Torquay United v AFC Wimbledon - 3/8/13

[brucie]

Not as stupid as you if you think that a draw was a fair result. Wimbledon were actually mugged off and were by some way the better team. They must have been - they created several decent chances and but for Rice (I know its scarcely believable) we would have lost quite comfortably.
Did we actually have a shot on target in the match?
When the home keeper is named man of the match it kind of tells its own story.
Knill was keen to stress afterwards that alot of the players havn't played together and that is fair enough but if you sign half your strike force two days before the season starts is it any wonder?
In all honesty we were poor.

[tomogull]

Bit harsh, Brucie, but it certainly wasn't the start we were hoping for. Martin Rice kept us in the game and I'll say this for him - his distribution is better than Poke's. As for the new players, I thought they mostly did okay 'cept for Harding. I hope he doesn't think he can come down here and stroll around without breaking into a sweat .... he looks bit of a poser to me. Is he better than Lathrope? NO ! He's got to do much better than that, and put in more effort, to convince me he's a good signing.

[FavGull]

Sounds like it was a decent start to the season, although highlighting we have a good deal of work to do but that is to be expected. Was out visiting family this afternoon and updates on here vital to keep up as the app on my phone (Fotmob) was pants today, sounds like the BBC and other media were also.

Positives about the new signings and Rice's performances. Surprised Nico started after the back end (and most of the rest of) last season. Also disappointed to hear Bodin hasn't shown any signs today of moving on from last year. Hopefully he will be up for a crack at Swindon on Tuesday.

Really looking forward to the Football League Show tonight, always good to see how everyone starts off and obviously looking forward to Downes' goal. What's the betting we are on dead last?

[frenchgull]

Can somebody tell me if we still had How's would we have won today plus having Cooper on the bench would that have given us a better option.
L

[SteveDeckchair]

Overall, I think the draw is a fair result. Although Wimbledon has more clear cut chances than us, you wouldn't say they were particularly the better team. Two fairly evenly matched sides.

Onto the players. Very impressed with Ball. He has the ability to make the ball stick and seemingly strolls past players as if they are standing still. I think he will turn into quite some player. We've got a real gem there and I hope we can keep him for longer than the two months original loan deal.

Pearce was aggressive as expected (good to see) but chased the ball out a couple of times leaving a bit of a gap at the back.

I saw enough of Cameron to get excited at the prospect of what this young lad could do for us. Bags of skill and pace.

Harding looked ok in the middle but didn't set the place alight. I think him and Tonge are standard league two players and our flair will come from elsewhere.

Rice was confident and assured and played really well. Chuffed to bits for him as he's finally looking like a viable alternative to Pokey. No need to rush him back now and I would have no qualms about Rice playing a few more games until he's properly fit.

I also didn't think Bodin played as badly as some on here are suggesting. He wasn't amazing, but in front of the bench, he certainly played some nice short passing moves that created crosses late on in the game. He appears to have cut out the unnecessary tricks from his game too, leaving me with the impression that he has matured as a player. I think he'll come good, contrary to what many others have said.

Last thing and a bit of a gripe. The pop side were silent for large parts of the game. I thought we had a group called the Fanatics who were meant to create an atmosphere? Well done to Wimbledon fans though. Very loud and they celebrated liked they'd won the FA cup when they scored! Much like Brizzle Rovers did last year. Must be the sea air!

[Dave]

No, we didn't steal a point, that's overly generous to Wimbledon. Two absolutely evenly matched sides who created an equal number of decent chances each. A draw was exactly the right result.

Matt.

Oh Matt, mate, come off it, if the goalkeeper gets an overwhelming vote as man of the match which Ricey has, then one thing is clear. The sides were not evenly matched and a draw was not the right result.

How may saves did Worner have to make compared to Ricey, somewhere around 1-6 if memory serves me right,and there was a 20 minute spell in the second half when they climbed all over us like a wet rash, that said our team could play a lot better and lose at one point in the season.

[Dutchgull]

Here we go again usual critics having a go. It really hacks me off that the chances and efforts that we create are ignored. Just attacking Bristows Bench in the second half the chances we had for Harding Pearce Chappell and Ball hitting the post and the scramble off the line from the free kick could all have resulted in goals for us. But no lets have a go at our team because we did not play like Manure. Classic from the Dons a great run from who ??? beat Tonge Mansell and through on goal and he blasts it over the bar in a very embarrassing way. Durr what great play NOT !

So chill out peeps. Yes they created chances but so did we !!

Excellent point from Stevedeckchair regarding the pop side - in the words of Deliah Smith WHERE ARE YOU !!! Outsung as usual by the away support. Fanatics ??? What a joke ...

[Dutchgull]

By the way the kit is growing on me. Still would prefer more YELLOW though !!

[jonnyfive]

Here we go again usual critics having a go. It really hacks me off that the chances and efforts that we create are ignored. Just attacking Bristows Bench in the second half

Why were we attacking sideways? Sort it out, Knill.

[Kernowgull]

Here we go again usual critics having a go. It really hacks me off that the chances and efforts that we create are ignored. Just attacking Bristows Bench in the second half the chances we had for Harding Pearce Chappell and Ball hitting the post and the scramble off the line from the free kick could all have resulted in goals for us. But no lets have a go at our team because we did not play like Manure. Classic from the Dons a great run from who ??? beat Tonge Mansell and through on goal and he blasts it over the bar in a very embarrassing way. Durr what great play NOT !

So chill out peeps. Yes they created chances but so did we !!...

Exactly Dutchgull, I wasnt there, but did listen online, and it certainly sounded like we had as many efforts on goal, just that theirs forced Ricey to save, where as ours went slightly wide, or over. I think efforts that make the keeper save are more memorable. The thing I liked most about the game, was that despite it not sounding like a flowing performance, was that all the substitutions were attacking ones. We tried to win the game, even if it wasn't succesful, rather than holding on for a point.

In terms of our support, we will never regularly have big vocal home support, because most of the ground only join in with Yellow Army, and there is only so many times a match that can be sung!!

[Kernowgull]

Just seen the football league show. Great cross from Thommo.

Also, great volley from Zebroski for Newport!!

[Matt85]

So true, all of our balls were going out to the Bench for what seemed like the majority of the game. What I couldn't understand was the decision to bring Bodin off instead of Cameron? Bodin didn't have a horror show but I felt he was the weak link on that side. I don't think he was as effective as Cameron during the first half, I noticed that they swapped sides for a while.

As for the whole team performance I feel that they didn't play to their full potential, it was evident that the players were a new group and will need time to bed in. Pearce looked good and Cameron will inflict damage, Tonge was solid however Harding had a hard time along with Manse in the middle. I think Knill was as frustrated as some of the fans at one point, he was stood with both hands on his knees staring at the turf quite a while. It will happen for us though.

As for the result, there'll be more dissapointed Dons fans. The guy with the 1000 yard run only then the blast into Cary Park via a seagull and a chimney pot was called Arthurs? I think? A good gate yesterday but I was disappointed with the atmosphere especially on the first day of the season. I felt there were times when the boys could have done with a bit of vocal support, especially in the second half when Wimbledon were on top for a long spell. It's something that always frustrates me with Plainmoor.

There was always a sense a goal would happen and it turned out that few minutes of emotion at the end topped off quite a non eventful match. However we are off and underway!

[exiledgull]

Overall was quite happy, we will be competitive this year. We showed some good fight to recover late on which is pleasing. Ball and Hawley would be an ideal partnership I feel. Pearce has played 45 minutes with the team before yesterday, and he looked good. I think our team will progress throughout the season. Which is usually the best way every year you see a team slowly but surly get better and by the time it's May your in the top 3.

Only working point for me our left side constantly got caught out, Tonge defeinsly looked solid and not much went past him, but Nico looked a bit shaky at the back. Anything in behind him and we were in trouble.

Morecambe and Swindon both have nice big pitches I think that will show us how good we are.

First game of season always a right affair that no one wanted to lose. They went pretty much 451 to get a point and they got one. I am quietly confident for the season.

In regards to Knills subs he brought Tonge off and Thompson off very attacking, and came up with an assist!. Finally someone who can change it up a bit.

[brucie]

Kenowgull - Wimbledon had half a dozen clear cut chances ie where the player had either the keeper to beat. But for Rice and their poor finishing we would have lost. It could have been 3 or 4-1 to them.
I actually thought that Harding was the best of the new players actually. Cameron has ability but went missing for large chunks of the game. Pearce looked ok but looked a bit like bambi on ice at times. Wasn't impressed at all by Ball and Tonge for me was terrible.
Tonge constantly passed the ball to noone in the first half and in the second was given a torrid time by their winger.
In fact most of the danger seemed to be coming down Wimbledons left flank.
Tonge got a knock in the first half and perhaps that had something to do with the way he played because on that effort he is worse than Oastler.
Its early days and we played like a team of strangers.
Don't normally indulge in Bodin bashing but for me he was awful.
Chapell looked a class above when he came on. I actually think that our best two winghers started on the bench.

[brucie]

Exilegull - I hope you are not suggesting that we are going to finish in the top 3. We are 6/1 to be relegated and that is about right I would say.