Blog: Shrewsbury Town in need of firepower
Shrewsbury showed good character to bounce back with a point following the disappointing result and performance against Swindon writes Shrewsbury Town blogger Rob Roden.
A clean sheet against Brentford will give Salop a much needed boost ahead of the trip to Doncaster on Saturday.
The main factor for Salop's promotion last year was our strong defensive base, something this season we have struggled to recreate, only achieving two clean sheets so far. It's a start nevertheless, and something we can build on.
Looking back at the Swindon match, I can have no arguments with the result as we were second best all over the pitch. Despite that we generally defended well but when you're under the cosh for so long, it's inevitable that you're going to concede.
What worried me was our attacking side of the game. Swindon's goalkeeper, Wes Foderingham, could have easily sat in the stand and watched. We had no creativity and no idea what to do with the ball around their box.
Graham Turner has spoke about bringing players into the club with experience and better than what we already have. I have to be honest and say I'm disappointed with the loan signing Sam Winnall; a relatively unknown youth player from Wolves.
Turner might as well play our own young sticker Tom Bradshaw. He needs a decent spell in the side to get his sharpness back as he has only started against Scunthorpe and hasn't been back in the fold since.
All the players Turner has brought into the club were free agents or loan signings which is fine, but if you want that quality and cutting edge you have to spend a bit of money. The impression I get is that he's trying to do it on the cheap.
But the capture of Lee Collins is a good signing for Town. He has played in the Championship and also had good experience at League One level. But Turner himself hit the nail of the head - in the squad we have only got about two or three players who have played in League One and the lack of experience shows.
Matt Richards played on the left side of midfield against Swindon and, I have to be honest, looked like a lost sheep. Richards doesn't have the same impact on the wing and is more influential in the middle of the park.
With Mark Wright, John Taylor and Paul Parry on the flanks they cause more trouble for the opposition defence and get plenty of crosses in the box - something that Richards doesn't do.
It's a big game for Salop on Saturday; hopefully the much improved showing at Brentford will install confidence back into the side.
It's another chance for Terry Gornell too. With Winnall being injured the stage is set for Gornell to grab himself a goal and to earn his place in the side.