Maidstone Utd v Torquay Utd Sat 27 Aug 3pm

[thebigp1]

No one is saying we can’t improve but I would argue our 5 performances so far are that of a team that will be in a relegation battle. 1 goal in 5 games will get you relegated. Maidstone are a poor team who are likely to be near to the bottom of the league. We haven’t played the likes of Wrexham, Chesterfield, Notts, Solihull etc who I’ve no doubt would turn us over at the moment. Something isn’t right and I’m struggling for any positives

[Admiral]

Lovett
Crowe Marshall Moxey Wyatt
Hall Donnellan McGavin
Evans Goodwin Andrews/Iseguan

Surely that would be a better starting point and shape on Monday. There is no balance whatsoever to our play. **** the 352

[Admiral]

Falling out of love with the team and unfortunately Gary Johnson. Constantly outing the players that haven’t been given a chance in a system that doesn’t completely kill any attacking spark.

[PL21gull]

Indeed it is the system which is making us into a group of players set up not to concede, hence the lack of creative play and lack of goals. We have no central playmaker, we have a midfielder protecting the back 3/5, we have insufficient support from the wings and for the front men. Other teams seem to be able to generate midfield support, to have strikers who work together, and desire to attack both posts (not just floated hopeful high balls to give the keeper simple catching practice or beyond the far post).
Apart from a long throw and consequent confusion in the box how on earth are we hoping to score?
Against Boreham Wood, in the second half, it seemed that we were trying to play some actual football as opposed to air ball, and chances were made (to be thwarted by excellent goalkeeping and pathetic refereeing), so we can look like a team on occasions...so why only on occasions?

[brucie]

The problem with "looking a team" normally translates into a poor side losing its next match and thats what happened yesterday.

Improvement will only come if we score some goals and get some points on the board. It wont come from hard luck stories and then abject surrender in the following game.

[culmstockgull]

Having reflected on yesterdays debacle plus our regular sunday breakfast de brief with several like minded supporters one of whom surprised me in his honest held believe that in the new world of football our natural place is in the conference south. I am now more than ever convinced that with a bunch of mainly untried youngsters we will struggle badly this season, the old philosphy of age and experience overcoming youth even with talent is so true in football, Johnson will huff and puff, alternatively blaming the ref, the pitch, injuries or the players in a cycle that will achieve nothing other than to bloster his own fragile belief that he is the only visionary in the room, watching his post match again he seemly overly stressed constantly rubbing his face as if this should not be happening , I have not planned it this way. Everyone is letting me down and too a certian extent he may be right, we found last season that you cannot turn a sows ear into a silk purse no matter how hard you try.
Tomorrow I will see for the second time this season if the local commentaries although biased in our favour have been telling the whole story.

[portugull]

In my post on 17 August about our 14 New Signings I set out the number of games played in Senior Football by our new boys.

Yesterday 10 of the 14 played some part in the Match. If you concentrate on outfield players and exclude Wyatt the most experienced and Donnellan a late sub the other 7 players before this season had only averaged 34 games in Senior Football. In other words Gary has very little experience in the team and no striker with a goal scoring track record.

It is not at all surprising therefore that we are struggling to win games because these lads are raw novices with little or no experience in an acknowledged tough, competitive and hard League.

Gary must know this and he will have to find a couple of very experienced quality players and quickly. It is still August but we need a bit of quality and a playmaker to help this side. You cannot beat experience in life and in Football.

[Modgull]

Indeed it is the system which is making us into a group of players set up not to concede, hence the lack of creative play and lack of goals. We have no central playmaker, we have a midfielder protecting the back 3/5, we have insufficient support from the wings and for the front men. Other teams seem to be able to generate midfield support, to have strikers who work together, and desire to attack both posts (not just floated hopeful high balls to give the keeper simple catching practice or beyond the far post).
Apart from a long throw and consequent confusion in the box how on earth are we hoping to score?
Against Boreham Wood, in the second half, it seemed that we were trying to play some actual football as opposed to air ball, and chances were made (to be thwarted by excellent goalkeeping and pathetic refereeing), so we can look like a team on occasions...so why only on occasions?

You have to ask why a back 3/5 needs a protecting midfielder? Probably because, Dean Moxey apart, the rest of the 3/5 cannot be trusted to keep the opposition out. Although I think Wyatt may be up to the task on the left flank, Crowe is proving anything but on the right. Marshall looks like he has more red cards in him and Omar is all at sea when the opposition run at him with the ball. With little pace in midfield (coupled with the fact they are often overrun) the front 2 have to live off scraps - hence few good chances and even fewer goals.

[MellowYellow]

You have to ask why a back 3/5 needs a protecting midfielder? Probably because, Dean Moxey apart, the rest of the 3/5 cannot be trusted to keep the opposition out. Although I think Wyatt may be up to the task on the left flank, Crowe is proving anything but on the right. Marshall looks like he has more red cards in him and Omar is all at sea when the opposition run at him with the ball. With little pace in midfield (coupled with the fact they are often overrun) the front 2 have to live off scraps - hence few good chances and even fewer goals.

We often see things from a different perspective. In yesterdays display (bad as it was) I thought Omar, Marshall and, of course, Moxey were the stand out players. The fact we have only conceded 3 goals stands testimony that the back line with Halstead in goal is solid. The jury is still out on Wyatt and Crowe. I think you're 100% correct on the pace issue, it's a major problem as both Andrews and Goodwin were marooned up front.

[JimNichol'sdog]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Peter Johnson is to recruitment what the Taliban is to female emancipation. People will respond that he's a partnership with his brother. That may well be, but judged on last season's evidence and this season's, admitedly, small sample, it is definitely not working.

As for promotion, there's more chance of someone spotting Lord Lucan riding Shergar!

With regard to injuries, once again, several squad members spend more time on the treatment table and in the stand than they do on the pitch. Perhaps someone could explain why.

[numpte]

If we’d scored 1 or 2 of the multiple chances created in the first half yesterday the outcome would have been very different and all the doom evaporated. Saw my first games of the season last weekend and this weekend and our defence is pretty solid, we seem to create opportunities but just not able to take them (or even hit the target - yesterday) We’re playing a few players not fit and several other first teamers completely missing. Might be a bumpy road for a couple more weeks but I’m sure Gary will sort it. To even talk of sacking him is ridiculous and doesn’t recall some of the muppets we’ve had in that position in the past.

[dawlishmatt]

On the 9th of October 2021 I took my 2 grandsons to see Torquay play away at Bromley followed by a trip to Hove greyhound and spending the night in Brighton. I posted at the time that the performance was totally unacceptable, indeed the worst we have played for many years. I vowed that I would never watch another Torquay match as long as Gary Johnson and his cronies were at the club. Thankfully I've kept that promise and will continue to do so until the departure of the manager. Game after game, week after week, month after month we hear the same excuses from Gary Johnson. For the sake of our beloved football club, go now and give us a chance to try and rescue the season before it's too late.

[UnitedinDevon]

On the 9th of October 2021 I took my 2 grandsons to see Torquay play away at Bromley followed by a trip to Hove greyhound and spending the night in Brighton. I posted at the time that the performance was totally unacceptable, indeed the worst we have played for many years. I vowed that I would never watch another Torquay match as long as Gary Johnson and his cronies were at the club. Thankfully I've kept that promise and will continue to do so until the departure of the manager. Game after game, week after week, month after month we hear the same excuses from Gary Johnson. For the sake of our beloved football club, go now and give us a chance to try and rescue the season before it's too late.

You haven't been missed, absolute drivel.

[UnitedinDevon]

Having reflected on yesterdays debacle plus our regular sunday breakfast de brief with several like minded supporters one of whom surprised me in his honest held believe that in the new world of football our natural place is in the conference south. I am now more than ever convinced that with a bunch of mainly untried youngsters we will struggle badly this season, the old philosphy of age and experience overcoming youth even with talent is so true in football, Johnson will huff and puff, alternatively blaming the ref, the pitch, injuries or the players in a cycle that will achieve nothing other than to bloster his own fragile belief that he is the only visionary in the room, watching his post match again he seemly overly stressed constantly rubbing his face as if this should not be happening , I have not planned it this way. Everyone is letting me down and too a certian extent he may be right, we found last season that you cannot turn a sows ear into a silk purse no matter how hard you try.
Tomorrow I will see for the second time this season if the local commentaries although biased in our favour have been telling the whole story.

People on here speak utter sh*te

[brucie]

We are not exactly doing very well though.......