Torquay United v Forest Green Rovers matchday thread

[ferrarilover]

We've allowed FGR, a team with Hughes, Parkin, Jolley and others available up front a total of four shots on target today and three of them have gone in.
One was a free kick in which Pearce made a clean challenge and was penalised (funny old thing, Bowman gets elbowed and the referee and lino, a combined total of about 8 yards away "didn't see it". Pearce makes a perfectly good challenge on the edge of the box and is blown), one was the worst player in the squad getting roasted and a horribly deflected finish and one was yet another goal keeping howler. With Berry in the side, we're a goalkeeper and a left back away from a serious automatic promotion challenge.

Just like Nico last season, Ricey's a lovely bloke and he's been a valuable servant to the club over a number of years, but there's no room for sentiment in football, and he isn't up to standard. Andy Candy is a nice bloke and has been a great servant to the club over the years. Would you want him in goal? No, didn't think so.

Matt.

[Dave]

We're in danger of going around and around in circles here, yes, Matt your not wrong, in fact I think we're about four players short of an automatic promotion challenge.

The point missed again, where is the money coming from to get the two player you want, and four I think we need coming from ?

[Neal]

We drew today because we lost control of the midfield in the second half. They were quicker and sharper and the ball seemed also to fall nicely for them second half.

It was dissapointing because we had it in the bag. This eternal slagging off of Rickey is boring and unfair. He's not the best goalkeeper we've ever had but it was not the reason today. They upped their game second half and we didn't respond as a team. Although we had some good moments second half but we didn't capitalise on them and we lost consistency

[arcadia]

It seriously does not matter if it's Joe Hart, Martin Rice and the lad who plays for his local park team, if you're a goalkeeper in a team where by you're being constantly exposed by some poor defending, you're going to concede goals.

This constant over analysis of every gord darn goal that goes in, one; it's getting boring now, two; has to stop. Calls for a loan keeper is complete flight of fancy, what actually might help Ricey is the thought the fans were behind him, we need him back and confident, no chance the way us fans are carrying on.

It was not poor defending that cost us it was the substitutions taking Briscoe off and a keeper lacking confidence. We all know Rice can play well but most of us new this might happen sometime during the season. By the way I played in goal and at some stage all keepers go through this and only he can deal with this and if you took notice you would have seen that Young knocked a ball back from the half way line because he saw that Rice should have gone for the ball into the box as he actually froze on his line. I expect Hargreaves has already put his arm around him what does he do now.

[hector]

I'm not the biggest fan of Rice by any means but I'm not sure if he was at fault or not yesterday. I remain unconvinced he was to blame for the 2nd. If he was indeed culpable, then it was less so than the group of players who formed 'the wall'. I doubt any keeper would have expected the ball, hit at the wall, to get through it. It was simply a stunning strike, the like if which you wouldn't expect to see at this level. As Matt pointed out, it shouldn't have been awarded anyway, as Pearce won the ball.

May be Rice is the sort of keeper who fails to inspire confidence in his defence, sticks to his line and fails to deal with crosses, there is certainly merit in that conclusion but if he is to remain as our keeper then he isn't going to play any better with people on his back.

Most certainly, Having players that are not good enough (Tonge, Benyon, Yeoman and Thompson also fall into this bracket) will ensure we will throw away needless points and it will cost us but probably less than if those players are berated on the pitch as well.

[ferrarilover]

We're in danger of going around and around in circles here, yes, Matt your not wrong, in fact I think we're about four players short of an automatic promotion challenge.

The point missed again, where is the money coming from to get the two player you want, and four I think we need coming from ?

I didn't miss it, Davidoff, I saw it and didn't see any merit in arguing with it because it's right. The "fact" remains that we're precariously close to being the best side in the division over 46 games. We're not going to be able to do anything about it, because we're potless, but that doesn't change what's wrong.

That said, we were equally potless two weeks ago, and we got Berry in, so perhaps there is scope somewhere.

Maybe Ives will go in January and net us just enough to make the changes we need? Perhaps we'll sell Youngy to someone and strike a deal with Bournemouth to get Eunan back on loan for 3 months? Maybe O' Connor will get bored at Argyle and come back to us? Who knows. Other clubs seen to get that kind of good fortune, perhaps it's our turn?

Matt.

[brucie]

Its nonsense to include your obvious hatred of Benyon (who has been injured all season) as a reason to suggest that we are throwing points away because we have a sub standard goalkeeper.
As we have no money how is it we are able to sign Berry?
We have lost ten points at least this season because of Rice and thats being charitable. He may not have been at fault for any of the goals yesterday - I really don't know. We have two goalkeepers who are not up to it. I appreciate that as we are not able to off load either we cannot do anything about the situation but its costing us big time at the moment.

[brucie]

With a full side we probably are as good as anything else in the league. Being 10th because we havn't got a keeper is beyond frustrating.

[bengull]

Think going forward we are dynamic and exciting, when on form Young, Briscoe and Bowman are all far too good for this league. I think we are slightly unbalanced at the moment by Cameron being off key for a number of weeks now. His natural urge is to cut inside onto his strong left foot, I would like to see him mix it up more and take the outside but his right foot just isn't strong enough to do so. Would have liked to have seen him and Ajala switch wings yesterday if only for a bit of unpredictability.

Defensively I have massive concerns, we are too cavalier going forward, fine and dandy if you take your chances, but wide open on the counter attack if caught in possession. I don't think our wingers offer much in terms of tracking back which has been a massive problem for our 2 already weak full backs all season. Berry is a massive step up on Tonge but like Cruise on the other side he was caught miles out of position on a couple of occasions, when on the back foot their propensity to show attackers inside has led to problems. Show them down the line and you have a chance of breaking the attack up.

Our two centre backs have not played alongside each other for a long time so it will take a bit of time to get some understanding between them. Couple that with the fact both are haphazard and error prone, basic mistakes such as backing in, raising hands, shoves in the back, jumping in studs showing (Pearce yesterday) it's no wonder we struggle to keep clean sheets.

After a couple of dismal seasons entertainment wise I don't want to see the fluid, expansive play compromised by adding another midfielder in to the mix in order to acquiesce Young and Richards' exciting reckless abandon but if we have serious aspirations of getting out of this league I think we need to rein in the adventure a bit and seek a way of protecting a very delicate back four.

We have shown that scoring goals isn't a problem, but sometimes scoring 3 goals in a match hasn't been enough. It's clean sheets we need, and fast. The money isn't there to bring in a new back five so we need to find a way to concede less with what we have at our disposal now.

[Gullscorer]

Quite correct.

Only Barnet have scored more goals than us in this league. But of all the teams in the top half of the table, we and Gateshead equally have the worst defensive records. If it wasn't for that, we would be challenging Barnet at the top of the table. So it's obvious where improvements need to be made.

If they're not made quickly, it'll be another high-score draw in our next game...

[Dave]

We have shown that scoring goals isn't a problem, but sometimes scoring 3 goals in a match hasn't been enough. It's clean sheets we need, and fast. The money isn't there to bring in a new back five so we need to find a way to concede less with what we have at our disposal now.

Nice to see you posting again Ben. As to this point I would say it's very difficult, the team can start playing with deep lying midfielders, the manager can start insisting that wide players drop back and help out, but, if we do either then there's a good chance the team will be affected at the attacking end, and we'll see less goals scored.

Can we find a balance between the two, personally I do not think so, my reason for that is the players we have in the squad, Martin Ling made a system with deep lying midfielders work but then look at the players he had compared to what CH is working with. For me some of the most successful managers at all levels gain their success because they know their squad, know their best eleven, know their best formation, and they stick to it and freshen up one or two positions as they go along .

At our level managers can't get to clever the players aren't capable, to me, play to your own strengths and don't try to counter the strengths of your opposition, you just cant keep swapping and changing game plans with players at this level, simplicity is the blueprint for success.

We played two games last week against the runaway leaders and a very good FGR team, and were only denied a full house 6 pts by two outstanding saves from the FGR keeper, we're playing to our strengths in my view, think we should keep doing what we are doing currently, keep up the performance levels of the last games and a another winning run is just around the corner.

[Dave]

On the point about Durrell Berry, we haven't actually signed him, he is registered to play for us under non-contract terms. Effectively Berry owns his own registration and is free to leave at any time, I do not know the ins and outs of what deal he's on, but to me for want of a better description Berry is an agency worker. How can we afford him, because the club have signed him with no financial risk, for example if he gets injured and doesn't play, he probably doesn't get paid.

[PlainmoorRoar]

On the point about Durrell Berry, we haven't actually signed him, he is registered to play for us under non-contract terms. Effectively Berry owns his own registration and is free to leave at any time, I do not know the ins and outs of what deal he's on, but to me for want of a better description Berry is an agency worker. How can we afford him, because the club have signed him with no financial risk, for example if he gets injured and doesn't play, he probably doesn't get paid.

exactly forever

likewise we dont have the funds to payoff the over paid Tonge

[hector]

Its nonsense to include your obvious hatred of Benyon (who has been injured all season) as a reason to suggest that we are throwing points away because we have a sub standard goalkeeper.
As we have no money how is it we are able to sign Berry?
We have lost ten points at least this season because of Rice and thats being charitable. He may not have been at fault for any of the goals yesterday - I really don't know. We have two goalkeepers who are not up to it. I appreciate that as we are not able to off load either we cannot do anything about the situation but its costing us big time at the moment.

What I am suggesting is that we have around 12 or 13 players who are of reasonable standard and the rest are sub-standard. Benyon, like it or not, falls into that category and unfortunately, you are in a tiny minority of people who are deluded enough to think that he could come in and do a job. Perhaps his 7 goals in about 6 years is what has convinced you.

[arcadia]

On the point about Durrell Berry, we haven't actually signed him, he is registered to play for us under non-contract terms. Effectively Berry owns his own registration and is free to leave at any time, I do not know the ins and outs of what deal he's on, but to me for want of a better description Berry is an agency worker. How can we afford him, because the club have signed him with no financial risk, for example if he gets injured and doesn't play, he probably doesn't get paid.

It seems he could be on the old match contract he gets paid when he plays, a lot of pros. earned more money years ago, as clubs had to pay per game so the lad could have had two lots of wages this week. Clubs got caught out years ago as players hid their injuries. Or as you said one wage per Saturday game hardly fair. So paid for the time put in like Sports Direct hardly fair.
I don't think the club would pay cash in hand unless he's getting OTT expenses.