FA Cup Round 1, Torquay vs Rochdale 9/11/13

[Dave]

There seriously is nothing wrong with our starting shape, Saturday we were not getting any joy from our wide players, so as I've already suggested, we could have adapted our tactics, and that's when personally I would have gone with what Chris (CP) suggested.

It's all very well starting a game narrow, however if your opponents have quick out and out wingers, depending who we have at full back, if say, we started with slow and ever slower dread to think what might happen.

[CP Gull]

We know from recent history that a change in formation and/or selection can do wonders for a team. Cast your minds back to the "turning points" under Paul Buckle and then again under Martin Ling.

I can well remember Buckle getting off to a poor start, particularly away from home, in the Conference. He needed to try something different and no doubt fearful of a mauling on the road at Cambridge he switched to a 4-5-1 and Wayne Carlisle nicked a goal and we won 1-0 and never really looked back.

Likewise, Martin Ling was struggling in his first season here, he recalled Mark Ellis to the centre of defence, played with Rene Howe as lone target man, beat Southend 4-0 and so began our charge to the Play offs.

We need to try something different and we should start by making us more difficult to beat, less open, and trying to pick up League points. I do believe we have the players in the squad to lift us out of this but we do need to freshen things up.

[Dave]

We know from recent history that a change in formation and/or selection can do wonders for a team. Cast your minds back to the "turning points" under Paul Buckle and then again under Martin Ling.

I can well remember Buckle getting off to a poor start, particularly away from home, in the Conference. He needed to try something different and no doubt fearful of a mauling on the road at Cambridge he switched to a 4-5-1 and Wayne Carlisle nicked a goal and we won 1-0 and never really looked back.

Likewise, Martin Ling was struggling in his first season here, he recalled Mark Ellis to the centre of defence, played with Rene Howe as lone target man, beat Southend 4-0 and so began our charge to the Play offs.

We need to try something different and we should start by making us more difficult to beat, less open, and trying to pick up League points. I do believe we have the players in the squad to lift us out of this but we do need to freshen things up.

I wouldn't disagree with that Chris, however it wouldn't work unless Alan Knill had the guts to start with O'Connor and Cruise at full back, and the guts to put either Nathan Craig or Damian Mozika in the team.

[gullintwoplaces]

Working from home today, so I thought I would just watch the high(low)lights of the game. I didn't need to, as I was standing close to the Family Stand and saw both goals. I watched the footage of the first goal three times, I think Knill should watch it until the penny drops, it is utterly horrific defending by Nico, shameful really. I am still angry about Saturday, I haven't felt this depressed about our prospects since the dark days of Roberts. The standard of football being served up by the Gulls is now as bad as I have ever seen at Plainmoor, and the manager seems utterly incapable of turning things around. His local radio interview was quite incredible (as well as making no sense):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24782670

[ferrarilover]

No, seepie (CP, seepie, get it!?!?!?!), I'm referring to Tezza, who has said he wants to play three centre backs and an extra midfielder, leaving us with a 5-5-0 formation. We already get skinned enough out wide, without becoming more narrow still at the back by playing 3-5-2, so we'd have to retain Tongue and Cruise. Our best work comes down the flanks, so we can't lose a winger, so an extra midfielder leaves us with five at the back, five in the middle and none up front.

Matt.

[MH91]

The goal we conceded on Saturday was the same as two of the goals we conceded againts the Chelts two years ago in the play-offs - a ball between Nico and the centre back cutting the defence. When you think about it, it is similar to a few more we conceded last year.

[arcadia]

In the first 15 minutes we were all over the shop. Rochdale were waltzing into our penalty at will. Granted after that they sank to our level but they passed the ball better than we did.
The 4-4-2 just doesn't work at all - as Tomo said our two in midfield are always outnumbered. I am sure Knill said that McCourt was signed to provide decent ball to our forwards but he isn't that sort of player - he is the same as Lathrope,Mansell,Harding (and probably Mozika for that matter) - christ we have got midfielders and forwards in abundance and Knill is no nearer sorting this mess out.
The glaring weakness is at left back though. Knill and Brass need a complete rethink - he needs to start making us hard to beat instead of the wide open formation we play every game.
He needs to address the left back position and he has a good defence - Pearce,O'Connor and Downes. All three have to play - leaving Pearce out with the sea of dross we have is criminal.
He needs to play an extra midfielder.

The idea of Chapell Bodin and McCalum with Chapell more in a central role off the central striker is a good idea Chapell's got pace always looks for goal when he's in the box. Knill should have used him in the middle last Saturday instead of taking him off. Sack the manager and we'll do the job for nothing.

[arcadia]

I think it's time for the supporters to meet the manager, I wonder what he would like for Christmas. It seems that every week we are having a go at Mansell,Harding,McCourt and Lathrope. These players have one thing in common, they play in midfield. It seems all the midfield are struggling do you agree Mr Knill.
Mr Knill turns to Mr Brass how many do we play in midfield, if we play back to front or front to back,it must be two because it won't change and we won't change will we.
All joking apart Mr Knill needs to sort out the midfield as it lasts about a half, then they tire as it's bl--dy hard work with two on their own. On Saturday it was the first time this season that Azeez and Chapell did track back because of Rochdales formation. This is why Azeez was not effective and it's the managers job to release the players that can hurt the oposition but we don't have this guidence on the line. Ask yourself in the first ten minutes of every second half, the oposition score, Saturday they did not score early because players did jobs. As soon as the substitutions were made it went to pot!
McCourt and O'Conner are taking on players just outside the penalty area and got caught Mansell did a captains job by bollocking them with the thought they won't do that again.
Could we have that meeting next week please Mr Knill.

[brucie]

No I think he needs to play Pearce O'Connor and Downes because they are about the best three players we have got so leaving anyone of them out is bordering on stupidity.
Therefore he could drop Tonge and play O'Connor at right back.

[nickbrod]

A similar Rochdale side as played us lost 3-0 tonight at Chesterfield. What might that indicate for Saturday?

[Dave]

Simple, wake up, or get a real beating.