Verdict: Defensive problems are the real issue at Shrewsbury Town

Shrewsbury Town simply cannot hold on to a lead at the moment and it’s costing them hugely as they fail to build any momentum or head of steam for what is a run in to survive relegation from League One.

Town have won just one of 12 league games under Ricketts and that came back on December 22. They’ve drawn six and lost five.

A proportion of the draws should have been victories, had Town’s defending been any better. Shrewsbury are showing little signs of improving in defensive areas.

Ricketts’ men are shipping soft, soft goals and it’s costing them dear.

They looked good in the opening 10 minutes against a mid-table Burton side who had little to offer at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

Tyrese Campbell’s opener after just eight minutes should have set Town into their stride and provided confidence but, instead, just three minutes later diminutive attacker David Templeton evaded the attention of six foot-plus defenders to head into the top corner.

It was almost a copy and paste job from Alex Rodman’s equaliser at Bristol Rovers seven days before.

With those two goals conceded, Town have given away four points. How different the table would be if Shrewsbury had taken six points from these two games, rather than the two they managed.

Shrewsbury would be much higher than 22nd. They would be 16th, ahead of Accrington Stanley on goal difference. The picture would look very different.

Town fans are less concerned about their side going forward. In Campbell, Fejiri Okenabirhie, Shaun Whalley and Greg Docherty Town have clearly got enough punch in the final third. But now there are real questions asked of their backline. They are not showing anywhere near enough resoluteness, control, organisation in this 3-5-2 system, a system where they should have more cover defensively.

You question whether it’s personnel. Much-maligned Luke Waterfall came back in for skipper Mat Sadler, a controversial call from Ricketts. Yet Sadler was in the XI as Town conceded at Bristol.

The personnel seems to matter little.

James Bolton and Scott Golbourne don’t seem to be the answers at wing-back. Bolton is a steady right-back but doesn’t threaten enough in forward areas.

Whereas Golbourne looks like a player who has missed a lot of football and his fitness isn’t where it should be. Town miss Ryan Haynes in this system.

It seems there is a lack of direction in the defence. A lack of confidence. Lack of ability. The manager knows, he called his defenders out in the Press after the game, telling them they need to be better.

Ricketts must be pulling his hair out. Yes, he selects the team and coaches them in the week and the buck stops with him, but they are conceding Sunday league park goals in terms of free headers in the box from simple crosses.

There’s only so much a manager can do about that. And his personnel changes aren’t working. It’s a concern and a worry.

The record under Ricketts is a vast worry and concern.

There was a point at the turn of the year when Town were keeping clean sheets and showing some solidity that Ricketts, as a former defender wants, but those days feel like history now.

Town fans cannot work out what the manager wants in this system, whether it’s long balls up to diminutive strikers– if Aaron Amadi-Holloway isn’t playing – or whether it’s trying to press, win the ball high and use the pace of Campbell and Okenabirhie.

Positives were a first goal in blue and amber for Campbell. He showed great composure, he will net a few more between now and the summer and hopefully those goals are crucial.

Shaun Whalley was everywhere. His effort and work rate to get his side going was second to none. He needs to channel it more to produce in effective areas.

A huge positive was Ro-Shaun Williams. Town’s new defender has now put in pretty fine displays in his first two outings. He certainly showed the home fans what he’s about with composed, speedy and alert defending. A really good start to his Town – and senior football – career.

But positives were few and far between in a low-key, low quality game.

After an OK first-half, with early goals and a couple more chances, you want Town to take the initiative, take the bull by its horns. They’re the home team, the team in the mire, with attacking options.

But it didn’t happen, the second half was a non-event. It was Lucas Akins of Burton with the best opening late on.

Ricketts made changes and there are questions on taking Campbell off, questions on leaving Okenabirhie’s introduction so late when Alex Gilliead had been ineffective in midfield.

The manager gave his reasoning afterwards but they left Town fans feeling quizzical.

There are question marks where Town go next. Yes, they’ve drawn two, showing they have bite in attack, but if they keep conceding goals as they are they will go down. They need clean sheets, to start defending, shutting teams out, then they will sneak the required wins.

Yes, Salop were seriously hampered with Docherty, Josh Laurent, Romain Vincelot and Dave Edwards, all midfielders, unavailable. They are now light and struggling – ironically in a well-stocked position. Hopefully at least two are fit for Peterborough next week.

Fans are left with a lot of questions, Ricketts is left with a lot of head-scratching, work to be done. The record of no wins in nine desperately needs to be improved on else the pressure from fans will increase tenfold.

They’re third-bottom – it’s very tight – but the wins aren’t coming. And that is the real concern.