Torquay United v Hartlepool United 31/8/19

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 31 Aug 2019, 17:39

I have been out today but I did see this as a game to establish where we are so disappointing result that's for sure.

Commentators saying that their winning goal was 3 yards offside in the build up. Its a bit defeatist to say that we will lose at Woking, they keep winning but seem to be getting a fair slice of luck at the moment. Two penalties saw them get the win today so I don't believe they are anything to be scared of.

JSP · Post by **JSP** » 31 Aug 2019, 17:43

10 points behind top already

Post by **Colorado Gull** » 31 Aug 2019, 17:53

Another frustrating game with a pretty poor performance. Very worried about our defence, we really need an experienced head in the middle to help Cameron. I don't know what happens to our midfield, but when any pressure is put on us, our entire midfield sinks, Little and Edwards are nowhere to be seen. Little clearly has quality, but with no-one with his ability around him.

Kalala didn't offer much in the first half, but I thought the decision to replace him with Duku was a poor one. I would have much preferred Keating up there with Reid, I think Keating is much more effective when he isn't on the wing and certainly much more effective than Duku, what a waste of space. Reidy was quite right to have a go at him for not running and putting pressure on Hartlepool.

Reid was my man of the match. Our keeper did well with a sublime save in the second half, but Reid did his job today, he got a goal, worked hard, sadly he didn't have enough service to score again and he probably should have been more selfish and taken a shot on goal, rather than passing to Duku.

It has to be said, that the officials were very poor and their winning goal looked very offside.

Anyway, that's my last game of the season for a little while, back to the US I go on Monday. Good to see Forevertufc and others again. Hopefully I'll be back for some more of the season at some point.

Bristol_Gull · Post by **Bristol_Gull** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:06

I think some of are problems stem from trying to shoehorn Hall, Little and CLE into the side - I understand why you would want to but it’s simply not working.

We had a convincing victory against Aldershot when Hall was out, not because there is a problem with Hall, but because we had a proper shape.

I’d like to see Hall alongside Cameron at the back for the time being with Little and CLE in the middle and Andrews / Kalala on flanks

We ultimately need an experienced head at the back and a consistent shape. I also think if Kalala gets 90 mins at any point during the game he could do something magic and we’re losing that by taking him off.

Hope to see an improvement on Tuesday!

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:16

Teigngull, I think you sum up the situation perfectly. When I posted back in January that I thought that Gary Johnson made a mistake in signing 10 players for this season, I got slated on this forum. The only thing I got wrong was in my criticism of Jamie Reid. I think serious questions need to be asked about Gary Johnson. His treatment of Kalala is truly shocking. Young players need confidence and Johnsons criticism of him, in public after the Barnet match and taking him off again today at half time is bound to affect him. Andrews isn't the player he was last season and the defence is a joke and has been for most of last season and all of this season. As Teigngull rightly says, any team with experienced players in their team must relish playing against an inexperienced Torquay team.

Minneapolisgull · Post by **Minneapolisgull** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:32

dawlishmatt wrote: ↑31 Aug 2019, 18:16 Teigngull, I think you sum up the situation perfectly. When I posted back in January that I thought that Gary Johnson made a mistake in signing 10 players for this season, I got slated on this forum. The only thing I got wrong was in my criticism of Jamie Reid. I think serious questions need to be asked about Gary Johnson. His treatment of Kalala is truly shocking. Young players need confidence and Johnsons criticism of him, in public after the Barnet match and taking him off again today at half time is bound to affect him. Andrews isn't the player he was last season and the defence is a joke and has been for most of last season and all of this season. As Teigngull rightly says, any team with experienced players in their team must relish playing against an inexperienced Torquay team.

How long before someone posts GJ out....unbelievable some of the posts you read on here! Can you remember a few short year ago watching the dross server up.
The season we we got relegated I managed to see Torquay several times OMG we were bad.
We need a reality check. Did anyone seriously think we would run away with the national league????
Minimum requirement this season stay in the national league

Post by **Dave** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:34

got from today what we deserved, nothing. Not going to complain about team effort, but it's frustrating to see this get the ball down play quick neat football as good as anyone, and the build play to Reid was as good, as you'll anywhere, so why does the team resort so often to knock it long, against a big well organised defence such as Hartlepool's your getting nothing.

We're conceding to many goals, but there not good goals, one poxy goal after another. You can't allow the opposition to head the ball past the keeper from inside your 6 yard box un-challenged, you can't have your keeper forced into to making 5-6 good saves during the course of the second and expect to get a point.

Ok there seemed to be a clear offside in the build up to their second goal, but they brought the ticket and won the lottery, it's not all bad, there are many positives to be had, but if you don't know it now, you never will, we simply have to sort the defence out otherwise the best we can hope is to win more games than we lose.

Post by **Dave** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:36

Minneapolisgull wrote: ↑31 Aug 2019, 18:32 How long before someone posts GJ out....unbelievable some of the posts you read on here! Can you remember a few short year ago watching the dross server up.
The season we we got relegated I managed to see Torquay several times OMG we were bad.
We need a reality check. Did anyone seriously think we would run away with the national league????
Minimum requirement this season stay in the national league

DawlishMatt is a wind up merchant, the poster knows how to create click bait, ignore.

SBP · Post by **SBP** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:37

dawlishmatt wrote: ↑31 Aug 2019, 18:16 Teigngull, I think you sum up the situation perfectly. When I posted back in January that I thought that Gary Johnson made a mistake in signing 10 players for this season, I got slated on this forum. The only thing I got wrong was in my criticism of Jamie Reid. I think serious questions need to be asked about Gary Johnson. His treatment of Kalala is truly shocking. Young players need confidence and Johnsons criticism of him, in public after the Barnet match and taking him off again today at half time is bound to affect him. Andrews isn't the player he was last season and the defence is a joke and has been for most of last season and all of this season. As Teigngull rightly says, any team with experienced players in their team must relish playing against an inexperienced Torquay team.

Totally disagree with what you are saying regarding GJ 's treatment of Kalala. He brought the lad into the club, he knows him extremely well and works with him everyday, he knows his character and what motivates him. Kalala's performances recently have been poor. We all know the ability he has however he goes missing defensively and has to improve. His performances like others has to improve and if GJ thinks this is the best course of action then I agree with what he has done.

Modgull · Post by **Modgull** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:39

A poor day at the office for all bar Reid and Covolan. We should really have been 0-3 down at HT and could have shipped another one in the second half but for a really good save by the keeper.

We had 7 attempts, 4 on target in the first half but only 3, 2 on target in the second. None of the shots on target really extended their keeper including the free header from Niate in the closing stages which he placed straight at him. Given that our performance in midfield was so much better after HT it has to be concerning that so few attempts were made on goal.

Agree their second looked well offside in the run-up.

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:50

Enjoyed the game, Hartlepool are a good side we are nearly there but a couple need to get to the ball earlier to give themselves a little more time on the ball. In football some players play at full stretch all the time when they go up a standard and some step up to the challenge. I believe Garry will sort it out as today you could see a couple playing at full stretch most of the game. Players are at their best playing within themselves.

SBP · Post by **SBP** » 31 Aug 2019, 18:53

We never did enough to win this game. Like many have already posted we were defensively extremely poor in the first half and were lucky not to concede more.
I don't like CLE playing in that role, I prefer him in midfield driving forward and bringing others into the game more rather than picking the ball up with his back to goal.
Our goal was excellent coming from a great piece of play. That is what we are capable of just a shame we could nt produce more of that.
Their second defiantly appeared offside however with the saves and chances they had the goal was coming. That was some save from our keeper.

dawlishmatt · Post by **dawlishmatt** » 31 Aug 2019, 19:03

forevertufc, I find your post concerning my comments confusing. I assure you that I am not a wind up merchant, I simply post my personal opinion on topics written on this forum. You may agree or disagree with my comments, personally I don't give a damn. As regards Jamie Reid, I posted pre-season that I thought he wasn't good enough for this league and from what I have seen so far from Reid, I was wrong. Reid's performances so far this season have shown how much improved he is. Regarding Gary Johnson, we'll I have never said that he should be replaced or sacked, quite the opposite in fact. I was just pointing out that in my opinion he has made several mistakes, the main one being in not strengthing the defence, a defence that was suspect last season.

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 31 Aug 2019, 19:26

Bristol_Gull wrote: ↑31 Aug 2019, 18:06 I think some of are problems stem from trying to shoehorn Hall, Little and CLE into the side - I understand why you would want to but it’s simply not working.

We had a convincing victory against Aldershot when Hall was out, not because there is a problem with Hall, but because we had a proper shape.

I’d like to see Hall alongside Cameron at the back for the time being with Little and CLE in the middle and Andrews / Kalala on flanks

We ultimately need an experienced head at the back and a consistent shape. I also think if Kalala gets 90 mins at any point during the game he could do something magic and we’re losing that by taking him off.

Hope to see an improvement on Tuesday!

Andrews is class inside.

Road2League2 · Post by **Road2League2** » 31 Aug 2019, 19:28

dawlishmatt wrote: ↑31 Aug 2019, 19:03 forevertufc, I find your post concerning my comments confusing. I assure you that I am not a wind up merchant, I simply post my personal opinion on topics written on this forum. You may agree or disagree with my comments, personally I don't give a damn. As regards Jamie Reid, I posted pre-season that I thought he wasn't good enough for this league and from what I have seen so far from Reid, I was wrong. Reid's performances so far this season have shown how much improved he is. Regarding Gary Johnson, we'll I have never said that he should be replaced or sacked, quite the opposite in fact. I was just pointing out that in my opinion he has made several mistakes, the main one being in not strengthing the defence, a defence that was suspect last season.

How on earth did you conclude that JR wasn’t good enough for this league? Fair enough you’ve said he’s proving you wrong but still can’t believe that conclusion + your doubts in Gary Johnson. We didn’t deserve GJ, we don’t know how lucky we are to have a manager like him at Plainmoor COYY

Torquay United Fans Forum