Torquay United vs Oxford United

[Plymouth Gull]

Plainmoor
Saturday 31st December 2011
KO: 1pm

Another home game at Plainmoor, and our final game of 2011, and what a year it's been! Looking back, theres been some big games, lots of things have happened both on and off the field, but I think, after all, we're looking better for it. Obviously had we have succeeded in the Playoff Final in May then we'd be enjoying games against many ex-top flight clubs, but Stevenage were better on the day so we have to have another crack at it this year. Plainmoor has been a bit of a fortress recently, as we've won 5 home games in a row now, something we haven't done since the opening months of Paul Buckle's reign, in September 2007. Hopefully we can make it 6 against more tough opposition, in the shape of Oxford United.

GULLS NEWS.

Rene Howe is set to sit out his second of a four match ban, but his replacement Taiwo Atieno actually did well the other day, so hopefully he can keep that level of performance up. There are no injury concerns, that I've seen anyway, so I'd expect the same 11 as what lined up against Swindon, perhaps with Billy Bodin replacing Morris.

THE OPPOSITION.

Chris Wilder is the manager at the Kassam Stadium currently. Wilder has been there for a few years now, having been the man to take the club out of the Blue Square Premier in 2010. A year of consolidation followed, and now they're aiming for promotion up to L1 this year.

On the pitch now. In goal the resident keeper is Ryan Clarke. The former Salisbury keeper has been at the Kassam for 2 years, making over 100 appearances for the club. Back up in this position includes former Bury goalie Wayne Brown, and youngster Max Crocombe.

The right back position could be filled by either Andrew Whing or Damian Batt. Whing is a new signing this season, while Batt has been at the Kassam for a while now. Ben Purkiss, signed from York, can also fill that position if needed. On the other side, either Anthony Tonkin or Tony Capaldi will line up. Capaldi is well known from his time down the road at Plymouth, where he made 141 appearances for the Greens, in a 3- year spell. In the heart of defence, Wilder has several options. Michael Duberry, who has bags of experience at higher levels, is one of the first names on the team sheet. The 36-year old has primarily played at the top level in English football, only dropping down to play for Wycombe and Oxford. His partner is likely to be club captain Jake Wright. Wright made his name in non-league, for Halifax and Crawley, before joining Oxford in 2010. Other options in defence include Ryan James, Harry Worley and Steven Kinniburgh.

In midfield, starting in the engine room. Peter Leven is a class midfielder at this level, having been signed from MK Dons in the summer. He scored a goal of the season contender a while back, having struck from the half way line (not as good as Eunan's vs Plymouth though!). Asa Hall is another name who plays in the middle. He can play at centre back aswell, and usually enjoys a defence-minded role in the midfield, allowing others to get forward. Hall is an aerial threat too, as he often scores headers, as he did at Wimbledon on Monday. Other options in the middle include Paul McLaren, Simon Heslop and Josh Payne.

Upfront, starting on the wings, The U's tend to go with Alfie Potter on one side. Potter, a former Kettering man, who was on loan at Havant & Waterlooville when they played at Anfield in the FA Cup, has been at the Kassam for a season, having joined in 2010. Other options on the wing include Tom Craddock, who was signed from Luton, Liam Davis from Northampton, Deane Smalley, Jon Paul Pittman and Lewis Guy. They can all also play down the middle too, as the attacking spearhead, but that role is filled by regular starter James Constable, who has been a major success for the U's in recent years. He has scored nearly a goal every other game for Oxford, which is a pretty good record, having made over 100 appearances.

HOW THEY LINED UP.

This is how they lined up at AFC Wimbledon on Monday;

Clarke

Batt
Wright
Hall
Whing

Heslop
Leven
Davis

Craddock
Constable
Potter

Subs: Brown, Tonkin, Worley, Smalley, Pittman

LAST TIME AT PLAINMOOR.

Monday 3rd January 2011:-

Torquay (1) 3 - Benyon (43, 73), Kee (79)
Oxford (2) 4 - Craddock (35), Midson (42, 64, 90)

Att: 3,021

PREDICTION.

Oxford always seem to get a result here, and we always win up there. 2-1 either way.

COYY!

[Colorado Gull]

Another fantastic OP Nick and thanks for posting it up early, great job!

I didn't post a match report for the Swindon game because I didn't have enough time after the game, but I will be doing a match report for the Oxford game. Very much looking forward to this one and I think that we'll get another victory! COYY!

[goodluckgull]

Is there any chance that the drum and singers can set up near the half way line for this game ?? The only thing wrong with our last home game was that the home fans were very quiet. Please can you important fans consider moving back, just so we can all hear you again.

[AustrianAndyGull]

0-0

[ferrarilover]

After what happened last year, you're predicting a bore-draw?

Matt.

[cambgull]

Good write up once again Nick.

Also, Andy Whing picked up his 5th booking on Boxing Day against AFC Wimbledon so he will miss the game. Danny Stevens must be delighted, Whing isn't exactly small and inconspicuous.

[tktufc91]

For some reason, I thought we were playing at Oxford so Instead of just seeing the Plymouth match, I'll be able to see this one too

Think it will be a tight game with us just nicking it 2-1.

[AustrianAndyGull]

After what happened last year, you're predicting a bore-draw?

Matt.

Hey Matt, last year was last year. Two different teams this. I just think both teams will cancel each other out and it will be a 0-0. I'd take that and move on to Plymouth for a game of massive importance for both clubs and hope to get the win.

[ferrarilover]

I asked for 7 from 9 over Christmas, so a point v Oxford wouldn't be a nightmare. I'm not sure we're a cancelling out type of team now though. It seems (as evidenced v Swindon) that we have the ability to drastically alter our style of play to suit any situation. I think that whatever other teams turn up with on a match day, all the while that we have Dinger in charge, we'll be able to do something to affect the pattern of play.

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

My points expectations over Christmas was 4 so one more draw for me and i'll be fairly happy if a little disappointed especially after beating Swindon.

[ferrarilover]

Honestly Andy, you bloody foreigners are all the same, you come over here with your low points expectations, you take our jobs, live in our houses and give nothing back!
I can see why you'd expect only 4/9, Swindon are a good side, possibly the best we've seen, but we can beat Oxford, it's that type of division, anyone can beat anyone. That aside, I think, pound for pound, we're probably better anyway, although that is based on a not very deep knowledge of the Oxford squad.

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Honestly Andy, you bloody foreigners are all the same, you come over here with your low points expectations, you take our jobs, live in our houses and give nothing back! I can see why you'd expect only 4/9, Swindon are a good side, possibly the best we've seen, but we can beat Oxford, it's that type of division, anyone can beat anyone. That aside, I think, pound for pound, we're probably better anyway, although that is based on a not very deep knowledge of the Oxford squad.

Matt.

Haha. jobs that you feral Brits won't get out of bed for anyway, houses that i most certainly would be able to live in if i WERE foreign - in fact i'm British so that rules me out of securing any social housing for the rest of my life unless i shack up with some drug addled chavette who has 9 kids AND i do give something back, i support the mighty Gulls and most of my spare cash either goes to Ladbrokes or TUFC! So nerrrr! And as for the low points expectations, you get used to just praying for a goal never mind a win if you are a follower of the Austrian national football team and maybe it has rubbed off on Torquay. Either that or it was because i knew we'd have no chance of scoring with Tai upfront. He has proved me wrong however. Go and practise your xenophobic diatribes on some other nation, what about Gulliball? He loves Slovakia! How mad is that?!!

[stevegull]

Haha. jobs that you feral Brits won't get out of bed for anyway, houses that i most certainly would be able to live in if i WERE foreign - in fact i'm British so that rules me out of securing any social housing for the rest of my life unless i shack up with some drug addled chavette who has 9 kids AND i do give something back, i support the mighty Gulls and most of my spare cash either goes to Ladbrokes or TUFC! So nerrrr! And as for the low points expectations, you get used to just praying for a goal never mind a win if you are a follower of the Austrian national football team and maybe it has rubbed off on Torquay. Either that or it was because i knew we'd have no chance of scoring with Tai upfront. He has proved me wrong however. Go and practise your xenophobic diatribes on some other nation, what about Gulliball? He loves Slovakia! How mad is that?!!

Scottish mug. Stealing our jobs and leaving our fee-paying universities for cheap ones North of the border! =D

And I think Matt's right, our formation doesn't seem t have a 'cancelling out' mode, as it can be shifted to many different situations. While the first half of the Barnet game was pretty boring with teams cancelling eachother out, but i think that was down to our side simply not playing up to scratch. Second half, however, the formation shifted, wingers pushed on as advanced strikers and we went for the game more. Formation slightly altered = game won. I do think Ling is quite an astute tactician, which is quite refreshing after the last chap, whose name i have forgotten.

[Gullscorer]

Paul Buckle =D :~D =D

[stevegull]

Paul Buckle =D :~D =D

That's the one! For some reason i thought it was Mr. Ambitious...