Tonbridge Angels v Torquay Utd - FA Trophy 3rd - 18th December

wbw · Post by **wbw** » 18 Dec 2021, 21:28

Last season we had what was generally thought to be the biggest budget in the league on a "shit or bust" effort to get back in the football league.
Having failed, this season was always going to be different and we have to accept that we are stuck in this dross of a league for the foreseeable future.
Surely we cannot just throw away decent prize money like we seem to have done today.
How long the owner puts up with thiscrap I don't know, but it can't be long before he just gets fed up.

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 18 Dec 2021, 21:44

As a manager Garry has taken a risk today and got caught out. You should always play your best side.

fred · Post by **fred** » 18 Dec 2021, 23:04

Poor first goal to concede!! We've been vulnerable all season to crosses and corners!! Never a good thing!! Came back well and scored from great play from Little and a good finish from Wright. Really thought we would go on and get another before half time!! Didn't turn up second half!! Spoke with several of their fans before and a director of theirs who were very complimentary of TUFC. Was an embarrassing defeat today and hard to take!! Hopefully the players feel the same tonight and bounce back against Yeovil!! Halstead was bad today. Maybe he should move on as it hasn't worked for him here. Were Hall and Evans injured today?? Evans only played for 10 mins v Stockport!!

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 18 Dec 2021, 23:04

arcadia wrote: ↑18 Dec 2021, 21:44 As a manager Garry has taken a risk today and got caught out. You should always play your best side.

Aside from the keeper one could have no complaints about GJ selection. We were not a weakened side it was just an embarrassing defeat where exuberance beat experience that left us red faced. Basically, we could not create a chance of note to beat a team that I would consider "below" our teams ability.

I do take issue with Halsteads role in our defeat. Yes, he did make a couple of good saves but you want your goalkeeper to do the basics from the get go, and he didn’t do that. To concede the second goal in such a manner was enough to tell me he is not fit for purpose.

The only worthy note about todays game was once again the Torquay support - making up roughly a third of the approx 700 attendance - who tried they hardest to rally the team.

I just hope this game will be a wake up call to the players and we can regroup and go again on Boxing Day against Yeovil who will be made of sterner stuff than what we were up against today.

lucy6lucy · Post by **lucy6lucy** » 19 Dec 2021, 03:17

grockle wrote: ↑18 Dec 2021, 19:10 Did we send the wrong goalkeeper to Gloucester? After his performance today, I hope I don't see another. My 1st chance to see us since Sutton (a), before lockdown. How good to be able to pay cash, not be forced to wear a mask, and not have any rigmarole about testing.

Gary obviously wanted to send a keeper there with potential and to gain valuable game time whilst McDonald is our number 1. Sending halstead would not tick those boxes. The guy has never been a number 1 keeper in is entire career so maybe he is the one that needs to realise /admit he is shit, rather than us say so. No one wants to berate a player but yes halstead needs to pursue a new career

DWB · Post by **DWB** » 19 Dec 2021, 06:43

Didn’t go to the game or hear the commentry but if, as seems the case, our keeper had a bit of a nightmare surely we should have had players on the pitch to have won the game 3-2, 4-3 or whatever? Yes it is a cup game that maybe most of us don’t particularly want to progress in but I’m sure Gary Johnson gone on record somewhere saying he wanted to do well in it? Obviously his team didn’t.
Hey ho let’s go again against Yeovil

culmstockgull · Post by **culmstockgull** » 19 Dec 2021, 11:10

I think its easy and far too simplistic to put the blame on the keeper, if we had won four nil yesterday and all he had to do was finish the croosword, would he have received any praise or even an honourable mention, unlikely, that is the lot of the keeper, Mcdonald is now seen as our saviour but lets remember last season he was a benchwarmer for most parts for a very good reason , his abilities and temperament were questionable.
All season we have looked vulnerable to crosses and set plays and while I rate Lewis , he is young and very inexperienced and ditto Perritt ,while some players mainly the more mature thrive in adversity, other younger players dont do as well and we run the risk of turning potentially very good defenders into risk averse, nervous, journeymen.
Our midfield is talented , but unless Hall is having one of his rare outings we do not have a stopper or disrupter. Lapslie manfully tries to fulfil that role but does not have the size or weight to carry it off.
In quality terms the National is changing rapidly, every team, even the so called weak ones have brought quality who could easily play in league two, they bring giants in terms of stature whikst we continue to play with gifted midgets in comparison.
Johnsons philospohy of fast ground passing football is fine, as long as you have the players to fit that function, if this season has shown us anything it is that we no longer tick those boxes so my christmas wish is that we get a fit, 30 year old, 6 foot 3 inch very experienced centre half and two defensive minded wing backs who are actually comfortable in those positions as opposed to Johnsons belief in trying to play anyone that is left over in the squad to fulfil those roles.

jono_Gull209 · Post by **jono_Gull209** » 19 Dec 2021, 11:29

All keepers make mistakes. But Halstead chucked two in the net. Not sure how you can’t blame him for the defeat. And why are you moaning about MacDonald? He’s been very good this season. It’s not his fault the keeper brought in to be number 1 is simply not good enough.

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 19 Dec 2021, 13:40

I agree with Culmstock, it's time we signed a proper experienced centre back ( a Gary Warren type if you like) we play three centre backs , two of which are full backs filling in!
And our various tried wing backs are quick and ok going forward but not so great at defending and stopping crosses.
Where was Evans again yesterday ?
Is he on his way in January ? Hope I'm totally wrong but when Gary gets wind ( not that type) of a player not settled or wanting a move he doesn't play him eg Whitfield at the end of last season . Fans will speculate if reasons are not given for a players omission.

DWB · Post by **DWB** » 19 Dec 2021, 14:42

According to Gary Johnson he took a knock in training!?

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 19 Dec 2021, 14:48

Havn't seen the goals but if he dropped the ball when it was 1-1 who would you blame - Lolos?

I feel sorry for Halstead but it hardly alters the fact that he has been a diabolical signing and a terrible waste of funds. Unfortunately when he was in the team at the start of the season he looked completely clueless and some of his errors were horrific. He seemed to be gifting the opposition two goals a game at least.

Goalkeeping errors are always magnified, but sadly he's nowhere near good enough and its not simplistic to say we would struggle to win any game with him in goal whether our opponents are Stockport or Mickey Mouse Rovers

nickbrod · Post by **nickbrod** » 19 Dec 2021, 15:50

Halstead's played seven games - well six and a half at Solihull, including yesterday, and been on the winning side once - the 4-3 win at Maidenhead.

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 19 Dec 2021, 16:49

Halstead has played Pro Football for 12 years but, and it is a big but, he has played very few games.Whichever way you look at it he has never held down a No 1 Spot for long.He has averaged between 9 and 11 games a season depending on the stats online.

This is not a good sign. I am very surprised we signed him and he no doubt signed because the offer was too good to turn down.

I guess he is homesick and depressed which is not good for him or the Club. Sad for him and for Gary. You cannot always get signings right!

Look at some of the disasters in the Premier League for very big money.

rivieratouch · Post by **rivieratouch** » 19 Dec 2021, 17:51

I believe he bought a house in the area to make a go if it, but had to leave his wife and son behind. Just hasn't worked for him or us and maybe time for both parties to cut their losses and move on. He can't really expect to win the crowd over now and realistically can't see him playing for us again.

Nick Potkins · Post by **Nick Potkins** » 19 Dec 2021, 19:53

For anyone who has not witnessed the away matches with Havant & Waterlooville, Barnet, Aldershot and Tonbridge believe me we were outplayed, outmuscled and second to everything in these matches.

The FA Cup or FA Trophy excuses don't wash with me, the income would have been good, Wembley better and a Premier League team in round three of the FA Cup a dream.

To win at this level we need to compete down the spine of the team, centre-back, midfield and upfront. To me upfront is not the issue but the other areas are. We currently play with three center backs, but only one truly is. The midfield is lightweight and being honest won nothing yesterday. Even with the ball the midfield was non existent yesterday, time and time again we had no one within yards of the centre circle to take a pass, move the ball or win anything.

For anyone thinking otherwise keep burying your head in the sand, you need to accept what we have, A BANG AVERAGE lower league team.

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