Torquay United vs Oxford Utd 17/08/13

[Dutchgull]

Yes indeed the season has ended after three games. Waste of time following Torquay. Why do we bother ? We should all just give up and find something better to do. Pointless useless club. Everything is a total shambles. Close the place down...................

Lets all go and watch Plymouth or Exeter what fine clubs they are. Promotion certanties. So well run so much better than this tinpot club.......

Blah Blah Blah........

[shaunicus]

Frustrating one today.

The most positive thing I can say about us at the moment is that we're not that far away from being a mediocre side. There are some signs of promise, and if certain things had went our way (Ball's shot that hit the post straight after their opener, the disallowed free-kick) we could have perhaps got a result today, but ulitmately some silly errors at the back cost us, and Oxford were good value for their win.

We're very much a work in progress - a team that is still learning, and it's going to take a bit of time before we get into a groove. I do think we'll be OK, though. Pearce and Downes have all the attributes to be a fine CB pairing at this level and will only get better with games. Harding..wasn't great today, but I actually think he compliments Manse and his energy in the middle of the park well. Let's not get on his back too quickly - no-one benefits from that. Wingers at this level will always be hit and miss, but we have enough options there to cause problems and create chances, and I'm condfident we can score goals with the strikers we have.

Credit where it's due, Oxford looked very much like a nailed on top 7 side. They played the awkward windy conditions far better than we did, they were much more streetwise and physical (not overly so, it should be said) and were far more clinical in front of goal. They look like a fit, well drilled team that tick all of the boxes and have been together for some time - we looked like a team who played well in spells but lacked cohesion and ultimately haven't really gelled yet.

Give it time.

[ggggg]

I agree with wivelgull

yes yes Waldorf we all know you always agree with Stadler! and vice versa! get back in your balcony!

[PlainmoorRoar]

Console myself with the fact that I saved the best part of fifty quid by missing that load of garbage - been waiting to hear what Knill had to say but typical radio devon - apparently Knill was "interviewed" but the line wasn't good enough to broadcast the interview.
What a joke.

Standard Brucie wasn't at the game!

You really are such an idiot, like the guy in the popside who just said 'smalley' over and over again, 2 peas in a bellend pod

[Burnhamgull]

A frustrating afternoon all round.

1. A very slow drive down the M5 thanks to the tourists
2. Got to Plainmoor before realising I'd left my Season Ticket at home so I had to pay for the privilege.
3. Didn't take a coat because it was dry and sunny when I left home..........got wet.
4. Watched us lose 1-3

I agree with several others on here, the first half was fairly even and the second half was a case of they took their chances, we didn't. I would like to see us have a shot at goal a little more often. Too often we seemed to want to pass it into the net instead of trying our luck from outside the area. Their goalkeeper looked suspect and I think we could have put a lot of doubt in his mind if we'd tried our luck.

I'm not panicking yet, it's only a handful of games in and we need to get our patterns of play sorted. Another 5-10 games and we will have a more true picture of how the season will pan out.

I'm not convinced by Nico still and think he needs to improve soon or I would put Cruise in again for a while. Also Rice needs to curb his temper as his booking was avoidable today and he needs to learn that decisions will go against you sometimes.

The most important thing to learn from today is always take your Season Ticket to games..................... :}

[ferrarilover]

Burnham, mate, if you go to the office before the match with some ID, the club are happy to verify your ST status and act accordingly. Too late for today, but remember for next time.

I'm on the phone, so won't post long now, but suffice to say that there is some proper shit being spouted on here from all the usual suspects. Rumour has it that the Oxford coach was stopped on the way up the M5 and they were all arrested on suspicion of robbery and impersonating a football team.

Matt.

[hector]

How do you work that out???? We had plenty of chances, two off line, one disallowed. They have three chances and score three.

Yes it will be a long season, 46 games long ffs.

3-1 tells its own story. Those who seek refuge in hard luck stories just deny reality.

[Dutchgull]

Which is ?? Relegation ?

[Oil Beef Hooked]

3-1 tells its own story. Those who seek refuge in hard luck stories just deny reality.

Not being funny Hector, but Arsenal also lost 3-1 today. Will they be relegated too?

A season isn't won or lost in 3 games. It takes time for a good team to gel. As I mentioned earlier, we will become better, fitter and more confident as the season progresses.

Keep the faith. We will be OK.

[OllieGull]

To be honest we're not playing bad, it's just we're not too great at taking chances. A few shooting sessions and who knows!

[SuperNickyWroe]

there are some total tools on here.

we are TUFC not manure FC FFS.

and as has been said (arse)nal got spanked by (potential relegation fodder) villa today.........

[brucie]

Plainmoor Roar - getting abusive because you cannot face reality just makes you look pretty childish. i didn't need to be there because I knew what would happen ie we would lose and we did. I don't take any pleasure in that but if you want to make excuses all well and good. It may well be that we did suffer some ill luck but as we struggled against lesser teams it was probably quite likely that we would lose today.
As for Plymouth and Exeter well Plymouth were always likely to come good sooner or later, because their team is better than last year.
As far as Exeter are concerned - well everyone was tipping them for relegation but as usual the excellent Mr Tisdale has them winning games (with an injury hit squad to boot)
Every supporter is different - there are those who are optimistic and will claim hard luck stories ie the ref,the woodwork, deny us a victory - clinging to the belief that luck will change in the next game (only to find that we will lose again)
Others are realists - and will be castigated for telling the truth. Plain fact is we havn't been good enough this season so far. We havn't deserved to win a game because we han't been good enough in any game we have played.
So far we have had our reserve keeper in goal (granted he has surpassed expectations)
Our central defensive partnership is maybe not quite as good as last year. Saah possibly has the edge on Pearce. Worryingly we have no viable cover at right back/centre half.
Nico is as slow as ever. Tonge is slow - he is no better than Oastler.
Our central midfield is no better than last year.
Chappell looks an improvement on what we had - although for some reason he only plays every other game.
Cameron looks a headless chicken. Bodin is as bad as ever.
Our brand new strike force of Ball and Hawley who rocked up the day before the season kicked off - well the jury is still out on both of them. Ball will be off at the end of September anyway if we carry on losing.
Benyon is our best hope but will Knill play him regularly?
And then of course there is Howe - we havn't got anything remotely in his class - indeed Jarvis is looking a big loss as well at the moment.
Then we have the likes of Craig,Thompson and Yeoman (who will probably never get a game)

[taxilady]

do try to get along sometime to see a game Brucie...it adds to the realism. And you might get to see Danny Sullivan play .....then you'd mention him as well in your summaries.

[Kernowgull]

Well maybe I was at a different game but I thoughr we were good for 70 minutes. Their first rwo goals stemmed from abysmal refereeing. Gordon,Banks at his best wouldn't have saved the second one. The third was awful defending. We played some tidy football and I saw lots of positives and some negatives

Rice- Nothing particually bad, decent distribution, although agree didnt adapt kicking to wind second half

Nico- Needs to be replaced

Downes- Pearce- not a partnership yet, but think they will come good

Cruise- good technique, creates space for himself, did misplace a lot of passes, but each one was with his right foot, get him in for Nicho and got a good player there

Cameron- needs to toughen up, but scares player when he runs at them

Mansell- superb, Man of the Match. Covered every blade and passing good

Harding- Anonymous for the most part, hit one excellent shot, needs to add more

Bodin- Superb first half. Really good battling performance, qnd scared the life out of their full back. Man of the First Half

Hawley- Great understanding of the game, holds the ball up well, good player

Ball- needs to get involved more, dangerous when he is involved.

Oxford were lucky today, the ref helped them a lot. They were very direct and took their chances, so fair play. Their fans annoyed me, I hope they get knocked off their perch soon, they should do, nothing special.

[Lloyder5]

Agree with all of the above. But then we all like our opinions confirmed!