Hemel Hempstead Town v Torquay United, 23rd September 2023

[Dave]

Yes it was a marker game no doubt about it.

To get promoted we need to win the league or finish second so that we have hone advantage in the play offs. Anything else will see us play away from home on a likely artificial surface.

Our points total is acceptable but 3 defeats every 10 games will get us nowhere near second place. We are nowhere near good enough to attain that position at the moment.

Totally agree. That's the point those who constantly berate the so called moaners don't understand in my view.

It's great winning against the sides who can't match us over 90 minutes, however if we're going to come unstuck against the better teams, then we're looking at losing 30% of our games, and not finishing in the top 2,limiting our chances of promotion, that can't happen.

[Gull1996]

I doubt Johnson or Downes tell Marshall to head it back across goal the line from a corner.

I also doubt they tell Dan Martin to misplace a three yard pass when he’s the last man.

It’s time some of the players stood up to be counted. Too easy to just blame the management. And no, I don’t think they are the best thing since sliced bread.

Interesting which players you’ve chosen to pick out there. Martin put the cross in for the 2nd goal and Marshall scored it. Martin- poor pass but wasn’t the last man for that misplaced pass, lost the ball in their half with 5 of our players behind him- unfortunately they were all ball watching, with multiple missed tackles that led to the last goal. Would rather see players trying to be creative than gone missing for the entirety of the game.

Poor start to the match, completely inexcusable to go down to 1-0 before the 10 minute mark. We set ourselves up for failure like this too often.
We constantly lose the midfield battle and unfortunately they went missing once again.
Our CBs are caught out too often unfortunately.

To me, this is a systemic problem

[Gullsandbeyond121]

A key game will be Maidstone at home and the 2 in early November will shape things up v Bath and Yeovil both at Home.
Not easy with this present bunch, and that is why we need to strengthen if we are going to be contenders this season in my opinion.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Just back from the game. How did we lose when we were 2-1 up with 10 mins to play ? Simple; bad defending. Good teams start with a good defence; ours is very weak. All 3 of Hemel's goals should have been cut out. Our attack was also fairly toothless today, with both Jarvis and Ash well marked and repeatedly muscled off the ball by a team that were energetic and never gave up. Stobbs badly missed; Lapslie too far forward; McGavin too slow; Halstead not his usual dominant self; subs had zero positive impact ; whole team, apart from Moxey, gave the ball away continuosly. (Note their goals 2 and 3 scored after Moxey went off.) We may not even make the play offs unless we sign at least 1 good CB and a rt back. Finally "De Silva has an attitude problem" - why sign him then, given that he was here for a lengthy spell last year so this should have been clear. The money should have gone on the defence ! The problems are so obvious and so long standing It makes it criminal they haven't been addressed.

Good assessment of the game.
Switched off after going 2-1 up.
Three shocking goals - none of which MH had a chance with.
The first one could have easily avoided if the ball had been let to go out for a goalkick!
Instead it was headed back across the six yard box by Marshall and tbh, Stevie Wonder would have put it away.
Ball given away too much again, if anything Brett was playing too deep....
Jarv & Ash didnt get a look in - but were again continuously manhandled throughout the game....
TBH, we didn't deserve to win, but should have held the lead for longer than a bloody minute and got at least a point.

[MellowYellow]

Having patiently played our way back into the game, following Marshall's gift of heading the ball back into the 6 yard box for Hemel's opener, we then folded like a wet newspaper. It was really an appalling lack of game management from the 84th min onwards. The only highlight was the one minute gap were the chant "we are top of the league" was raised. Did Hemel deserve to win? not for me! we gave it to them on a sliver platter. Shame we don't have a bigger squad because there are at least six players I would drop for their ineffective performance today. My MotM was Lewis Collins who was quick and smart and seemed to be the only player who knew what the game plan was.

[toastkid]

Good to hear comments from those at the match. I listened on the radio l, and they really told us nothing. Constantly rattling on about "pockets of space". They blamed others for not properly clearing Marshalls brilliant defending. And I was thinking that if it was brilliant, then why did it need clearing. I'm not going down the manager discussion, so with the squad, they need to improve seriously. They strike me as fragile.

[Louis]

On the PL only Brucie scored a point this week so not much movement.

Here's the latest prediction league update… Last game vs Hemel 3-2 LOSS

Username ----------------- Prediction ----------------- Overall Points
Gullsandbeyond121 ----------------- ----------------- 18
RodneyJacksRightFoot ----------------- ----------------- 18
DerekDawkinsJnr ----------------- ----------------- 16
portugull ----------------- ----------------- 15
Incredigull ----------------- ----------------- 14
SuperNickyWroe ----------------- ----------------- 12
UnitedinDevon ----------------- ----------------- 12
Chelston TUFC ----------------- ----------------- 11
zebgull ----------------- ----------------- 10
Eirik ----------------- ----------------- 9
North Curry House ----------------- ----------------- 9
Cheddargull ----------------- ----------------- 8
Mr Tea808 ----------------- ----------------- 8
notnow ----------------- ----------------- 8
Brewers boy ----------------- ----------------- 7
Dgulls ----------------- ----------------- 7
Midlandgull ----------------- ----------------- 7
Minneapolisgull ----------------- ----------------- 7
Swindon gull ----------------- ----------------- 7
budegull1954 ----------------- ----------------- 6
Dave_Pougher ----------------- ----------------- 6
gullsgullsgulls ----------------- ----------------- 6
Hornblower ----------------- ----------------- 6
Hot Rod ----------------- ----------------- 6
leetufc ----------------- ----------------- 6
MellowYellow ----------------- ----------------- 6
tufcyellowarmy ----------------- ----------------- 6
Southampton Gull ----------------- ----------------- 5
Taelee73 ----------------- ----------------- 5
United62 ----------------- ----------------- 5
Cruisinho ----------------- ----------------- 4
Dave ----------------- ----------------- 4
happytorq ----------------- ----------------- 4
Hereford Gull66 ----------------- ----------------- 4
Louis ----------------- ----------------- 4
Oil Beef Hooked ----------------- ----------------- 4
Sesimbra ----------------- ----------------- 4
ShropGull ----------------- ----------------- 4
teddiebear ----------------- ----------------- 3
Brucie ----------------- 3-0 ----------------- 3
Admiral ----------------- ----------------- 2
culmstockgull ----------------- ----------------- 2
Rio Doherty ----------------- ----------------- 2
Skillsy ----------------- ----------------- 2
The deluder ----------------- ----------------- 2
torregull ----------------- ----------------- 2
Willhtq ----------------- ----------------- 2
AdrianC ----------------- ----------------- 1
Brixham63 ----------------- ----------------- 1
dawlishmatt ----------------- ----------------- 1
Kingsgull83 ----------------- ----------------- 1
Nick Potkins ----------------- ----------------- 1
SDYellow ----------------- ----------------- 1
Wolborough ----------------- ----------------- 1
DevonBee ----------------- ----------------- 0
Forest gull ----------------- ----------------- 0
Knightmaregull ----------------- ----------------- 0
markypoos77 ----------------- ----------------- 0
numpte ----------------- ----------------- 0
Paignton Gull ----------------- ----------------- 0
Saints1908 ----------------- ----------------- 0
Stickingitin ----------------- ----------------- 0
SWgull ----------------- ----------------- 0
Wubble U ----------------- ----------------- 0

[culmstockgull]

Just watched the highlights which bore no resemblance to the radio commentary, first half we had any number of good chances that we fluffed because of the torquay mantra of trying to pass the ball into the net as opposed to putting your boot through the ball.Their first goal was just diabolical defending from marshall, for their second they had three totally unmarked players in the six yard box. Take you pick lads who fancies finsihing. Third our midfield was absent. Lapslie can not do all the work himself, davies,as the commentator said has been loaned to us to learn the game, I am not sure we can afford that luxury although his goal was well taken he must learn as a matter of urgency that if you are in midfield you have to tackle people not let them just run past you.

[brucie]

Looking at those highlights blimey we should have won that game. For once Halstead didnt need to make 10 saves to keep us in it.

I thought Hemel created very little. Their first goal is unbelievable. Their second the ball broke nicely for them. The third - there are 6 Torquay players behind the ball when we lost us. Criminal defending.

To end up with no points from this game is ridiculous.

[MellowYellow]

Looking at those highlights blimey we should have won that game... To end up with no points from this game is ridiculous.

Now you know why Johnson looked so distraught in his post-match interview - a case of post traumatic stress disorder. We were all shell-shocked.

[Enzo]

Looking at those highlights blimey we should have won that game. For once Halstead didnt need to make 10 saves to keep us in it.

I thought Hemel created very little. Their first goal is unbelievable. Their second the ball broke nicely for them. The third - there are 6 Torquay players behind the ball when we lost us. Criminal defending.

To end up with no points from this game is ridiculous.

You are correct Bruce, we should have won this game. It was a different performance to the other away games I have seen this season (Dover, Slough, Aveley) where we deserved nothing. But for some truly abysmal defending we would have won this. I’m not saying we were particularly good for the rest of the game, we were too pedestrian with the ball and lacked creativity, but still created enough to run out winners had we had any composure at the back, particularly when defending set pieces. The three goals we conceded were all dreadful, but the first was an absolute shocker. I have no idea what Marshall was either thinking or trying to do when he headed it back across goal.

As the highlights demonstrate, Jarvis missed a couple of sitters, where he has to hit the target - particularly when put clean through at an angle just before HH scored. Their keeper also made a couple of very good saves. Until we scored our second we had pretty much dominated the second half, although still looked vulnerable at the back as this side always will.

None of that means anything however as we threw it away. It is a sign of how poor this league is that we are even as high as 6th given how poorly we have played at times. We are nowhere near good enough and I came away yesterday feeling frustrated and disappointed, but with a feeling that with a couple of additions we may scrape into the play offs. When i left the Worthing, Slough and Aveley games, I feared another relegation.

[portugull]

Every game the Highlights are very revealing.
Watch what happens for the winning goal. We lose possession by telegraphing the pass which is intercepted. We have 5 players in our own half and No 26 Brown runs 60 yards to score without being picked up, by that I meaned marked, because EVERYONE is ball watching rather than marking an opposing player.
Pearce our No 19 is closest to Brown but on the wrong side of him and he is not a defender. Why are we so open.
In my opinion it is because the whole team lacks shape. We are all over the place.
Every game Donnellan runs back but never runs fast just jogs so he is not were he should be to get in a block or a tackle. He might as well not be on the pitch.
Some may think me unfair to single him out but he is symptomatic of why we are not an effective unit in defence. He is not alone.
A lot of work needed to get us into a better shape.
Collins looked very sharp.
A game we should never have lost.

[Stoneybroke]

Another 3 or at the least 1 point absolutely thrown away. Shocking defending. This reminds of last season unable to hold on to a result. Like last year results like this will cost us dearly . Just can't believe Johnson's after match interview. Seems that he wasn't watching the same game as us supporters. Need an experienced Centre Half and more ball winners if we are going to get anywhere this season.

I ask the question is Johnson the right man for the job?

[jono_Gull209]

Interesting which players you’ve chosen to pick out there. Martin put the cross in for the 2nd goal and Marshall scored it. Martin- poor pass but wasn’t the last man for that misplaced pass, lost the ball in their half with 5 of our players behind him- unfortunately they were all ball watching, with multiple missed tackles that led to the last goal. Would rather see players trying to be creative than gone missing for the entirety of the game.

Poor start to the match, completely inexcusable to go down to 1-0 before the 10 minute mark. We set ourselves up for failure like this too often.
We constantly lose the midfield battle and unfortunately they went missing once again.
Our CBs are caught out too often unfortunately.

To me, this is a systemic problem

Picked them out because it’s two simple errors that lead to two goals. 36 games left, long way to go.

[Gullsandbeyond121]

Another 3 or at the least 1 point absolutely thrown away. Shocking defending. This reminds of last season unable to hold on to a result. Like last year results like this will cost us dearly . Just can't believe Johnson's after match interview. Seems that he wasn't watching the same game as us supporters. Need an experienced Centre Half and more ball winners if we are going to get anywhere this season.

I ask the question is Johnson the right man for the job?

Is Johnson the right man for the job ?
We all know it’s probably a 50/50 split.
This season nothing but promotion is acceptable after the shambles of last season.
We need to strengthen in the areas everybody has identified.
Failure to do this with loanees soon and we will fail miserably and it will be another season wasted.