Torquay United Fans Forum

19 games in, so what has changed ? Loanees of Ellis, Ness, Wearne, Smith (who seems the odd man out at the moment) and De Silva have addded
to the very weak recruitments who have in general been very very disappointing.
Injuries obviously have not helped Moxey, Martin, Wyatt especially. Forget Andrews who could not hit a cows ass with a banjo and personally I would get shot of..he has been a total disaster. We all know some signings work and some don't for various reasons. Players cannot settle in the area, are homesick, or maybe don't get on with others.
The 'Marquee signings' I assume
Marshall......Mr Yellow /Red card nothing changes with him and will never make a centre back at this level far too slow.
McGavin... A huge disappointment after a good pre season, been found out, far too slow
Hanson.....think he has brought his bottom of the NL table mind with him, not what we want or need
Jarvis.....I am undecided about him. Good hold up play and seems to be trying. However look at his wikipaedia goal record and it will reveal
his abysmal goalscoring record. A great hat-trick v Aldershot but that was when there best defender had gone off injured. He might come good
but needs to be sharpening up his shooting skills, and judging his jumps better for sure.
Goodwin....runs all day, I like him..... but for a young striker who has played every game. I feel sorry for him
Lovett...a great back up, no complaints
Crowe....never a defender as he cannot defend
Evans...just coming good and then an unfortunate injury
Donnellan...seems to be improving, but what position is his best ?

The Old Boys

Hall has had his day, legs have gone. GJ just showing his loyalty to him unfortunately......
Lapslie...love him, will run all day, never gives up...epitomizes Torquay United end product questionable.

This is the squad that Johnson has , his recruits, his Marquee signings.

P 19 W 3 D 5 L 11 GD -18 PTS 14 This is not acceptable , it has become a total embarrassment.
Halstead...got over his pre-season v Plymouth disaster. confidence at the moment must be zero !
Moxey...need him back asap with Ellis in the 6 pointers will be crucial

CourtierGull wrote: 25 Oct 2022, 00:28 I think the management deserve the criticism they’re getting, I think our injuries haven’t helped the situation but after the last few seasons we should of been aware of this. I would rather focus on the positives so far and in Jarvis we have a very good target man. Mcgavin is a good footballer who looks shot of confidence and I also think wyatt has proven to be a decent player.
I feel bad for andrews, he scored a good amount for aldershot last year and has played all season injured until it’s got too bad and now he needs surgery.
I think we’ve put together an OK squad, a mix of good and bad ability with some very high potential, but we’ve seriously shot ourselves in the foot by not signing up any wingers. This is not the worst squad we’ve had, but a lot of things aren’t working and now the confidence has been shot in players it’s going to be very hard to turn that around.

Don't agree with your main conclusion - it cannot be an OK squad if you have no wingers, no pace in midfield and defenders who (with the exception of Moxey) can't defend. Even if you are right about McGavin, he is a luxury player at best in such a squad given that he is so one-paced and consistently outplayed by more energetic oppositions.

I think the management deserve the criticism they’re getting, I think our injuries haven’t helped the situation but after the last few seasons we should of been aware of this. I would rather focus on the positives so far and in Jarvis we have a very good target man. Mcgavin is a good footballer who looks shot of confidence and I also think wyatt has proven to be a decent player.
I feel bad for andrews, he scored a good amount for aldershot last year and has played all season injured until it’s got too bad and now he needs surgery.
I think we’ve put together an OK squad, a mix of good and bad ability with some very high potential, but we’ve seriously shot ourselves in the foot by not signing up any wingers. This is not the worst squad we’ve had, but a lot of things aren’t working and now the confidence has been shot in players it’s going to be very hard to turn that around.

somersetgull wrote: 24 Oct 2022, 21:01 I doubt he will want to manage in the South anyway.

Good game.

But blimey we are doomed.

I won't rant or say which players wouldn't get a game for Newton Abbott Spurs on here.

Only Moxey shows he can play Football.
This game was the final straw for me.

Anyway see you at Taunton on Boxing day next year.

If any of you think we are staying up open your eyes.

The club won't die. But at this rate we are going to disappear into Devon and Exeter leagues within 5 years.

I tend to agree with this. I’m not sure it’s dawned on some what a poor side this is. I’ve never seen a team give so many chances to the opposition game after game. I think we are lucky we have 10 points and aren’t further adrift.

Clearly the state of the squad is not all GJ’s fault but he seems completely immune from criticism from some. Just because some of us criticise the management it doesn’t make us any less loyal supporters. I can’t think of many clubs that would tolerate the shambles that has been this season.

General observation is the loan signings have proved more successful than the main signings. We all know that any signing and contracts offered is a risk, however these are the gaffers choice and he has created the mess we are in. Ditch Marshall as he is a complete liability to us. Hanson has achieved very little, I am still not sure what his position is.
Andrews can go, he has spent more time on his backside than on his feet, he has been a huge disappintment

We are blessed with the other summer signings and can only hope they improve, however
many will not cut it in this game in my opinion.
I think Mc Gavin and Donnellan are at best squad players , certainly not first team, both are slow and i would not want either in a relegation scrap.
Thats the reality

I think a lot of people are being overly critical given the circumstances.

We have lost 45 goals from last years Outgoings to which we only got £50k back for them, thats not including the goals we weren't conceding because of our defenders and keeper, I'd say an estimate of 25 goals have been added to the goals against column because of this.

Now please tell me how any manager is meant to replace the football league talent that contributed 45 goals, defenders/keepers that stopped about 25 goals all on a £50k budget?

Have these signings worked? Not all of them but we aren't a prime location for quality players to come down and ply their trade when they can go to a major city to do it.

I believe some of these players will come good and make a difference but that was never going to happen from the start when you bring in 10+ into the squad.

Lastly, this team is currently built for a back 5 formation purely based on how the team is, people wanting a back 4 need to realise that each formation has to have the right players to have the formation work.

GJ will see out his contract and then exit. So that would please the moaners…presumably.

I'd keep both keepers,and the lads from 21/22 season except Ali Omar who was extremely luckily to get a new deal,as for the summer signings that's a massive question to answer,this may sound blunt bordering on harsh,but probably none of them.The loan signings are ok to a degree,but more experience is needed,way more,in a heartbeat I'd get Mark Ellis in,that type of player is needed,Goodwin looks ok,Evans not seen enough of,Jarvis is 50/50 for me,more experience is needed,and quality,I still can't figure why, Bromley,Borehamwood, Solihull who aren't huge clubs are miles better than us, squad wise,

MellowYellow wrote: 23 Oct 2022, 16:40 The thread is a review of the squad which has yet again imploded into the long-standing ridicule of our Non-League status with those who simply cannot understand why anyone would want to support our team unless they consistently win. Through all the ups and downs of Torquay and there have been many over the years, there is, nonetheless, something special about the club. The community feel and the sense of belonging is guaranteed at the club and the club does produce over the years it's fair share of fairy tales. We will never be the one's who hog the limelight, win the big trophies and sign the biggest superstars. And I for one am glad, as it comes with a cost. People on here complain about the extra £5 for the Derby game. Well having been to West Ham a few week ago where a pint of beer set me back £7.60, while a bottle of Coca-Cola cost a whopping £4.50, an extra £5 seems a small price to pay, if it helps the club. I guess I will alway support Torquay (through thick and thin) rather than simply select a random big-name team to support, with no emotional attachment to them, simply because I think they'll win trophies.

The point of my post toastkid was to say after 14 games our win percentage is 24% and if we do not improve we will be relegated.

In Football things can change very quickly and sometimes just 1 or 2 influential players can change everything.

Last night we saw how the experience of Asa Hall changed the game. He is a great example of a player near the end of his career who still wants to win games. We will not survive without change. As a Season Ticket holder having first attended Plainmoor in 1954, don't laugh, but its true, I have rarely seen us defend so badly as last night. The fact we scraped a draw was down to good fortune and the players fighting spirit led by Asa Hall.

We the fans deserve better and Gary and Aaron know better than any of us they have a massive job on their hands to turn this round.

The thread is a review of the squad which has yet again imploded into the long-standing ridicule of our Non-League status with those who simply cannot understand why anyone would want to support our team unless they consistently win. Through all the ups and downs of Torquay and there have been many over the years, there is, nonetheless, something special about the club. The community feel and the sense of belonging is guaranteed at the club and the club does produce over the years it's fair share of fairy tales. We will never be the one's who hog the limelight, win the big trophies and sign the biggest superstars. And I for one am glad, as it comes with a cost. People on here complain about the extra £5 for the Derby game. Well having been to West Ham a few week ago where a pint of beer set me back £7.60, while a bottle of Coca-Cola cost a whopping £4.50, an extra £5 seems a small price to pay, if it helps the club. I guess I will alway support Torquay (through thick and thin) rather than simply select a random big-name team to support, with no emotional attachment to them, simply because I think they'll win trophies.

No offence but if you put last nights match on a par with our 2-0 Wembley win you must have lost the plot.

Why on earth should we back the manager - he hasnt won a home game all season and possibly was in charge of the most inept 45 minutes I have ever seen in the first half. Not sure whether you saw the BT coverage but you should have listened to their pundits at half time.

Yes if you like loads of goals, comedy defending, and see us blowing a winning position with 5 minutes to go then it must of been great. What Altrincham showed in the second half was basically that they were as crap as we were. Half this division is made of poor teams that we should not be getting outplayed by every week..

Its nowhere near acceptable and if Johnson was at any other club he would be out on his arse for producing this abject garbage.

culmstockgull wrote: 23 Oct 2022, 14:57 Yellow6 , I presume as you have just joined, either you have been banned from other forums or no one was listening to you under your other titles on this forum, I have not missed one game this season at home plus all the friendlies so no armchair critic, but a realist who enjoyed winning most games during our visit to the south I do not wish to re visit that league but that is what is going to happen unless changes are made, these players are not good enough and even if by happy chance you had any premier league manager you care to mention coaching them it would make very little if any difference.

Culmstockgull I wouldn't boast about not missing a game this season, mind you yesterday was the first time I've seen Torquay play ( on the telly ) since the debacle I witnessed away at Bromley just over a year ago. I posted at the time that I would never go to a Torquay match while Gary Johnson remained as manager. Surprise Surprise, how right i was. 1 year has passed and the league table doesn't lie.

Yellow6 has a point. Too many moaners and groaners. We are Gulls fans. If we wanted to support a team that just wins then we'd follow higher league sides. But we watch the gulls. Yesterday's match was brilliant. The drama, the atmosphere, even seeing loads of kids in the away end. We need to back the manager and the team. We are skint and Gary brought in the best he could for the money he had. We can all criticise or we can tough it out and support the team and the club, which is what we've done for years and there's never a dull moment. I struggle to remember better games than yesterday. Sills at Wembley, O'Riordan at City, Wes Saunders at Wembley. Now Crowes equaliser! Come on you yellows!

Yellow6 , I presume as you have just joined, either you have been banned from other forums or no one was listening to you under your other titles on this forum, I have not missed one game this season at home plus all the friendlies so no armchair critic, but a realist who enjoyed winning most games during our visit to the south I do not wish to re visit that league but that is what is going to happen unless changes are made, these players are not good enough and even if by happy chance you had any premier league manager you care to mention coaching them it would make very little if any difference.