TT BLOG

Dom Roman – @DomRoman

Dom rates player performance so far

RODDY COLLINS – 5/10

I don’t think expectations were particularly high when Roddy Collins joined United, I guess the hope was he would be a hustle and bustle Tom Lapslie type player who could push the team forward, without the injuries! So far the jury is definitely out. Collins has struggled to command any authority in the games he has played, a willing runner but lacks the guile and passing ability to stand out, a lot to prove if he wants to be more than an energetic squad player.

OSCAR THRELKELD 6/10

Osar Threlkeld started well enough against Enfield, controlling the midfield and dictating matters as we dominated proceedings. But since then his performances have been sporadic, and I think you can say that for all our midfield, especially in the away games. His fitness and energy looked sapped in the St Albans draw, but on his day he’s one of our most important players and has calmness and intelligence to start attacks. With Collins struggling as his deputy this area of the team is a concern.

DAN HAYFIELD 7/10

Hayfield is a slightly confusing player to watch, he looks ungainly at times and gives the ball away too easily, but then he can also pull off a bit of skill and hit a lethal shot, as shown in the Chesham fight back. But one thing was clear, when the midfielder did not play, his energy and running was sorely missed. As Paul Wotton looks to get the best out of his engine room, the ex-Bath player appears to be a key man.

LIRAK HASANI 6.5/10

Lirak Hasani would be a 7 or 7.5, but he’s had a poor few recent games so is downgraded accordingly! There’s a lot to like about the skilful midfielder, he never shies away from the ball, has a soft touch and clearly knows where the goal is. Lirak has struggled at times when the opposition gets tight, and has to work out ways of still influencing games, but I like his attitude and he’s not afraid to make an intricate pass. The key is getting him in the right positions to do it.

OMAR MUSSA 5/10

Out of all of Paul Wotton’s summer signings, Omar Mussa seemed like the one that caused him the most head scratching! I’m just not sure that Omar is Paul’s type of player, there’s no doubting his skill level and potential, but the manager likes guys to track back and run hard, and that’s not really the Moose’s style. The frustration from the manager at the end of the St Albans game likely stems from what he’s been getting from Omar in training and games, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens when he returns from injury.

JADYN CROSBIE 5/10

Hard to rate Jadyn Crosbie after one start and five substitute appearances so you can take this one with a pinch of salt. It feels like the striker will need time to settle into life at NLS level, and moulding him is a great test of Paul Wotton’s coaching abilities.

CODY COOKE 7/10

Cody Cooke came with a reputation as an experienced striker who could lead the line, win headers and chip in with goals, and so far he’s done reasonably well. Cody probably should have more than two goals to his name, with his finishes lacking subtlety (and one disallowed at Welling!), but without him the Brad Ash/Ben Seymour combination looks a non-starter. Getting better support to the striker is important, and Cooke will no doubt be vital as a focal point as the winter months start to kick in.

BRAD ASH 5.5/10

Brad Ash started the season well, with a goal against Enfield and a winner at Chesham showing what he brings to the team, but he hasn’t made any impression on games for a while and the flaws in his repertoire have been noticeable. I’d still expect Brad to bounce back and find goals this season, but United have to find more variety in their attack to help make this happen.

BEN SEYMOUR 5.5/10

It was heartening to see Ben score his first goal for the club against St Albans, and he’s got his former club coming up this weekend so maybe another one will follow! He also played well in the Chippenham game, but the rest of his performances have provided little impact and with big defenders too easily muscling him off the ball, he’s found it tough. Much like Brad, Torquay’s attack needs fine tuning to get the best out of him.