Michael Jolley's Grimsby Town have made a solid start to their Sky Bet League Two campaign, sitting in the top half of the table with 12 points from their opening 9 games.

Though the Mariners are currently without a win in their last three matches, the team - and squad as a whole - looks stronger than it has for many years.

Manager Jolley and his assistant Anthony Limbrick addressed the side's lack of goalscoring threats and physicality through some shrewd summer recruitment, bringing in the likes of James Hanson, Matt Green and commanding defender Luke Waterfall.

Jolley also added some genuine technical talent in the shape of Moses Ogbu and on-loan Sunderland man Ethan Robson. The squad as a whole looks much improved and far more suited to the needs of League Two football, in terms of characteristics, attributes and quality.

However, there are a couple of areas we feel Jolley either hasn't fully addressed or the Mariners lack the necessary quality, along with one (type of) player which could really complement the current setup.

1. Left-back position looks a weak link

 

Michael Jolley has previous experience of working in Swedish football and when left-back Andrew Fox announced he was leaving the club to head to the United States in January, the former AFC Eskilstuna boss looked to Sweden for his replacement - bringing in Sebastian Ring from Örebro SK.

Coming in at the end of the Swedish season and midway through the English one, Ring found it hard to adjust and looked a little off the pace playing in England's fourth tier.

It was hoped a full pre-season would aid the Swede's cause this campaign - though Ring is still finding life in England difficult and finding first-team opportunies hard to come by. Jolley brought in another left-sided full-back in the summer, Liam Gibson arriving on-loan from Newcastle United.

Like Ring though, Gibson has struggled and is regularly targeted by opposition wingers who see the Mariners left side as a weak link. Both Ring and Gibson both appear to be struggling with the technical and physical demands required of their position in Grimsby's narrow 4-3-3 formation, which requires them to be both defensively sound and add width when attacking.

If performances don't improve, Jolley will surely look to address the issue and make the necessary changes at the next opportunity.

2. Mariners midfield missing a game-changer

Playing a midfield three, the Mariners are well stocked in hard-working, tenacious box to box midfielders in the shape of Elliott Whitehouse, Harry Clifton, Elliott Hewitt and Ethan Robson - all guided by impressive holding player Jake Hessenthaler. What they evidently lack though, is a game-changer. A player in the engine room who has the ability to make something out of nothing.

It's no coincidence that Town look a better side when Jordan Cook operates in midfield, providing a forward impetus rarely provided by his colleagues. However, Cook is not necessarily a player that hugely creates for his forwards. He possesses the quality to join up with strikers and get on the end of knockdowns etc. but he's not really the creative force the Mariners are currently missing.

Jolley still hasn't adequately replaced Elliot Embleton, who spent last season on loan from Sunderland, in this position and it's something he maybe needs to look at to add some balance to his squad.

3. Town need a poacher

Grimsby currently have an array of forward players, many quick, strong and with great aerial presence. They also have forwards that can play in wider positions and have more involvement in build-up play. What they really lack however, is a goal poacher.

With the attributes of fellow frontmen Hanson, Green, Ogbu, Rose and Vernam, the Mariners could benefit hugely from a striker that comes alive in the penalty box, one who can feed off the target men and react to situations as the Mariners direct method puts the ball in the danger zone more often.

Many Town fans remember former striker Padraig Amond (now at Newport County) fondly he is exactly the type of alert, instinctive forward Jolley's squad is currently missing.