Cheltenham Town 0 - 4 Crewe Alexandra

League 2 - Saturday 31st October 2009

Cheltenham were given a lesson in basic football skills by a well prepared Crewe Alexandra. Dario Gradi is one of - if not the - longest serving managers in any of the leagues. He sent out a solid and disciplined side who kept their shape, passed well, defended in strength when needed and made the most of their opportunities. Gradi runs a football academy on a similar budget to Cheltenham’s home for the misguided and misunderstood.

What is most surprising is that Crewe had not – before visiting Whaddon Road, that is – won in their last seven games. What is even more surprising is that Crewe and Cheltenham both started the game on 15 points. After 90 minutes the gap between the two teams looked at least a league’s worth.

Crewe’s first half brace came from set pieces - not corners – Dario needs to work on these. Crewe had six in a row early on before taking the first goal from a left sided free kick which was perfectly flighted into the box. The second was from a similar position on the other side. These weren’t flukes. They had been worked on and it looked like everyone knew what they were about. The second half’s pair were from break aways when the home defense was in disarray.

Cheltenham toiled away at a long ball game with Alsop getting his head to most things but not his feet - like a golfer with one club in the bag. The telepathy with Elvis Hammond has yet to tune-in. I wonder about Elvis. What is it that stops him being the danger he once was? Why does he ever so slightly misjudge an opportunity? Is it anxiety? Has the descent from the Premier League been too traumatic? He runs, he weaves, he jinks - he slips over - he tries but gets nowhere. I think he needs some time on the couch. He needs to talk about it. He needs to stop doing what he otherwise wastes his time doing. Its not solving the problem. He needs to go elsewhere because at present Cheltenham do not have a striker. Barry Hayles has a trick or two left in him but not many yards. Alsop is a lion but in the wrong jungle. This is desperate.

Cheltenham didn’t lack chances but they needed to score early. As the first half progressed there was a sense that it was more urgently needed and less likely to happen. One Crewe goal could have been absorbed but the second was a killer. The fight and the imagination drained away after the third. By then no one could begrudge the Crewe fans their sing-song. After the fourth they were entitled to paint the town their own shade of red without let or hindrance. No one could argue that they weren’t the better side.

To sum up. Dire in all departments (although Brown stopped it being 7) and a lot of work to do. The temptation would be to tear the team apart. That's already been done and it's probably contributed to results like this. More destruction will get us nowhere. Reconstruction takes time and patience. An acadamy for young talent that supports and encourages players is the objective. Difficult to pull off when the building is on fire. It’s a long season and a funny old game. Let's hope Cheltenham are not burnt out come next May.

CHELTENHAM TOWN: S Brown; H Eyjolfsson (K Haynes 67), M Townsend, D Diallo, J Low; D Bird, M Pook (B Hayles 51), T Lewis; E Hammond, J Alsop, F Artus (D Hutton 60).
Subs not used: A Gallinagh, J Richards, M Watkins, W Puddy.

REFEREE: G D Scott.

ATTENDANCE: 3,124 (231 from Crewe).