Dave Edwards: Draws are an opportunity missed for Shrewsbury safety

Town had that really good run of results over Christmas and capped it with a huge day out at Anfield.

I wrote then that Town have a block of five games against teams below them. It was about dusting themselves off and not letting it get to them too much.

I hoped it hadn’t taken too much energy and emotion from them.

The run of five games could’ve really helped them kick on, Town were 14th at the time. They could’ve really made a march to the top half, which I’m sure was the aim.

And it just feels like a huge missed opportunity. You put within that the transfer window, missing a few targets – Town marginally improved the squad but the depth still isn’t there and the creativity the fans crave didn’t quite come in.

So you feel it’s been a disappointing month, really. At the same time it is one defeat in nine and we do look more solid in general.

We’ve only conceded three goals in that time but the problem is only scoring two.

Looking at poor Ryan Bowman and Dan Udoh, they have been asked to go game after game, that doesn’t usually happen with strikers, they usually interchange or have an impact replacement on 60 minutes – but they’ve been flogged recently.

They’ve done ever so well, the work-rate and attitude, you can never deny that.

We did see the impact of new boy Saikou Janneh on Saturday, what he can bring. It just allows these boys a rest, not dropping them, but an arm around them, it brings more positive than negative, I believe, and freshens the team.

I think Steve Cotterill deserves credit for the half-time formation and personnel change, that tactical switch with Janneh out wide made a huge difference.

All of a sudden Town find themselves with two huge away games now, starting at Wycombe tonight before Saturday at Plymouth – and I have no doubt it will suit us to play the higher teams.

I can see points being picked up the way Steve sets his side up so well in these bigger, tougher games. We can frustrate opponents and play on the counter.

But the problem has been against teams around us, when you aren’t taking three points there you can’t see yourself moving up the table.

It’s rivals Morecambe at the Meadow on Saturday week. If Town don’t pick up a win prior to that and other sides in that gap have picked up points it will get nervy. You don’t want a nervy Meadow at the end of February.

The team, the starting 11, is too good to be down in the bottom four. I think we’re miles better than those. But we need points on the board.

I suspect the easy and sensible thing now for the manager to do is to keep Luke Leahy in midfield – he offers so much there with his technical ability and presence – and move George Nurse to left wing-back after the sale of Nathanael Ogbeta. Nurse offers something with his physicality, running power and has great delivery.

I hope young Matty Bondswell gets some chances but it might be another signing where he doesn’t get the game time unless there’s an injury crisis.

That will allow Tom Flanagan to come into the back three. He wouldn’t be happy coming to sit on the bench, he’s played all season for Sunderland and it makes sense to have him alongside Ethan and Matty Pennington, I can’t see either of those being left out.

It gives you three strong defenders who will have to defend their box well at Wycombe tonight.