The new season ahead

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 27 Jul 2019, 20:12

Well that's pre-season over and now the serious business is just a week away. I know that pre-season friendlies are not an indicator as to what lies in store over the next 9 months, I think a few years ago we won all are friendlies and ended up being relegated. What worries me is that last season we were guilty of conceding sloppy goals, Truro city were rubbish and yet scored 4 times against us as did many other teams. This season I fear that we are still making the same mistakes pre-season and playing against better quality opposition, we are not going to be able to score the goals we did in the conference South. I personally feel that we are a couple of defender's short of being consistently good enough to make a serious promotion challenge this season. I know Gary Johnson says that we should be getting at least 2 loan signings before next Saturday and I hope that they are defenders.

culmstockgull · Post by **culmstockgull** » 27 Jul 2019, 20:29

We are now playing the Johnson way, as he said after todays game there are nine or ten players who can start each game, the likes of Plymouth and Exeter will always punish us eventually because playing at a higher level demands a different mindset and discipline that a lot of national league players do not, and can never possess. After seeing four out of the five friendlies I think the bookies have seriously underestimated us.

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 27 Jul 2019, 20:50

culmstockgull, i so hope you are right. ive had my £ 25 each way [ top 3 finish ] on skybet at 16/1 and see the odds have been cut to 12/1. I had a mixed 2018/19 season. I backed Swansea 12/1, Charlton 10/1, Notts County 6/1 [ relegated ] Solihull moors 250/1 and Torquay 25/1.

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 27 Jul 2019, 20:58

I backed Solihull Moors last season [ 12.50 each way ] at odds of 250/1 because the season before, the year Torquay were relegated, at one stage they were 8pts from safety and took the decision to go full time and they finished around 18th place. I thought that they brought in some good players and finished 2nd last season, 3pts behind the winners Salford City.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 27 Jul 2019, 22:35

I think you'll find Leyton Orient won the league

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 28 Jul 2019, 14:02

Southampton Gull. thanks for correcting my error.

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 28 Jul 2019, 14:11

Gary Johnson says in his post match interview yesterday that he is expecting to sign three signings by monday. I'm interested to read where in the opinion of this forums users, the team needs strengthening. Obviously i expect these players to be loan signings and will be first team regulars. who then is going to miss out.

Orange Gull · Post by **Orange Gull** » 28 Jul 2019, 14:43

dawlishmatt wrote: ↑28 Jul 2019, 14:11 Gary Johnson says in his post match interview yesterday that he is expecting to sign three signings by monday. I'm interested to read where in the opinion of this forums users, the team needs strengthening. Obviously i expect these players to be loan signings and will be first team regulars. who then is going to miss out.

I'd be very surprised if one or maybe two weren't defenders. I know Hall and possibly Wynter can deputise at centre half if needed but we are light in that position. I'm not 100% convinced that Niate will cope with the increase inequality that promotion will bring so some competition would be welcome.

As for the other, a striker maybe? At the moment we have Reid, Duku, Keating and Koszela who can play up front. Could be a bit light if Keating is playing in midfield as expected.Would love toes Janneh back but can't see it happening.

Uptongull · Post by **Uptongull** » 28 Jul 2019, 15:13

Definitely agree with defender comments. We were lucky with injuries last season in respect if Cameron never getting injured it seemed? If we lose him and the only out-and-out CB is Niate then that's a worry. I know Asa can fill in but dont really want to lose him from the centre of the park. I'm sure a signing in this area is on the cards.

Also I feel we need more legs in midfield. Jake Andrews doesn't seem the same player we signed initially on loan. Even towards the end of last season he wasn't featuring much? Well not starting anyway. Plus he doesn't have the athleticism and mobility to really dominate the midfield. Hope I'm wrong.

Also another striker who can make an impact. The Olaf story is great but if we want to get in the football league while we have GJ with us, then we are gonna need to be hard-nosed about it and accept Olaf isn't yet at the required standard. Seems quite anonymous when he's come on. Admittedly he only gets a few minutes.

In GJ we trust. I'm sure he and his brother see what is needed and will address accordingly. Roll on tomorrow!

DWB · Post by **DWB** » 28 Jul 2019, 15:33

Orange Gull wrote: ↑28 Jul 2019, 14:43 I'd be very surprised if one or maybe two weren't defenders. I know Hall and possibly Wynter can deputise at centre half if needed but we are light in that position. I'm not 100% convinced that Niate will cope with the increase inequality that promotion will bring so some competition would be welcome.

As for the other, a striker maybe? At the moment we have Reid, Duku, Keating and Koszela who can play up front. Could be a bit light if Keating is playing in midfield as expected.Would love toes Janneh back but can't see it happening.

Agreed I think midfield is pretty well covered. I would like to see a couple of defenders and a forward ( as others have stated would love to see Saikou Janneh back as I think he is not only a brilliant player in his own right he brought the best out of Reidy last season). Exeter have signed numerous defenders ( including Robbie Cundy ) who wasn’t even seen yesterday, so possibly a loan from them?

But as again others have stated isn’t it nice to have a manager in whom we can trust to get it right. I’m sure he wouldn’t have ‘got rid’ of Sendles-White if he didn’t have options in mind. I know things can change in football and he may be struggling for a defender but somehow I think not.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 28 Jul 2019, 17:12

DWB wrote: ↑28 Jul 2019, 15:33 Exeter have signed numerous defenders ( including Robbie Cundy ) who wasn’t even seen yesterday, so possibly a loan from them?

The strong rumour was that Exeter's Arron Martin was being lined up for a loan move to us after Taylor's summer signing of three centre halves - Parkes, Gary Warren and Robbie Cundy - but it appears Martin's excellent performances in pre-season have seen him preferred alongside Parkes. Makes you wonder if Robbie Cundy would have been better off being loaned to us - not going to help his development, bench warming or watching Exeter games from the stands.

Post by **Dave** » 28 Jul 2019, 17:13

Having seen three of the preseason games, think it's glaringly obvious where the squad is short, that is of course in the defensive roster, the team looks short of genuine pace at the back, think we will all be surprised if two of the three hopeful incoming players aren't defenders.

Think this team will have no trouble scoring goals, at the moment my main concern is, can we keep them out at the other end, but we have to trust Gary Johnson. There are a lot of well funded good teams in this league, so for me, my expectations are not going to be to high, but the squad should have enough to chase down a play-off spot.

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 28 Jul 2019, 18:09

For me it's an experienced calm head required in the centre of defence, another defender/left sided player & another forward as I fear Olafs carreer could go the same way as Ashley Yeomans did, a lot of promise but not quite good enough, I think he probably needs to go out on loan to some team at at least at NLS level to get some proper game time as the odd 5-10 minutes he's getting with us is doing neither him or our team any good.

DWB · Post by **DWB** » 28 Jul 2019, 20:17

Football, a game of opinions, and don’t we get a lot, that is what makes it the great game we all love,hate and frustrate over. All I know is I have missed the ‘footie’ over the summer so Bring It On and let’s have another season of supporting the team we all love really and see where we end up!

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 28 Jul 2019, 20:54

DWB That's so so true. I was talking last week to my father who is 88 and always rants on about sammy collins. I was telling him that during the 1980s and more recently, there are many players that i never rated. Matt Elliott and Darren moore lacked pace and Lee Sharpe, well i didn't rate him. look how right i was. Darren moore played dozens of games in the top league as did Matt Elliott whom i believe played numerous times for scotland!!!!! It's a good job i wasn't Torquay manager at the time as we probably would have ended up playing Newton Dynamo's reserve team in division 6 of the south devon league.

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