Torquay United Fans Forum

Of the bottom half of the table we have scored fewest at home (11) even Northampton have scored more.

In addition we have conceded joint most in the bottom half at home (17).

Away from home we have scored 13 which is a bit better than a lot of clubs in the bottom half but we make up for it by having the WORST goals against record in the league.

If Bristol Rovers win their game in hand we will be 3 points adrift again despite the 'amazing' recent record you highlight.

In order for Knill to be doing his job properly and to give us an idea of how he is progressing us we can look to his target aim - to get us out of the danger zone and a good few points clear of it.

Well as I posted yesterday he had September to get us out of it and on the way up. He began September with a JPT exit AT HOME to Portsmouth WITHOUT scoring followed by a humiliating 4-1 loss at Fleetwood. Fleetwood are a good side I hear you say. Well they are but we were f*cking atrocious and literally had the one Benyon shot on target that went in. We then responded like lions and gave in before a ball was kicked in the next game away at Rochdale - a tepid 1-0 loss. Then came the first stay of execution - a 4-2 home win against Cheltenham who at that time were shipping goals for fun hence their record and perhaps we had turned a corner? Some certainly believed so. Not so much after another less than average display in the 2-1 loss at Newport again like Ball v Cheltenham, we rely on yet another new loanee Azeez to get goals. He got the consolation. So September gave us 1 win in 4 and a cup exit.

October began with a 3-0 reverse at home to the mighty York with some saying that we were unlucky because somehow they only had 3 shots on target and they scored all of them ala Oxford in August. Perhaps if WE had done the same we might have got something from the game.

We then went to Wycombe and despite it being Pearce's first game back from a horrible illness he played really well, scored and Knill gifted them 3 points by oddly on this occasion making subs. Just the wrong ones. Bringing on 18 year old McCourt for his professional debut at 2-2 then they go up the other end straight after and get the winner. Genius. Then he brings on Craig?!! With about 10 to go and then Cameron!! With about 1 minute to go. Another two totally pointless subs to add to the totally needless one. Lost.

Then Mansfield came to town and we couldn't break down 'a pub team' who since have shown that they are a bit rubbish. 0-0. After that I went to Burton for our night game there and they put in the worst performance I think I have ever seen. Created not one shot on target. Lost. Pressure mounting again on Knill he then has a second stay of execution by managing to nick a point at home to Portsmouth after scoring in the 1st minute then hanging on for the remainder. October brought us 2 points from 5 games.

November started well with a battling if undeserved win at strugglers Bury under caretaker management and despite awful conditions and the Shakers ripping us to shreds in the first half hour and taking the lead we somehow managed 2 pinpoint set pieces for Downes and McCallum to be in the right place at the right times. We finished them off on the break. So a draw then a win and again some who weren't at Bury to see how fortunate we were thought it was a corner turned. A shocking 2-0 loss at home in the FA Cup to Rochdale brought about an unwanted record of three first round cup exits without scoring in any. People forget this too. Appalling and Knill hasn't helped us one bit financially. A tactical masterclass but not by Knill saw us easily taken apart by a Chesterfield side who have recently draw at home to Northampton, Hartlepool and Dagenham.

Then a trip to the old favourite Accrington and we were bright for 20 minutes and took the lead via another player not contracted to us McCallum but when the inevitable happened and we conceded before half time we just gave up. Another loss and some heated stuff aimed at Knill at the end of that game. Then Alan got another stay of execution by drawing 1-1 at home to Plymouth. Not really a good result on the face of it but somehow accentuated by the fact that it was a derby AND the form going into it was f*cking dreadful. Then we went to Scunny and just gave up from the first whistle and capitulated in a 3-1 loss. Also one of the worst games I've seen. So November brought us 4 points from 5 games AND a cup exit.

Can I just say also that Scunny was my last game I went to see and apart from half an hour at Northampton, a fifteen minute spell at Morecambe and in places at Bury in my 8 away games I have seen some SERIOUS BULLSH*T. A million times worse than I saw under Ling and his style of play was mind numbing.

Anyway, December and Knill once again papered over some immense cracks and pulled just enough rabbits out of the hat to make people once again think he had turned a corner. A hard fought 1-0 win at home to Southend was perhaps long overdue and despite some fans saying Southend were poor I was happy to give Knill the credit for this one. Same at Daggers, a gutsy win when perhaps we should have not done so. Again credit to Knill. This was dreamland, a 1-1 draw at home to Brizzle followed and it's euphoria central at TQ1! Corner turned?

ERRR NO!

So once again.

Knill has had September, October, November and December to steer us a little clear of the bottom 2 and as yet hasn't done so. If he is to complete this minimum of tasks in January then he will have to win another 2 perhaps all games in the month now. Like that is going to happen. So he has failed for 5 months on the trot.

In addition our top scorer Jordan Chappell has just 5 goals and hasn't scored a goal since the 26th of October. That goal being the last one scored by any of our midfielders and we've been playing with 5 of them recently! Karl Hawley who is reported to be earning in excess of £3k a month has scored just 3 goals. Father Dougal McGuire could have scored 3 goals! Hawley is our joint second top scorer along with Marquis who has been here 5 minutes and isn't even ours and also alongside Aaron Downes who has been out injured for months and HE IS A FACKING DEFENDER!! McCallum scored 3 I believe but he wasn't ours and Ball got 2 (eventually) but wasn't ours.

Add to this his crazy team selections, crazy decisions about players coming in and going out, crazy subs, crazy paving, crazy legs, crazy loanee obsession, crazy post match comments and what we are left with ladies and gents and exiledgull is exactly what you wanted.

REALISM

If that isn't realistic enough for you then hats off but to me it kind of hints that perhaps Alan isn't doing very well.

I do find your viewpoint of things admirable and you may yet turn out to be vindicated but on all known evidence I trust you will find standing on the terrace at Nuneaton next season the very epitome of realism.

Roll on Morecambe where about 7 people will be there to see it.

Realism needed indeed, but not what you suggest. Sack the useless nitwit who is in charge of our football club or we will be relegated, simple.

Out of all the competitions at the first hurdle, points average that means certain relegation, not bottom by virtue of the fact Northampton's game was called off. losing easily to your two local rivals equals sacked manager anywhere else apart from TQY1. There's even less happy clappers than when we last went down.

I'm afraid the only realism that's required is in the Torquay United board room, this is now not even Alan Knills fault for he should have been relieved of his duties after the Accrington game.

You thought we deserved something from today's game?

We were outplayed, we were crap, Plymouth were alright, they deserved to win.

exiledgull wrote:Last 5 games LLDWW

That is a decent return from the last 5 games.

I have been to 4 our of the 5 games, and we have played very well in all of the games for a majority of the game, even today we probably deserved something as our general play was good, we created the chances and just didn't convert them and the ball wouldn't drop for us at vital times.

All the teams around us seem to be investing to get out of trouble, Bury can even loan players to their Rivals in Odebayi, our loan players go down to Conference level. We have seen our rivals invest in strikers and it has worked (it has for us with Marquis too but unfortunately he has gone back).

Last year we turned it around, with loan players. Last season we loaned Labadie who would be an improvement on Mansell. We also need another Striker. The manager is not going to be sacked with 7 points out of 15. We played today against a Plymouth side who had 10,000+ fans through there gates, they are streaks ahead of us in terms of budget etc. Money is tight, but we need that to be invested with players!!

Oh dear - I feel some howling derision coming on. You are more delluded than Alan Knill.

Scott Brehaut wrote:I'm not sure how many times I've said this already this season, but:

Playing well doesn't win matches.

Scoring more goals than your opposition does.

If it's realism you want, check out Dave's (forevertufc) post on the match day thread. He went today, probably one of Juan's more vocal supporters recently - even HE wants an end to this bloody joke of a manager.

Oh, and anybody who mentions how good he was with other teams will get a bloody smack in the face next time I see them (unless it's Dave (SG), in which case I won't as I'm likely to receive one back)

He MAY have been a good manager in the past, but past records also don't win you any points....he has been nothing short of shocking at our club, and that's the only record I really give a toss about to be honest.

He's a rubbish manager and he needs to go.

NOW!!

He's been good with other teams.

I'm not sure how many times I've said this already this season, but:

Playing well doesn't win matches.

Scoring more goals than your opposition does.

If it's realism you want, check out Dave's (forevertufc) post on the match day thread. He went today, probably one of Juan's more vocal supporters recently - even HE wants an end to this bloody joke of a manager.

Oh, and anybody who mentions how good he was with other teams will get a bloody smack in the face next time I see them (unless it's Dave (SG), in which case I won't as I'm likely to receive one back)

He MAY have been a good manager in the past, but past records also don't win you any points....he has been nothing short of shocking at our club, and that's the only record I really give a toss about to be honest.

He's a rubbish manager and he needs to go.

NOW!!

hector wrote: Deluded tripe.

Why just use the 5 games to illustrate your point? Why not try 10, 15 or 24?

Knill has tried bringing in new players. Nothing has changed. Perhaps we need to try investing in a new manager. A new manager could not do any worse.

Our whole problem is accepting 'decent', yeah, the last 5 games have been a decent run of form, but not a GOOD run of form. Our top scorer is on 5 goals and is a winger. Why? Because we don't own a good striker who is given an opportunity.

A new manager isn't going to do any worse, because there isn't anything worse than how we're doing.

I've never read a sillier and more deluded contribution.

exiledgull wrote:Last 5 games LLDWW

That is a decent return from the last 5 games.

I have been to 4 our of the 5 games, and we have played very well in all of the games for a majority of the game, even today we probably deserved something as our general play was good, we created the chances and just didn't convert them and the ball wouldn't drop for us at vital times.

All the teams around us seem to be investing to get out of trouble, Bury can even loan players to their Rivals in Odebayi, our loan players go down to Conference level. We have seen our rivals invest in strikers and it has worked (it has for us with Marquis too but unfortunately he has gone back).

Last year we turned it around, with loan players. Last season we loaned Labadie who would be an improvement on Mansell. We also need another Striker. The manager is not going to be sacked with 7 points out of 15. We played today against a Plymouth side who had 10,000+ fans through there gates, they are streaks ahead of us in terms of budget etc. Money is tight, but we need that to be invested with players!!

Deluded tripe.

Why just use the 5 games to illustrate your point? Why not try 10, 15 or 24?

Knill has tried bringing in new players. Nothing has changed. Perhaps we need to try investing in a new manager. A new manager could not do any worse.

This statement is absolute bollocks. How long do you want us to wait? How far adrift do you want us to be? Under Knill we are going down. Face facts we are awfull. The longer any of us give Knill time, the less chance of a new manager being able to turn us around.

Nothing against you, but we simply cant give this village idiot any more time for his lame excuses and wank tactics.

GO KNILL NOW

Last 5 games LLDWW

That is a decent return from the last 5 games.

I have been to 4 our of the 5 games, and we have played very well in all of the games for a majority of the game, even today we probably deserved something as our general play was good, we created the chances and just didn't convert them and the ball wouldn't drop for us at vital times.

All the teams around us seem to be investing to get out of trouble, Bury can even loan players to their Rivals in Odebayi, our loan players go down to Conference level. We have seen our rivals invest in strikers and it has worked (it has for us with Marquis too but unfortunately he has gone back).

Last year we turned it around, with loan players. Last season we loaned Labadie who would be an improvement on Mansell. We also need another Striker. The manager is not going to be sacked with 7 points out of 15. We played today against a Plymouth side who had 10,000+ fans through there gates, they are streaks ahead of us in terms of budget etc. Money is tight, but we need that to be invested with players!!