Are Boro better without Morison?

When Steve Morison left Broadhall Way in the summer for Millwall and League 1, many believed Stevenage would struggle to deal with the loss of their prolific striker. Some would argue that Boro still haven’t really replaced him, but the table suggests that Boro are doing just fine without him. Graham Westley’s side are 2nd in the Blue Square Premier, 5 points behind leaders Oxford United. So are we actually better without Steve Morison in the team?

Morison was signed by Mark Stimson just after the start of the 2006/2007 season. He joined after catching Stimson’s eye while playing for Bishop’s Stortford in the Blue Square South. His impact at Broadhall Way was immediate. He played up front on his own, with George Boyd playing just off him. The partnership just clicked. Boyd enjoyed his new role in an attacking midfield position whilst Morison was pouncing on any chance that came his way. Stevenage had the best strike force in the league. Morison scored 76 goals in 142 appearances in his time at Boro and is seen as one of the best players to have ever graced the Broadhall Way turf.

After months of speculation about his future, Morison finally left Boro for Millwall days after captaining the side to another FA Trophy triumph. Morison had been the captain of the team for the majority of the season, with Westley later saying that he was the only one who wanted the job at the time. After a poor start to the 2008/2009 season, GW said that there was a ‘split’ dressing room and that it was quite hostile at times. Not a nice place to be. Fair play though to Morison for stepping up to the extra responsibility. Although, he wasn’t one of the best captain’s that Boro have ever had, he did the job he was asked to do and was instrumental in the teams push for the play-offs in the second half of the season.

So what are we missing? Well it isn’t his goals. Stevenage have scored 6 more goals after 24 games this season than at the same stage last season. Although, I don’t think that is the whole story. While the stats will say that the team is better going forward this season, the goals have been shared out more throughout the team rather than relying on the one man.  It’s also worth noting that Boro are a much improved side this year and more chances have been created in the opening half of this season than at the same stage last season. Our problem this season is not being clinical enough in front of goal and maybe if we still had Morison in the side now, we would be closer to Oxford or even above them?

However, in my opinion I think the team has improved as a whole since Morison’s departure. Last season, Boro were a bit one dimensional. Morison was the target man and the player that all of Boro’s attacks went through. Westley’s team was built around his star striker, he was the first name on the teamsheet. However, if he was injured or marked out of the game then Boro would usually struggle. That was evident in the opening weeks of the season when Morison was suspended after being sent off at Wrexham. Boro failed to win any of the games he missed. This season we are not reliant on one man. We are more of a squad and I think that is one of the reasons why we are where we are now. GW can now chop and change his team how he sees fit and it seems to be working.

Overall, I think that Morison’s move to Millwall has suited everyone. Moro got his well deserved move into the football league after 3 fantastic seasons at Broadhall Way and is now beginning to show his supporters at the New Den why Kenny Jackett spent £160k on him. Meanwhile for Boro, Morison’s departure has allowed the team to move to the next level. Boro are a better team without him. No one player has stood out this season so far because all 11 players are working hard in each and every game and it is getting results. Graham Westley has adapted the way the team plays to compensate for the loss of Morison and as a whole it looks more solid and balanced. Hopefully it will continue going into 2010.