wycombe wanderers v torquay united - 6/10/12 league two

[Sexy_Gulls]

One of those games where nothing went for us. Gave the ball away far to many times and as a result of trying to atone for mistakes gave away endless freekicks which Wycombe used to pump the ball into the box. Very disjointed game due to said freekicks and several injuries in the first half. Crap ref who was never in control of the game, case in point being the Downes handball which apparently he didn't give because there had been a push yet I don't remember the ref giving us a freekick either. The goalkeeper feigning injury after Howe barged him over and the ludicrous cheating of their centre half who threw the ball away when given back to him from the stands added a nice shiny turd to a day out only saved by £5 entry and warm sunshine.

Finally I would say that we have a young team, many of which are playing their first season in a first team. We can't expect the likes of Macklin, Craig and Thompson to be able to turn around a poor performance. We are clearly better than our form and the positive I would take from today is that when we did string passes together we were by far the better side. I would rather suffer a performance like todays than sit through long ball misery.

[Dutchgull]

Thanks Sexy_Gulls a nice report. Thanks for the well made point about our younger players,

[Regiment]

i feel sorry for all you boys and girls with a long drive home after that. i'm glad i'm only 25mins away, as i hate a long drive home after a bad performance/result.

for one reason or another, today was my first game of the season, and i know from the forum and reports that we haven't exactly set the world on fire so far this season, but i wasn't expecting anything like that. That's as bad as i've seen us play for a long time. maybe those more regular attendees amongst you can tell me if that was a typical performance this season, but if it was, i'd be seriously concerned about the season ahead. i can only assume and hope we've been better than that until now.

the first half was scrappy in places, and we gave away a poor goal, but when we equalised i just thought we'd come out in the second half and take the game by the scruff of the neck - especially as we'd got away with a stonewall penalty. but we were awful. What's happened to Nico and Manse ?? They've been so reliable over the past 1-2yrs, but Nico only got into the game when they took off the 74yr old who'd run him ragged for an hour, and Manse was never in the game at all. i love these guys, they're torquay through and through, but when they don't play well and drive the team on, there's no one else to do it. our passing in general was poor (at best) and we just didn't support Howe at all. He looked p***ed at the end, he must've wondered why he was the only one who turned up today.

Bodin and Macklin gave us nothing more than one or two bursts, and the wycombe full backs were there for the taking. although Jarvis didn't do too bad, i'm not sure the starting XI was quite right, it was hard to tell who was playing where at times.

i'm sure the ref and the wycombe sportsmanship will get a few mentions, but all in all, we didn't deserve anything today. i can't remember the wycombe keeper making a save, and his time wasting, and telling the ball girls not to get the ball for him was infuriating, but the ref let him do it, so why would he not keep doing it ?

i don't like criticising the team, but they were bad today, and i'm sure we're all really disappointed, but it's one game, so hopefully we'll put it behind us and bounce back in the next game.

[miltonkeynesgull]

Well, thank goodness it was only £5 to get in to watch that.

A completely abject, lethargic, laboured and frankly embarrassing performance. I can stomach losing when the team really puts absolutely everything they've got into winning a game, but if any of our lads out there can honestly look back and say they gave their best I'd be surprised.

We were so off the pace it's unreal, and so many of the basics were missing. I'd love to see our completed passes percentage from today because it must be somewhere around 20%. Simple passes went astray, defensively we were awful (marking non-existent, runners not picked up and taking far too long to get clear our lines), and we had absolutely no presence in midfield. Any loose ball was quickly snapped up by Wycombe, and we created so little. We desperately need one or both of Lathrope and Easton back.

Wycombe were no great shakes either. Thought they were very, very average, and you could see why they're in the position they are. We made them look half decent, though. Has to be said that Ainsworth was excellent for them. In very good shape for a 39 year old and was their main outlet.

The first 20 minutes was reasonably even, Wycombe probably just shaded it in terms of chances, but just as we were getting ourselves into the game (Bodin and Macklin put in a couple of threatening runs at their full backs), Wycombe scored. Some pretty half arsed defending saw the ball crossed back into our box after a clearance and Gary Docherty loop a header beyond Poke and into the far corner. It had been coming.

Somehow, just before half time, we got ourselves back into the game with a piece of Rene magic. Collecting the ball on the right, he cut inside about 20 yards out and drilled one inside the near post. It was scarcely deserved, but you thought that if Lingy gave them a rocket, they could come back out and take the game to Wycombe.

The second half, however, was even worse. Wycombe scored a pretty identical goal to their first after more sloppy defending around 65-70 mins, and it was only then that we had a few chances. Even so, a goal never looked particuarly likely, and only a dipping shot from Jarvis, which was tipped round for a corner, looked like levelling things up again.

And so came the final whistle, and I don't think I've ever seen so many Gulls fans head straight to exit, and not clap their team off. Bad day at the office.

Poke - 6. Had very litle chance with either goal. Flapped at a few crosses, but was generally solid. Still seemed to be a lack of communication between him and the defence.
Nicho - 4. Probably the worst I've seen him play.
Saah - 6. Some good solid challenges, broke forward well, and was easily our best defender.
Downes - 4. Not his greatest game. Consistently chasing shadows, although redeemed himself with an excellent sliding tackle with Wycombe 2 on 1.
Oastler - 5/6. Can't decide. Was good defensively, but passes went astray all too often.
Macklin - 3. Very poor. One or two decent runs. Did very little else.
Craig - 4. May be the answer to the O'Kane problem in the long term, but isn't right now on the basis of what I saw today. Nothing worked for him today, and passes very rarely found their intended target. An off day though by the sounds of it.
Mansell - 5. Quiet. Did little wrong, but was overrun in midfield.
Bodin - 5. Couple of runs and some neat footwork but still drifted in and out of the game.
Jarvis - 4. Forgotten he was there until his rasping shot fairly late on.
Howe - 7. MOTM easily. Worked tirelessly for the cause and won goodness knows how many headers against Docherty. Just had absolutely nothing to work with. Created and took his goal very well.

SUBS:
Danny - 6. Passed well and did at least look threatening. Thompson - 5. Had little time, and little of the ball, but unfortunately made all the wrong decisions when he did get it. Yeoman - didn't touch it.

REF:
You can accept a few wrong decisions here and there, as it is a very tough job. But to make so many howlers, lack anything resembling consistency in his decisions, and do nothing about glaringly obvious timewasting is inexcusable. A joke.

[Plymouth Gull]

2 upfront won't work very well away from home. I feel we need the extra man in the middle on the road. At home it should be more effective (4-4-2) but yeh. Need another 3 points next weekend now.

[gullsflyinghigh]

When's Lathrope due back?

[Plymouth Gull]

Ling says he might feature on Tuesday.

[Neal]

Just got back and like previous posters glad I only had a 1hour drive.

Plus points of the day. Lovely and sunny with great views of the surrounding countryside. Best burger I've had at a football game although it was £5.

Friendly ground, the bar was good and a nice pint. Great view, what a difference to AFC W where it was crap.

Ah the football, to be honest I was bored stiff!

Only Rene Performed IMO. Tried hard kept going and scored a very good goal.

Forgettable and a poor performance overall. Yes the ref was bad but we were worse.

[AustrianAndyGull]

I can't seriously believe MK Gull gave Bodin a 5. Bodin is a SERIOUS worry, he is unbelievably lazy, doesn't work hard, AGAIN for the umpteenth away game in a row he was abhorrent and we again were playing with 10 men. He is seriously p*ssing me off at the minute and Rene showed him AND them all how to run, work hard, try to create chances and how to finish out of nothing. Billy should get a grip and take a leaf out of Howe's book or he can leave for all i care. Atrocious.

Just got back so will write more later but a quick word on the ref. Possibly THE worst i have seen for a good number of years. He even missed a blatant handball from Downes i think it was in our box! Unbelievable!

F*cking annoyed!!

[miltonkeynesgull]

I can't seriously believe MK Gull gave Bodin a 5. Bodin is a SERIOUS worry, he is unbelievably lazy, doesn't work hard, AGAIN for the umpteenth away game in a row he was abhorrent and we again were playing with 10 men. He is seriously p*ssing me off at the minute and Rene showed him AND them all how to run, work hard, try to create chances and how to finish out of nothing. Billy should get a grip and take a leaf out of Howe's book or he can leave for all i care. Atrocious.

Probably was a little generous. In my opinion he wasn't that bad...he made a couple of runs and showed some nice touches. On the admittedly rare occasion he got the ball and ran at his man, I thought he looked dangerous, and he tracked back a lot more than his counterpart Macklin did (who was far, far worse than Bodin).

I think it's easy to forget the lad's only 20. Yes he's inconsistent, but he is only young. He raised our expectations of him so much during his brilliant loan spell last season that we, quite understandably, are expecting a lot of him in what will be his first full season of football (I think). There were far worse performers out there today than him. Nathan Craig, for example, had an absolute shocker and, while I criticised him in the report/ratings, I made the point that it was just an off day. He, like Bodin, is only young and young, inexperienced players can't be expected to perform week in, week out.

[Glostergull]

Ok Guys.
we were not at the races today really.
I am not going to try to pretend I can do a match report anywhere near as well as many on here. But I can give some observations. The ref was inconsistant. he did some things right but missed some obvious sitters. A dead on handball from our defender, Downes I think was missed. There wasn't any real contact to make anyone think there could have been contact. One up for us I suppose.
Rene was a real problem for them and he really put himself about. He really tried hard to restrain himself from retaliating and I thought he did well considering he was being asked to do too much for most of the match.
We did threaten when we kept the ball on the ground. and at times we played some good football. the problem was we only did it in patches. we were inconsistant.
After an early scare when they had a head on goal which went well wide. I thought we had been warned that if we slackened off we would be punished. we then played some football that made us look slick. The main problem I saw though was that although our passes were going the right way many of them were being played soft so there was a risk they would be picked off. or too hard and then we would either miss them or lose them. I think Wycombe realised it too and closed up on us. So the inevitable happened. We have to sort out our passing game. we have to be acurate but not make it easy for the opposition can pick us off. They seemed to play at the man for man marking game and that stopped us playing our game. We have to be able to alter our plan to cope with this.
The second half was much the same and seemed to be getting worse untill we made some substitions. Danny Nial and Ashley coming on. we at last looked as if we were a threat and with a little more luck I think we could have nicked it.
Danny looked to run them ragged down the wing but didn't have enough back up in the right places so kept having to cut in. Niall on the other wing when he could get the ball had a little more luck and even had a couple of shots. one of which could have caused more problems for them
Ashley was a little quieter but did well just off the middle. but they were on too late to make a real difference.
Jarvis did give them something to think about with a rasping shot which their goalkeeper did well to palm to the side of the upper post. but we should have pressed them more. it doesn't pay to make a pass to one of ours when it is blatently obvious that the guy has little chance of going away with it.
there were some positives from our performance but we need to be sonsistant.
The lino on our right was useless. he could run a bath let alone the line. but why are we surprised.
the other one seemed ok. ref as I say was inconsistant. not as bad as some but certainly no better than many.
Our supporters seemed very subdued today. from start to the end. we needed the drum. I know it different when you are winning but thats not much excuse when we have just kicked off. very little attempt to keep up any chants. Verdict support inconsistant.
Ground, nice. i could get used to sitting in a stadium like that. Food expensive. one thing i was personaly piffed off about. The food stall outside where cheaper than inside despite what I have been told. I would have used the outside one if I had known.
Location. not too bad but a nightmare to get out off. going there was easy but we were kept back so pedestrians could go first, which meant that any who parked just down the road then got out first and jammed up the roads so we got in a logjam. Parking way too expensive. £5 at the ground. and £4 in the many outside parks. on commenting I was told. this is cheap. The harlequins charge £15 for their games. No guys you got the wrong game. this is League 2 not prem rugby. If they want to attract fans then it would cost to get there. then it's either £4 or £5 to park. then £22 for a seat which means for a couple it's £49 just for a coupld of tickets and parking. food could easily add another £10 so for locals I think that what could easily cost £75 for the match including travelling would be not worth it. I can do a trip to Plainmoor for £10 less. and I live 120 miles away.

[bengull]

Horrible performance from beginning to end really, I don't have a problem with losing, I have learnt to accept It after years of doing this, what I can't accept though is not making your opposition work for their victory. Having somewhat fortuitously equalised in a half in which we were on the periphery of, I was waiting for the grand second half performance shooting towards the away fans. After gifting them the second goal I was not unduly worried, especially considering Tuesday's exploits, I was waiting for us to crank up the pressure, it never materialised. That's the most depressing thing, we handed them their victory today.

The fans were crying for 442 today and they got their wish, it didn't work. Rene was still dropping far far, FAR too deep and I don't think either Macklin or Bodin beat their man and successfully got a cross in all afternoon. I accept that due to injuries we are relying on inexperienced players like Thompson and Macklin to perform when in truth they are still too young to perform at the consistent level we currently need. This is where you need big performances from our dependable senior pro's and sadly that just isn't quite happening yet either. I remain hopeful that like last season it will all just click and the form will change from patchy to electric. We certainly have the quality in abundance but are yet to find the best formation/eleven to utilise it. I think we are desperately missing Lathrope, he is a master of his craft as the enforcer and his absence has stopped the likes of Mansell and Craig from fully expressing themselves in the areas where they can be real dangers.

I am sure there will be plenty of chat regarding the blatant timewasting of Wycombe today and whilst it did verge on the shameful side of disgusting and obvious, it would be no more than how we would want our players to see out potentially our first home win of the season. What you need in that situation is a strong referee to put a stop to it straightaway, and at no point did he do that. That's where the punter's angst should be directed at, not at the stewards whose job it is to ensure the peace of the stadium, not the matters on the pitch. In my opinion the stewards and staff at Wycombe were very friendly and up until kickoff I had had a great day!

I will conclude by sharing a quote I overheard a WWFC supporter say to his mate as we endured the walk of shame back to the car. 'it's nice to hear some away fans moaning as they leave Adams park for once'

[AustrianAndyGull]

Same old.

Plus points: Super Rene Howe conjures something from nothing and puts in another shift, Oastler impresses me again - he is fast taking over Manse's role as Mr Reliable, Adams Park a quaint little ground and not one i've been to before, the fiver entrance price, getting home safely.

Bad points: Another inept, predictable, pedestrian, clueless away performance ala Chesterfield, Rotherham, Vale and Fleetwood where we succeeded in actually GIVING confidence to a team who came into the game without any by letting them have the ball and encouraging them to go for the win. The second goal had been coming for a while.

The performance of Billy Bodin ( comments which i've made earlier in the thread ). I don't like saying this but anymore shockers like that and he should find another club. Truly abysmal. I'm not just talking about his total lack of creativity and effectiveness, i could forgive him days like that because all players have them. No. It's his abhorrent laziness, sloppiness, unwillingness to even remotely attempt to win a ball back after his sh*te skills have lost it. For me, not at least putting in 75% of a shift is inexcusable and unfair on his team mates. He has been appalling every time i've seen him away this season. Taking the p*ss!

The ref, again it always seems like we are moaning about refs every week but in all honesty i seriously don't know where the f*ck these refs are coming from. They are so bad it is untrue. Today he was spoiling the game that much i could have just walked out. Completely clueless and missed a blatant handball from Downsey in our box which should have been a penno.

Getting out after the game, a real nightmare and the lack of anything to do in the area. If you get there early to get a decent parking spot you've then got to hang around for a couple of years until kick off being bored sh*tless.

All in all a thoroughly disappointing day out yet again and these carbon copy away showings are just not acceptable any more, and before anyone says well at home we are better and play better so anything away is a bonus. We were 3-0 down at home to Aldershot before pulling it back. How the hell was that allowed to happen? In Martin we trust i just wish he would accept that we have an array of attacking players which need to attack. Today we had Bodin, Howe, Jarvis, Macklin, Stevens came on as did Thompson and STILL we look totally bereft happy to have these players chasing the ball in defensive situations. Wycombe were second bottom, managerless and struggling. We could have gone there on the front foot and ripped them apart. They were awful. This wasn't a Rotherham away, it was a Wycombe away and we should have gone out there with a more positive mindset and for that Martin has to accept the blame for another dull, negative shocker.

That said, i am pleased overall with how the season is going in terms of points gained thus far and the development of the youngsters and the club behind the scenes so we have to applaud Martin and the team for that.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Oh and Brady, yes, we were WORSE than today at all away games bar Wimbledon. It's really bad football.

[Plymouth Gull]

As Ben says, we went 4-4-2 and we were worse than before. Stick to 1 upfront away from home.