Balague: Free week allows us to go back to basics

It gave us the chance to go back to basics on such things as positioning, our use of possession, how to get into the box quicker, plus helping us to regain that little bit of mental freshness that sometimes the routine of two games, week in, week out can take from you.

Sometimes when you hit upon a winning run as we had done, complacency can set in especially if you begin to think victory inevitably follows the mere act of pulling on the shirt; it doesn’t.

The week, if nothing else, it will help to remind all of us that training is still very much an essential part of what we do.

Talking about training, we are still very much on the lookout for coaches at the club including one for the Under 8s and an assistant coach for the under 23s.

And on the subject of the under 23s we are under no illusion that it is a very difficult group because not unnaturally many players that play in it aspire very much to being part of the first team set up.

But it is also part and parcel of the process we set such store by at this club which is as a development side that will often be fed by youngsters graduating from our under 18s to test their level.

Many of those who play for the under 23s will indeed make it into the first team squad. Last season about eight or nine players made it there precisely by this route and long may it continue.

My one real wish is that the first team and under 23s could kick off at different times so we could then see both sides much more often but infortunately that is not possible with the way the leagues are timetabled.

Results to date may indicate that we haven’t quite clicked yet but performances tell us that we are certainly heading in the right direction. Joan Garzon is performing miracles with the side and I am absolutely convinced that he and his team will get there.

Despite losing to Yaxley in Saturday’s FA Vase match we still find ourselves going to Wembley tomorrow – not the stadium, but rather to Vale Farm the home of our next league opponents.