Burton Albion are currently propping up the entirety of League One in 24th place. The Brewers have had seven losses in a row in all competitions.
This situation is becoming a worry already no doubt as four points from a possible 33 is an abysmal start to the campaign. Leyton Orient, as the nearest possible team to catch outside the relegation zone, sit eight points above Albion.
Potential areas of improvement
The league position doesn’t fully reflect the club’s performances in sole matches. Narrow defeats to Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers and now Wycombe Wanderers have only seen Mark Robinson’s men lose by a single goal.
A very difficult, early run of fixtures has been handed to Albion this season, so there is some room for sympathy. The weekend trip to Cambridge United could be a perfect starting point for redemption as well as their first three points in the campaign.
Defensively, Burton Albion are leaking goals most games. There seems to be somewhat of an insistence from Robinson to play a back three with two wide midfielders supporting on either side. This decision has often left the Burton-on-Trent side vulnerable when too many men are committed forward – a perfect balance needs to be found soon to combat conceding often.
Why is this a shock?
Having picked up Danilo Orsi from Crawley Town this summer, the impetus was on the Brewers to deliver a strong attacking outfit to the league. The 28-year-old was phenomenal for his previous club and has continued an impressive individual form with four goals in his last four games.
However, seven goal contributions just from the lone striker, makes up over half of Burton Albion’s League One goals this season. Too much of a reliance on Orsi, to try and drag them through games and create individual magic, has ultimately led to disappointing performances from the bulk of the squad.
The other players that have been added to Burton Albion this year should’ve been enough to avoid an early situation like this though. 23 new players, some with experience, others with promising quality has clearly been an added blessing and a curse. An entirely new reform of the club’s identity may constitute in a slow start, but should benefit them in the long term.
What next?
As aforementioned, three great opportunities to build momentum are right round the corner. Two league matches with Cambridge and Crawley Town might offer some much-needed points. An upcoming FA Cup game against Scarborough Athletic is a must-win to give the fans something to cheer about.
The experience and quality of the squad must be enough to build some better performances as the season continues. Burton Albion have escaped relegation before and it might be another campaign of rough patches but eventual survival.
