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So, another weekend approaches, and Macclesfield Town are the visitors to Plainmoor on Saturday. Macclesfield have been in League 2 for a fairly long time, since getting promoted from the Conference at least 10 years ago. They play their games at the Moss Rose Stadium, which has a capacity of around 6,000, similar to ours. In the past 5 seasons, Macc have been one of the strugglers of the division, but they always avoid the dreaded drop, as you can see:

LAST 5 SEASONS.

2005/06 - League 2 - 17th place - 54 points
2006/07 - League 2 - 22nd place - 48 points
2007/08 - League 2 - 19th place - 50 points
2008/09 - League 2 - 20th place - 47 points
2009/10 - League 2 - 19th place - 54 points

As you can see, they could be expected to struggle this year, as they have done for the past 5 seasons. You could say that on two occasions, they were lucky to stay up as they failed to reach the (normally safe) 50-point mark, but on those occasions, there were obviously poorer sides in the division (us in 2006/07 for example!)

HEAD TO HEAD.

Torquay wins - 8
Macclesfield wins - 5
Draws - 5

We have an okay record against Macclesfield, as shown above, but we seem to struggle at Moss Rose. We have won 3 times there, winning 5 against them at Plainmoor. There have been some memorable fixtures between the two, including a 4-1 victory to us in 2003/04 which saw Kevin Hill score a goal that I have never seen bettered in my time. Also, a 2-0 victory to us at Moss Rose in 2005/06 at Easter started our revival as we stayed up under Ian Atkins.

FORM (LAST 6 GAMES)

LDWLWL

Macc have struggled to start off well this season, and their recent form shows that. They have only won one league game, and that was a great 2-1 victory at Wycombe. Their only other win this season was a JPT victory over Morecambe. They have lost away at Accrington (3-0) and at home to Stockport (2-0) and Port Vale (3-0) in their last 6 games.

PROBABLE LINE UP.

This is the side that started against Port Vale.

Jose Veiga

Izak Reid
Nat Brown
Paul Morgan
Carl Tremarco
Colin Daniel

Hamza Bencherif
Paul Bolland
Ross Draper

Emile Sinclair
Tyrone Barnett

Subs; Beardsley, Cudworth, Wedgbury, Hamshaw, Chalmers, Lowe, Thomas.

PLAYERS TO WATCH.

For me, the Macc players to watch are Hamza Bencherif, Emile Sinclair and Colin Daniel. Bencherif, who can play centreback aswell, will be a combative midfielder, who loves to get stuck in, and he scored both goals against us at Moss Rose last year. Emile Sinclair is a very quick forward, who will be a worry if he gets the better of Branston and co with his pace. Daniel is a fullback who can play on the wing, and I would expect him to be attacking down the left hand side, with Izak Reid doing the same on the right. Daniel scored a great goal in the recent win at Wycombe.

PREDICTION.

On our current slight blip of form, I would still expect 3 points on Saturday. We need to be winning at Plainmoor, and trying to make it a very hard place to come to.

Torquay 2-0 Macc


I would have got this up earlier but as I was still up in London overnight I obviously couldn't. So yeah, thanks for waiting

NickGull for regular matchday thread maker?



Id go with:

Bevan

Nico
Branston
Robbo
Senda

Stevens
Wroe
Mansell
Zebs

Gritton
Benyon

Macclesfield seem one of the easier sides of the division, and we should put them away. Anybody know about Mark Ellis injury? If he isnt injured, put him in for senda, and keep robbo at right back. Could be a good game to break in senda. We need to get at them early, they will look to 'park the bus'. Keep it out wide, and run at them whenever possible.
My prediction is:

Torquay 3-0 Macclesfield
Gritton
Stevens
Robbo

If we really do harbour hopes of the playoffs this year, these games are the ones we must win. It's a cliché but it is oh so true. We win this game and draws against stubborn opponents like Stevenage and Accrington look like points gained. Draw or lose and we start to look like a team out of form.

I'd expect us to put the 4-5-1 on the back burner until we play Shrewsbury after our next two home games. Until then, Benyon should come back in and partner Gritton in a traditional 4-4-2 with Zebroski and Stevens on the wing. Eunan O'Kane has done nothing wrong but I doubt Buckle would drop Wroe and put O'Kane in central midfield, even though it could be justified; neither will he drop Stevens and put O'Kane on the left after Danny's decent performance against Stevenage.

Macclesfield are a stale, boring, mediocre League 2 team and Torquay are a team with young, hungry players who have started the season well... a home win? Surely?

Another great Thread!

Hopefully 4-4-2. In my usual spot in the pop!

2-0 Torquay!
Zeb
Kee

YELLOW ARMY!!

JamieE wrote:If we really do harbour hopes of the playoffs this year, these games are the ones we must win. It's a cliché but it is oh so true. We win this game and draws against stubborn opponents like Stevenage and Accrington look like points gained. Draw or lose and we start to look like a team out of form.

I'd expect us to put the 4-5-1 on the back burner until we play Shrewsbury after our next two home games. Until then, Benyon should come back in and partner Gritton in a traditional 4-4-2 with Zebroski and Stevens on the wing. Eunan O'Kane has done nothing wrong but I doubt Buckle would drop Wroe and put O'Kane in central midfield, even though it could be justified; neither will he drop Stevens and put O'Kane on the left after Danny's decent performance against Stevenage.

Macclesfield are a stale, boring, mediocre League 2 team and Torquay are a team with young, hungry players who have started the season well... a home win? Surely?

Now there is an idea!

I was talking yesterday of the problem of accommodating Eunan at home. This could be an answer.

Based on yesterday s performances I would like to see that tried. Nicky Wroe does not deserve to be the fixture on the team sheet that he has become. A spell on the bench will do him no harm. He was as poor yesterday as O Kane was good.

It would be great if Eunan can become the creative midfielder that we need to unlock defences at home.

after a great start, we seem to have gone off the boil a bit.

i know we were a bit disappointing at home to accrington, but they came to defend and then stuffed lincoln and they still havnt conceeded!

so perhaps it was a good point, like yesterday.

so what a great opportunity to pick up 3pts.

i think that macc are the worst team in the league, and if we cant beat them then there is something wrong!

i hope the team hit the heights of the opening games and FOR GODS SAKE play 4-4-2!

I'd endorse the idea of dropping Wroe too, but as captain there's no way it will happen. Unfortunately he's seemingly in the position of not needing to perform to get selected - and it shows. We've been here before with players being slected automatically, and it doesn't get the best from them.

Either way, we have to revert to 4-4-2 surely? Or will we consider a 0-0 result at home to Macc a good one...?

Expecting a win here. Would say a 3-0 but we've been shaky of late and haven't won in three now.

I'd be happy for a 1-0 win here although I believe it will be 2-0(1-0HT) Benyon and a gritton tap in.

I think we play best if we start well and score early so that will be important. If we score first then it's highly likely we will win.

Finally, I'd like to see Stevens and gritton dropped and Benyon with Carlisle to return. Senda should be on the bench unless Ellis is unfit.

A home win, I think. So:

Torquay United (2) 4
Macclesfield Town (0) 0

Unfortunately not an attendance to match the result: 2,299

While Wroe has lacked creativity in the last few games, he has actually improved the defensive side of his game and along with Mansell, has offered significant protection to our centre-backs. O'Kane lacks strength and his inclusion at the expense of our captain would make Mansell's job twice as difficult in a 4-4-2 formation. It may be a move that would give us more going forward, but as O'Kane likes to drift, it would leave holes in the middle of the park and expose Mansell. Don't understimate the role Wroe has played in our successful run of clean sheets, Southend aside.

I would say Lathrope is next in line to replace Wroe should he get injured or suspended.

Unfortunately, playing 4-4-2 and fitting O'Kane into the line-up is tricky, unless you play him in a wider (and less effective) position. I actually think Buckle may do that for the Macclesfield game, with Zebs and Benyon leading the line and Stevens retaining his spot ahead of Carlisle.

We'll score a shedload against Macc!

5 or 6-1 I reckon.

Cheers

Bruce

I know it's unlikely (and probably a silly suggestion) but we could try the 4-4-2 diamond formation. Mansell as a DM protecting the back four, and Eunan behind a front two of Zebs and Benyon (if fit). Wayno and Danny on the wings will provide both attack and cover for the defence, as they both backtrack to help Nicho and Robbo.

We may lose a bit in midfield, but with Eunan playing behind the top 2, it allows him to float all over the place, like yesterday.

Northumbergull wrote:We'll score a shedload against Macc!

5 or 6-1 I reckon.

Cheers

Bruce

We haven't scored for 270 mins of football and we haven't scored 5 since Kiddiminster in 2007. What on Earth are you offering as evidence to support this lunacy?

Matt.

ferrarilover wrote: We haven't scored for 270 mins of football and we haven't scored 5 since Kiddiminster in 2007. What on Earth are you offering as evidence to support this lunacy?

Matt.

err, Matt what about Torquay 5-0 Darlington and err, Torquay 5-0 Rochdale..........................

SuperNickyWroe wrote: err, Matt what about Torquay 5-0 Darlington and err, Torquay 5-0 Rochdale..........................

I was thinking the same thing!