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arcadia wrote:Our biggest problem is that we are not scoring we did not create a chance all the game the goal came from a long shot that zipped off the wet surface. We don't have the pace in wide areas that we had last season, our fullbacks did get forward and got crosses in then. If you have not got pace in wide areas you need a creative player inside midfield but we tend to play our most creative player wide left.
I just think Nicho needs to rethink his formation because Woking should have been finished off in the first half as they were a poor side. We need to go there now and need to play 4-4-1-1 .
Hopefully Sparkes will be fit and we could have a midfield of Sparkes Young Richards Lathrope or Ward with Chaney ahead of the mid-field and around Blissett. Just try it.
The back four only two are up to the mark as the other two are prone to a mistake a game .
Moore needs a new pair of white quality gloves as there was something wrong with the ones he had on today. This needs addressing.

Yes or spot on regards the lack of pace, and maybe a different formation would help to combat that, or it might not, the manager should know his players and is the best one to judge, but as you say, no harm in trying.

I don't see your point on Moore's gloves though, many brands of keeper gloves have chemicals in the latex to aid with griping the ball, it's normally activated by moisture, that's why you'll often to see a keeper spit on his gloves in very dry conditions. Yesterday the conditions for the keepers at both ends were appalling, when keeper gloves become saturated as they would have in this match, all grip would be lost, so it's down to technique, or elect to punch not catch , which Moore did, he just didn't do it very well, but again not meant as criticism.

I'd take Mike Bateson back anyday
Ok he had his critics but he wouldn't have got the Club in the mess it is now!

Well what happened to the apathy,judging by this thread it has all but disappeared I'm glad to say, several comments on the postings, one, and this was something I heard from another group in the family stand so I cannot take any credit for it other than it was very accurate, Woking hunted in packs everytime we tried to pass a ball there were three opposition players all over the receiver of the ball and it is something that should have been identidfied far earlier, also was I the only nervous one who thought this is going to go wrong when we were in our crisp fast passing period of the first half. it wasn't the surface for it and although I think it is part of Nicholsons philosphy of playing football there are times and games when the big hoof forward is the simple and correct way of doing things. Lastly hands up who wants a complete and utter madman running the club, present board excluded, because those of you who suggest that Bateson be invited back to run the club must realise he would have to be totally and completely certifiable if he ever considered the idea.

uffculmegull wrote: Lastly hands up who wants a complete and utter madman running the club, present board excluded, because those of you who suggest that Bateson be invited back to run the club must realise he would have to be totally and completely certifiable if he ever considered the idea.

1. Did Bateson ever reach a point where the gates were moments away from being chained up ? Not that I recall
2. Did Bateson ever ask fans for funds to help pay players wages? Not that I recall
3. Did Bateson put his hand in his pocket to bring in a player when times were desperate ? Yes that I recall
4. We may not have liked it but did Bateson run the club at breakeven almost all of his tenure? Yes that I recall.
5. Did Bateson engage with the fan base in a positive way? Not that I recall

On balance, the Bateson style of ownership brought less financial anxiety than we have suffered in the last 10 years. Cue the "he sold to Roberts" comments. I acknowledge this as a mistake by Bateson, but at that time the crowd were baying for him to leave the club immediately.

Whilst I would NOT want to see Bateson back in charge at the club, I would like to see someone Batesonesque who has business sense, which has been startingly absent in any of the owners since him ( with the exception of Rowe/Boyce).

Yorkieandy wrote:I think given the ludicrous ticket prices for a game of this stature, 1,348 was impressive.

Always a sensitive issue regarding pricing for these matches, you're dammed if you do and dammed if you don't. What if they halved entry, we would have had to get a break even crowd of 3600 yesterday based on yesterday's attendance. Now that would have been unlikely

If we where to beat Woking in the replay let's hope we draw either Plymouth or Exeter in the 1st round. This will be the only chance of getting on tv for a nice cash windfall.

But it also has to be understood, this was an F.A cup match and Woking entitled to a share of the gate money, reducing the tickets prices for this game was not a decision that Torquay United could have taken alone, to be fair. I believe it would have needed the agreement of the away team and the F.A.

Gloomy Gull wrote: 1. Did Bateson ever reach a point where the gates were moments away from being chained up ? Not that I recall
2. Did Bateson ever ask fans for funds to help pay players wages? Not that I recall
3. Did Bateson put his hand in his pocket to bring in a player when times were desperate ? Yes that I recall
4. We may not have liked it but did Bateson run the club at breakeven almost all of his tenure? Yes that I recall.
5. Did Bateson engage with the fan base in a positive way? Not that I recall

On balance, the Bateson style of ownership brought less financial anxiety than we have suffered in the last 10 years. Cue the "he sold to Roberts" comments. I acknowledge this as a mistake by Bateson, but at that time the crowd were baying for him to leave the club immediately.

Whilst I would NOT want to see Bateson back in charge at the club, I would like to see someone Batesonesque who has business sense, which has been startingly absent in any of the owners since him ( with the exception of Rowe/Boyce).

I think you may have missed the irony there Gloomy - bit of a Catch 22 scenario - Anybody who wanted to take over TUFC at this present time would have to be mad - but do we want a madman in charge?

"5. Did Bateson engage with the fan base in a positive way? Not that I recall"

Well he was a regular contributor on the fans forum, until he got fedup with getting slagged off and the tone of the so called supporters.

You could and I say could argue if it was "positive" or not, but he was generally just stating facts because there was pressure then for more and more money because the fans were not satisfied with League 2 football. I thought his contributions were good actually.

forevertufc wrote: Yes or spot on regards the lack of pace, and maybe a different formation would help to combat that, or it might not, the manager should know his players and is the best one to judge, but as you say, no harm in trying.

I don't see your point on Moore's gloves though, many brands of keeper gloves have chemicals in the latex to aid with griping the ball, it's normally activated by moisture, that's why you'll often to see a keeper spit on his gloves in very dry conditions. Yesterday the conditions for the keepers at both ends were appalling, when keeper gloves become saturated as they would have in this match, all grip would be lost, so it's down to technique, or elect to punch not catch , which Moore did, he just didn't do it very well, but again not meant as criticism.

My experience with latex gloves is that the coloured ones don't grip the same as the white ones which seem softer. Plus I may be wrong I did not notice a towel in Moores goalmouth. I buy about six pairs a season and have even used them myself during playing days and have never seen such bad handling in a professional game.

Chaney is an easy target playing as a winger,he's there to be hit. When he played inside in pre-season before a few of the players had joined us he caused havoc with his flicks in the opposition box and Blissett was reading it as he then seemed on the same wave length. Defenders don't like skillful players and don't want to tackle them in the box. We are not getting the best out of him.
He needs a bollocking for not keeping his eye on the ball when the keepers taking goal kicks, he must be aware all the time and get his head up when he loses the ball and fight back. Saying all that I think he is a good player but must be played where he can impose himself on the game,

tomogull wrote: Personally, I thought Williams was the worst player on the pitch. I don't know what it is with him, whether his confidence is low or he's not happy here, or Nicho's style of play doesn't suit him, but he shows no effort. Nicho wants him to up his work rate. Well, he didn't today.

Yeah, I don't know what's up with him. He failed to get his yellow card today - but only just

WIlliams did have a shot that was saved.

Luke was a powerhouse first half - could have had a hattrick and set up chances that no-one took. When Bliss is out on the right or left, someone (Williams?) must come into the middle - there was one cross into an acre of space right in front of goal, and nobody in sight to take it.

I think we said it a few weeks ago Blissett is coming short and is not in the box as much as last season.

tomogull wrote: On the Chester/Torquay thread, I forecast a 0 - 1 defeat for Whitby against Workington last Tuesday. I see you held out for a 1 - 1 draw. I'll forecast a 3 - 1 victory for the seasiders against Marine on Saturday - attendance 542 at the Turnbull Ground.

Ho, hum Wivel. I think my score forecasting is better than yours !!!
Thanks for letting me know where Marine is, Lucy The sort of Marine Drive of Crosby, then ........

Bert wrote:I'd take Mike Bateson back anyday
Ok he had his critics but he wouldn't have got the Club in the mess it is now!

Remind me of the situation the club was in when he left.

We had just been relegated to the Conference, told we would have to cut our cloth accordingly, with Mervyn Benney reinstalled as Chairman and Leroy reappointed as manager and a squad of four players.

I doubt things would have been much better than they are now.

arcadia wrote:I think we said it a few weeks ago Blissett is coming short and is not in the box as much as last season.

because apart from Sparks no one puts a decent cross in the box

and without Reid Blisset has to do everything, williams might as well not have played Saturday