Grimsby Town F.C – Opinions on the starting eleven, from a fan.
As football fans we all know how important the thoughts of other fans, if they’re being unbiased of course, are as stats sometimes don’t tell the true story. Grimsby Town are Tranmere’s next opponents thus I decided to get the thoughts on each player from a predicted starting eleven that my Mariners supporting friend gave me.
James McKeown
He’s been at the club for years and years and has always been a good shot stopper with the ability of pulling off some stupendous saves. However, he does have his faults and this season he has been particularly below form with several mistakes leading directly to goals, some of these errors are laughable such as against Carlisle at home when he passed the ball into his own net when under no pressure at all. Mckeown’s recently lost his place to Jake Eastwood who is now injured so we need him to quickly step up and get back to his best.
Luke Hendrie
A reliable sort, he is versatile and can play anywhere at the back. He is steady and consistent, I think his performances have slightly regressed this season which is to be expected I suppose in a relegation battling team but he is one of the very few players you would expect to find another football league team should he leave us this summer.
Elliott Hewitt
When we signed him we got told by Notts County fans he was decent in Centre mid but awful in full back, but for us he has looked much better in full back than centre mid! Lately he has been playing in Centre back and he looks far more comfortable there than he has anywhere else so maybe he has found his new position and he is our best centre back at the club in my opinion when that isn’t even his natural position!
Rollin Menayese
At first he struggled and looked like an accident waiting to happen but his performances alongside Hewitt in Centre back have picked up and he looks more than capable now, he is still young so I hope there is more to come.
Left back
Well, as I said it depends on fitness. Could be any of 3, Habergham who is my preferred option, he is steady, not spectacular but when fit he is our best option. Bunney who is also injured and I don’t rate him unfortunately, he struggles defensively and on the ball he gives it away far too many times. Bunney has previously played higher up so there may be a better player in there somewhere. Clifton will play in left back if Habergham and Bunney are unavailable, he isn’t even a left back but I think he has played everywhere for us, he’s not the best player ever but he does have a good engine and puts in 100% effort.
Filipe Morais
No doubt about it, when on form, his crossing is something else! He is one of those wingers who just likes to get the ball into the box! However he is fading, he is mid 30s and his best days are behind him but I still feel he can offer something on his day.
Giles Coke
I think Giles has been slightly better than I expected him to be, look at his career since leaving Sheffield Wednesday and he looked very underwhelming but I feel since he has been here he has tightened up the midfield and made us more competitive, but is it enough to keep us up? Probably not.
Jay Matete
When he signed he was our main threat from midfield, his driving runs being our main attacking threat. However, recently he hasn’t been as involved in games as previous. Hopefully he can step up his performances again as we need him to if we stand any slim chance of survival.
Julien Lamy
Certainly our main attacking threat, signed after the January transfer window by Hurst and was certainly a gamble. So far a gamble is what is paying off, he is not afraid of taking on his man and getting balls into the box, although his fitness may be slightly lacking as he always seems to be the first man to be hauled off much to the teams detriment.
Lenell John Lewis
Ahh the good old shop, strong and can hold the ball up. He puts himself about and he is a nuisance for the defenders. I think he is one of the better January signings, he is already under contract next season so if the worst comes to the worst then we know we have a decent striker who can offer something next season in the National League.
James Hanson
He is perhaps too similar to John Lewis which is good as he does offer something when he partners John Lewis up top. However, as much as they both put themselves about and are a nuisance for defenders to handle they are too similar so there isn’t much variety up top, nobody to run behind, nobody to hang on the shoulder of the last man, no goal poacher etc.
John Lewis? Ahh the good old shop. He’s strong and can hold the ball up, a nuisance for defenders.
Thank you very much for reading,
Although Grimsby do sit at the bottom end of the table they’re certainly capable of causing a problem or two on Wednesday night,
Ethan Hoijord