic football delivered by League One champions Coventry City last season. There’s no team with the muscle and set-piece prowess of Rotherham United who in the end had to fluke their way up.

Sure, Posh will have to hope the star players stay injury free - look what happened without Kent and Taylor last weekend - but if they do, giving young players their head could work. If it did it would be much more satisfying than relying on players loaned from other clubs.

Posh have more points and are better placed than at this stage last season which is a big positive as well as backing up my claim about the standard of League One this season compared to 2019-20.

Win the two home games coming up and we’ll all forget the fuss failing to sign players in the middle of the season