Team selection is always a big talking point on match day, with the announcement of the line up an hour before kick off one of the most active posts a club gets as fans digest the latest formation and tactics implied by the make-up of the starting eleven.
Chris Beech confirmed once again today that his decisions are always based on what he thinks is the best way to achieve that three-point feeling, with everybody needed to support that effort as we go from game to game.
“People will always look into team selection and have an opinion,” he said. “That’s great, it’s part and parcel of football. I know people have been asking about Taylor [Charters], but he’s 100 per cent ok, and he knows he’s got a future here already.
“He knows I’ve got a lot of respect for him and he also knows how well he’s improved and the traits I’m looking for with him that need to get better. He was outstanding at Walsall, but you can only play a certain amount of players, and of course you’re looking for different things sometimes to support that first XI from the bench.
“But I know Taylor, the Cumbrian spirit and the future of the football club, he has a big one, and sometimes you have to show a little bit more patience. You can argue in and out whether he should be playing or not.
“You can argue in and out whether a 12-goal midfield player should get going or not. There are different things to look at. I would say, the other night our midfield was outrunning and outcompeting and outpassing their opponents, they looked very strong, people were doing very good things.
“To get in front of that you’ve just got to continue to work very hard, Taylor will do, the young age he’s at and the potential he has, and the new traits he’s learning, it’s all coming in hand for a bright future.”
A new face on the bench was that of striker Cedwyn Scott who, it was confirmed, has been performing well out on the training pitch.
“What I saw in Cedwyn was somebody in the opportunity who trained well and was right to get a contract,” the gaffer explained. “Within that it’s a shame our reserve games haven’t been able to go ahead – mind you, we weren’t even able to play our first-team ones – but he’s been training very well, hence why he came on the bench the other night, because he deserves it.
“It’s difficult sometimes to look at what we’ve got. The other day you have, for example, a striker signed from a League One team who obviously wants to start games but has to earn his right to do that.
“You have Lewis Alessandra who didn’t start the game. When you get beat it’s always the wrong decision that he isn’t playing. But you’re always looking for the traits you want to go and win a game.
“You look at Joshua Kayode starting the game as a centre-forward and he scored, played very well against Salford and Tranmere. Cedwyn will have to be a little bit more patient, but if he continues to train as hard as he is, who knows, he might shoot through everybody and end up playing a pivotal role between now and the end of the season.”
“Look at Gime Toure,” he added. “His patience has been rewarded and he started for us. I thought all of the front three were quick and elusive, they were very good and were backed up by some great energy in midfield.
“To be honest with you there's a lot of work goes on in midfield that that doesn't get valued because you only generally see the pass or the cross. The movement off the ball is important, you'll see Jon Mellish affect both goals without touching the ball, because it takes people away and affects opponents if you’re prepared to run and run like he does.
“I was so pleased with Nick Anderton, he was another player that has had the virus and has had to get himself back playing. He didn’t play in the Bolton fixture on Boxing Day, but we’ve got to move on.
“I’ve had good strong words with Nick and he’s responding with the right character to fit the culture that we’ve talked about. He’s played well against Salford and Tranmere, he’s set two goals up and scored a goal, and the way he’s reacted has been excellent.”
