Peterborough United's Transfer Woes: Time for Action

It's time for action rather than words at Peterborough United, and I suspect we are going to get some positive news soon. No words, not even those delivered passionately and eloquently on podcasts and social media, will calm the anxiety of fed-up Peterborough United fans. Supporters want action that proves ambition rather than speeches that solve nothing – this is football not politics – and I suspect we will get some in the next few days.

Chairman Darragh MacAnthony was in attendance at the Jakeman’s Community Stadium on Saturday to watch Posh go down 1-0 at National League side Boston United. He won’t have liked what he saw. It was a match that emphasised how much recruitment work Posh have to do just to even reach last season’s miserable standards. Too many successes from that season have gone. There is now no Archie Collins, no Tom Lees, no JJ Morgan and soon there will be no Kyrell Lisbie. No hope either was the verdict of many Posh fans after a first pre-season defeat of the season.

It’s madness to take too much attention of summer results, but it’s also reasonable to expect small examples of form, of passing patterns and partnerships developing. But none of this happened on Boston. Only the tenacity of Bolu Shofowoke, the industry of Harrison Jones and decent goalkeeping from Collin Andeng Ndi impressed. No quality though and that will irritate the chairman as much as the supporters.

This Lisbie transfer to Millwall has been rumbling on for the best of a month. If Posh expected it to happen, and I understand they did, they will have put contingency plans into place. New signings need to arrive now as the first competitive match is now just a fortnight away.

There has been plenty of talk this summer about hitting the ground running. Instead Posh are once more limping towards the start line, literally in some cases. New players – and not just a couple – are urgently required to bring the smiles back to fans’ faces, another stated aim from the hierarchy this summer. We are about to see how serious they are.

What happened?

Chairman Darragh MacAnthony was in attendance at the Jakeman’s Community Stadium on Saturday to watch Posh go down 1-0 at National League side Boston United.

Why it matters for Peterborough United

The transfer struggles of Peterborough United continue as they prepare for the new season. Will new signings arrive in time to save the team from a disappointing start?

What comes next?

New signings are urgently required to bring the smiles back to fans’ faces, another stated aim from the hierarchy this summer. We are about to see how serious they are.

Midfielder Jones looks a decent signing from Sunderland. He can move, he can pass and he appears to have stamina. He isn’t the biggest, but he gets stuck in. He’s the best of the five newcomers so far, although we are dealing with scant evidence rather than a big book of work.

Goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi is a good size and athletic. He won’t be troubling Alex Bass for the number one spot just yet, but he looks a step-up on recent Posh back-up goalkeepers. He’s also comfortable with the ball at his feet which matters these days. He made two excellent saves yesterday before he was beaten after his centre-backs parted like the Red Sea for the only goal of the game.

Left-back Evan Weir looks safe and steady. He delivered a couple of cracking crosses at Boston. He’s no Harrison Burrows though and certainly no Adam Drury or even Tom Williams, full-backs who had obvious strengths.

I was looking forward to seeing Owura Edwards and for 15 minutes he was as sharp and as direct as I had been told. He has a pleasing willingness to go past his marker on the outside rather than adopt the modern tactic of stopping and turning back to play a safe pass. But finding the optimum time to pass or cross was a challenge, something Harry Leonard probably mentioned to him.

The fifth Posh summer signing, centre-back Tom O’Connor, missed the Boston match because of injury.

Carl Johnston needs to be playing right-back, and I suspect he will be given the chance to do so in the coming weeks. He’s been impressive in training and has the pace and agility to make an impact in the league.