Football Clarke knows his squad will need a shake-up in January
MUCH as Darrell Clarke often changes his players or formation early in matches, the Bristol Rovers manager is looking to correct the errors made in recruitment this summer with a shake-up in January.
It was a busy summer for the Gas, bringing in ten new players, nine of whom went straight into the firstteam squad.
Incoming up front were Stefan Payne (Shrewsbury Town), Gavin Reilly (St Mirren, free agent) and Alex Jakubiak (Watford, loan), while in midfield Sam Matthews (Bournemouth, free agent), Alex Rodman (Shrewsbury Town, free agent), Theo Widdrington (Portsmouth, free agent) and Ed Upson (MK Dons, free agent) all joined the Gas.
Two players were added in defence, Tareiq Holmes-Dennis (Huddersfield) and Joe Martin (Stevenage, loan), along with goalkeeper Jack Bonham (Brentford, loan).
On reflection, it looks like Rovers have gone for quantity over quality, with their midfield stacked with options but quality pickings up front looking thin.
In the opposite direction, Rovers only lost two midfielders in Ryan Broom to Cheltenham Town and Byron Moore to Bury. Broom made just five first-team appearances last season, while Moore played 26 games for the Pirates without scoring.
So, it came as a slight surprise to see so many additions in a relative area of the strength and the result is Clarke has chopped and changed the midfield, trying to find his best combination this season.
This process has hurt the side, with key man Liam Sercombe, one the jewels in the side, forced to play on the wing at times to accommodate others. Sercombe can certainly do a job in a wide berth but he has said himself he much pre- fers to play in the centre where he can get constantly involved and make Rovers tick in attack.
Even though all four incoming midfielders were free agents their wages also remain a drain on the club’s resources when funds are short.
However, the real downfall of the summer’s transfer dealings were forced by a late scramble for strikers after Ellis Harrison left for Ipswich Town two weeks before the end of the transfer window. Rory Gaffney had already left for Salford City, who were willing to improve his wages significantly despite playing in the National League.
On deadline day two strikers were signed in Payne and Jakubiak, but between them they have registered just five goals this season, with the Watford man finding his game-time limited.
While it could have left Rovers short up front if they had suffered injuries, on reflection the club would have better to bring in one top striker instead of three average ones, with Kyle Bennett and Sam Matthews able to play as forwards if required.
Fans rightfully ask where the money from deals for Billy Bodin and Harrison has gone, although with Rovers reported to be making loses in the region of £20,000-a-week as of their last accounts, perhaps it has been used just to make ends meet.
The Bristol Post understands Rovers missed out on more than one attacking target this summer because of their limited budget, leading to Clarke’s frustration. However, Payne is understood to have cost the club about £200,000.
In his extraordinary press conference on Saturday, after the 4-0 home defeat to Doncaster Rovers, Clarke said: “Players will have to go out for me to get a couple of loans in, so there’ll be a few tweaks in January, so I know exactly where that is.
“We’re going to have to get rid of four or five, or move four or five on, that’s not rocket science. We need it (additions) at the top end of the pitch, don’t we?”
Talking budgets, he said: “In the last two years I’ve had a bottom six, bottom eight, budget and we’ve over-achieved. This year I’m underachieving as a manager and I’ll take that.
“My signings haven’t been good enough, without a shadow of a doubt I ain’t shirking responsibility, but it still needs that backing, pushing, facilities to move forward and we’re still in the same place.”
What is certain is if Rovers fail to invest and be smarter in January, it could cost them their place in League One as they do not look equipped to score enough goals to survive.