Game management

[lucy6lucy]

There is no doubt we have a great bunch of players this season, the quality of football I have seen since Gloucester is the best I have seen watching Torquay (albeit we are at our lowest level). The only devil advocate is that the team is mostly young and inexperienced in these pressure games regardless of talent. I feel the pressure games is what this team can’t handle we need a couple of no nonsense leaders to be added so we can achieve promotion. Hugh away support at Weston and Bath for example saw us go one down and lead 2-1 with the clock ticking down only for us to hit self destruct. No doubt Gary Johnson will be re-evaluating his options. We simply have to get out of this league this season as I can’t see us being a full time team next season if we dont get promoted, and somehow you get the feeling these players without additional experience will not fair well in a playoff pressure match.
I have full faith in the team, but football is cruel and a very unforgiving sport, that’s why we need a few additions to get us promoted . Agree or not?

[standupsitdown]

In retrospect we should have settled for a draw when Bath equalised but we went looking for a winner and got caught on the break. Of course we didn't know that Woking wouldn't win but a draw wouldn't have allowed Bath into the race for top spot.
I like the way we play but agree a couple of old heads might help.

[fred]

Asa Hall was our best player on Saturday IMO. So I think you are right that old heads do step up when it matters. I do think however, that the squad that got us into the position we are in are more than capable of getting promotion. A few of the young lads would of learnt from that result on Saturday. I guess that's why the bigger clubs send their younger players out on loan.

[Rhys1991]

Definitely agree with the original post. I was saying to a work colleague/fellow supporter earlier we could do with the option of an experienced forward with a bit more physicality to win those first balls and hold up play a bit more. I have noted especially the last few games that when we are rushed on the ball we play the aerial game and it just comes straight back in to the other team's possession.

[SenorDingDong]

Almost reminds me of under Buckle when we got Guy Branston in for the second half of the 09/10 season and he helped fortify a young raw inconsistent side, resulting in that ridiculous run towards the end of the season when we didn't concede for 7 games (continuing into the next season) and smashed promoted Rochdale 5-0.

[lucy6lucy]

Almost reminds me of under Buckle when we got Guy Branston in for the second half of the 09/10 season and he helped fortify a young raw inconsistent side, resulting in that ridiculous run towards the end of the season when we didn't concede for 7 games (continuing into the next season) and smashed promoted Rochdale 5-0.

And did the Congo at bury with Scott Randall scoring a hatrick winning 3-0. Agree, 2 players can make a difference

[Southampton Gull]

Gary Johnson will have considered this, Lucy. My thoughts are that he's utilising a high line with pressing football and I'm not sure older players fit in with that style. You'd normally have them through the spine of the team but we've got those positions well covered with great young talent. The one thing above all that pleases me most with this team is how hungry they all are for the ball whether in possession or not. It's so refreshing to see and yes a few older heads might help in the tougher games but we've consistently ground out results until Bath, I don't feel we need to change much just because of that.

[brucie]

I agree - suggesting we need to change after one defeat is ridiculous.

Most times we would have won that game on Saturday. Andrews may have missed the penalty but we were then undone by another joke decision given against us and also missed a sitter at the end.

[__quiet__gull]

if the 'joke' decision is related to their penalty, then I think you are misjudging the situation. Whilst I am an advocate for Mr Hall, his challenge from behind in the penalty area with the player facing away from goal was needless and very high risk. I have seen many penalties given for this type of challenge.

With respect to game management, agree with Dave, to change everything after one defeat and it certainly wasn't a hammering would be ridiculous... think all the winning has gone to some peoples heads!

[brucie]

Watch the video again - Its never a penalty in a month of Sundays.

Brunts just ran across Hall and fell over, and the ref has fallen for it.

[wivelgull]

Talking of bringing in old heads....don't forget the great Reg Wyatt, brought in during the 1965/6 season - and look what happened then!

[nickbrod]

Picking up a point from the original posting, why would we not be full-time next season if we don't get promoted when that large batch of players recently signed extended contracts?

[tauntongull]

Asa Hall may very well have been our best player on Saturday and some might argue he has scored goals, but for me, the jury is still out on his 'overall' contribution. He may very well have age and experience on his side, but with this comes a lack of mobility. We appear now well, for the time being, to have creative midfield players. Too many times this season have I seen a defender clear the ball from a header, only for it to drop at the feet of an opposing midfield player. Hall can be clumsy at times and irrespective of whether Saturday's penalty decision was poor, experience should dictate that you should not be making challenges at this point in the game, certainly not in positions such as this. I believe we need a good experienced physical and mobile player in midfield and perhaps the same in defence. As Lucy says, in high-pressure games and when it is time to see a game through and preserve a lead, a calming presence in these areas of the pitch will prevail.

[PhilGull]

Watch the video again - Its never a penalty in a month of Sundays.

Brunts just ran across Hall and fell over, and the ref has fallen for it.

So why blame the ref? If all the energy that went towards berating refs was directed at the cheating players we may actually be able to change things.

[Plainmoor78]

Agree that we don't need to change anything. The record breaking run had to end sometime and I feel people are panicking.
If we don't win the league it is because Gary Johnson started nine games late. If we didn't go up this season it would still be worth staying full time for another season when we should be able to build a lead early in the season. Remember the season was virtually half over by the time we caught up with Woking and co.