Tired and a little unhealthy. In a cheap, motorway services hotel. Should leave my disappointment behind but… *thoughts arising*.

I’ve watched Town’s last five games live, and seen three hideous defeats, against (arguably) three pretty ordinary sides. Yesterday’s – at Port Vale – was the most painful, most galling of the lot. Vale were 23rd in the division: they should have scored six.

Artell is under legitimate pressure, now. Everybody knows this is a decent squad for this division… but they’re in a mess.

It’s kinda fascinating to note that a new coach – a ‘number 2’ – has come in. We can’t know what level of influence he wields but believe me, there’s already significant disquiet brewing, amongst the natives. The Mariners were an absolute mess in the Potteries, and plenty of that felt structural/tactical.

A billion fans (well, 1100-plus) turned up to cheer them on. We were vocal and in the mood; it felt great – great to be out-singing the locals. Sadly (and for me, embarrassingly) many of those Town fans booed loudly at the exhausted and dispirited players at the end of the game.

I get that we ‘have that right’… but it’s still ‘orrible and unhelpful. Town were crap and the leadership did a woeful job of ‘changing things’ but don’t go booing them. They’re knackered and it’s hurts them as much as us.

You wanna caricature? Artell sent out a team without a midfield; or with one genuine midfielder and no legs. Turi has quality and he did his thing, trying to play heads-up football and prise something open. But Green and Cartwright want to play advanced roles; where was Doyle or Walker? Who was intercepting – who was closing down?

As the game developed, with Town chasing the proverbial shadows, diabolically exposed in defence, and winning zero second balls, it seemed crazy that Artell failed to introduce Doyle’s disruptive energy. Cartwright – obviously A Player – was rightly pulled after about an hour, and later changes were made, but the leadership were concerningly blind to clear issues all over the park. Amaluzor was woeful and surely cannot be selected. Cook is (as the song goes) ‘hard as ****’ but he is practically immobile and can no longer bully defenders in this division. Vale had space to play.

Changing the centre-back pairing every week is killing us, too. McJannet has been heroic and Maldini pulled off one of the goal-line saves of the century, but it didn’t work. My hunch is Maldini has to go to right back and either Rogers plays centrally or Tharme comes in. We have good defenders but we’ve been defending badly: a good deal of this is down to bad coaching or bad strategy. The first half against Vale was a horrorshow… but there were no changes at the half. Artell either needed to deliver the most fearsome scalp-scorcher of all time, or articulate a clear and clearly-understood re-set. Apparently neither happened.

Town did come out with some spirit, after that break, to be fair. Vernam – who has been on my list of unselectables, for his long-term inability *to convert* – looked a decent player but again failed to score when presented with space to shoot, straight in front. (Keeper made a good save, but the wide man had to score). Rogers also scuffed feebly with his left foot, when it seemed he had to equalise. The fans tried to lift themselves but with less commitment: Vale looked like scoring nearly every time they got up the park. It was a tough gig, for our lot.

So what’s to be done? Artell is under pressure. True, he has no strikers – I expect him to address that at the earliest opportunity. Morgan has potential; he is willing enough and mobile enough and plays with some intelligence. I pick him ahead of Cook. Everything’s a gamble but given the lack of forward options and the relative depth of defenders and midfield players, I switch the system. There are two major contenders, strategically.

One. Pym stays; we go to three ‘centre’-backs – probably McJannet/Tharme/Maldini or Rogers – with flying wing-backs in Sweeney and A. N Other, with Turi, Cartwright and Doyle or Walker in central midfield. Green is ahead of them with Morgan ahead of him. So 3-5-1-1 in possession and 5-3-2 out of it. (Understand that this may place all or any of Maldini/Vernam/Rogers on the bench. Tough… but we should have good players on the bench!) When we have the ball we ask midfield players (both wide and central) to make runs around and past the forwards. When we lose the ball we protect: now, we really don’t want to get beat.

Two. We play 4-5-1, with Morgan as a kind of false 9. Green, Cartwright and others get around and past him. We swamp the opposition’s midfield rather than the other way around.

Some will view these options as essentially defensive. Not for me. They make better use of our resources. Accept we have to get more athletes in the team. We look – we probably are – relatively ponderous. Morgan is no sprinter but he can run and run with the ball. He can keep it and make a yard for a pass or a strike. Cook can’t do that – not this Cook. Look to play bright but simple football. Not expecting City or Barcelona’s ‘carousel’s but that’s the aspiration. Much fewer long balls. Much more movement. Use that carpet.

Some will know I’m a part-time supporter. Happy for Proper Fans to correct and even abuse me. Up the Mariners.

Pic? I was pleased to see the Port Vale club shop respect my visit. Erm, will rotate the pic as soon as I work out why it’s not being presented on here… like it is… elsewhere…