Wealdstone v Torquay Saturday 26th February 2020

[desperado]

I agree with Mellows assessment, frustrating more than anything, certainly not 'pathetic' 'embarrassing' 'worst game I've seen for seasons', genuinely seen better Sunday League games' !! That same performance and a 1-0 win and we wouldn't be getting all these over the top remarks.
As some have said all that was missing from an excellent first half where Wealdstone were chasing shadows was a final ball and cutting edge. Second half they were always going to improve, same as with Barnet, we didn't kill them off when we were well on top. GJ certainly seems to be struggling finding a couple of strikers , hope he does this summer as Wright, Holman, Lolos surely won't have another season.

[Forest gull]

I just watched the 5-10 mins that Lolos had on the pitch and can’t really see how it was justified to take him off - yes he gave the ball away lightly once or twice but no more than other players. He looked royally upset about getting taken off so quickly!

Maybe he was given specific instructions and didn’t follow them?

[culmstockgull]

Desperado , I was using the worst game I have seen for seasons in context of Torquay, I have missed three games in the last four seasons at home and that was by a country mile the worst. This was not a match where we struggled to get a foot hold, quite the reverse, we played our passing game until we reached the final third and then brain freeze. We had a makeshift defence although we had a dedicated defender in Omar bench warming, we had an unbalanced midfield that was good going forward but dire stopping anything going the other way. and poor old wright being out jumped and out muscled for most of the 60 minutes he survived.

[DB57]

Desperado , I was using the worst game I have seen for seasons in context of Torquay, I have missed three games in the last four seasons at home and that was by a country mile the worst. This was not a match where we struggled to get a foot hold, quite the reverse, we played our passing game until we reached the final third and then brain freeze. We had a makeshift defence although we had a dedicated defender in Omar bench warming, we had an unbalanced midfield that was good going forward but dire stopping anything going the other way. and poor old wright being out jumped and out muscled for most of the 60 minutes he survived.

Moxey, Lewis, Wynter makeshift??

[Louis]

Full highlights are up

[culmstockgull]

Yes , it is a makeshift defence, as a central defender Moxey is an asset, as a left back, definetelly no, he no longer has the stamina or pace to cope with players half his age down the wing, but the crucial thing is the amount of goals our back three or four concede, with 16 games to go we have already conceded more goals than the whole of last season, we have tried playing hall and lapslie deep to protect them, neither works consistently, and I cannot believe although he was good Cameron made that much difference. The arguement that Johnson likes to play fast attacking football is pointless if the other end is leaking goals.

[desperado]

Re goals conceded - over the whole season yes, we have conceded too many but the defence has improved considerably since early December when Moxey and Lewis teamed up in the centre , Wynter returned to right back and Martin came in and showed rapid improvement. We have conceded 14 goals in the last 14 games which compares very well with the top tens defensive record over the season to date of roughly 1 goal conceded per game. Only Boreham Wood 17 in 27 and Halifax 22 in 28 are noticeably better. I really don't think the defence is the problem now !

[bobbytanz1963]

I don’t think the defence is the issue it’s our inept strike force ! Will one of them actually get into double figures this season ?

[MellowYellow]

Desperado , I was using the worst game I have seen for seasons in context of Torquay, I have missed three games in the last four seasons at home and that was by a country mile the worst. This was not a match where we struggled to get a foot hold, quite the reverse, we played our passing game until we reached the final third and then brain freeze. We had a makeshift defence although we had a dedicated defender in Omar bench warming, we had an unbalanced midfield that was good going forward but dire stopping anything going the other way. and poor old wright being out jumped and out muscled for most of the 60 minutes he survived.

Your right about the 'Brain Freeze' in the final third. Its been a bit like that all season and its difficult to pinpoint why. Our passing fluency in the first half of the Wealdstone game was crisp and sharp but get near the oppositions box and it all falls to pieces, nobody finds the channels, our set pieces often do not beat the first man and everyone looks fearful of taking a shot at goal. I think the defence have been exceptional over the last few months (Moxey for me being the stand-out performer - great football brain) but I do hope the focus for next season is to get a decent strike force in.

[Wolborough]

Without quality forwards there will be much huff and puff as there are few options up front if no effective forwards to find attacking positions as well as a lack of forward players to hold the ball up.