'˜Chesterfield FC are in desperate need of a replacement for Kristian Dennis'

Here we are again. Another defeat, by just the one goal.
Picture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Crawley Town v Chesterfield FC; 17/10/2017 KO 19.45; Checkatrade.com Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Kristian Dennis celebrates his opener for Chesterfield at CrawleyPicture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Crawley Town v Chesterfield FC; 17/10/2017 KO 19.45; Checkatrade.com Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Kristian Dennis celebrates his opener for Chesterfield at Crawley
Picture by Gareth Williams/AHPIX.com; Football; Sky Bet League Two; Crawley Town v Chesterfield FC; 17/10/2017 KO 19.45; Checkatrade.com Stadium; copyright picture; Howard Roe/AHPIX.com; Kristian Dennis celebrates his opener for Chesterfield at Crawley

By the opening three games, Town had scored five and tallied maximum points. Now the Spireites have just nine goals to their name in total after six defeats on the bounce – that’s nine in nine as well as four games without a single goal, a worrying set of statistics to any football fan.

Chesterfield’s goal-scoring credentials appeared to be promising after the opening seven days, but what has become blindingly apparent to Town supporters is that, once again, their team lack the cutting edge in front of goal that is desperately needed.

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Four consecutive 1-0 defeats sum it up all too well, and averaging a goal a game in a league which averages 2.5 goals per game bodes terribly.

A shortage of firepower can only be counteracted by a brick wall of a defence but, as we have found out over the last few weeks, Martin Allen’s back four are leaking goals rather than cutting them out.

Frustratingly, many of these goals are coming from mistakes rather than good attacking movements, and that only further worries all concerned with the club when considering that we are only several weeks into the competition and still have plenty more strong attacking teams to come up against.

Realistically, a true and fair assessment of Martin Allen’s management can only be made at a much later stage than this – the ten-game rule is often referred to, but we will probably only know whether change is needed when we begin to approach the festive season.

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What can be determined now, however, is that no matter how “well” a team plays football, it is done in vein if the front men cannot convert chances. And that’s not just key chances, but half-chances too, especially in contests where opportunities are few and far between.

Chesterfield may have played well at times, but it means nothing if they cannot take the chances handed to them.

What the Spireites are missing and have been missing since last season is a natural goal-scorer, another Kristian Dennis.

Gozie Ugwu is struggling to put chances away and is losing confidence, whilst new signing Lee Shaw was nowhere to be seen until Tuesday night’s defeat to Boreham Wood, also failing to get on the scoresheet.

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Ideally, Gozie Ugwu will find form or Lee Shaw will step up and provide the potency up front that is needed but if neither scenarios occur, Martin Allen needs to take action and bring in that next Kristian Dennis.