Yeovil vs Torquay United Boxing Day '19

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 26 Dec 2019, 18:47

First game for a while and a couple of things that were bloody obvious today. Whoever that is taking the keepers for their pre match warm up needs to go back to his netball team and leave the keepers well alone. Absolute joke of a warm-up in preparation for an important league game. Neither keeper was busting a gut to make any notable stops, neither one seemed to take the session seriously, if they took a leaf out of Bobby Olejniks book they might feel a little sharper during the game. Personally, I'd bring in a more experienced keeper and farm one of them out making the other understudy. Too quiet by a long chalk and nowhere near commanding enough in the box. McDonald didn't do a lot wrong but then he didn't do a lot right either, the exception being a great diving block at the feet of one of their forwards.

We seem all over the place when any ball is played across the backline from out wide, others have said it and today it was glaringly obvious. It's almost as if we were zonal marking as their players seemed to be able to wander across the goal without being picked up or passed on. We were shambolic at the back.

I have every faith in Gary Johnson but one has to wonder just how well he's being backed by the club when we seem to only be able to bring in loanees and most of them are not up to the rigours of a competitive league match.

At 3-1 down I and others around me felt that if we could snatch the next goal it was game on. Unfortunately they got the goal and we capitulated. Experienced central defender and an experienced keeper please, the rest of the squad stands up well in this league.

culmstockgull · Post by **culmstockgull** » 26 Dec 2019, 18:51

For those of us who were brave enough to make the journey we were rewarded by probably the worst display for many a long season, and there are many candidates for that award. This was 90 minutes that would have made Owers proud. Yet again we were men against boys, and that was an insult to boys who at least play with passion and pride. Yeovil won most first and second balls, they pressed us all game and out makeshift defence if they could be called that were frightened rabbits from the start, no one came away with any credit, Buse and Lewington need to return from whence they came and quickly, Lemonheigh needs to spend less of the game trying to win best supporting diver award, Mcdonald was truly hopeless, Cameron I know is not a centre half, and on todays performance is certainly not a left back. I could go on, but what's the point, Kalala got caught within a few minutes of coming on and obviously didn't fancy the conditions or the muscle of Yeovil, oddly he was complaining of sore ribs to the physio but limped off. If Johnson had any honour he would resign. We have now conceded more goals than any other team in the league and must officially be considered to be in a relegation fight.

Arelbee · Post by **Arelbee** » 26 Dec 2019, 19:02

Just in from the game and that was beyond poor. I said after the Solihull Moors HT 0-3 that it was embaressing and we are now beyond that level after a run of largely unimpressive wins with the odd great performance (Halifax away) followed by the bebacle of the last two months.

It is no disgrace to be beaten away at the team in second place, but this was not a defeat, it was a humiliation of the highest order. The only bright spot is that Yeovil didn't stay sharp enough to score double figures because they could easily have done that if they had taken a bit more care. Allinson the ref did NOT have a bad game and we can have no excuses - he even clearly felt sorry for us towards the last couple of minutes as he did not give a penalty for the most obvious and petulant push by Cundy in the box.

I had thought beforehand about perhaps trying Cameron at left back and was not too disappointed to see that. However, put a returning Asa alongside Cundy at the back was a disaster waiting to happen. Joe Lewis must have run over Johnson's Cat! He has to endure playing out of position and after admitidely failing to be goalside for the first goal against Chesterfield did as well as anyone on Saturday. His only centre back performance of the season away at Woking he was excellent.

So this is my take on the team today:

Macdonald - 3 - exposed for a number of the goals but lacks the presence and experience to command the box. He looks like a little boy in a very large goal. Not going down for treatment in the last 10 minutes when he was clearly struggling is unforgivingly unprofessional.
Wynter - 3 - I really like Wynter but he needs a rest. When all the talk is of stopping crosses he continues to stand aside to let the opposition cross. Good going forward (though not recenetly) but does not look the answer at the moment
Cundy - 3 - I have described him before as 'bambi on ice' and he is a calamity at the back - some good moments today (but only as you would expect from a competent CB) but too many times beaten through the channels and looks scared stiff out there
Asa - 3 - set up to fail by Johnson alongside Cundy - 3-0 down after 14 minutes, 2 more headers, say no more. He was blowing out of his arse after 60 minutes but Johnson had played his cards by the latter stage of the game
Cameron - 4 - so he is also not a left back (who next?) This guy is too nice - where is the nastiness in our defence coming from. Hopelessly exposed at times
James - 3 - anonymous and wayward - thought he was our best player against Chesterfield but seems to have caught the malaise very quickly
Buse - 3 - games starting to pass him by - like Wynter, looks as if he needs a rest
Evans - 4 - worked hard but holds onto the ball too long and any advantage he gains he seems to lose through selfishness. I am not sure he is as good as many suggest
Andrews - 3 - largely anonymous today and another who I am not sure is up for a fight. Just get the feeling the Bristol boys (and certainly Janneh included) think they are a little better than they actually are
Lewington - 4 - faded but some good physical presence and won a few headers. With support around him could possibly become a reasonable player at this level but no certainty
Whitfield - 6 - my MOM as he never stopped, worked tirelessly and seems to care. He can have a clear conscience and interestingly came closest to the fans at the end. He could reasonably look us in the eye as he couldn't have done much more
Neamne - 3 - looked lively first few minutes after half time then disapperaed. He is clearly not the answer
Keating - 4 - tried his best, couple of forceful runs and deserves a start - but that very fact shows we are in a desperate position
Kalala - 2 - not on long enough to properly evaluate but (and I will ask for forgiveness if I am worng) but whilst clearly a little uncomfortable when they walked past him for the fourth (or fifth?) goal, he made no attempt to track his marker and once they had scored he went down and then walked off as if he will never be able to play the game again - I have a feeling he was faking the seriousness of his injury. If he was not I will hold my hands up but it really looked as if he did not fancy it...

Johnson - 3 - got tactics wrong, did not acknowledge 993 fans who put up with that garbage and has possibly lost the dressing room. Where has the connection with the fans gone? Earn your respect back Gary by stayng connected and sorting this.

Finally, I accept the injuries have been a nightmare, but it does not excuse where we are. Davis and Little would make a big difference right now, but no-one else would be a game changer.

We won a part time league last season. Now is the time to see if Johnson still has his magic, struggling in an even playing field currently. He has a massive job to do - but he has got us into this position so there can be only limited sympathy.

I'll be there on Saturday cheering hard - but this team owes us big time now....

Post by **Louis** » 26 Dec 2019, 19:23

Gary's interview is up

Post by **Dave** » 26 Dec 2019, 19:51

Thankfully I missed the Chesterfield game with manflu getting the better of me, and thankfully working, for the Woking game, but sadly did make the short trip up to Yeovil today.

A fan near me said. What did we learn from the Chesterfield game ? My reply, how to go 3.0 down in a third of the time, I don't know where to start here, I really don't.

Think I'm now beyond bored of saying the same things over and over again, been saying it from the start of the season, our defensive ability collectively, just not good enough, today just an absolute joke . We can bang about injuries all we like, and they have had an effect there's no denying that, but prior to the injuries our midfield and attack were simply papering over the cracks at the back, now our failure to re-balance the squad is biting us in the arse big style.

I'm fed up of talking over and over again about our goalkeepers, I've tried be polite and post in a respectful manner, but ram it now, neither are even close to being good enough, agree with SG, I'd been be kicking arse with them both, I suppose when you have GK coach who played SDL football, coached U10's, before getting the J4K franchise and the coaching gig at TUFC off the back of it, what can we expect, it's like watching Goalkeeper coaching warm up's at Butlins holiday camp, make them work.

Our performance today was the worst I've seen for many a year, we went to Forest Green a few seasons back, with a truly crap football team, and drew 5.5 with a side that was promoted at the seasons end, why ? because what that team lacked in ability, and the FGR team that day player for player were head and shoulders above us, was made up in spirit, effort, desire, determination, they worked and worked all game long.

Today we put out a team probably better player for player than the TUFC that played v FGR, but today we looked like a side who'd been to the darts getting pissed and stayed up to 3am, we looked like team who truly couldn't give a flying ****, about the shirt, the club, us fans who travel in such great numbers, pathetic, truly embarrassing.

Having watched us stand there like statues for the first goal, then two free headers for the next two goals, and where have we seen that before, so obvious now, even Chesterfield managed to work it out, think the fourth goal summed it up for me.

Stood there in the build up, and kept saying to mate, how much time and room are we going give them, shut them down, oh there going to score soon, sure enough, slow motion thinking, slow motion movement, slow motion defending 4.1 game over, after our best period of the game.

Back to basics please Mr Johnson, trying to fit square pegs into round holes, and when that doesn't work, picking up anther set of square pegs to fit into same round holes to try and find answer isn't working.

Agree with the sentiment, of SG , one of the current keepers needs to go out on loan, and a proper experienced commanding true NO1 keeper sourced, think the dogs abuse hurled at Cundy and Cameron needs to stop, and the realisation they're are young inexperienced players, even more so at this level, both individually have ability, and potential, but together it doesn't work, and if one more person tells brig back Naite, sure I'll lose it, he's the worst player in the squad, again a commanding, experienced CB is desperately needed, not just for ability, but to help organise, spent the last 10 minutes watching from behind the goal, so quiet, no one out there's talking, that's U12 schoolboy stuff.

Mr Johnson, pleases top this chopping and changing players and formations, no wonder the team are all over the place, we have to play through this bad spell , and right now 'continuity' pick your best 11, your 'A' formation and stick to it, injury allowing, give it time, give the players time to settle with a way of playing, it will come right with a few additions at the back, not midfield, not needed.

Hammdog2601 · Post by **Hammdog2601** » 26 Dec 2019, 20:00

wbw · Post by **wbw** » 26 Dec 2019, 20:06

He got a full time team promoted in a part time league. Wow!!!
Not please go before it's too late

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 26 Dec 2019, 20:12

Do **** off back to the Facebook group with the rest of the imbeciles.

wivelgull · Post by **wivelgull** » 26 Dec 2019, 20:53

Reg Wyatt - we need you!

Uptongull · Post by **Uptongull** » 26 Dec 2019, 21:05

Saturdays game is very very interesting now. Woking have had two bad losses by all accounts. Their gaffer complaining about players not competing, not battling. Similar situation at Plainmoor at the minute. Who will show they have the fight? I'm concerned it wont be us.

Gloomy Gull · Post by **Gloomy Gull** » 26 Dec 2019, 21:56

Reid still not able to play even 45 minutes

Avoiding aggravating any minor injury until January window ????

Rjc70 · Post by **Rjc70** » 26 Dec 2019, 21:57

Gloomy Gull wrote: ↑26 Dec 2019, 21:56 Reid still not able to play even 45 minutes
Avoiding injury until January window ????

BBC commentary said he was rested rather than injured today

Gloomy Gull · Post by **Gloomy Gull** » 26 Dec 2019, 21:59

Rested for what????????
Surely he was needed today with only Lewington as front man???

Jerry · Post by **Jerry** » 26 Dec 2019, 22:17

Gloomy Gull wrote: ↑26 Dec 2019, 21:59 Rested for what????????
Surely he was needed today with only Lewington as front man???

He was out on the pitch before kick off doing a warm up with Niate, Slough and Koszela separately from the rest of the squad. Wasn't a late fitness test as the team had already been announced so not sure what the point of it was.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 26 Dec 2019, 22:24

Before the game he was also knocking the ball past both keepers with ease among those playing.

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