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Not really fair Yellow, Vale and Fleetwood both had a great deal more possession than we did, but it takes more than more control of the ball to warrant a 'destroying' tag.
We never looked like conceding against Fleetwood, and despite the team that was on the pitch, we still looked like hanging on, even if it wasn't very pretty.
This is a tight division, very few teams will outclass the opposition the way we did against Wombles last term.
By all accounts, Vale played beyond themselves yesterday, against a pretty scratch Torquay side, and still didn't manage to score a goal for themselves.
Obviously, we won't win all our home games and draw all our away games, to take that cliche literally is daft.

Honestly, we've made the Playoffs 4 of the last 5 seasons, two finals and one promotion. We're unbeaten in our first 4 games, three of which were against those among the top 5 auto promotion candidates. But for some wasteful finishing and an own goal, we'd have 10 points from 12 and be sitting top (or there abouts).

Just be cool, we'll be fine. Our first XI is more than a match for anyone, our first choice backups (Craig, Easton, Thompson, MacKenzie, Rice et al), used notmore than two at a time, are plenty good enough. The disappointments for me have been Jarvo (who I liked last year) and Cruise (who must have something to have played for Arsenal). Long way to go yet and the first 4 (or 8, really) games are never genuinely representative of the true nature of a season.

Matt.

I take on board all of your points Ben and agree with most although i do think you may be being a bit TOO complacent and too readily accepting of consistently negative away performances. As for the Vale game, yes we had the young lads come in at Vale and extremely well they acquitted themselves too, they look good for the future of TUFC. That said though my point is that even had we a full strength side out there our performance and tactics would have been exactly the same. We had pretty much one clear cut chance ( similar to our game at Fleetwood ) and that was it. It didn't drop in at Fleetwood but we defended resolutely and had some luck as they hit the woodwork on occasions. We managed to score that only chance at Vale Park and again we defended resolutely enjoying massive portions of luck on toast as they missed chances and hit the woodwork a few times. How many more games can we go on playing like this and not suffer a few huge losses? Pretty much like last season, if the opposition score first we're screwed. Not only that Ben but if we are as good as Vale or as good as Fleetwood, or any other side we play away, why then can't we go out and express ourselves and compete on a level playing field instead of being beaten into submission and defending for 85 minutes? I'm not asking for us to play like Brazil and i'm also not saying that there aren't games when a shut out and a battling, negative performance are called for and actually benefit us but to go out every away game with the same attitude is wearing a little thin with me. Yes we are capable of doing that but it's just not acceptable IMO to be consistently one dimensional. I disagree with Matt, sorry mate! At Fleetwood i was really disappointed with our application up front. I know it was their big day but it was our first game of the season too. Why can't we have gone there and said, 'We're Torquay, this is league 2 and this is what you can expect!'. They were shocking but made to look good because we let them attack all the time. I truly believe that if we had gone for their throats from the off we could have comfortably won that game instead of hanging on for a point.Vale was different and we did amazingly well to get a draw. It is a long season and it is going to be a marathon and draws at Fleetwood and Vale on the face of it are more than acceptable like some of you point out but this season we are going to need more from Bodin, Howe, Stevens, Morris, Jarvis and Thompson if we are to carry on playing the same way and getting consistent results.

ferrarilover wrote:Not really fair Yellow, Vale and Fleetwood both had a great deal more possession than we did, but it takes more than more control of the ball to warrant a 'destroying' tag.
We never looked like conceding against Fleetwood, and despite the team that was on the pitch, we still looked like hanging on, even if it wasn't very pretty.
This is a tight division, very few teams will outclass the opposition the way we did against Wombles last term.
By all accounts, Vale played beyond themselves yesterday, against a pretty scratch Torquay side, and still didn't manage to score a goal for themselves.
Obviously, we won't win all our home games and draw all our away games, to take that cliche literally is daft.

Honestly, we've made the Playoffs 4 of the last 5 seasons, two finals and one promotion. We're unbeaten in our first 4 games, three of which were against those among the top 5 auto promotion candidates. But for some wasteful finishing and an own goal, we'd have 10 points from 12 and be sitting top (or there abouts).

Just be cool, we'll be fine. Our first XI is more than a match for anyone, our first choice backups (Craig, Easton, Thompson, MacKenzie, Rice et al), used notmore than two at a time, are plenty good enough. The disappointments for me have been Jarvo (who I liked last year) and Cruise (who must have something to have played for Arsenal). Long way to go yet and the first 4 (or 8, really) games are never genuinely representative of the true nature of a season.

Matt.

For once Matt, I agree. Don't think there is anything to worry about just yet. We've had one of the toughest starts, yet we're unbeaten. I know we set up to play more of a containing game away from home, but we sure as hell work hard without it, pressurising the opposition. I think Ling got his tactics spot on yesterday to stifle Vale. We knew it was going to be tough, let alone with 3 lads making senior debuts. It was going to be at full strength. I'd hate to think what we'd be discussing if we'd gone for it from the off and got bummed 4-0. I don't think "at least we looked good upfront" would have cut the mustard.

Trust, we've conceded once away from home, and we're on fire at Plainmoor, on the first two showings.

I'm confident we'll feature in the top 10 again, at least.

Football is a game of chance dictated by the circumstances on the day of the match. Your feeling that we should go out there, express ourselves and try and win the game by 2 or 3, hold just as much, or little, credence as my suggestion that we should be pleased with a defensive point. You can build a gameplan throughout the week with tactics you feel sure are going to work, only to fall flat on your a**e come Saturday when circumstance X,Y and Z intervene. In any other circumstance I would agree with you that we should be picking up 3 points at places like Vale Park if we want to contend for the top 3, but in light of the mini injury crisis we are currently going through I would suggest picking up a point in testing surroundings is also the mark of promotion candidates too.

Take a look at ManUtd, the amount of times they play crap and end up snatching an unconvincing draw in September against a team they expect to beat and for it then to look a vitally important one when they start firing on all cylinders after christmas. Good teams don't lose when they're playing badly...as was the case for us so many times last season.

I am not denying that having seen us play Crewe, Macclesfield, Argyle, Chesterfield off their respective parks last season gives us the belief that we can go away and dominate for the entire 90 minutes. The way we play at home this season will make the cautious approach away from home fustrating, but I honestly believe that when our squad is at full capacity we will start performing to our capabilities away from home. We just didn't have the options on the bench to really 'go for it' yesterday. I agree that Jarvis, who I too liked last season, has been a disappointment, and if we could get more out of him we would look more potent when Rene isn't on the pitch. As our second striker he has to offer more or atleast know what his job description is. (and it might not be long before a Bodin or a Macklin is preferred through the centre instead)

I don't like referencing ManUtd because I have no massive interest in the premier league, but they never peak too early. They scratch around for the majority of the first half of the season, winning the lionshare of their homegames, and 3 out of 6 points away. Second half of the season it all comes together and they pick up the results home AND away week in, week out. We need to make sure we don't peak too soon.

As Matt says, with a fully fit team we are a match for anyone, and we can win playing exhillerating football, unfortunately due to circumstances you can't perform to your maximum every single week - you have to treat each game on its merits. Yesterday was a prime example, we would all be applauding Lingy for having the faith in the kids, and applauding the kids for playing like seasoned pros had we came away with a patchy 1-0. Everyone's viewpoint changes because we didn't win. Go there with a full strength team and its a different story.

As it is we remained unbeaten and picked up a good point which will look all the better provided we beat Argyle next week. 9 out of 15 is play-offs form, which wouldn't be at all bad if you truely believe we 'got away with it' in both our away games.

Fair points Ben. May i now suggest you go and do a presentation for Dante fires?

NickGull wrote: For once Matt, I agree. Don't think there is anything to worry about just yet. We've had one of the toughest starts, yet we're unbeaten. I know we set up to play more of a containing game away from home, but we sure as hell work hard without it, pressurising the opposition. I think Ling got his tactics spot on yesterday to stifle Vale. We knew it was going to be tough, let alone with 3 lads making senior debuts. It was going to be at full strength. I'd hate to think what we'd be discussing if we'd gone for it from the off and got bummed 4-0. I don't think "at least we looked good upfront" would have cut the mustard.

Trust, we've conceded once away from home, and we're on fire at Plainmoor, on the first two showings.

I'm confident we'll feature in the top 10 again, at least.

Consequently, for once Nick, you are correct.

Matt.

Personally I am very with the shape of our club at the moment.

We over-performed last season - that isn't to say that we didn't have a very good squad, but our budget wasn't anywhere near the top 7 and it meant that Martin Ling did an excellent job to bring the side together and put them out every week. It was even more impressive because of the circumstances and timings of when he took charge, and in the end it was only the size of our squad that stopped us getting promoted.

For us to challenge again relies on us over-performing again. We should be looking to do this of course, but it is out of our hands to a certain extent. Swindon's wage bill last season was over £3 million, and there are several clubs this season that are spending considerably more than us. It only takes seven bigger sides to do their jobs competently and we'll face a much bigger challenge to overcome them. Even clubs like Northampton and Bradford have had good summers for once and look good, as do a few sides around our level like Cheltenham.

We are a well run club, keeping within our budget and have a manager with excellent footballing principles. It is fantastic to see MacKenzie, Thompson and Craig all in the same side, Buckle would have had 3 loanees in there and the youngsters would never get a look in.

This is another very good squad of players and we have a great chance of making the play-offs again. We also have a new stand, new training ground on the way and a youth system that is fully functioning and starting to produce players to challenge for a first team role.

We're also unbeaten this season. If we're unhappy now then, really, when are we going to be happy? We don't have the biggest war-chest in the divison, but we're a match for anyone in this league.

I think people are missing the point i am trying to make. I'm over the moon about where the club are at, the opportunities afforded to our youngsters, the new stand, a sound financial footing, a decent honest manager with footballing principles, a decent squad of players, a community spirit, the fact we are a family club, a superb online forum, the fact we play in yellow all that. I just want to watch a real humdinger of a game of football away from home once in a while THAT'S ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't remember the last absolutely unbelieveable game i watched involving us because there hasn't been any and although i support the club through thick and thin, when you are forking out for travel and tickets at £20 a pop and you have to watch sterile negaitivity EVERY away game then it gets a bit much that's all. I'm not saying don't ever play negative i'm saying that once in a while i would like to rock up at say York expecting the usual slow, lethargic start to the game but wallop! We are on **** fire and having attacks and pot shots left right and centre and they just can't cope. It's about supporting your team yes but there should be some small crumb of entertainment now and again.

If it helps, we played really REALLY well at Argyle last season. It was a humdinger.

Yeah.....................................missed that one mate.

austrianandygull wrote:I think people are missing the point i am trying to make. I'm over the moon about where the club are at, the opportunities afforded to our youngsters, the new stand, a sound financial footing, a decent honest manager with footballing principles, a decent squad of players, a community spirit, the fact we are a family club, a superb online forum, the fact we play in yellow all that. I just want to watch a real humdinger of a game of football away from home once in a while THAT'S ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't remember the last absolutely unbelieveable game i watched involving us because there hasn't been any and although i support the club through thick and thin, when you are forking out for travel and tickets at £20 a pop and you have to watch sterile negaitivity EVERY away game then it gets a bit much that's all. I'm not saying don't ever play negative i'm saying that once in a while i would like to rock up at say York expecting the usual slow, lethargic start to the game but wallop! We are on f**k fire and having attacks and pot shots left right and centre and they just can't cope. It's about supporting your team yes but there should be some small crumb of entertainment now and again.

That's the nature of football away from home. Keep it tight, play a more hit and run type of game. This is a tight division, where almost anyone can beat almost anyone else, so things like home advantage are usually enough to tip the match in the home side's favour. The hopeless sides (Barnet) are so afraid of teams like us (yes, really) that they park the bus, even at home.
Sadly mate, if you want to watch an away side either batter a home team, or two sides swing for each other, toe to toe, then you'll either have to go to a very great number of Torquay matches, or follow a different team.

Matt.

If we go out gung-ho every away game we'll lose more often than we win. The only reason we finished 5th last season was because of the 1-0 wins we ground out time after time.

There's enough football on television to enjoy 35 yarders and overhead kicks every week. For Torquay, I'd prefer us to play to our strengths and overperform again this season, rather than needlessly entertain the neutrals.

Oh well then if that's your attitude you lot then go and shove your heads up your arses, i'm off to support Man City.


See you guys at Rotherham a week saturday then.

austrianandygull wrote:Oh well then if that's your attitude you lot then go and shove your heads up your arses, i'm off to support Man City.


See you guys at Rotherham a week saturday then.

Hahaha, you know, I genuinely cannot imagine anything more boring than supporting Manchester City.

Matt.

ferrarilover wrote: Hahaha, you know, I genuinely cannot imagine anything more boring than supporting Manchester City.
Matt.

Watching Torquay away?