Crewe Alex 0-5 Chesterfield 24/25 Review - Shambles

Where do you even start trying to pick apart a game that bad? Well, you don't. What we're going to do now is zoom out and look at the bigger picture, because if you try to analyse the minutiae of this one performance, you're doing it wrong. No, let's pull all the way back and start with our first issue.

Identity

What is the Alex's identity under Lee Bell? What style of football do they try and play? Is it passing out from the back? Is it big, tough launch it forward and play off the big man? Are they a set piece team? In truth, they aren't much of anything. They are a confusing mess or multiple ideas and philosophies thrown together without much thought or planning.

Last season, they were the same, but they pulled results out of their asses to cover for the lack of a clear plan. That goes back into last August, where they kept falling behind and having to recover from losing positions.

Formation

This sort of relates into the first point, but the biggest bug bear I've had with Bell for a long time now is he doesn't have a formation which works for more than a couple of games. In over 12 months of games, he's chopped and changed between 3 and 4 at the back systems, with everything in between being tried.

The 4-2-3-1 they're trying at the moment looks a mess. Why, with Connolly, Demetriou Knight-Lebel and Williams all available, are they not starting with a 3 at the back. It makes no sense. Yes, they would be a little weak at right wing back, but its the system that suits what they have. I don't get it.

Recruitment

If I hear one more person say the recruitment at this club is good, I'm going to scream. It's really not. Let me recap. Of the 7 summer signings the Alex made 12 months ago, only 3 of them worked. Those were Jack Powell, Mickey Demetriou and Joe White. The other 4 were Shilow Tracey(terrible), Ryan Cooney(terrible), Aaron Rowe(mediocre in my eyes, but average at best if I'm being generous) and Harvey Davies(terrible). How much impact did Josh Austerfield and Lewis Leigh add in January as well?

Now, we're of course too soon into this team to write off Sanders, Hemmings, Lankester and co, but the early returns aren't positive. Those 3 looks poor. Bogle hasn't even been able to play. Marschall is already attracting(harsh) criticism. And if this team does start to struggle, are players like Conway, Breckin and Knight-Lebel going to help dig you out of the mess?

It's not just the individuals signed which I question, it's how the whole squad has been assembled. This group isn't built for a 4-2-3-1, as neither Holicek or Tabiner look good enough to play in the number 10, their wingers are Tracey(rubbish), Long(injured as usual) and Lankester(good enough?) and Hemmings doesn't seem to suit the lone striker role.

They lacked a natural left back until Conway signed, which was a mistake. Their defence is 1 experienced players and a bunch of others under the age of 25, which is looking like a mistake given how porous they look. They cheaped out at the goalkeeping position, as usual. There are so many odd choices when it comes to who they've signed and why. The squad might have the numbers, but there are serious question to be asked if there anywhere near enough quality in the group.

Academy

I don't quite subscribe to the idea that this club is losing it's academy identity. But the fact is, they've started 3 academy players in their 2 league games this season. Yes, that might have been higher had Booth been fit, But what used to be at the core of successful Alex teams, a strong core of academy players, feels like a distant memory. Why is Callum Agius not getting on the bench and 3 defenders are?

Why, out of a squad of 26 players, are only 10 players graduates? Now, I don't see that as being a "pathway blocked issue" personally, I see that as yet another example as to how the clubs academy model is slowly dying. 10 players out of 26 feels like it must be close to an all time low. And that doesn't even go into the lack of quality in these graduates.

I'd also like to know why Williams was made vice captain when he's a poor choice for that position. Why today did were Connolly, Sanders and Thomas the scapegoats to get dragged off int he first half when Williams, Tabiner and Holicek were probably the better choices. That can't be good for squad morale can it, when the accountable players aren't being held to account just because they are academy graduates.

What's next?

All this leads me to wonder what comes next. We're back to square one formation and starting XI wise, with nobody really deserving their place for Swindon. The players confidence is through the floor. The manager looks like he hasn't got a clue what he's doing in any aspect of managing the team. There are very, very few positives to take from this. The only hope now is that next week, they play a Swindon side who are similarly in poor form and low on confidence. But lose that game and I get the sense the crowd will turn on the management.

Ref Watch

Worryingly, I felt he actually favoured the Alex with his decision making. But he didn't have any major decisions to make and was fine.

Management Assessment

Erm. Yeah, skip.

Player Assessments

Filip Marschall

The only player who could hold his head up high. Made a number of decent stops to keep the scoreline from being double what it was. Maybe he could have done better with 1-2 of the goals, but I don't think the criticism he's receiving at the moment is justified.

Ryan Cooney

Seems like a good dressing room presence, but he's a NL standard player. I get Billington has struggled recently, but he's the infinitely better player.

James Connolly

Yes, he was really poor, but was he the player that deserved to get hauled off in defence? No, he wasn't.

Mickey Demetriou

He has to be better. He's nowhere near the levels we're used to seeing from him. I feel for him trying to lead a group of youngsters in defence, but he has to start showing his leadership, as the body language of his team mates isn't acceptable.

Zac Williams

He is not a LB. He should not be starting at LB. Why is he still starting at LB? It's a worry that defensively, he's no better than what he was 2 seasons ago. Either start him at LCB in a back 3 or don't start him at all. It's that simple.

Max Sanders

Like Connolly, was he the right person to scapegoat for this shambles? No, I don't think so. Yes, he was poor, but Tabiner should have come off instead.

Conor Thomas

Bell talks about wanting to play attacking football and passing football. Thomas gives you neither. And what was that about him being good off the ball in protecting the defence? Total myth that's actually good, at anything. Should have been sent packing in the summer. Got a 2 year deal instead. Says a lot.

Jack Lankester

Should have scored from a great chance at 3-0 down. Not liking the early impressions, strikes me as another Tracey, a player that flatters to deceive.

Joel Tabiner

A shell of the player that started last season, not that that player was any great shakes. Chucked in the towel as the game slipped away, it was a slap in the face of supporters to see him stay on for 90 minutes. Needs to take a look in the mirror.

Matus Holicek

A few flashes, but they were few and far between as he looked lost on the left wing.

Kane Hemmings

Had a decent chance in the first half, but he seems to be struggling to play the lone striker role and that isn't being helped by the lack of service to him.

Subs

Max Conway

Probably the only outfield player to not stink the place out. Worryingly looked to be carrying an injury towards the end of the game. He starts at LB going forward.

Shilow Tracey

Came on for 62 minutes and had 11 touches. 11.

Jamie Knight-Lebel

Didn't far too much better than Connolly as Berry slipped in the 5th down his side.

Kian Breckin

Tried to get involved in midfield, but the game was drifting towards the full time whistle at that point.

Overall Verdict

Worrying. Very worrying. Good luck picking a starting XI for next week, as none of those players deserve to start again. If Bell can recover things from where they are right now, that'll be a more impressive achievement than finishing 6th last season. The fans forum on Thursday is going to be interesting.