Should we be worried and where is the creativity? Big talking points as Chesterfield finish pre-season with defeat to Guiseley

Should we be worried?

The pre-season of 2020/2021 will live long in the memory for several reasons.

The Spireites managed to play just three friendly matches due to Covid-19 difficulties which means they will go into the new campaign on Saturday on the back foot in terms of fitness and sharpness.

The results - including two defeats and five goals conceded against teams in a division below - do not fulfill you with confidence and the performances have been far from inspiring. But does any of this actually matter? Anyone remember Leyton Orient thrashing Newcastle United 6-1 in 2009? What happened to the Toon that year? They got promoted back to the Premier League. The point is, nobody is going to care what happened in pre-season if Town get off to a solid start.

Manager John Pemberton admitted that if the season was to be delayed by a month while we wait for fans to be allowed back in stadiums then Chesterfield would benefit more than most. That pretty much sums up where he thinks they are in their preparations.

No goals and lack of creativity

None of Chesterfield’s strikers have found the back of the net in pre-season which has to be a concern. But for me, it is the lack of chances they are getting which is more worrying. If a forward keeps missing chances then at least they are getting in the right positions and opportunities are being created.

Against Guiseley, far too often the crosses into the box were coming from deep which made them easy to defend. And without Nathan Tyson, the Blues don’t have anybody who can stretch an opposition defence by running in behind.

We haven’t seen Tom Denton and Scott Boden link-up much, while Luke Rawson has had Chesterfield’s best chances this pre-season and Pemberton had another look at him on Saturday so perhaps he is not far off from starting.

We might be overthinking it but just three goals against Belper from two midfielders is all the Blues have mustered up.

What’s the back three going to be?

Josef Yarney, Will Evans and Haydn Hollis started the game, with Jamie Sharman, Evans and Laurence Maguire finishing it. I’ve said it before but I prefer the latter back three. They are more comfortable on the ball and that brings the best out of everybody else. Maguire has been out for a long time but has featured in every match and looks ready to start and Sharman must be close to starting now. Pemberton has got a lot of thinking to do.

And what about the midfield?

Curtis Weston got 45 minutes under his belt against Guiseley which is one positive. Given his lack of game time I would be very surprised to see him start at Wealdstone so I think it will be Milan Butterfield, Jonathan Smith and one of Liam Mandeville/Joe Rowley. Both Mandeville and Rowley played 45 minutes on Saturday and there has not been much between them. It will be another close call for Pemberton to mull over.