Crewe Alex 2-2 Newport County 25-26 Review - Coasting

It's ironic isn't it that the Alex played a team who play only a few miles from the sea tonight and they honoured them by coasting through this game. And in the end, they got a draw which honestly feels like a loss. This is my review of their point at home to Newport:

1st Gear

The Alex came out fired up and looked comfortably the better team. They created a few chances and got ahead after only 11 minutes thanks to Tezgel's 6th league goal of the season. But as time went on, the players showed less and less energy. They seemed content to let Newport have the ball and seemed confident in the knowledge that they wouldn't concede. What has led to this misguided arrogance I don't know.

Well, they were sort of proved right until Connolly deflected in a mishit shot on 49 minutes, the latest in an almost cartoonish level of comically bad goals they've let in this season. Then, with the game back level, they actually realised they might have to put some effort in and they looked by far the better team, even before the red card for CBR. But then, once March found the 2nd, they dropped into 1st gear and they got punished for a 2nd time. Only this time there was to be no reupping and finding the 3rd. It's embarrassing that professional players have to be reminded that they need to give 100% effort 100% of the time. They cannot coast through games, because any team at this level will punish them the moment they do.

Control

Part of why the Alex struggled tonight was because they simply don't know how to control the tempo of a game. I admire them for being more attack minded and it's definitely showing in the goals scored column. But it's so undisciplined and unstructured in it's application, it means they allow games to become basketball matches far too often. They don't know how to kill a game or simply put their foot on the ball and slow things down. So it leads to madness like the lead up to their 2nd equaliser, where the Alex are 2-1 up at home against 10 men and they are unable to see out a lead. Yet again, as they did at Cambridge. And Barnet. And Colchester. It's becoming a pattern and it's not getting better.

Squad Building Missteps

Yes, we can make excuses about them being down so many players and why various parts of the squad aren't strong enough. Well, part of that isn't Bell's fault I will say. Jack Lankester, Shilow Tracey and Joel Tabiner's injuries aren't on anyone. They are just unfortunate. As are a few issues.

But you look at the holes in this squad and you have to question so many poor choices over the last 2 years that led to this moment. The signings of Jay Mingi, James Golding, Dion Rankine and Louis Moult this last summer. The signing of James Connolly and Omar Bogle at the start of the 24-25 season. The re-signing of Conor Thomas, Jack Powell and Charlie Finney. And if I'm being brutally honest, the re-signing of Shilow Tracey. All big mistakes.

Why didn't they sign another experienced CB at any point in the last 3 transfer windows to ease the reliance and pressure on Demetriou. Why they didn't sign another CM in the summer. Why did they take 4 strikers into the season when they play a 4-2-3-1 formation. There are far, far too many moments where the wrong decisions were made in building the squad and it's a big part of what is costing them.

Wrong Again

Maybe people will say I'm criticising with the benefit of hindsight, but I didn't get the tactical decisions tonight, at all. First, Mingi went down in the first half and seemed in some discomfort. But instead of subbing him at HT, Bell kept him on. He lasted 10 minutes then off he came. 1 sub window wasted. Then 7 minutes later they bring on March, using their 2nd window. Why not bring both Finney and March on together, giving you 2 more windows. And why take off Lunt and not Thomas? We know Thomas is a ticking time bomb, asking him to complete the game was ridiculous because surely it would have been beyond him to start against Tranmere.

Ok, he stays on, but then they burn their 3rd sub window by bringing on Rankine and it left them with no ability to make further changes. It's the kind of poor decision making I'd expect from a rookie manager, not one 3 years into the job.

Decisions

After 19 games, you are what you are. And the Alex are capable of looking like the best and worst team in L2 at multiple times in the same game. But what we can say with certainty is that they currently aren't anywhere near consistent enough to mount a promotion push. Yes, they are 2 points off the play-offs. But their 8-3-7 record is indicative of a side that isn't good enough to mount a charge. They are winless in 4, but have only lost 1 of their last 6. They score goals, but concede too many.

So, the board have to ask what they want this season to look like and ask what more the manager can do. Is he the victim of the missteps of others and worthy of more backing in January? Or do they think that he has taken them as far as he can and they need to make a change? It'll be the former I have no doubt.

But the reaction of the crowd tonight was telling. The booing towards the end was fans fed up at seeing their side win just 4 of the last 15 league games and be out of every cup competition before Christmas. Fail to win in a few days at Prenton Park, where they haven't won in 25 years and then fail to win another dire side in Bristol Rovers, who have lost 9 straight at the time of posting, then the knives will be back out for Bell in a big way.

The power brokers at the Alex need to hope things swing in a positive way. Because if this winless run stretches to 5 or 6 games, Bell will be once again onto one of his 9 lives after burning through at least 3.

Referee Assessment

Brave to give the 2nd yellow on Baker-Richardson, but warranted. He let a few strange ones go but I don't think he was too bad.

Management Assessment

Said all that needs to be said above. Tonight wasn't about any particular individual decisions, more a collective of their philosophy and squad building mistakes coming home to roost.

Player Assessments

Tom Booth

Kicking poor, but nothing he could do with either goals and bizarrely, outside of those 2 moments, he was untested.

Jay Mingi

A mixed game where he had moments of looking like a Championship player at one moment and a NL player at others. Went down the tunnel after being subbed, is that the last we'll see of him in a Crewe shirt I wonder?

James Connolly

The 1st goal isn't on him, but he is such a poor defender nonetheless. He can't pass, he can't head straight, he can't do the basics. His signing was a mistake and they need to find an upgrade on him in January. Or move Billington to RCB when Demetriou returns. Either way, if he's still their starting RCB beyond January, something will have gone badly wrong.

Lewis Billington

A poor display, but then he is playing out of position at LCB, so I can forgive him.

Reece Hutchinson

Not sure I'd have given him MOTM, but he was decent going forward and his crossing produced some dangerous moments.

Max Sanders

He had a decent game, but he faded and hid towards the end when the team was crying out for composure in midfield. That being said, he's doing it by himself at the moment.

Conor Thomas

Should never have stayed on as long as he did and now he's injured. Brilliant.

Tommi O'Reilly

He got another unorthodox assist for Tezgel's goal, but he was poor for the rest of the game. He's got a great left foot, but he needs to learn to use it to pass to team mates a bit more often.

Owen Lunt

Wasn't having a great game, but I'm not sure why he came off whilst Thomas carried on.

Calum Agius

1 goal and 1 assist in 11 starts. He's lucky that most of their wingers are injured, because he should not be in the starting XI at the moment. Invisible tonight.

Emre Tezgel MOTM

Maybe a touch generous, but he took his goal well and was a constant threat despite not getting much service after his opener.

Subs:

Charlie Finney

Yes, he shouldn't be coming on at RB. It isn't fair. But he's hardly been good at LB either. He's simply not good enough for EFL football. It's long past time to move on. He shouldn't see another minute of football for this club, that's for sure.

Josh March

A better cameo this time as he popped up to score the 2nd goal, which should have been the winner. Is there space in the team for both him and Tezgel I wonder?

Dion Rankine

A rare appearance in the league, I thought he had flashes of skill and talent, but couldn't find that end product. Still, I think writing him off is silly when he's an Alex player for the next 18 months. He needs more game time.

Overall Verdict

2 points dropped and honestly, it feels like 3. They now have to pick themselves up with what group of players they have available and try to find a way at Tranmere, who are just finding form. Lose there and there will be big pressure on the Bristol Rovers game. Whether Bell feels the expectations are too high or not.