Dagenham and Redbridge v Torquay United FL2 27/08/2011

[AustrianAndyGull]

damn blast and sausage dogs. 1-0 down. This isn't going to be an easy day is it.
See Crawly finaly losing 3-0 but to Cheltenham of all teams? Why can't we do it.

If we lose again today what position can we take. Is there something wrong with appointing lingy. Is the team wrong. Is the dissension in the dressing room spreading? or is there some other reason?
The team put together seems on paper pretty strong. The managment seems ok so what is the problem Or are we going to ride it out and it will come good in the end.

Just trawling through the matchday posts and found this from Gloster. We have played 3 away games winning twice and drawing the other, we have been poor at home but got a draw against Burton and were outclassed against a far superior Crawley side. We sit a couple of points of the top three. I'm sure the post was made Gloster during the game when we were playing crap and a goal down and you were a bit upset at the time but look at the bigger picture here man. The team is not wrong apart from having Danny Stevens in it, there is nothing wrong with the job Ling is doing at the moment, our team on paper is NOT strong in comparison to other teams in league 2 and we are exceeding my expectations and finally i don't feel there is any dissent in the dressing room. Our only problem is conceding goals and Ling needs to work on this but i'm sure he knows this. I'm not saying that the wheels couldn't fall off at any moment but for now Ling is doing an amazing job. (despite consistently playing Danny Stevens who still does nothing and who still doesn't score). COYY!!!

[Glostergull]

oooohhhhhhhhhhhh rhnenie (in an Allo Allo accent)

Now :"Listen I will score this only once"!

[Glostergull]

Just trawling through the matchday posts and found this from Gloster. We have played 3 away games winning twice and drawing the other, we have been poor at home but got a draw against Burton and were outclassed against a far superior Crawley side. We sit a couple of points of the top three. I'm sure the post was made Gloster during the game when we were playing crap and a goal down and you were a bit upset at the time but look at the bigger picture here man. The team is not wrong apart from having Danny Stevens in it, there is nothing wrong with the job Ling is doing at the moment, our team on paper is NOT strong in comparison to other teams in league 2 and we are exceeding my expectations and finally i don't feel there is any dissent in the dressing room. Our only problem is conceding goals and Ling needs to work on this but i'm sure he knows this. I'm not saying that the wheels couldn't fall off at any moment but for now Ling is doing an amazing job. (despite consistently playing Danny Stevens who still does nothing and who still doesn't score). COYY!!!

Yes It didn't look good did it. I admit I didn't see us getting anything out of this and I think playing at a ground with few supporters in a rough area with no noise and no atmosphere is the worst way to lift the players to play to any potential and get a result.
Good on em to extract a draw from this game. I expect it was like pulling teeef, I am though still worried by the captain. Saah was brought in and made club captain above our team captain who to put it mildly is not happy with this. I do wonder when I see Saah awarded 5.5 by you whether it is affecting us and how it is affecting Brian Saah or Lee Mansell. It seems as if Lee has let his anoyance come out in his game and Saah is not rising to the occasion because he doesn't feel comfortable. Now imagine if the matter was resolved. How much better would we play. I don't l;ike to hear of problems in the dressing room and hope it's sorted soon. we can then look to a great season. otherwise this could drag on and we could lose a great captain.
I see Rene (listen. I will say this only once) Howe has a favourite left foot. Hmm I bet he has problems getting shoes. for mutliple left feet and 1 right foot. If nothing else at least we have discovered a new chant for him. every time he gets the ball we all just shout out, "Oooohhhh Rene"!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Saah is a solid powerful defender but should never have been first choice over Ellis never in a million years deemed an acceptable replacement for Branston. Defensively we lack confidence because our defenders lack confidence in each other. A scenario that Branston would not have encouraged. Saah is captain but his indecisive displays do not instill the confidence that Branston did. This is not the Guy Branston appreciation society but he makes decisions on the field and does what needs to be done by his own actions and communication with his defence. Saah? Nowhere near.

[cosmic74]

Jeff, firstly, many thanks for another impecable match report. I was at the game, my last for 11 weeks as I am off to work today, and all I wanted was to see a gritty performance against a team that have started this season quite well. To be honest, at half time, I was dejected and felt completely let down by a 11 players who were not at the races, and quite rightly got booed off the field at half time. I can only begin to imagine what ML said to them at half time, but whatever it was, it worked!! And at full time, myself and many others at the match, couldn't believe we had not taken all 3 points.

I will however, just add a couple of points of my own. I don't think Saah is a bad player, in fact I think he is pretty good, however, he does not communicate like a leader at the back should, and that is why we look decidedly dodgy at the back at times. The club captain/team captain thing is not helping this situation and needs sorting.

Ellis played well today, but in a game where we were poor in the first half, he was our best player, but he and Saah were both at fault for their goal.

Stevens got a lot of stick from our fans today, and he is not great, but everytime i have seen him play this season (which is every game) he has done things that he deserves credit for, whether it be a trick, a change of direction, or a defence splitting pass (admitedly rarely coming off, but that is down to players not anticipating a through ball as well).

Billy bodin looked match fit, lively and a quality player. Taiwo and Rene need to up their game now, this is no half fit Billy Kee we are talking about.

The away support was 220, too spread out in that big stand and no away day atmosphere, despite the best efforts of a few.

i truely believe that with the addition of a pacey and skillful right winger and the defence starting to communicate with each other, then we have a decent chance of a play-off berth this season.

5 games down, 8 points, a couple of good performances, not a bad start considering all the upheaval in the summer.

COYY

[Mav]

My concern from what I have seen and read so far this season is that we don't appear to be able to string a performance beyond 45mins. With the exception of the Rovers game where a lot of the squad had reason to be up for it, they currently play in fits and starts. I think if we currently still had branston in the team in place of Saah we would have posted much better performances from the games so far (the results may not have changed). I am dissappinted for oastler as based on the performances so far this season he has been a decent performer, Saah when I have seen him as been indecisive and pretty poor. However do people think that Ellis can play alongside Robertson effectively? They both are pretty quiet and I wonder if the communication between the two is strong enough.

[Sexy_Gulls]

At the game yesterday and everyone else's points ring true.

What i will say is Martin Ling turned that game around for us. Instead of making wholesale changes at half time he opted for a tactical switch in midfield. Lately O'kane has been sitting back tyring to play a deep playmaker role while mansell goes box to box. And while mansell has benefited it has lead to o'kane having too much to do and unable to position himself properly. Anyway after half time the midfield swapped round, Mansell dropped back and played as a sweeper infront of the defence while Eunan was pushed forward. The result, our midfield dominated.
This is why I like Ling, he seems to be able to fix problems without resorting to kneejerk reactions. Hopefully this midfield change will stay for the start of the next match.

[Jeff]

At the game yesterday and everyone else's points ring true.

What i will say is Martin Ling turned that game around for us. Instead of making wholesale changes at half time he opted for a tactical switch in midfield. Lately O'kane has been sitting back tyring to play a deep playmaker role while mansell goes box to box. And while mansell has benefited it has lead to o'kane having too much to do and unable to position himself properly. Anyway after half time the midfield swapped round, Mansell dropped back and played as a sweeper infront of the defence while Eunan was pushed forward. The result, our midfield dominated.
This is why I like Ling, he seems to be able to fix problems without resorting to kneejerk reactions. Hopefully this midfield change will stay for the start of the next match.

Interesting viewpoint. I actually felt that Ling should have done something to change the game earlier, as I was a bit annoyed at his seeming lack of enthusiasm first half. It was clear that that performance was unacceptable, but it looked like Ling did nothing to let the players know that.

[tufcbrett]

As a coach it is very hard to do much during the first half of any game. You can shout what you like but if your backs are against the wall its hard to change that. Usually as a manager you hope you can hang out untill half time then you have a break and it breaks up there play, so you can try things then.
Sometimes, leaving it as it is and hope you hold out is the best thing, as Ling could have changed the formation or something and it could have back fired big time then Ling would have been moaned about on here. You can win as a manager inless you get it right.
2nd half is different as you make subs to try and effect the game but you cant use your subs in the first half inless its seriously that bad.

[hector]

I feel that a point at Dagenham (in view of their current form) is a very good point. I expected a defeat if I am honest.

What is worrying me, reading through this thread is the reference to dressing room unhappiness but I don't really get what it is supposed to be about. The captaincy? I thought Mansell still was the captain - for games at least - and that Saah was 'club captain' which is really more of a symbolic role. I remember years and years ago Albert Larmour was club captain but he wasn't in the team - he spent the season in the reserves - so his role was more peripheral.

Can anyone explain anymore on the issue?

The only thing I think is that Ling is a bit to eager to criticise the players in the press. This never goes down well. Buckle, I suppose did from time to time, but not generally. He was always a bit more upbeat and positive about his players. I really have no idea how Ling is with the players. He interviews quite poorly, so you wonder how well he gets his messages across to the players in terms of how confidentally.

I hope there is not a dressing room dissent and unrest. The way Buckle was such an abrasive character there surely must have been at times with him but I feel I know little about Ling's character to know how well he relates to the players and how much they respect him.

That young coach at MK Dons, Karl Robinson, clearly has his team running through walls for him, there seems to be very positive relationships between manager and players. Is that the same at Plainmoor? Just interested to know really - not suggesting anything other than what I have read on here.

[tufcbrett]

The players dont have an issue witht he manager. They all like him which is a good thing.
There were a few issues with Mr Kee so he left. I know LRT is getting rather anouyed of beinf left out of match day squads.

These come backs against Burton and Dag must show what Ling has in the changing room at half time to motivate the side to do better. The team are good friends and like playing for each other. Obviously at any club or work there will be a few bumps along the way that get sorted.

[Awayday]

Personally a point for that performance was about all we should have got.

I just want to say a huge thanks to the Daggers fans. Alex and I spent a great day with some of them and after the game we met a few outside the ground. Also the stewards were friendly. I think this club is like for like what away fans expect from Plainmoor.

As for the atmosphere........... I know it helps if the team are playing well on the pitch, however I thought our fans were not up to the usual standard of an away game.

Either way I got my cuddle of Christine, so my day was made complete...... if not slightly blury before we made it out of East London.

[tufc si]

[quote="Awayday"]

As for the atmosphere........... I know it helps if the team are playing well on the pitch, however I thought our fans were not up to the usual standard of an away game.

quote]

Totally agree with this!! Normally its pretty constant chanting but thought we were a bit flat on Saturday! Think the last game I remember going to when we were this quiet was Swindon in the JPT last year, but that was a nothing game!!

I hate booing as well so refrained from joining when they walked off at half time, don't agree with it and does nothing for the players. They already knew how gash they were playing!!.....

[Sunny]

"I hate booing as well so refrained from joining when they walked off at half time, don't agree with it and does nothing for the players".

I totally agree, booing and mugging off players when they are walking off at half time is pretty disgraceful.

There is a certain so called supporter who was actually quite disgusting on Saturday, his swearing was obscene (using the C word)to one particular player, it was actually quite embarrasing as he was one of the better players on the pitch. This particular idiot must realise that there are children around him and his behaviour makes him look like a complete and utter moran.

As a Torquay supporter for many years I must say behaviour like that makes me livid. Obviously he is not behind our team, a supporter should be behind them through good and not so good games.

If this particular person is a member of this site then please leave as I for one do not want your foul mouth around when children are present. YOU SHOULD BE UTTERLY ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!!!!

[Awayday]

"I hate booing as well so refrained from joining when they walked off at half time, don't agree with it and does nothing for the players".

I totally agree, booing and mugging off players when they are walking off at half time is pretty disgraceful.

There is a certain so called supporter who was actually quite disgusting on Saturday, his swearing was obscene (using the C word)to one particular player, it was actually quite embarrasing as he was one of the better players on the pitch. This particular idiot must realise that there are children around him and his behaviour makes him look like a complete and utter moran.

As a Torquay supporter for many years I must say behaviour like that makes me livid. Obviously he is not behind our team, a supporter should be behind them through good and not so good games.

If this particular person is a member of this site then please leave as I for one do not want your foul mouth around when children are present. YOU SHOULD BE UTTERLY ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!!!!

You might have to be a bit more specific and at least let the person defend themselves. I was stood at the back and I don't think I heard any such swearing to be honest. Also if you feel that bad about it then say something at the time. I took my 5 year old daughter to Southampton and asked the people around me to refrain from swearing, it made sod all difference, but at least I made the point of saying something.

Also just because they swore, why should they be ashamed of themselves? Just because it is not the way you were bought up to behave in public it doesn't mean everyone else has the same expectations. Some old bloke stood next to me said something very very racist in a non joking way, I told him to his face it wasn't on and he apologised. I wasn't ashamed of him or anything, just realised we have different upringings through different generations we shook hands and went back to watching the game. The same goes for the C word, years ago it was very frowned upon, but the newer generation don't take it in the same severity as the older generation, therefore the older generation tend to take more offense to it.

As for booing, why not boo? I didn't boo, I don't tend to just because I personally think it is pointless. However most poeple there have given up a whole day for 90 minutes of football and spent a few quid getting there and another £22 to get in. If you didn't get your monies worth why wouldn't you boo or show disaproval? If you spent alot of money on a hotel or meal and you were not happy with it, surely you would complain? At the end of the day football is entertainment and if you are not being entertained why not show your disaproval. Also look at it another way, if you were the manager wouldn't you say "Listen to that lot booing at you..... get behind your fans and show them you can win this".