The Case For The Defence

By BoroGuide

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It’s a worry, innit – going to games not wondering if Stevenage can win, but wondering if our strikers can score more goals than our defence is letting in? Mansfield on the road this weekend has proved – not for the first, second or even 10th time this term – that the answer is a clear-as-brass “no”. We’re 26 games in and 19th in the division because we simply can’t stop conceding.

Boro’s Defence In Numbers

The fixture list has us visiting the league leaders next weekend and, if this isn’t a game that’s already scaring the living bejeezus out of you, you’re made of much sterner stuff than us. That’s mainly because we’ve shipped 47 goals this campaign – as many as bottom-of-the-table York City. And only the Daggers are as bad as us at keeping the ball out of our net with two shutouts.

At an average of 1.81 goals per game, it’s nothing short of amazing that Daysey’s back hasn’t given out with the amount of times he’s had to pick the ball out of the back of his net. If that rate continues, Boro’ will set a new club record for goals conceded in a league season. It’s standing at 72 thanks to our 2013-4 League One relegation campaign; but the current rate will take us to 83.

Right now, you could probably earn a bob or two by taking advantage of the free bets at Wagered.com and lumping on Boro’ to let Plymouth – or anyone else, for that matter – to score at least once against us. It can’t simply be down to the players either; it seems like our very obvious problems in defence go a lot deeper than that. And, quite frankly, something needs doing…

Do we need someone on the coaching staff with a defensive mind? At the moment, we have Teddy the attacker, midfielder Kev and, unless we’re mistaken, Darren Sarll the goalie. Is there no-one, then, that our former England, Man Utd and Spurs striker can call upon. It’s almost a shame that GNev opted for Valencia before we had the chance, but hey ho. Stuart Nethercott?

Maybe it’s not as simple as that. Maybe it is. Who knows. We don’t. But we’re worried. Worried that Plymouth will have a field day in front of goal against us; that Barnet will complete the league double over us; that rock-bottom York City will take us for three points too. And given how we “defended” against Dagenham last month, we reckon we’re right to be…