Early season apathy or is everyone on their hols.

culmstockgull · Post by **culmstockgull** » 17 Sep 2019, 14:09

The responses to the Chesterfield game in terms of contributions seems unusually light, half, what we normally have for an away game, I realise that a lot of the gulls attendees would have been of the northern persuasion and tech may be still considered the devils work and additionally considering that some of my northern relatives are still struggling with the concept of electricity, well paying for it anyway ,as opposed to taking it off the lamp post outside for nothing, but did we run a coach, I,like many others rely on the insights that supporters have at these games that are missed by Thomas and his crew while they have their nose in the freebies.
As an aside, Mr Johnson mentioned last week he does not like talking about who is fit and not fit because it gives the opposition a heads up, disagree strongly on this one Gary, the opposition know who we have on the books and know how we play regardless of the starting eleven, I saw at Solihull, one of their coaches had a book with photographs and associated writing on our players no doubt spelling out their strengths and weaknesses, however Johnsons lack of candour, can and will have a negative effect on the crowd this Saturday, he states it is an entertainment business and we fans come to be so entertained, if all our class players are out the chances of entertainment are slim and the chances of defeat are high, then we do not pay sixteen or eighteen pounds to come and watch the youth team.
Discuss!!!.

budegull1954 · Post by **budegull1954** » 17 Sep 2019, 14:42

I certainly don't see it as apathy on the part of Gulls fans - it's more of a dawning realisation that we are not as good as we thought we were. We don't have great strength in depth and some of our players have struggled to adapt to the higher league. Injuries to key players have not helped of course. I've said it before on this forum, look at Woking - they have adapted really quickly, even though they were runners up last season. Their combination of brawn and seasoned journeymen will see them up there at the end of the season while Torquay can look forward to a season of consolidation and hopefully push for promotion next season. I shall be delighted to be proved wrong of course! Just don't expect interest and crowd size to be anything like last season.

wivelgull · Post by **wivelgull** » 17 Sep 2019, 17:57

They're probably in mourning for GILBERT.

Whydoibother · Post by **Whydoibother** » 17 Sep 2019, 18:01

I made the journey up and frustrating to hear before the match how many were injured. We could only really bring on two subs who normally sat in the stands when we are playing. Even Macdonald got a slight injury in the warm up but could have played. We witnessed a frustrating performance again. If duku puts away that early sitter can you imagine how their fans would have been on their backs. Yes a soft goal conceded that gave them something to cling on too. Two of our main dead ball crossers also out and we had so e poor deliveries. Yes a long journey home but hopefully this Saturday we will have one or two back

Dazza · Post by **Dazza** » 17 Sep 2019, 18:06

We had teams of journey men before and they have taken to us where Woking will eventually fall to. As for you for your views Culmstock you absolutely relish being miserable - enjoy it? The team is sat in the middle of the National League a position we haven't had for five years when we still had parachute payments. Why all this nonsense ?

SBP · Post by **SBP** » 17 Sep 2019, 18:36

Culmstockgull, you think that GJ 's lack of candour, can and will have a negative effect on the crown this Saturday?? Where do you get this idea that GJ has a lack of candour. You tell me any manager that will give the opposition anything to give them an advantage. Listening to GJ 's interviews are probably the most honest I ve ever heard from a TUFC manager.
Of course opposition teams will have reports regarding our strategies and formations.
I cant see one sensible line in your post.

Gull in black · Post by **Gull in black** » 17 Sep 2019, 20:38

I thought Chesterfield was a disastrous result - but we’re badly hit by injuries so there is no point in bemoaning the match or our prospects for the season.
I remain confident that we will be in the play offs or above come the end of the season, we’ve shown we can do it - but we need to improve our consistency. If these players can’t deliver GJ has shown that he will get in players who do deliver.
Like others I’d like to know our injury position but if GJ thinks it best to keep it a secret until the team is announced that’s fine by me.

grockle · Post by **grockle** » 17 Sep 2019, 21:18

Gull in black wrote: ↑17 Sep 2019, 20:38
Like others I’d like to know our injury position but if GJ thinks it best to keep it a secret until the team is announced that’s fine by me.

We trust GJ to get it right.

Still got over 30 games to go!

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 17 Sep 2019, 21:59

Its absolute cobblers to say that Chesterfield was a disastrous result. The division is much of a muchness really.

Yes they couldn't buy a win but struck lucky by playing us when we were decimated by injuries, and with a bench which was wafer thin. What players can't deliver? - Half the players who started the game on Saturday probably wouldn't have done had we had a fully fit squad. The signings of Whitfield and Cundy strengthened the squad nicely and we looked well set to push on from there.

Unfortunately we have suffered a catastrophic run of injuries. Solihull were doing well but are now lower than us - they also have had a run of injuries to key players and it shows that no team at this level can cope with around seven or eight players missing.

We would no doubt have won had we had a full squad of players on Saturday - that we didn't had nothing to with consistency or the like - it was just down to the lack of players we had to pick from. Stating that we probably aren't going to win with so many players out is stating the bleeding obvious - how ever realistically there is probably bugger all we can actually do about it.

Will it impact on our season? - yes probably - but again their is little that can be done about it. Rank bad luck though.

What is the point of quoting Woking as some sort of shining example? - They kicked half our players off the pitch up there but still couldn't beat us. They squandered a two goal lead to the mighty Ebbsfleet on Saturday.

They will be nowhere near the play offs by the end of the season. Basically they have rode their luck so far this season but when that runs out they will be shown to be the bog average team they really are.

culmstockgull · Post by **culmstockgull** » 18 Sep 2019, 13:25

Great, some responses and in reply to one contributor I am the preverbal optimist, if I wasn't, I would not have supported Torquay for over 50 years. To suggest we emulate Woking is wrong, although our way of doing things over the years ,while contrary to many other teams has hardly covered us in footballing glory. I strongly support the way Johnson wishes to play football but if the opposition wishes to play a completely different way and have far better players to do that, i.e. experienced journeyman then the opposition will win the day as we have seen in many games already this season.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 18 Sep 2019, 13:56

Glad to see many supporters are a tad more realistic about where the club sit and in general how things are going. It took Alex Ferguson 7 years to win Man U's first Premier league trophy - Seven!- seven years to build a winning team, Yet here we are expecting GJ to win the National League in our first season back. Should Utd be beating Chesterfield away? All due respect, yes I believe they should - did I expect Utd to beat Chesterfield? Heck no! and that's were expectation gets the better of fans, Utd will be a rollercoaster of results and performances, probably for the whole season, it’ll be entertaining and frustrating, exhilarating and annoying but it wont be boring , seen as that was the bone of contention under Gary Owers, you’d imagine people would be happy with the progress. Its still early doors so still plenty to play for - COYY! .

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 18 Sep 2019, 17:27

I expect us to be and I think we will be in the top seven come game 46. I am sure Gary will improve this team and they will get better when the injuries clear up. I do think we need another striker though !

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 19 Sep 2019, 09:53

I think as the season progresses our better performances will become more regular and we will find ourselves top seven come the end. I would be very surprised to see Woking in the top-half come the end of the season, let alone anywhere near promotion. Their part-time legs will get tired, referees will start to punish them, they will get found out.
As for strikers, I see that Olaf has been recalled from Tiverton, does anyone know how he did there?

Modgull · Post by **Modgull** » 19 Sep 2019, 17:09

brucie wrote: ↑17 Sep 2019, 21:59 Its absolute cobblers to say that Chesterfield was a disastrous result. The division is much of a muchness really.

Yes they couldn't buy a win but struck lucky by playing us when we were decimated by injuries, and with a bench which was wafer thin. What players can't deliver? - Half the players who started the game on Saturday probably wouldn't have done had we had a fully fit squad. The signings of Whitfield and Cundy strengthened the squad nicely and we looked well set to push on from there.

Unfortunately we have suffered a catastrophic run of injuries. Solihull were doing well but are now lower than us - they also have had a run of injuries to key players and it shows that no team at this level can cope with around seven or eight players missing.

We would no doubt have won had we had a full squad of players on Saturday - that we didn't had nothing to with consistency or the like - it was just down to the lack of players we had to pick from. Stating that we probably aren't going to win with so many players out is stating the bleeding obvious - how ever realistically there is probably bugger all we can actually do about it.

Will it impact on our season? - yes probably - but again their is little that can be done about it. Rank bad luck though.

What is the point of quoting Woking as some sort of shining example? - They kicked half our players off the pitch up there but still couldn't beat us. They squandered a two goal lead to the mighty Ebbsfleet on Saturday.

They will be nowhere near the play offs by the end of the season. Basically they have rode their luck so far this season but when that runs out they will be shown to be the bog average team they really are.

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