Hi Jackson, are you a new Dorking Wanderers follower?

An interesting post.

Pace is something I've talked about a few times on here, and it is clearly an issue. But you do need to remember that we are still missing 3 of our quickest players (wingers) - Muitt, Bowerman and Briggs. This is bound to have a big impact.

We've also talked on here about adjusting the style whilst we are lacking in this area, and it has worked away from home quite effectively. 

I do think you're being a little harsh on the team - especially Harry who, whilst maybe not the quickest is vastly underrated when it comes to levels of skill and does actually have some pace in him. And I am absolutely positive that Marc is not only aware of these problems but is working night and day to come up with effective solutions. He's also not keen on loan players (and we're lacking in cash) and I agree to a point - they can badly disrupt the team, as I saw a couple of seasons back with Aldershot.

Keep the faith - never write off the Wanderers - but I take your points!

@adeb There is still a chance of us staying up. But it is looking grim now with the remaining fixtures and players available. 

The main point I am highlighting is a lack of pace in the CF and Defensive positions. For alternative styles to work this is a necessity. 

The last coach Ross M tried an alternative with a more direct style at home. But this simply does not work because we do not have a single CF in the building with any pace. 

Yes the wingers have more pace, and Briggs is a big loss. But my point is about pace in the central areas. 

Perhaps if loans are not an option it is time give a youth player a chance? Desperate times call for desperate measures. 

I know Mark has tried to lower the average age of the team and made progress in that regard, but the side is crying out for pace centrally.

@happy-hammers Following them ever since they moved into Meadowbank, the season they won the old Bostik Prem

The lack of pace has certainly been a problem at home at the games I been to and I am surprised that we have not bought in loan players to cover injuries in attack and on the wing. It seems to have been less of an issue away from home.

I appreciate we are concentrating our spending on off field issues, but you would have thought there was an emergency fund to keep us in the league.

I have a real feeling we are skint otherwise why sell Seager, and surely more players would have come in since Hollis.

Not a lot we can do other than buy tickets, food and drink, merch and sing a lot.

What will be will be.

To be fair to Marc he has tried so many different things this season but the players keep making mistakes and I'm of the opinion that in reality they aren't quite good enough. Far bigger clubs than us have gone down from the VNL.

Massively hope somehow we find the results we need of course, as it's much nicer visiting bigger places and starting in the cups further in etc. Plus I want to see all the off field stuff come to fruition rather than things go backwards.

@jacksonfairweather only reason I ask is most of the thing you have brought up,  was quite simply to last season.

I think we need to consider how many players have been, and still are missing. 

At the moment we are without Bowerman, Briggs, Muitt and McShane, none of which lack pace and all of whom would consider themselves first choice players, who have already proved they can compete at this level.

I'm also going to add Alfie to this list, as I'm not convinced he's ready/fully fit so we've really been without him for almost 2 full seasons now. 

So that's 5 first choice, half the outfield players, without even thinking about the numerous other long term injuries we've had to cater for.

Yes, loans might have helped, but it's not necessarily the answer for a variety of reasons, as I posted before Aldershot last season were a good example of how loan players can be a bad idea. Plus we've never really known for sure when players are ready, partly due to our part time status which I think is a big reason we're struggling again.

BJT has pace, and does well when TC is in the back, but has been helping in the wings when he has been fit. My guess is that the poor cup runs, not as much money raised during the Rise Up campaign last year, and trying to purchase Meadowbank has hindered our ability to get players. However, it doesn't seem to be any one thing, but a series of issues that started last season, and has really caught up to us this year. Will keep the hope that we stay up until we do or don't.

I think the topic of loan/emergency loan players is really interesting for us. We haven't really ever had important loan players and I feel that they are a crucial part of being an emerging National League side. Obviously they also help for being cheaper alternatives to solve short term injury issues.

Look at some of the clubs around us and the important loan players they've had/have:

Altrincham - Chris Conn-Clarke - Loaned from the league above and really impressed before joining them on a permanent deal. Now one of the best players in the league. Alex Newby as well.

Chesterfield/Oldham - Andrew Dallas - Loaned from Barnsley and was probably Chesterfield's best player last season

Bromley - Deji Elerewe - Loaned from League 1 and now joined them permanently. 

Barnet - Anthony Hartigan - Been excellent on loan at Barnet. 

Gateshead had a number of successful loans (Chadwick/Lofthouse/Mair) although you do have the danger of having them all recalled like they did last month

Woking - Lewis Walker

Ebbsfleet - Bilongo

Kidderminster - Hobson

Boreham Wood - Tshimanga

Aldershot - Daly

Just a small selection but literally every club except us has several loan players with many of them being important first team players. We had Lankshear on loan briefly who played 10 minutes...

Maybe last season with Quick, Walsh and Pattenden put Marc off the idea somewhat, but Walsh has made appearances for QPR this season and Pattenden plays regularly in League One with Wycombe.

Definitely think its an area that we need to improve on going forward, especially with the limited resoures available to us.

Do clubs not want to loan to us because of our rotten plastic pitch? Or is it us not coming forward to get loans?

It could be a few other reasons as well.