A MICROSCOPIC LOOK AT THE DAGGERS SQUAD, ONE AREA OF THE PITCH AT A TIME, AHEAD OF THE STEADILY-APPROACHING NEW CAMPAIGN. Last UP: THE Frontline.Football is a complex game encompassing untold intricacies but, when stripped down to it's most base form, hinges on the ability to put the ball into the back of the net and that very simplistic yet understated notion has stunted the Daggers for a long time. The absence of a prolific goalscorer, irrespective of the quality littered throughout the remainder of the squad, will always prove fatal to a team's hopes of fulfilling their ambitions. That recurring problem appeared to be rectified last summer with the capture of revered frontman Paul McCallum, who arrived with significant pedigree at this level yet struggled to showcase his true ability, even in the presence of a seemingly dream strike-partner in Ángelo Balanta, until the latter segment of the campaign. The pair ended up netting a combined tally of 27 goals, so it's frightening to imagine what they could become if on song for a more sustained period. Josh Walker's arrival has now given us a further dimension as well as alleviating our over-dependency upon the above-stated duo. His transition into the club has been eased by his existing relationships with many of our current players who also used to ply their trade with Barnet - Reynolds, Johnson, Vilhete and, most importantly, McCallum. Our new striker has already demonstrated his capabilities in pre-season, staking a convincing claim for a starting berth at Stockport. Last season, our attack had depth but not quality, which created obvious problems when injuries naturally occurred. This time, though, the disparity between our likely starting and backup options isn't as broad. The two strikers who didn't manage a single league goal each, Adrian Clifton and Darren McQueen, have both been offloaded. Scott Wilson was similarly misfiring but always looked a reasonable player, so has been retained in the hope that he can rediscover the regular scoring form he had elsewhere. By the time we kick off this weekend, it is hoped we'll have officially announced the worst-kept secret in Dagenham, namely the mysterious 'Trialist A' who more commonly goes by the name of Aaron Blair. Regular glimpses of potential have been present in his performances across the pre-season games and, while he'll likely be restricted to fleeting first-team appearances in the short-term, players like him are essential to the club's future. That leaves us with five forwards: Ángelo Balanta, Paul McCallum, Josh Walker, Scott Wilson and Aaron Blair. Alongside contributions from our midfielders and wide players, there should be enough goals there to deliver a successful campaign, which for us is a top-seven finish.
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May 2024
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