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JUST imagine how good we'd be if Carlos Edwards had been in full flight this season.


The past few Saturdays, and even Tuesday's unlucky loss to Sheffield United, have shown how much steel we've got in the side now.

That's something that has been missing since before the Flynn era.

He prefered to pack the side with good passers, who were invariably smaller than him.

While there's no shortage of good footballers now, Denis has managed to make sure they meet certain height criteria.

Now we can stand the heat in the "Battle of Prenton Park", a game in which we would have been outmuscled even last season.

Though the new additions like Andy Holt, Danny Williams and even Alex Smith can look after themselves, we've still got a chronic lack of strikers.

That means we need something out of the ordinary to unlock defences, especially away from home.

That's where the pace and trickery of Edwards would have made such a difference.

The way we're set up now provides a solid base for someone to have a go at the opposition's backline.

Last season that threat would normally come down the right flank with Edwards. This term, while Jim Whitley is solid defensively, he gets nosebleeds past the half-way line.

Dean Bennett, the natural replacement for Edwards, is quick. But like most rapid players he is also prone to niggling injuries which have so far hampered the former Kidderminster man's progress.

Deep in his rehabilitation programme, there are no short cuts for Edwards as he slowly makes his way back from ligament damage.

But if we are anywhere near the play-off positions, then the return of Edwards February-time may be the boost we need.

Let's just hope we've still got a club by then.