Crewe Alex v Morecambe 24/25 Preview - Where is started. Where it ends?

If you can pinpoint the moment the Alex's 23-24 season started to come apart, it was at home to Morecambe at the start of March. 2-0 up and cruising, they were looking great. But then 3 goals in 14 minutes from the away side saw the game get flipped on it's head. And from then on, the rot set in at Gresty Road, with them going 2-2-5 in all competitions since then, scoring just 2 goals against senior professional teams in the process. So, if Morecambe at home in 23/24 was where the rot started, why not let Morecambe at home 24/25 be where it fully ends? Here is my preview of the game.

Repay the Fans

Last week's win at Bromley was nice. As was the 5-1 hammering of Liverpool. But the fact is, a full home crowd has not seen the Alex win a home game since Sutton in mid-March. They haven't seen a goal in 6 games(again, not including Liverpool), which basic maths tells you is 360 minutes of football, or 4 hours.

Those that bought the mini-season ticket, the new season ticket holders who bought over the summer and of course, the regular fans who've been there for years. All these people paying out lots of money to see the Alex at home and they haven't even had a goal to celebrate, let alone win, since March. Those things have got to change and it has to start right here.

Be Bold

The best way Bell can go about doing this is to be bold with his team selection. No, that doesn't mean gung ho and go for it with every attacker he has available to him on the pitch at the same time. We saw the results of that against Forest Green last season. But at the same time, the 5-2-1-2 we saw in the last 2 games won't cut it. I don't know if a total system change is needed or whether he just needs to alter his midfield and forward line. But he has to get it right from the start, as I don't want to see the atmosphere in the stadium if they fall behind.

Ahead of schedule

If the Alex were to get a win in this game, they would rather hilariously be ahead of where they were last season after 5 games. Last season, they had 6 points from their first 5 after a 1-3-1 start. If they can get 3 points in this game, they'll of course be 2-1-2, which obviously isn't as good as last season for goals scored or conceded, but it will put them a point ahead of last season's tally. And wouldn't that be the weirdest thing?

No Goals, No Wins, No Points

Oh no. Oh good god no. Playing a team who haven't scored, haven't got a win, haven't even got a point in the league so far. The stuff of nightmares. What's strange about Morecambe's opening results is they've lost each of them by a 1-0 margin. It suggests that whilst they clearly have issues in front of goal(huh, sounds familiar), they are pretty solid at the back to only let in 4, with only 7 other teams conceding less.

But playing a team seeking their first goals and first points makes me very nervous.

Rot sets in

Finding out why Morecambe are struggling currently doesn't take much doing. The lack of funding under the Bond Group, the slow process of finding a new buyer, the departure of their CEO, Derek Adams doing the hokey cokey and them having to sign a brand new team every summer. There are a lot of obvious reasons for their struggles.

But in terms of results, things actually started going downhill shortly after their win over the Alex back in March. They won the following game at home to Crawley, but since then, they've gone 2-1-12, conceding 31 goals in that time. They are in desperate need of a lift. Let's hope the Alex don't give that to them.

Ref Watch

Scott Simpson

One of the many Scotts in the EFL. We've had Tallis, Jackson, Oldham and now a new Scott in Simpson. Simpson is only in his 2nd season as an EFL ref having moved up the National League last season. One thing to note is his love for a red card. Since the start of the 22-23 season, he's produced 15 sendings off in just 49 games.

2024/25 Record: 5 games(3 League Two, 1 League Cup, 1 National League), 20 yellows, 1 red

Last Game: Harrogate Town 0-1 Barrow, EFL League Two, 31st August 2024, 5 yellows

Crewe Alex Record: N/A

Injuries/Absences

Crewe Alex

With Bogle and Long now back, the treatment room currently contains just Tom Booth, who seems close and the longer term absentees in Jack Powell and Nathan Robinson. Again, I'm not used to such a short list.

Morecambe

There will be no reunion with George Ray, as he picked up a serious injury on the opening day and will be out for the foreseeable future. Their only other absentee seems to be Kayden Harrack, who wasn't involved in either their last league game or in mid-week against Wigan in the EFL Trophy.

Team

I'm as bad as Bell for chopping and changing my formation. But this is what I settled on based partly on Bell's comments from yesterday's pre-match press conference.

This is a home game they need to perform in, score and win. Anything else feels unacceptable. So, going with the same 5-2-1-2 system he's employed in the last 2 games is too defensive.

But Bell interestingly talked about how he felt the 4-2-3-1 he's tried on a couple of occasions might be too open. I fully agree. So, does that suggest he'll move to more of a 4-3-3? You have to think he might. If he does, this is what I'd do(see left).

Williams drops out and the rest of the defence from Bromley stays the same. In midfield I'm going bold by starting both Breckin and Tabiner in proper midfield roles, not one of them in a number 10 position. Out wide it's tricky. Is Long good to start? If not, Lankester starts instead. On the other side, I put Tracey against my better judgement, but he can tire Morecambe out before Lankester, Holicek and Bogle come on for the final 20-30 minutes.

Score Prediction

This has to be a win doesn't it? Not because Morecambe have no goals and no points, but because the Alex are coming off a dreadful run of home results with no goals scored and it needs to end. I'm not expecting a fantastic performance, but I am expecting a goal(or two) and a win. So that's what I'll predict.

Crewe Alex 2-1 Morecambe