Transfer talk.

[SimonJones]

Well, I found out that Halstead played the first half last night with a concussion from the previous game, so shouldn't really have played at all. I for one, think he will come good when he has settled, as he has left his young family behind, and is buying a place in the town, so for those of you hoping that he us one if those to be ditched....I would think again

Just about sums up our medical team. Sounds like negligence to me. Concussion is taken so seriously now - if in doubt, sit them out! The player is not at fault for wanting to play, it would be down to the medical team who would surely have to rule them out based on concussion assessment. They have to act in the best interests of the player in this instance. Perhaps all tests were fine though, in which case he wouldn’t have been concussed and would have been fine to play.

[desperado]

Seems like he showed some guts then.
Ok he may not be the best keeper we've ever had but he's not the reason we have shipped 16 goals this season. Who would want be in goal behind that defence.

[standupsitdown]

Surely if he had concussion from Saturday (he did get treated for an injury but I can't remember if it was his head), then he should not even have been considered for Tuesday's game.

[brucie]

I would also think its unlikely that any concussion sustained three days earlier wouldn't have been picked up until half past eight on Tuesday.

There is a rumour elsewhere concerning Halsteads fragile mental state. Perhaps he has got a back injury by continually bending down to pick the ball out of his net.

[knightmaregull]

I find all the vitriol being thrown at Halstead deeply unsavoury. Yes, he's not had a great start but then who has in the team? With mental health being so prominent these days I would have hoped more people would shown more of a humane tone to their public comments (including in this week's, otherwise excellent, Talking Torquay podcast). I'm not too sure what is expected to be achieved by what seems to be becoming a bit of a witch hunt really.

[DB57]

I find all the vitriol being thrown at Halstead deeply unsavoury. Yes, he's not had a great start but then who has in the team? With mental health being so prominent these days I would have hoped more people would shown more of a humane tone to their public comments (including in this week's, otherwise excellent, Talking Torquay podcast). I'm not too sure what is expected to be achieved by what seems to be becoming a bit of a witch hunt really.

Great post. Let’s all show a little compassion and cut the guy some slack. Even when things are going well one mistake by a keeper gets highlighted but mistakes by midfielders and strikers get glossed over. Mark Halstead has had a tough time of it but he has had little support from the rest of the team who have left him exposed on many occasions. I for one wish him well and hope he comes through all this better and stronger.

[happytorq]

Mark Halstead has had a tough time of it but he has had little support from the rest of the team who have left him exposed on many occasions.

becomes a bit of a 'chicken or egg?' situation really, because it's hard to see if Halstead lacks confidence because the defence is not good, or if the defence is not good because they lack confidence in Halstead. Probably a bit of both, which is unfortunate.

[DB57]

Fair point

[Dazza]

Maybe but getting at people continually and demeaning them isn’t going to assist them, the team or ourselves. We are six games in. We haven’t lost anything yet except form. The same thing often happens to teams who lose the play off final and after a few months things become more normal. A lot of these players are new. Hard as it is it’s time we got off their backs.

[culmstockgull]

I still believe Halstead is a good keeper for this level, you do not spend several years in any league team without having something about you. From the home games I have seen he has had little or no protection, there is no Cameron to command the box , the full backs are done far too easily for pace,in fact a tortoise could have overtaken Moxey second half against Grimsby and it seems that teams can play straight through us for fun, Any keeper even one from a higher level would struggle to keep the ball out of the net. Keepers more than anyone else on the park thrive on confidence, and regardless of any imaginary rumour about his mental health all keepers have a bolt missing, its the only reason you would dive at the feet of a 14 stone forward in full flight.

[divingbboy]

Regarding Halstead: you don't get to play that many matches in the League if you're a bad keeper. Also, while I've seen him make mistakes and do some things that were frankly baffling, I've also seen him make some brilliant saves. With the ridiculously porous defence that we have, he's simply having to do to much. There have been occasions where we've lost by a couple of goals, which could have been losses by 8 or 9 goals were it not for Halstead's efforts.