Paul Simpson has reflected on Shrewsbury Town’s poor sequence of results against the League Two stragglers and insisted: “It shows the squad isn’t good enough.”
Saturday’s goalless draw with Chester brought an uninspiring conclusion to Town’s home campaign and means they have managed just two victories from their last 23 games.
Many of the recent disappointments have come against teams below Shrewsbury in the table - Town have suffered away defeats at Mansfield and Macclesfield and have laboured to goalless draws against Notts County and Chester on home territory.
And Simpson - who could be limited by having just three players out of contract in the close season - believes those results provide an indicator to the amount of summer strengthening his squad requires.
“That was the opposite of what I wanted from our last home game of the season and I think the top and bottom of it is that we are not good enough,” he said.
“If you look at things over recent weeks, we have been held at home to Chester City, we’ve been held at home by Notts County, we’ve lost at home to Bury and lost away to Mansfield and that tells you that this squad of players isn’t good enough and it needs to be changed.
“All we can do is get through the next game (at Rochdale) then over the summer try and address the problems and change the squad around as much as we can.
“We need players who can cope at League Two level - there are a lot that can’t - and it’s up to me and the rest of the coaching staff to bring in players that can perform on this good pitch and in this good stadium.”
Simpson pointed to the display of young winger Chris Humphrey as one of the few highlights on show, but was left to rue a lack of clear chances on goal.
“There were some positives from the game, I thought Chris put in a good performance and I was pleased with him, I was pleased with Marc Tierney’s attitude, I thought James Constable did well when he came on and we kept a clean sheet,” he added.
“We probably have had as many crosses as we have ever had in all the games since I came in.
“I want players to get the ball in the box and Chris Humphrey definitely provided that, but we didn’t get anyone on the end of anything.”
By James Garrison
4 Comments
He’s right and I hope all those who called for Peters to have more time realise that it is GP who is too blame for all this, they are his players and it was him who put them on long contracts and high wages.
Paul Simpson has a hell of a job this summer to try and find clubs to take the wages on of many of the players who are just not upto it.
If the board had acted when a number of the loyal hardore called for Peters to go in November we would not be in this mess now, Simpson would have had time to look at his squad before spending the £200,000 Peters spent in January on players we actually need.
Instead he is stuck with Peters mistakes for at least a season and possibly two.
Block 16 I could not agree more. waiting for GP to mess it all up when it was obvious he had taken us as far as he could was short sighted. letting him spend money was just plain stupid. next season may well be one of consolidating because we have so much ground to make up. Doh ! as yer man says….
Two of the best replies I’ve had the pleasure of reading!!!
100% right Block 16 - November may have been a little early mind, but none the less.
Simpson may need to kick out some of the young ones with potential in order to make room just because of the long contracts handed out to the weak players brought in. It will take time to root out the rubbish.
Promotion next year will be a miracle. Be realistic town fans.