Torquay v Lincoln

Post by **Colorado Gull** » 21 Nov 2015, 22:43

Always write in the diary at work that I need Saturday afternoons off (and Saturdays off for away games) because I must watch my Torquay United. Today, for some reason, I was down to work at 3 and therefore couldn't go to the game today. Did I care? Absolutely not, couldn't care less. Breaks my heart to say it because I never, ever thought, in the 14 years of supporting Torquay United, that I wouldn't care in missing a home game that I already paid for, due to my season ticket. I just don't care any more, it's not fun, it's embarrassing, depressing, pathetic, shameful.

Forever thankful for those who saved my club in the summer of 2015, but it wasn't enough. We had no money and we continue to have no money. This is why our only hope in Paul Cox legged it and why we chose the cheap option in Nicholson. His heart is in the right place, just like those in control of our football club, but Nicholson was not the right answer and it is turning out to be a catastrophic decision. I can't see anything else but relegation, it may be a final nail in the coffin, who knows, but we're only going down.

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 21 Nov 2015, 23:20

davidcaldwell123 wrote:Did we play 4-4-2?
Added in 3 minutes 4 seconds:
First thing to do is take the pitch in and play minimum regulation then play a system where you are difficult to break down 4-2-3-1!

Yes that would make sense but I think pitch sizes are declared at the start of a season as I remember it .

Added in 4 minutes 25 seconds:

arcadia wrote: Yes that would make sense but I think pitch sizes are declared at the start of a season as I remember it .

nickbrod wrote: You did watch today's game?

Post by **Dave** » 22 Nov 2015, 08:03

The problem with the goalkeeping situation at the club is a clear one to me. It's very easy to forget that Spiess has only 26 senior games under his belt, Lavercombe has about 10 games, this highlights a glaring problem.

We're trying to be a full time professional football club, we're struggling in the league, and have two very young, extremely in-experienced keepers and no keeper coach. I respect the right for all to hold an opinion, but for me there is no way on this earth Lavercombe is more advanced as a keeper then Spiess.

They're both young, both have potential, both have made mistakes, not because they lack ability, there collective mistakes are born from the in-experience of both. This is not anti either of our keepers, however the situation is crying out for a big imposing experienced keeper.

On the subject of that third goal, I'm not blaming Lavercombe for that, he's come out to take a comfortable catch when the ball is headed out of his hands by a challenge from his own defender. I do not doubt that Lavercombe called for it, you could see that in his reaction, but the overarching point here is, if our team had a 32 year old big imposing experienced keeper between the sticks yesterday, he almost certainly would have come out more conviction, you'd have heard his call 5 miles away, and would have flattened Gerring as he took the ball.

And that really is just down to experience.

davidcaldwell123 · Post by **davidcaldwell123** » 22 Nov 2015, 09:09

Some good points with regards to tactics, its simple arithmetic to work out we need to stop conceding goals, at the moment on average we would have to score 3 a game to win. On size of pitch my understanding is its specific to the league rules, governing rules state max and min sizes, premiership states you can only change size with written consent during the season, could not see anything in the national league rules but could be wrong.

The point I was trying to make was in the position we are in we need to look at everything that provides an advantage, that's the principals of sport at all levels now, Formula One is an example and teams sail close to the wind in many decisions to win races, we need good strategic decisions.

Everyone I met at the club recently have the best interests of the club at heart, they are going through challenging times at the coal face and all we can do is support them and hope they get it right, even with lottery winners, different management we have not got it right in recent years or we would not be here. It takes time and effort to turn a club around.

arcadia wrote: Yes that would make sense but I think pitch sizes are declared at the start of a season as I remember it .

Added in 4 minutes 25 seconds:

Charley the Gull · Post by **Charley the Gull** » 22 Nov 2015, 09:24

In for a penny in for a pound as I was too cold and annoyed to comment last night. Ruddy awful result but what can be learned as now is crunch time with fixtures against more top teams upcoming? Look how Lincoln used the ball yesterday either from the front men receiving/controlling the ball or heading the ball directly to a colleague. They had men available in the middle of the park to pass the ball to. We've got big guys so let's practice this on the training field. Stop hoofing the ball in the air and play it on the ground. Our really successful spell in the second half is when we passed the ball - OK a few bad passes but the flow was there and that's when we really pressured Lincoln. How many times did we use a 'triangle' to work the ball? Only a few but when we did we were past defenders. Key to me is make Richards captain as he is the only driving force in the middle of the park. Then line up a strong spine through the middle and set them a target of managing that area. Lavercombe for me as he is mobile around the area and listen when he shouts (dumb goal yesterday wasn't his fault). Then Smith as our lynchpin at the back, Richards marshalling the middle and looks like it could be Wright up front. Finally get all of the players to focus on supporting others by moving to the ball or into spaces, we still have too much static play or lack of vision/anticipation. There's no value in changing managers at this stage but he has to build some core of players who clearly know their role in commanding an area of the pitch. The next three or four games will show the future so, Nico, get the team to run their hearts out and play football.

davidcaldwell123 · Post by **davidcaldwell123** » 22 Nov 2015, 10:39

Good comments!

Charley the Gull wrote:In for a penny in for a pound as I was too cold and annoyed to comment last night. Ruddy awful result but what can be learned as now is crunch time with fixtures against more top teams upcoming? Look how Lincoln used the ball yesterday either from the front men receiving/controlling the ball or heading the ball directly to a colleague. They had men available in the middle of the park to pass the ball to. We've got big guys so let's practice this on the training field. Stop hoofing the ball in the air and play it on the ground. Our really successful spell in the second half is when we passed the ball - OK a few bad passes but the flow was there and that's when we really pressured Lincoln. How many times did we use a 'triangle' to work the ball? Only a few but when we did we were past defenders. Key to me is make Richards captain as he is the only driving force in the middle of the park. Then line up a strong spine through the middle and set them a target of managing that area. Lavercombe for me as he is mobile around the area and listen when he shouts (dumb goal yesterday wasn't his fault). Then Smith as our lynchpin at the back, Richards marshalling the middle and looks like it could be Wright up front. Finally get all of the players to focus on supporting others by moving to the ball or into spaces, we still have too much static play or lack of vision/anticipation. There's no value in changing managers at this stage but he has to build some core of players who clearly know their role in commanding an area of the pitch. The next three or four games will show the future so, Nico, get the team to run their hearts out and play football.

gullable · Post by **gullable** » 22 Nov 2015, 10:46

Alley wrote:Having watched the game I have to agree with rob and Portugull Heslop wasa total waste of time I can understand Carmichael has just come back from Bournemouth after injury but he would probably been better than Heslop even if he was not match fit Fairhurst came on and considering the time he's been out did well.Nicho needs to manage not play my team for the next few games would be Spiess Butler Angus Smith Berry Carmichael Richards Fairhurst Marsh Wright Mumbedzi

good posting Alley... Nico on the bench where he should be and I also think that currently our strongest team is
Spiess Butler Angus Smith Berry Carmichael Richards Fairhurst Marsh Wright Mumbedzi..... this for me would be the best we could do unless the squad was strengthened which is unlikely. Short of injuries or suspensions Nico should try to establish some stability, run with the above side for a few weeks and if possible gain some cohesion on the pitch and direction from Nico from the technical area

tomogull · Post by **tomogull** » 22 Nov 2015, 13:38

Poor ol' Kev has come in for some bashing on this thread - not full deserved in my opinion. He played okay yesterday, nothing special but okay. Yes - he should take himself out and manage from the technical area but the downside is that Dan Butler would have to move to full back which would be a loss as he's been playing so well in the more forward role he has been asked to play. I don't think you can put too much blame on Nicholson. He can only work with the squad which he inherited as there's no money to bring in new players. Of the players at the club, the only ones worthy of being in a National League squad are - Lavercombe, Speiss (but an experienced 'keeper is needed as has already been posted), Berry, McDonald, Butler, Richards, Fairhurst, Marsh, Murombedzi (who did a lot of tracking back yesterday and won some good tackles) and loanees Smith, Carmichael and Wright (although we've only seen him play for about half an hour). Also Luke Young of course but as he's out for the season, I haven't included him. The rest should be put on the transfer list and encouraged to seek employment where their 'skills' might be appropriate. The Ryman league for example.

Yesterday, it seemed the crowd were resigned from the start that we were in for a hammering. We were proved right. The drum was badly missed. Right from the start, I had to could the number of players on the pitch to make sure Lincoln didn't have two extra players. As Charley Gull posted, they were well organised and there was a lot of movement off the ball. We had a cobbled together side and it showed. Hurst, Marsh and Smith were badly missed. We had no shots of note on target in the first half and their centre half had so little to do, he decided to join the attack and score two goals. Gerrin, or whatever he's called, looked completely out of his depth and that put extra pressure on McDonald who struggled against rampant Lincoln forwards. You do have to ask just what they do all week in training, though. Yet again an opponent is unmarked from a corner for a free header. The only positives were the introduction of Fairhurst and Wright. Next week, Nathan Smith will be back and surely Josh Carmichael will replace the headless chicken, Heslop.

Even my clutched straw of Woking collapsing was broken as they won away at Chester and there's no chance by my 'creative maths' that we will catch them. It's all looking very, very sad ...........

Groucho · Post by **Groucho** » 22 Nov 2015, 15:35

" Gerrin, or whatever he's called, looked completely out of his depth and that put extra pressure on McDonald who struggled against rampant Lincoln forwards."

You are right about MacDonald struggling yesterday against their big guy up front but my impression was that it was Angus not Gerrin who was out of his depth. He was woeful. He didn't win it in the air or on the ground, then when he realised that was the case he started dropping off but nowhere near far enough. Either get tight or drop off and have a midfielder drop into the space in front of the big man. He should of had enough about him to swap with Gerring who was better equipped to deal with him.

Gerring certainly wasn't any worse than Angus, the unfortunate incident with Lavercombe accepted. So when naming your best side I'd be waiving goodbuy to Angus along with the hit duo who started up front for us yesterday. Neither won a ball all afternoon, held it up or put any pressure on the centre backs in any way. Much better when they went off. Heslop is another that looks completely out of his depth.

I enjoyed the second half and if they could only play like that from the start and tighten up to stop leaking silly goals the results will come.

pinitgull · Post by **pinitgull** » 22 Nov 2015, 16:00

Don't think the system was to blame, looked like 4-2-3-1 to me by the way with Heslop and Richards as tje 2 holding midfielders with Briscoe advanced. Quite simply, we have only 4-5 players of national league standard. Butler, Macdonald.... (on his day) Richards, Campion. We would have 2 more, Marsh and Young. We are quite simply 4-5 players short of being competitive, mix that with the circus going on behind the scenes and you have what we saw yesterday, 1st half in particular, a complete mess.

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 22 Nov 2015, 16:30

Pinitgull how can you say Campion is National League standard? In the first half he did not win one ball. Hopeless. Cannot jump, slow, totally ineffective. A massive disappointment. When he went off with a broken nose Andre Wright achieved more in 5 minutes than Campion in one hour approx.

And how can you exclude Nathen Smith and Berry?

pinitgull · Post by **pinitgull** » 22 Nov 2015, 17:26

Apolgies Porto....I did mean from the starting 11 yesterday, would have course named Nathan Smith who has been our best player this season. Think jury is still out on Berry who hasn't impressed me thus far, though does have good pedigree.

I think Campion will offer us something, appreciate ineffective yesterday, but very isolated, and with very little to work service. Murombedzi not good enough, Butler better coming forward from deeper, there are better footballers in western league than Heslop & Gerring. Lavercombe did not inspire confidence, can forgive him a little, he is only 18, may have had his mind elsewhere.....that may be a little unkind to him....i hated the general negative feeling around the whole place yesterday

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