Alan Swann's 10-game Peterborough United review, covering unrealistic expectations, a new defensive approach and the strange Joel Randall affair

It’s no easy gig at London Road for new players. The Posh reputation at League One level for entertaining, attacking, and winning, football brings with it intense pressure and plenty of scrutiny when it doesn’t click as the current group are discovering, even if we are only 10 games – that’s less than a quarter of a season – in.

This could be the season some of us thought Posh would have in 2023-24 when experienced, high-earning promotion winners had been discarded in favour of a quick, enthusiastic and very young group. Most would have been happy to have a season of consolidation if it meant debts were reduced considerably. Remember the chairman had just come through a messy break up with co-owners.

But last season’s team confounded many of us by being rather good, and thrillingly entertaining. It remains a travesty they didn’t win promotion given the dull football served up by those who did, but a creditable fourth-place finish and a Wembley Final win has ironically done this season’s team no favours. The squad is now even younger, probably a bit quicker, but the expectations remain the same even though it was always going to be nigh on impossible to find replacements of a similar standard, for Harrison Burrows and Ronnie Edwards in particular.

Burrows and Edwards were young at the start of last season, but they were also already experienced at League One level. Hector Kyprianou was also here, while those who joined, particularly Peter Kioso, Jadel Katongo, Malik Mothersille and Archie Collins proved to be strong players for the level. Is it realistic to think that standard of recruitment can happen every season? Probably not even though many millions were generated by player sales and an Ivan Toney sell-on. The club still has debts. They have off-field development plans that need more finance than mere gate receipts. Salary caps are restrictive.

The summer sales were understandable. Burrows and Edwards had served their time. They deserved a move. The offer for Ephron Mason-Clark (£5 million initially) was surely too good to turn down. The club tried and failed to keep Josh Knight. Quality loan players left and manager Darren Ferguson had to build a new defence. Last season’s back four were all aggressive attackers as well as doughty defenders.

This season Posh had the worst defensive record in League One before Saturday’s rather fortunate 2-1 win over Stevenage. They still haven’t kept a League One clean sheet. The playing approach going forward perhaps needs to reflect the downgrade in standard at the back, and that’s not necessarily an insult aimed at young defenders who should improve. They need to rather quickly or October’s results against teams better equipped than Stevenage to take advantage of some weak and disjointed defending could become very messy.

Posh have been bullied at times. They miss the physical qualities of Knight and Mason-Clark. The ability of the latter to occupy two defenders, one of whom was usually designated to kick him, gave extra freedom to others. Kwame Poku, still the joint top scorer in League One, is likely to become a heavily marked man unless others step up, although Ricky-Jade Jones has demanded full attention from his markers with his workrate and sheer speed.

The failure to sign a left-footed centre-back with Football League experience was a disappointment that threatens to haunt the current campaign for a good while longer. The lack of obvious on-field leadership is also worrying. Posh have gone from the motivational presence of Jonson Clarke-Harris and the ability of Harrison Burrows to lead by example to, well very little to be honest. The armband has passed between Kyprianou and Collins, two excellent midfielders showing nowhere near the same level of form as last season. They are missing the skills of Burrows and Edwards whose delivery of pass into midfield was reliable in terms of accuracy and pace.

Good fortune has also deserted Posh for now (until yesterday at least) with a crippling injury list and an early, ill-timed suspension for Collins, while goalkeeper Jed Steer has seen numerous shots deflected past him into the net. And then there’s the mysterious affair of Joel Randall, who returned to action yesterday after presumably apologising for upsetting his manager. It was a strange such a tiff was made public, but Randall’s reception was far better inside the ground than it had been on social media after Ferguson dropped his bombshell news.

Randall’s form last season was partly seen through the prism of two previously poor years from a man with a big price tag. That he could glide effortlessly into space to help spring attacks came as such a surprise he was perhaps lauded too excessively. His end product, whether crossing, passing or shooting was erratic. Posh might regret not accepting Bolton’s £2 million bid, if that really happened. Randall is no Lee Tomlin in that 10 role. He’s a player who rarely emerges with the ball from a 50/50. It was all on view in his 45 minutes of action yesterday, although his presence certainly improved the overall performance of the team.

Using yesterday’s game as a guide I’d be surprised if Posh finished the month in the top half of the table. It’s Rotherham, Wycombe, Blackpool and Bolton to come in October and all have been in decent form of late, but, Birmingham aside, the division could be tight with 90-point returns very unlikely. Hopefully Posh can stay in touch, get some key players back and surge up the table in the second-half of the season. Form can change quickly. Bolton lost 4-0 at home to Huddersfield recently with manager Ian Evatt thought to be close to the axe, but his side promptly won three in a row, while ‘The Terriers’ lost four on the spin.

For now Posh need to look down and stay out of trouble rather than look up and hope. The fans can help. They have shown remarkable patience and delivered generous support at matches which is commendable. It’s easy to support a successful team that’s playing well, but arguably more important to back an injury-depleted side struggling through the tough times.

They’d get a boost if Poku and Kyprianou signed new contracts as current deals expire at the end of this season. Ferguson would also be happy with that. The 52 year-old might not be too thrilled to have to build a new team every season. He’s already alluded to that this season. The most successful manager in the club’s history is another Posh can ill afford to lose.