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Saturday is fast approaching, and thanks to the morons who've worked the fixture list out, for the fourth Saturday in a row we are at home, with Halifax home Tuesday our attendance levels are naturally going to suffer. Saturdays opponents need no introduction, we've played Barnet 29 times before in our respective leagues, however this will be the first time we face Barnet at Plainmoor with us both as conference sides, we've also played Barnet in the F.A cup twice 1963,1971, Torquay winning both those games, we've had some ding dong relegation clashes with Barnet in the past, and I'm sure a 3.2 score line will enough to bring even the most hardened Bee's fan out in cold sweats.

On the 5th May 2001 a 2.3 win at Underhill for The Gulls in a straight winner takes all clash saw Barnet relegated to the Conference, another 3.2 win this time at Plainmoor on the 13th April 2013 would indirectly relegate Barnet and see our team safe, and last month in the two clubs first ever conference meeting at the new home of Barnet ( The Hive) saw us once again inflict a 2.3 defeat on Saturdays opponents.

Barnet's current form reads; W-L-W-D-L-W . Last time out they gained a confidence boosting home win against the inform Macclesfield.

01 Stack
02 Yiadom
05 N'Gala
04 Saville Booked
03 Johnson
15 Villa Lopez (Hunt - 62' )
08 Weston
14 Togwell
11 Cook (Stephens - 84' )
09 Akinde
10 MacDonald (Mensah - 80' )

From a Torquay point of view, I know, of no new injury problems , and our inconsistent form continues, Tuesday night saw us once again surrender a not just a lead, but two points again from a winning position, the 2.2 draw v Dover considering their current form should have gone as a decent result, however the late equaliser left many a Gulls fan feeling frustrated as a good draw ended feeling like a loss, from a defensive point of view you will concede goals , that can not be helped, but it appears that now far to many have been soft goals and avoidable , and from what I've seen , and match reports read, to many basic errors , even Chris Hargreaves said on the radio, after the Macclesfield game when asked about the mix up between Rice and Ives, was; all it needed was a big shout. Well Chris that's U13/U14 stuff, embarrassing from full time professionals.

While on the subject of our defensive woes, I'll keep saying this, it's unfair to point the finger solely at Martin Rice, the blame is more a collective one, as poor clearances and needless corners have left our keeper hopelessly exposed at times, no goalkeeper is superman, they can't save everything. All that said I think Chris Hargreaves has a massive decision to make, think, we all now except that finances dictate no new goalkeeper will arrive unless we get lucky and offered one on loan completely and totally free of charge, so CH will have go with his own decision and stick with Rice/Seabright, most people at our club read the forums, they'll now of the constant discussions between us fans on the goalkeeping situation at the club. It is time for Chris Hargreaves either to come out in public and 100% totally back up his under fire no 1 keeper, or replace him in the starting line up with Seabright, but not for two games and revert back to type, that doesn't help anyone, or fix anything, if he goes with Seabright it has to be for a proper run of games, last time out for us.

01 Rice
29 Berry
04 Downes
05 Pearce
25 Ives
12 Chapell (MacDonald - 78' )
08 Young
16 Richards
10 Ajala (McQuilkin - 85' )
07 Briscoe (Yeoman - 68' )
09 Bowman

No doubt about it in my view, the pressure to win games, especially at home is growing, this match is important . I just can not attend due to my own finances, but will be back Tuesday, I hope those who can go will get behind the whole team regardless of who CH picks, and cheer us on to three points.

Torquay's current form reads; W-D-D-L-W-D. Head to heads in league match's shows, Torquay 9 wins, Barnet 11 wins and 9 draws.

No thoughts in this game. Score line prediction ? team line up, would you change it and why ? appears to be no commentary unless you have gullsplayer tomorrow.

Barnet fans still have a" bee in their bonnet"(no pun intended) about the postponed match at Plainmoor in their relegation season-reckoned we watered the pitch down to cause a postponement,if you remember! All tosh of course but they reiterated it again after we beat then in the rearranged match and are still whingeing about it!

Will be a tough one tomorrow but if we keep it tight,and the defence is as solid as it was against Eastleigh fancy us to nick it-1-0.(Bowman 75 minutes)
Att: 2100. 200 Bees fans.

Yes, indeed they do, from their forum http://www.onlybarnet.com/forum/viewtop ... f=3&t=8672

I think as we saw with Grimsby , when you play both fixtures close together, Grimsby may still have had our win at their place fresh in the mind and seem to a have very determined spirit at our place, hope the same doesn't happen tomorrow, going to be tough, would settle for 1.1.

forevertufc wrote:No thoughts in this game. Score line prediction ? team line up, would you change it and why ? appears to be no commentary unless you have gullsplayer tomorrow.

Commo will be here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30348076

Hi Forevertufc.
If I was Chris I would have had the players defending corners and yes with a zone as players only need to attack the ball and don't have to track their markers.

Tactics for last twenty minute winning 1-0 Get McDonald on in front the back four the same as last week leaving Briscoe in the wide position in case they get back in the game.

I would have had them learning to keep the ball in the oppositions half and teaching them disciplines not to cross ball into the box aimlessly when leading in the last twenty minutes as we are so naïve.
Keeping the ball out of their keepers hands leaving them able to attack quickly.

Throw ins work the lines, keeping the wide players wide so that their fullback, is the throwers target he can then aim the throw at the defenders shoulder as he won't be able to get out of the way if the wide play ducks it hits the defender and you get another throw it's old tactics but it works. This gains yards and time and slows the game up Chris needs to teach the young lads the art of holding a lead against a good side and yes frustration is included in this.
We have given up leads after about 60 minutes nearly every game where the runners are tired.
All Chris's good work is thrown down the drain with undisciplined last twenty minutes. If we can outplay sides for long periods there is no reason not to try and control the latter part of the game with a
disciplined last twenty minutes.
We are good enough but there seems to be no discipline the last part of the game.

Agree with you on zonally defending from corners, again not saying I'm an expert, and my view point could be wrong, for sure. But when I looked at Barnet's first goal up at the hive we had 7 players between the goal line and penalty spot, yet two Barnet players arrived unmarked, one scored, how is that possible ?

Well two of our players went and challenged the lad who flicked the ball on, getting in each others way, we did have three in a line, not one of them took responsibility to make a challenge on the ball, net result ball stuck firmly in the back of our net. I spoke with some friends about it before the FGR match, first corner FGR got I pointed out that we had 7 players in the box, they all picked up and marked an opposition player, so the defensive shape looked good, however, Martin Rice this time did come and put a fist on the ball, if he hadn't the FGR attacker once again would have had a free header , and that was from their first corner, there seems to be utter confusion back there, as our players don't seem to know whether to go with runners, mark space or what to do, and why I believe we're conceding from some many set pieces.

No system is guaranteed or fail safe , if it was, everyone would use it. For me try and simplify it, as said, I'd like to see a player on each post, and line of three zone markers across just ahead of the six yard line, anything in behind them tell your keeper to go and get it, punch if not comfortable catching, anything ahead of the zone markers, tell them to take responsibility to get a challenge on the ball, this will not stop them all going in, but could help cut down the number we're conceding in my view.

I do not think we should be using deep lying midfielders in the last 20 to protect a narrow lead, I do not think we have enough ability to make that work in our favour, just need to be a little bit more disciplined, wide players sit in and protect full backs , attack good situations rather than going gung ho looking for the killer goal, but that's something that comes with experience, also pace can be a good foil when under pressure, Nail Thompson's would be a perfect example for me, get him on ( oh of course he's out on loan) running at the opposition full back at pace, and force the opposition to drop some out of their midfield to protect their full back, just a thought, that.

forevertufc wrote:Agree with you on zonally defending from corners, again not saying I'm an expert, and my view point could be wrong, for sure. But when I looked at Barnet's first goal up at the hive we had 7 players between the goal line and penalty spot, yet two Barnet players arrived unmarked, one scored, how is that possible ?

Well two of our players went and challenged the lad who flicked the ball on, getting in each others way, we did have three in a line, not one of them took responsibility to make a challenge on the ball, net result ball stuck firmly in the back of our net. I spoke with some friends about it before the FGR match, first corner FGR got I pointed out that we had 7 players in the box, they all picked up and marked an opposition player, so the defensive shape looked good, however, Martin Rice this time did come and put a fist on the ball, if he hadn't the FGR attacker once again would have had a free header , and that was from their first corner, there seems to be utter confusion back there, as our players don't seem to know whether to go with runners, mark space or what to do, and why I believe we're conceding from some many set pieces.

No system is guaranteed or fail safe , if it was, everyone would use it. For me try and simplify it, as said, I'd like to see a player on each post, and line of three zone markers across just ahead of the six yard line, anything in behind them tell your keeper to go and get it, punch if not comfortable catching, anything ahead of the zone markers, tell them to take responsibility to get a challenge on the ball, this will not stop them all going in, but could help cut down the number we're conceding in my view.

I do not think we should be using deep lying midfielders in the last 20 to protect a narrow lead, I do not think we have enough ability to make that work in our favour, just need to be a little bit more disciplined, wide players sit in and protect full backs , attack good situations rather than going gung ho looking for the killer goal, but that's something that comes with experience, also pace can be a good foil when under pressure, Nail Thompson's would be a perfect example for me, get him on ( oh of course he's out on loan) running at the opposition full back at pace, and force the opposition to drop some out of their midfield to protect their full back, just a thought, that.

you've said a lot of good things but I fear the tiredness is our enemy and how to handle it. This why I would get McDonald on he's a winner and it rubs off on the other players when you see him win balls.

I wish the club would address the situation when true supporter can't make the games.

arcadia wrote: you've said a lot of good things but I fear the tiredness is our enemy and how to handle it. This why I would get McDonald on he's a winner and it rubs off on the other players when you see him win balls.
I wish the club would address the situation when true supporter can't make the games.

you obviously mean just like at dover then...

Beautiful bright blue sky emerging here in sunny Devon. Starting to get that great feeling for match day. Hope the Torquay fans really give lots of positive vocal support to our exciting team. Think the score will be 3 - 2 !!

Agree GLG.
Lets not find Excuses not to go, lets make some noise today! The lads need support, and we want our first double, why not do it against the leaders?
COME ON YOU YELLOWS!!!!

This game should be a cracker. Two entertaining teams. I predict a 4-2 win for the Gulls. Really looking forward to it.

High scoring game, feel all three outcomes are equally likely.

Not to put a downer on anyone, but I hear today's ref is arrogant fat Brett Huxtable. Sigh.

Kit_robin wrote:High scoring game, feel all three outcomes are equally likely.

Not to put a downer on anyone, but I hear today's ref is arrogant fat Brett Huxtable. Sigh.

I don't think it matters who the ref is, they all seem to dislike us equally

Kit_robin wrote:High scoring game, feel all three outcomes are equally likely.

Not to put a downer on anyone, but I hear today's ref is arrogant fat Brett Huxtable. Sigh.