Torquay United v Maidstone United, Saturday 7th October, 3pm

[desperado]

So many weeks I seem to say the opposition looks bigger, stronger, quicker, fitter, sharper and more up for it.
As Portugull says this team is nowhere near promotion material, we'll do very well to make the top six.
It really is quite alarming how easily teams create chances against us and Talking I'm talking about the first half hour not the 10 men after that, when if anything we were a bit better.
When is the last time we had a fit for purpose striker on the bench
Really not good enough.

[Midlandgull]

I couldn't believe we had Brash Ash as a makeshift left-back/wing-back and players all out of position. Should have made a sub when the red card happened. The central midfield was running out of steam early in the 2nd half and both were on yellow cards - we wait forever to make a sub. The formation is so predictable, what is going on on the training pitch each week??

We need a new manager and team of coaching staff who want to play quick football on the ground, not all this bloody hoofing. But given that nothing we likely change in that regard, we have to hope GJ can sign a few good loans to bail us out.

[Nick Potkins]

So many weeks I seem to say the opposition looks bigger, stronger, quicker, fitter, sharper and more up for it.
As Portugull says this team is nowhere near promotion material, we'll do very well to make the top six.
It really is quite alarming how easily teams create chances against us and Talking I'm talking about the first half hour not the 10 men after that, when if anything we were a bit better.
When is the last time we had a fit for purpose striker on the bench
Really not good enough.

Agreed with the 'looks bigger, stronger, quicker, fitter, sharper.' comment. I've been saying it for two years now.

[culmstockgull]

Midland gull you are spot on, I really thought Johnson would surprise me and announce several new loans, but his comments this week that he had cover all over except perhaps a striker tells me two things, one, the owners purse has finally been locked even for loans ,or two he has finally become delusional if he believes this squad is good enough, I am all for loyalty to your players and he sees more of these players than we do, how can he not see what we do every week that the likes of mcgavin,marshall,tomlinson and donnellan cannot be relied upon or have the quality to get us out of this league.

[Taelee73]

The main reason GJ didn't bring the subs on is the simple fact that even playing so long with 10 men, they were still the best chance of getting something from the match. The bench offers nothing, the awful Hanson and a returning Hall and that's about it. Though tbh I expect Hall to start next Saturday.

Two of the three best chances fell to our strikers and we didn't even get any of them on target. Maidstone were terrible and we still lost.

Hopefully if nothing else this will fire them up to win the cup match, two defeats to them in a week won't happen, will it?

[brucie]

Its obvious that this squad is nowhere near good enough to get promoted.

Johnson should hang his head in shame that he has managed to lose 4 league games in 11 matches in what is in effect a pub league.

Its a criminally assembled squad full of losers from last year - Donellan, Marshall, Hanson, Mcgavin. Add to that the likes of Craske, Martin. Most of the budget has gone on the likes of Hall, Moxey and Dawson (whom I doubt will ever play another game for us). Johnson's marquee signing Ash is basically a southern league player.

By my reckoning we've got 5 fit for purpose players in Halstead, Lapslie. Stobbs, Collins and Jarvis. Yet again no strikers on the bench. Johnsons obtaining money by false pretences.

I presumed that the manager would bolster this squad with 2 or 3 fit decent loan players, yet he's got none. Pathetic.

[Modgull]

Crikey, we were poor first half today - could scarcely get out of our half and gifted Maidstone chance after chance.

Fortunately they were unable to take advantage and we turned round at half time a man down and with only three attempts but two on target (lame affairs though). Second half we were better but the extra man eventually told and all four of our second half attempts were off target rendering Covalan an irrelevant spectator. He will have fewer more relaxing afternoons.

I think we will probably avoid being dragged into the relegation mire but this lot aren't capable of mounting a realistic promotion challenge.

[UnitedinDevon]

Its obvious that this squad is nowhere near good enough to get promoted.

Johnson should hang his head in shame that he has managed to lose 4 league games in 11 matches in what is in effect a pub league.

Its a criminally assembled squad full of losers from last year - Donellan, Marshall, Hanson, Mcgavin. Add to that the likes of Craske, Martin. Most of the budget has gone on the likes of Hall, Moxey and Dawson (whom I doubt will ever play another game for us). Johnson's marquee signing Ash is basically a southern league player.

By my reckoning we've got 5 fit for purpose players in Halstead, Lapslie. Stobbs, Collins and Jarvis. Yet again no strikers on the bench. Johnsons obtaining money by false pretences.

I presumed that the manager would bolster this squad with 2 or 3 fit decent loan players, yet he's got none. Pathetic.

[SWgull]

Calling Ash a Southern league player is a bit harsh Brucie, he can finish and has scored a few decent goals already this season. However, you are correct in that Johnson has recruited poorly yet again. He has obviously blown big money on Stobbs, Collins, Hall, Lapslie, Moxey and probably Dawson, more than likely leaving little else for anything like a fit for purpose defence. Thank goodness for Halstead who has already saved us numerous times this season. As for the squad players, honestly, when was the last time you looked at the bench and felt confident there was anything on there to change/affect a game? In the main it has been like that for two seasons now!
I have nothing personally against Johnson, for a season and a half he was great for us but sadly he has now long run his course. As has been pointed out so many times before, at 99 out of 100 clubs he would have been shown the door months ago. Sadly we are the exception and he continues to be paid (no doubt handsomely for this level) with little sign of sustained improvement.
We are 4 points from Yeovil at the start of October. Many more weeks of this kind of performance and it will quickly become much more and that guaranteed promotion will be gone. Stay in this league for any more than one or two seasons and that will be TUFC gone as the club we knew, if it has not disappeared already, and yet nobody seems prepared to act and at least try a change at the top. The club is currently getting what it deserves.

[toastkid]

Not sure what was most disappointing. The being outplayed for 20 mins at the start, the 4 cockups in 4 seconds for the sending off (bad choice of throw in, player waits forever, player miscontrols, player drops striker), or the riddling of errors throughout the game. Missed passes, efforts off target. Players looking at the geound in disgust (damn you grass).

We showed endeavour. We stayed in the game, but we do need to ditch maybe 2 or 3 players and get in 2 or 3 who are good.

Even my patience is wearing thin. I actually enjoyed the game. Plenty of drama, it was engaging stuff. But i honestly would prefer it if we won more games. Crazy eh?

The next 2 games will be decisive.

[toastkid]

Oh, and surely Crowe can be better than Donellan, or play Hanson as rb, he surely can do no worse and has a solid long throw.

[Mr Tea808]

I wanted to give it a bit of time before I piped up and said my views, first off, will the real Torquay United stand up?, you never quite know what you'll get when you walk through the turnstiles do you?, I hoped like all of us that the players from last season (bulk of them) might of moved on, they didn't, so by now you'd think they might of gelled or shine at this level a bit more, they aren't really doing it consistently right now, and if it wasn't for Mark Halstead we'd be lower in the table!!...What I feel is we haven't got 3 or 4 big strong units in defence or midfield who can mix it and stand up, Jarvis also can't do it alone, Brucie posted 5 fit for purpose players, this might upset a few on this forum, but he's SPOT ON with that view....If we want to tick over in mid table or upper mid table then we've got the players for that, but fans want promotion or being full time we want to be right up there at the top challenging or at least looking the part, weve shown flashes of what we can do this season, but it's all to isolated or in fits and starts...GJ has been a good, solid manager in his day, but I'm not going to get personal on the guy, which I've done in the past, but he needs to go now, he's assembled this squad who on the surface of it all look a team that right now aren't going to kick on or go on a huge run of wins, we look good at times but more often than not it's pretty average, inconsistent and not a team who's heading for promotion.

[bobbytanz1963]

A fairly dreadful performance yesterday, especially the first half with the team looking better after the break and did create the best chances to score but didn’t take them.

They looked scared/spooked by the physical presence of the Maidstone team who were big. Challenges bottled, panicked when on the ball.

The sending off I initially thought was harsh but actually was the right decision. Marshall is an accident waiting to happen and this was so yesterday. Put in a bad position by our idiot right back he totally messed up.

The club is in a mess, the squad paper thin, it’s criminal not having a striking option on the bench, and as said when u look at the squad/bench it doesn’t fill you with much hope. I’m told that Dawson is unreliable and just milks the club he is at for his wage once under contract and also like a bit of a “Toney” if you catch my drift !!!

I actually feel slightly sorry for GJ, the team just don’t seem to do as he hopes but I do think he has passed his sell by date however is sooooo entrenched in the club he isn’t gonna get removed and will continue to be paid his £3k a week

Thought the officials were poor yesterday and the Maidstone boss was out of order in his theatrics towards a few in Bristows Bench, using foul language towards them.

Didn’t see the issue on Pop side as I left on the whistle so guess things are turning toxic again.

A big chunk of realism is now kicking in and the best I see is scrapping into a play off place this season

[Wolborough]

Playoff place? You’re kidding. More likely scrapping to avoid relegation. We are complete crap.

[brucie]

What is the real Torquay United though? Have we beaten any team easily this season? In the main we have scraped home by one goal mostly in the games we have won.

We've been unconvincing. Although Pearce didnt do much and Jenkins-Davies seemed to be improving the squad at least was looking stronger - now its looking a shambles.

As I said before the way the play offs are structured we have to finish second at worst to have any realistic chance of going up and that isnt going to happen.