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dawlishmatt wrote: ↑26 Nov 2019, 21:56 Johnson said last January when he signed the majority of this squad, that they were good enough for this league. Clearly, this squad isn't good enough for this league.

I disagree. Clearly the majority of this squad are good enough for this league and with more experience they will be good enough for Div 2. There are one or two who have disappointed and won't be with us next season, but just because we have lost three games with a depleted squad doesn't mean we won't be challenging for a play off spot at the end of the season. When Martin Ling was manager, he was able to field an unchanged side week after week. We were lucky with injuries that season. This season, we are bloody unlucky. Any team with a small squad will struggle with a third of the players missing. I don't always agree with Brucie, but he is spot on with his assessment.

By the way, I didn't notice you posting as frequently when we were on a winning run .......

Hall - first teamer. Reid - League Top Scorer first teamer. Little - First teamer CLE - First teamer (as good as a midfielder as anything else in the league) - Davis (probably best left back in the league. Vincent) - On this seasons performances - key player when he stepped in. Edwards - not first teamer but a match winner if fit

Oh dear - some of the rest of the squad are maybe not quite up to this standard. Shock Horror.

When Solihull Moors had an injury crisis earlier in the season they soon slid down the league. As soon as McCallum and co were fit again they have been on a winning streak.

Whether the injury situation has been done to death or not is irrelevant. The injuries (and more) are the clear reason for our downturn in form so obviously that is still the relevant factor.

Ling had a different mind set - he won matches by not conceding - but, now, with a more attacking mindset and even with a specialist defence coach, we cannot defend, cannot keep composure to clear danger, do not win enough loose balls, and it seems impossible to keep a clean sheet against any opposition (except against Aldershot and Wrexham, who just couldn't shoot straight).
At least we do not see boring 0-0 draws..
Luckily, the league is still wide open, but we really cannot afford to lose many more matches..and, at the very least, have to turn losing matches into draws.

PL21gull wrote: ↑26 Nov 2019, 23:06 Ling had a different mind set - he won matches by not conceding - but, now, with a more attacking mindset and even with a specialist defence coach, we cannot defend, cannot keep composure to clear danger, do not win enough loose balls, and it seems impossible to keep a clean sheet against any opposition (except against Aldershot and Wrexham, who just couldn't shoot straight).

Yes - i agree that Martin Ling had a different mindset. The point I'm making is that he, or any manager of a lower league side, would struggle to put out a winning side with a third of the squad on the treatment table.

tomogull wrote: ↑26 Nov 2019, 23:23 Yes - i agree that Martin Ling had a different mindset. The point I'm making is that he, or any manager of a lower league side, would struggle to put out a winning side with a third of the squad on the treatment table.

Perhaps with our injury concerns we should not be putting out a winning side necessarily, but putting out a side not to lose.

Thought we were pretty decent first 20 mins. Then they took control for the remainder of the first half.

2nd half we were in control, Keating was class tonight, worked his socks off, like usual. Hope he stays consistent now, It’s his times to hold that spot in the team.

Janneh holds the ball to long and then he loses it 9 X out of 10. Not one to hide behind the “he’s not fit yet” he’s match fit, he plays 90 mins for the past few weeks now. I firmly believe once he’s got his goal he’ll go on a role.

Niate was good tonight.

Kalala just lost his confidence. He needs a goal and I’m sure he’ll be alright. Don’t think he’ll be starting for a while though, not seen much of him recently, just seems to go in his own head after he gets dropped.

Jake Andrews Christ the boy works his socks off for the team, One I’m happy to see back in the side.

Started how we ended Saturday and I’m confident we’ll beat Stockport.

Positivity only!,

Just watched Gary Johnson’s interview, he seems to be looking to bring in some additions before Stockport. Which is only a positive

Can't help feeling that Keating is crucial over the next few weeks. His game is both energetic and aggressive whether he plays up front or on the wing like last season. These are qualities which have been missing in our game for some time. I hope he gets plenty of game time from now on.

That was a freak scoreline at half time, we didn't deserve that. We dominated the first half hour, then the contraversial penalty lifted them for 10 minutes. The second goal was poor from us, all too easy for them getting in on the left and not picking up Hollands. The third goal was a fluke.
Second half was all us . Disappointed we didn't get the third after getting two so quickly. With Reid we would have won that game. Whitfield outstanding again.

Just watched the highlights such as they were, for two of three goals the ball is driven across the penalty area from opposite wings, the first evades three defenders the second maybe five, not one of whom considered booting it out of the ground and protecting the goal, we have the fourth worst goals conceded in the league, the other three are all in the bottom four.

We started well and created several chances and we just could not take one of them and we had 2/3 rd of possession first half the other 1/3 rd Eastleigh scored 3 goals very quickly which kept us very quiet. The first goal was 4 yards offside when their player crossed the ball it looked as though the linesman was going to give it then the ball went across the goal to the other side of play then going back 10 yards and crossed in again the play was continued and they got their penalty the referee should have taken the play back as they gained an advantage from an offside decision.

Second half we attacked and scored two goals in the first 15 minutes of the half Keating with a brilliant diving header then Andrews hit a shot from 10 yards which hit the back of the net and sent it bulging. We had a penalty decision go against us and their keeper just managed to tip over a cert goal.

The spirit in the side kept going but just could not get the equalizer.

Can't help commenting on Jennah, he is working his socks off in the wrong area's he needs to be on the end of passes not chasing balls out wide which playing a 3-5-2 makes him do when the wing back is not forward enough. We created enough chances to score 6 tonight but with no defensive midfield we will always need to score 2 or 3 goals to win a game. Easleigh had that purple patch where they were brilliant but we had very bad decisions go against us.

Tomogull. If you look back to my postings from last January, you will see that back then when we were winning almost every match, I questioned the decision to sign most of the players on extended contracts. My reason for this was that being the only full-time team in the league, at the time we didn't even know which league we would be playing in the following season ( 19/20)

dawlishmatt wrote: ↑27 Nov 2019, 15:41 Tomogull. If you look back to my postings from last January, you will see that back then when we were winning almost every match, I questioned the decision to sign most of the players on extended contracts. My reason for this was that being the only full-time team in the league, at the time we didn't even know which league we would be playing in the following season ( 19/20)

Post by tomogull » Yesterday, 22:55

dawlishmatt wrote: ↑Yesterday, 21:56
Johnson said last January when he signed the majority of this squad, that they were good enough for this league. Clearly, this squad isn't good enough for this league.
I disagree. Clearly the majority of this squad are good enough for this league and with more experience they will be good enough for Div 2. There are one or two who have disappointed and won't be with us next season, but just because we have lost three games with a depleted squad doesn't mean we won't be challenging for a play off spot at the end of the season. When Martin Ling was manager, he was able to field an unchanged side week after week. We were lucky with injuries that season. This season, we are bloody unlucky. Any team with a small squad will struggle with a third of the players missing. I don't always agree with Brucie, but he is spot on with his assessment.

[highlight=yellow]By the way, I didn't notice you posting as frequently when we were on a winning run ......[/highlight].

Tomogull was pointing out in his post that you havent been on here when we were on the winning run - as soon as we lose a few youre back on here.

Is this a forum for people to comment only while we are winning and saying nice things about United, I thought the site rules mention words to the effect that you should not be insulting or abusive, words that seems to have been overlooked by many members. Are there a minimum amount of postings required before people do not dive down your throat every time you post something that does not match a small clique of members who believe their views carry more weight than others.

Any supporter should judge a manager on the budget he has, he can't go out and sign players who are out of his range. Garry has got a good mix and has brought Torquay United to life as we were dying. The art of managing a football club is making players believe they can go out and win sometimes against all the odds.

It's beggars belief that we are up a division and up near the play offs don't knock the club we are still on the up. There will still be good times if we are all patient and wait till everyone is back fit again there was signs yesterday that the belief is there. Garry has done brilliant