Torquay United v Ebbsfleet United 25/1/20

[kerswellgull]

Maybe its a cunning Baldrick plan to isolate Reid up front to deter any bids for him

[kerswellgull]

Maybe its a cunning Baldrick plan to isolate Reid up front to deter any bids for him

[brucie]

We didn't lose, that's 4 points out of 6 and 2 clean sheets in three matches. People carp because we conceded too many goals and now we have tightened up that's wrong as well.

[desperado]

One of the main reasons for our success last season was we had a prolific front two in Reid and Janneh, working together with a good understanding, really unsettling for defenders. Barrow have Quigley and Rooney 32 goals between them and they didn't have any trouble with Ebbsfleet a couple of weeks ago - put 7 past them.
As we are more suited to counter attacking away from home and with what's looks with Warren a stronger defence hopefully we can give them a game.

[culmstockgull]

If you listen to Johnson's pre match chat he said that his starting eleven would be selected to negate their strengths and capitalise on their weaknesses, or words to that effect , it was a strong eleven but his decision making proved to be badly flawed, calling out the players in public after the match is not the right way to go about things in my book but is a natural defence when you wish to deflect blame away form yourself. He picks Nemane over Andrews when the most partisan of us would agree that Andrews even on an off day is a far better player. Second half he has Lemonheigh and Little trying to do the same job and effectively cancelling each other out. We are two thirds through the season and he still imagines that Reid can play as a lone striker, I realise as supporters we have no tactical awareness, Johnson has told us this on more than one occasion, could it possibly be that two thousand of us actually see something that he does not, perish the thought.

[PL21gull]

What a shambolic performance - yes, Ebbsfleet were very physical, came to spoil our game, and their keeper was allowed to waste time from his very first touch; however, the fact that the league's worst defences played out a 0-0 draw speaks for itself, and we failed to change our gameplan. How did we expect to score with that formation? Our midfield was disfunctional, all doing their own separate thing, our top scorer was isolated and having to come back to the halfway line to get a touch of the ball, our only player who could beat an opponent was subbed, no target man and our new centre-forward was given just a token few minutes at the end. Hence, only a few actual attempts on goal.
If ordinary fans could see that having to hoof the ball hopefully upfield for lack of options at the back was not working, how could our management allow it to happen for most of the 90 minutes?
Basically very unprofessional. Woe betide us next Saturday if we underperform again..

[dawlishmatt]

Having just seen the manager's post match video interview, well we're back where we started. Yesterday it was the referees fault that we didn't win, apparently we should have had a penalty, jake Andrews should have had a penalty during the second half. Incidentally, having this morning watched all of his post match video interviews, 30 in total, according to Mr Johnson that's now 22 penalties not given for us this season. Even when the assistant manager gave the post match interview, Johnson was in the refs dressing room, Johnson later said we should have had 2 penalties in that game.
What I don't understand is why nobody seemed to mention the incident just before half time when Ebbsfleet no 10, John Goddard was fouled in the penalty area by Longridge and instead of awarding a penalty, the ref booked Goddard for simulation. I have read today in Dave Thomas match report that it was a definite Ebbsfleet penalty.
Added to that pathetic performance yesterday, Gary Johnson said on Thursday that like last season, he is negotiating contracts with most of squad for next season. God help us.

[portugull]

I have one very simple question about yesterday.

In Jamie Reid we have the joint top scorer in the National League with 17 League goals.
We are playing Ebbsfleet who have conceded 60 goals this season and who lost at Barrow recently 7-0
Gary Johnston knows they have two giant centre backs and two huge forwards in Ugwu and Umerah.

So why on earth do we play 4-1-4-1 with Reid isolated up front?
Can anyone explain this tactic?
Incidentally I have just read on the Ebbsfleet website match report that there was NO contact on Goddard by Longridge just before half time which is why Goddard got a yellow card for simulation.

[Rjc70]

Have read elsewhere that Callum Morton's off to Northampton Town.

[brucie]

Oh dear.

[Nick Potkins]

Having just seen the manager's post match video interview, well we're back where we started. Yesterday it was the referees fault that we didn't win, apparently we should have had a penalty, jake Andrews should have had a penalty during the second half. Incidentally, having this morning watched all of his post match video interviews, 30 in total, according to Mr Johnson that's now 22 penalties not given for us this season. Even when the assistant manager gave the post match interview, Johnson was in the refs dressing room, Johnson later said we should have had 2 penalties in that game.
What I don't understand is why nobody seemed to mention the incident just before half time when Ebbsfleet no 10, John Goddard was fouled in the penalty area by Longridge and instead of awarding a penalty, the ref booked Goddard for simulation. I have read today in Dave Thomas match report that it was a definite Ebbsfleet penalty.
Added to that pathetic performance yesterday, Gary Johnson said on Thursday that like last season, he is negotiating contracts with most of squad for next season. God help us.

Interesting comments on the incident before half time, it was a dive and Dave Thomas is in my view wrong. Look at their players reaction, he indicates to one of his own team he was not touched and this is confirmed in the Ebbsfleet match report, confirming a correct decision.

However, like others have mentioned we were very poor, I don't believe our game plan was correct - but in Gary I Trust. Nice fancy football will not get us out of this league, our smaller players are being bullied all over the field, this is a man's league, like it or not. A big target man, a keeper who can command his area and central defenders to do the donkey work.

[Whydoibother]

In the end we had to play Reid on his own as the striker who was coming on loan would have been along side Reid. That's the manager fault.

[Tommy17]

That was one of the worst games I have seen us play.
I did not think that was our strongest 11 yesterday, why did he not start Andrews over Nemane.?
Why play Cundy a loan player when we have been crying out all season for a experienced CH to play with Cameron then leave him on the bench ??, and playing Reidy as a loan striker just does not work.
I fear for Saturday against Barrow.

[tomogull]

If you listen to Johnson's pre match chat he said that his starting eleven would be selected to negate their strengths and capitalise on their weaknesses, or words to that effect , it was a strong eleven but his decision making proved to be badly flawed, calling out the players in public after the match is not the right way to go about things in my book but is a natural defence when you wish to deflect blame away form yourself. He picks Nemane over Andrews when the most partisan of us would agree that Andrews even on an off day is a far better player. Second half he has Lemonheigh and Little trying to do the same job and effectively cancelling each other out. We are two thirds through the season and he still imagines that Reid can play as a lone striker, I realise as supporters we have no tactical awareness, Johnson has told us this on more than one occasion, could it possibly be that two thousand of us actually see something that he does not, perish the thought.

In my view, had Ruari Keating still been at the club and played alongside Reid from the start yesterday, with Whitfield and Kalala out wide, we would have picked up three points instead of just one against a struggling side. But then, after watching football under Frank O'Farrell, Kevin Hodges, Cyril Knowles, Paul Buckle and Leroy Rosenior, I have no 'tactical awareness' ........

[greb46]

In my view, had Ruari Keating still been at the club and played alongside Reid from the start yesterday, with Whitfield and Kalala out wide, we would have picked up three points instead of just one against a struggling side. But then, after watching football under Frank O'Farrell, Kevin Hodges, Cyril Knowles, Paul Buckle and Leroy Rosenior, I have no 'tactical awareness' ........