Can we do it?

[stevegull]

Man City had players on the pitch who could score blindfolded, we have Atieno who looks like he PLAYS blindfolded! We haven't got enough goals in the team and Rene if fit looks f****d anyway. Jarvis is probably our dangerman and i'd rather have McPhee on than Atieno because what i saw of Tai on sunday was nothing short of breathtakingly bad. He couldn't control the football, he didn't jump or challenge for crosses he failed to make runs and in short i was raging at his 'performance' so much in such a critical game that if he never played for us again then i'd get out the champers. What a waste of space. And for those who were slating Morris on sunday you need your head examining. He was the only one trying to gee up the players and fans, the only one willing to have a go at goal and he worked really hard. OK so he is slow but i can't fault his workrate and committment. I've not read the match thread as i have only got this pc for an hour as mine is broke so apolgies if all has been mentioned on there but i've not had chance to post since before the chelts game until now. So just to sum up, Tai can go and f**k off, everyone needs to give it their all and we need at least two goals.

Completely agree regarding Tai and Morris. Morris was at least trying to grab the game by the scruff of its neck and make things happen. However, as you say, Atieno was incredibly poor. Couldn't buy a first touch and won little or nothing in the air. And yet still people are calling for his inclusion on Thursday. How bad does he have to play for you to want him on the bench? McPhee and Jarvis up top for me, as least McPhee will work his arse off, and tbh I think he is technically better than taiwo anyway.

[Jeff]

Can we do it? Of course. We went 2-0 up in the first half against Shrewsbury last year and saw the remaining 135mins out. Will we do it? I don't think so. It'll be interesting to watch the game and see how it pans out. If we can get the first goal in the first 25mins or so it'll really make a game of it.

For me, it has to be Atieno and Jarvis up front. Tai definitely divides opinion and I've seen him have as many ineffectual appearances as anyone, but he's the only forward we've got with game-time under his belt. McPhee hasn't played "real" football for months. And as much as I want to like McPhee, every time he plays he does something utterly dire and the crowd get on his back, and I just think "you don't do yourself any favours Chris!" Keep him on the bench, if we haven't scored by half-time get him on for Nico and go 3-4-3. We might as well go for broke!

[stevegull]

Not bad reasoning to be fair Jeff, well done.

McPhee's lack of football, even moreso up front, this season really does play against him here.

However, if you want to go 3-4-3 I would not take Nico off, his set-pieces might prove to be the thing which might unlock their defence. Oastler would have to come off IMO, and hope that Saah and Ellis can cover the headers enough to make up for Nico's inability to win the ball in the air.

[SDYellow]

Im sorry but it would be mental to go 3-4-3. With the pace they had on sunday, they would tear us apart. I agree i think we need two up top. But 3-4-3 is redonculous until the 90th min if we are still chasing one goal. I would like to see maybe a team of:

Bobby
Oastler, Ellis, Saah, Nicho
Morris, Mansell, Okane, Danny
Atieno
Jarvis

As austrian andy says, atieno has not got a first touch, never has, probably never will. put him in space and hopefully he will keep the ball. Jarvis will at least use a little more strength than tai upfront. I hope our bench drops ricey and goes attack, maybe with:
Macdonald, LRT, mcphee, craig and yeoman
We will see on thursday what tactics ling will go with, but i wouldnt be surprised if we start 4-5-1. Then change at HT. I hope im wrong though.

[stevegull]

I don't think anyone was saying to start with 3-4-3, but it is just a further way we could go attacking if things weren't going right for us.

But I will say again, how badly does Atieno have to play to warrant being dropped? Because he was almost as bad as you can get on Sunday.

[Ausgull]

We have to start with 4-4-2 and Id play Jarvis and Mcphee up front ,I know this will upset a few of you but you have to give him a chance as we are running out of options,Atieno looked lazy last Sunday and did not do much when he came on , so I would leave him on the bench.
While most of you are watching the game at 7.45pm Thursday night ,I will be getting out of bed at 4.30am Friday Morning Melbourne time.but I will be cheering the boys on and hope they can turn this 2 goal deficit around.

[Wubble U]

I saw an interesting statistic on the Southend v Crewe preview on the BBC.
It says:

"Crewe can be encouraged that, in only seven of the 50 play-off semi-finals that have taken place at this level since they first started in 1987, have home teams turned round a first-leg deficit."

So, we have a 14% chance of turning this around, which isn't great odds really, but those seven did it so why not us too

[Dave]

They say the higher placed team has the advantage of playing at home in the second leg, I , and many others can't and have never seen that as an advantage.

For me adpoting the charge of the lightbrigade approach for the off would be the wrong approach, we simply can afford to conceed a goal, get in at H/T 1 up and thats half the job done, and will give a platform to have a go second half, as we just aswell lose 1.2 on the night as win 1.0, little bit stating the obvious i know, it's the only approach however.

[costablancagull]

Austriangull is right we are not a Man city and having watched on sky Atieno had a complete nightmare along with a couple of others as we looked shaking against lets face it an average team like Cheltenham.
But an early Torquay goal at Plainmoor would put the wind up anyone playing for a Wembley place.
Go for glory boys

[numpte]

Do i think we'll get through the tie, no.

Do I think its possible, yes.

Even though he couldn't hold it up for toffee on Sunday, I'll go for Atieno and Jarvis in a 4-4-2.

Tai is not the same type of player as Rene (who can hold the ball up) so even though he was very frustrating to watch i'd like to see him in a 4-4-2 as he does look better when were chasing the game in that formation like Oxford and Hereford.

I'll go
Bobby
Oaslter, Saah, Ellis, Nico
Morris, Manse, Okane, Stevens
Jarvis, Atieno

Subs, Mcphee, Yeoman, LRT, Mcdonald, Macklin

I'll ditch Ricey for this game and add another forward to the mix in Macklin even though I don't think he has a cat in hells chance of getting on, such is the lack of players at our disposal.

I think it'll be a cautious but urgent opening half with some slick passing and movement throwing open a couple of opportunities, question is 'will we take them?'

Thoroughly looking forward to it and had we conceeded at any point in the game v Shrews last year, i'm sure we would have gone all wibbly wobbly so I'm not so sure scoring even in the first hour is ultra important.

'Only takes a second to score a goal ' -Brian.

[stefano]

I saw an interesting statistic on the Southend v Crewe preview on the BBC.
It says:

"Crewe can be encouraged that, in only seven of the 50 play-off semi-finals that have taken place at this level since they first started in 1987, have home teams turned round a first-leg deficit."

So, we have a 14% chance of turning this around, which isn't great odds really, but those seven did it so why not us too

It's not as bad as it sounds on first reading though as in a lot of those 50 ties the 1st leg ended in a draw with the home team winning a lot of the 2nd legs. The comparison should be between the ties where the away team lose the 1st leg but overcome the deficit in the 2nd leg (7), and the ties where the away team lose the 1st leg and were unable to overcome the deficit in the 2nd leg.

Knackered as our squad may be let's see the spirited Torquay United that saw us claw back 0-2 deficits at Plainmoor this season against Burton Albion and Bristol Rovers; and drawing on our history comebacks like in the FA Cup at Plainmoor when 0-3 down to Lincoln City after 30 minutes winning 4-3, in the FA Cup at Plainmoor when 1-3 down to Tottenham Hotspur with 5 minutes to go and drawing 3-3, in the league in a desperate effort to avoid the Conference trapdoor when 0-2 down to Crewe at half-time drawing 2-2 and shutting the trapdoor firmly shut, and in the Football League Trophy after losing 1-2 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 1st Leg going to Molineux and winning 2-0.

Spirit and endeavour driven on by a brilliant atmosphere. We can't ask for anything more at the tail end of a brilliant season. Then bring on Crewe ....

[Trojan 67]

Knackered as our squad may be let's see the spirited Torquay United . . . . . . like in the FA Cup at Plainmoor when 0-3 down to Lincoln City after 30 minutes winning 4-3

Spirit and endeavour driven on by a brilliant atmosphere. We can't ask for anything more at the tail end of a brilliant season. Then bring on Crewe ....

3rd Round, Saturday 2nd January 1971, 3-0 nil down at half-time, all seven goals scored at the Ellacombe End (Mini Stand).

I was there . . . . . . . . . . . . in the Mini Stand at the back . . . . . .

Best TUFC fightback I've ever seen.

Micky Cave, John Rudge from the penalty spot and two goals from Chris Barnard.