Torquay United v Plymouth Argyle, 8th September 2012.

[ferrarilover]

There wasn't a matchday thread for this, so thought I'd kick it off.

Accoring to someone on their board, this is our 'cup final'. Interesting to note that, barely 36 hours before the match and this is the first thread dedicated to the match on here, yet they have 9 threads on the first page alone, dedicated to the game in one capacity or another.
Personally, I don't mind Argyle. Yeah, a bunch of their silly supporters still think they are a Premier League club stuck in the wrong division, but their fanfest is the best pre-match entertainment this side of the Atlantic and their greatest asset is not being Exeter City.

So, to the match then. They can't make up their minds whether they'll beat us or lose to us or draw with us. The smart money on their board seems to be pointing towards a tight game. This said, they do seem to be basing a lot of the gap closing (they were miles away from our level last year) on our losing Eunan. I haven't the heart to tell them that he was barely 1/11th of our domination over them (and others). Of course, after what he did to them last time round, who can blame them for taking that attitude.

I have taken a look at the video (thank you, once again, Sky Sports, for being infinitely better than the BBC) and that Bouzera (sp) looks a bit tasty. That said, I'd be well disappointed if we gave them the sort of time and space that AC Northampton did.
Defensively, Argyle are a bloody shambles, players all over the place, slow to react to threat and not a great deal of positional sense, hoping we can take advantage of this, and will be upset if we can't.

Going to be an interesting match, and one we should win against a Plymouth side who still don't seem to be fully together following their recent troubles.

Matt.

[hector]

We are a much better team than Plymouth. I can't bear Plymouth, either, more so than Exeter at the moment and although I am naturally pessimistic when it comes to Torquay, I have a horrible feeling about tomorrow. It will probably be like when we lost to Farsley Celtic at home. Awful team, had one shot and despite all our possession and territory, we couldn't score.

On paper, we really should wallop them but it would just be so bloody typical of Torquay that our first defeat is a shock loss at home to them.

[oxgull]

I'll be in Westward Ho tomorrow but can't get to Plainmoor which is a shame as I have seen quite a few Devon derbies over the past 40 odd years. Remember all the bigger kids supporting Argyle during the 70s and hardly any of them actually going to Home Park!! We were always the "little tin pot club" up the road and they used to take over the mini stand and three quarters of the old Plainmoor as well. Games normally went in their favour by 1 -2 or 0 - 1 and then the armchair greens would goad us small group of gulls for the next six months or so at school. It was unfashionable to support Malcolm Musgrove's gulls in those far off days but I took a kind of pride in it, just to stand out as it would have been safer to just hide away.

Anyway, I think all will raise their game and I'v gone for a score draw. Argyle are still in the mire but will rise above that eventually. I'v no animosity towards them TBH, as I still have some good friends who are mad keen greens so, apart from when they play us, good luck to them.

Hope I'm wrong and we continue our present day domination and superiority, COYYs!!!!!!!!!!!!

[monkeyboy]

I've never been so confident about a win, ever! Thompson, Bodin and Howe are going to tear them apart and with Downes back I can see it being a high score to nil.

[stefano]

There wasn't a matchday thread for this, so thought I'd kick it off.

....So, to the match then. They can't make up their minds whether they'll beat us or lose to us or draw with us. The smart money on their board seems to be pointing towards a tight game. This said, they do seem to be basing a lot of the gap closing (they were miles away from our level last year) on our losing Eunan. I haven't the heart to tell them that he was barely 1/11th of our domination over them (and others). Of course, after what he did to them last time round, who can blame them for taking that attitude.

I have taken a look at the video (thank you, once again, Sky Sports, for being infinitely better than the BBC) and that Bouzera (sp) looks a bit tasty. That said, I'd be well disappointed if we gave them the sort of time and space that AC Northampton did.
Defensively, Argyle are a bloody shambles, players all over the place, slow to react to threat and not a great deal of positional sense, hoping we can take advantage of this, and will be upset if we can't.

Matt.

Bhasera was their outstanding player last week but he is on international duty with Zimbabwe so won't be playing.

I have no antipathy towards Argyle. My younger brother is and always has been an Argyle fan and I have watched Argyle many times over the years when they haven't been playing Torquay. The only thing I want when we are in the same division is to come out best in the two games and to finish higher in the league. With those two objectives attained last year I was delighted that Argyle avoided relegation to the Conference.

I am expecting a tight game tomorrow and would not be surprised at a draw, although it shows how times have changed as I would be a little disappointed if we were held to a draw.

The Argyle fans on the internet are really quite a hoot. They fluctuate from suicidal depression to blind optimism after just one win (the latest being a single goal victory over a Northampton side that had played Wolves less than 48 hours earlier and then had had their longest away trip of the season to Plymouth). The prize winner for me though was the guy that claimed Argyle's good record at Plainmoor in the last 6 visits should hold them in good stead. How? Up until last season they hadn't visited Plainmoor for 10 years - and when they did rock up we mullered them!

Blind optimism though. It helps when supporting a lower league football club

[Plymouth Gull]

A quick glance at their forum sees a good 85%+ believe they'll beat us well.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Cheers for doing the thread Matt, didn't get round to it but i'll be up and running again for the Rovrum game, besides you have your finger on the pulse about what the feeling is down there in deepest Devon for this one so probably best to leave it to you locals. I concur with monkeyboy and i too am so confident about this that i've already added the 3 points onto our tally. It is unusual for me to be so confident about a game and i know it's a local derby where anything happen but i just feel we've now got the edge over our 'friends' from over the moor and i'm not worried in the slightest. I think it will be a cracking game and i'm going for a 3-1 Gulls win with Mansell, Bodin and Nico netting.

[tktufc91]

Have to say I am quite confident about tomorrows game. As many have said already, Argyle beat a Cobblers side who had played Wolves less than 48 hours beforehand.

3-0 win for the Gulls!!!

[ferrarilover]

I'll be in Westward Ho tomorrow but can't get to Plainmoor which is a shame as I have seen quite a few Devon derbies over the past 40 odd years. Remember all the bigger kids supporting Argyle during the 70s and hardly any of them actually going to Home Park!! We were always the "little tin pot club" up the road and they used to take over the mini stand and three quarters of the old Plainmoor as well. Games normally went in their favour by 1 -2 or 0 - 1 and then the armchair greens would goad us small group of gulls for the next six months or so at school. It was unfashionable to support Malcolm Musgrove's gulls in those far off days but I took a kind of pride in it, just to stand out as it would have been safer to just hide away.

Anyway, I think all will raise their game and I'v gone for a score draw. Argyle are still in the mire but will rise above that eventually. I'v no animosity towards them TBH, as I still have some good friends who are mad keen greens so, apart from when they play us, good luck to them.

Hope I'm wrong and we continue our present day domination and superiority, COYYs!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Plymouth based hardcore bondage and general sex shop, near the university?

Matt.

[ferrarilover]

See Stef, this is why you should change your username to Fawlty Towers. There are precious few of your posts, but every single one of them is brilliant.
Thanks for the Bhasera observation, I'd missed it from casually browsing their board. Delighted that he will be missing.
I too saw the bloke who did the 'last 6 games' post and had a little chuckle to myself.

Matt.

[SteveDeckchair]

Aaargh!

Nice of Ian Morris to give Argyle their team talk tomorrow.

Torquay United's Ian Morris is predicting a win against Argyle

"Torquay midfielder Ian Morris boldly predicts his side will beat local rivals Plymouth Argyle League Two's Devon derby on Saturday.

Morris believes the form his team is showing means there can only be one result at Plainmoor on Saturday.

The 25-year-old midfielder told BBC South West: "I can't see anything other than a win for us."

I don't understand why footballers feel the need to come out with this stuff and surely management should ban them from talking to the press like this in the build up to a game.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19516617

[Gullscorer]

Morris should have said: 'I can't see anything other than us thrashing Argyle 6-0.'

Argyle will have a better season this time than their last one, but I'm certain that Torquay will have another absolutely great season. The difference between the two teams will be exemplified in tomorrow's game, which will result in a big win for the Gulls. At least 3-1.

Personally I'd like to see all three Devon clubs win automatic promotion this season. Unlikely, obviously. But, more so than Argyle, it's Exeter City I really want to see us thrash, home and away.

I hear the referee tomorrow will be Roger East. I've read mixed reports about him, but actually I think he'll be okay. What d'you reckon..?

[AustrianAndyGull]

It's not a problem for me so long as we win the game.

Anything else makes Morris look like a girl.

[Plymgull]

It will be hell for me tomorrow if we lose. Coming down with a few mates who are all Argyle so the trip back will be a nightmare unless we thrash them.

COME ON YOU YELLOWS!!!

[stevegull]

In case anyone missed NickGull's delightful first blog then here's the team news:

http://www.torquayfans.com/squad-news-t ... -plymouth/

Thought I'd plug it for him - us bloggers should stick together!


EDIT: My 1000th post! It has been a journey, and to those of you still with me after the poor jokes, lopsided opinions and general disarry; I thank you.