Torquay United Fans Forum

Lineups:
Bass (GK); Wynter, Hall, Essuman, Cameron, Davis; Regis, Andrews, Edwards; Williams (C), Reid
Subs: Macdonald (GK), Keating, Banton, Bawling, Wright.

arcadia wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 19:08 Olaf is a good player and would be a good substitute better than a few. It's about time this club produced a player for the first team. As you say it's down to the manager to ease him in and give him game time. The team needs a bit of a tweak up front perhaps Garry Owers could consider this. I would and have done in the past.

I would argue that we've produced players for the first team before. Regardless of your opinion of Hargreaves, he put faith in Dan Lavercombe and Levi Ives who both did reasonably well for us before being sold to higher levels. I think there are quite a few youth players who could play in general for their club's first team but the manager's never believe in this and want to stick with the tried and tested players, I think giving Olaf a run out in some of the so-called easier games (low table sides at home) would not do any harm.

Great read GRT, you've essentially summed up our start with 2 sentences:

"with the goal at his mercy and Turner off-balance, Reid managed to slice his shot with all the finesse of a drunk toddler wearing snow shoes, and the ball flew wildly off target."

Likewise, it says it all if a neutral after 1 game can clearly see what our main problem is:

"Torquay’s (issue) was that none of their players could shoot. Either the kit man needed to replace their Toblerone boots, or the Gulls desperately needed to find Ruari Keating at half time"

Banton on for Wynter, apparently reverted to a back 4 again with Essuman at RB.

Gloomy Gull wrote: ↑18 Aug 2018, 14:56 Seems like there will not be TUFC Radio this afternoon, so at least I won't have to listen to Reid's failure to score, hold the ball, head the ball or deliver a telling cross

The radio is live:

https://www.torquayunited.com/tufc-radio/

Great, looks like we're sticking with a back 3...

[highlight=yellow]Starting XI: Bass; Wynter, Niate, Essuman, Cameron, Davis; Dickson, Hall, Nabi; Williams, Reid
Subs: Macdonald, Regis, Banton, Wright, Bawling[/highlight]

Also think it's very unfair Macdonald has been dropped, clean sheet in every game bar Oxford (which was very unfortunate) and been solid for us. Not optimistic at all for this game now.

I honestly think it comes down to formation, if Gary sticks with 3 at the back it'll be a shambles and we might nick a result but honestly no idea. I'm confident if we start with a back 4 it'll be a dominant performance from us that will more than likely lead to a good result.

Niate
Hall
Macdonald
Davis
Bawling

Just got back so will provide a brief-ish report.

First half was awful, we were so unbelievably disjointed, no fluidity whatsoever and players just generally all over the place. There were times when one or two players would go for an over the top ball with the intended target shouting back at them they want ball to feet. I think 3-5-2 is a good formation in general with the correct players... however clearly not for us. I was on the side where Davis was playing and although he clearly is technically a very gifted player, numerous times he would push forward, we would lose the ball, and Oxford's winger (11?) would be completely free where Davis should be and then we were immediately exposed.

Bizarrely, with this being my first game of the season I left slightly more optimistic. Owers could see it wasn't working so switched to a 4-2-3-1 for the second half with Hall coming into midfield alongside Dickson, Nabi in the hole with Reid and Bawling either side of him and Brett alone up top. There was an immediate difference as bar one Oxford counter where they should have made it 2-0, we were more or less camped in their half for 2nd half. And might I add, we actually played football for some points of this. We were unlucky not to come away with anything as Williams rifled one off the bar, followed later by Nabi curling one onto the post.

To summarise, we really have to start with a similar formation on Saturday, 3 at the back just isn't cutting it and I don't know why Owers is so set on it. The team more or less picks itself apart from upfront as I don't think we know who our best attacking options are, Brett was lazy and didn't do much, Ruairi put himself about and had one shot that essentially went vertical, Wright wasn't on for long enough to make an impact but had some nice footwork.

-Keep the faith!

For all the criticism Gary and co have had, we're currently the only team yet to concede in the league, and 7 points out of 9 I'll take it. Think we're still missing a top striker for this level but overall a good start!

Although performances against Chelmsford and Bath have been questionable, they're both expected to be up there or thereabouts come the end of the season. I think judgement should be reserved until after the next few games...

#tufc Squad Vs @BathCity_FC: MacDonald (GK), Wynter, Davis, Sokolik, Hall, Williams (C), Niate, Dickson, Cameron, Reid, Regis
SUBS: Keating, Banton, Wright, Burton (GK), Nabi

I assume Essuman is injured?

Louis wrote: ↑07 Aug 2018, 15:08I’ll do it?

I imagine you'd probably do a better job than most anyway, get in touch with the club.

2-0 Torquay, Williams and Cameron.

What amount of listeners would constitute Radio Devon taking interest? We're close to 500 listeners now, and I'm sure there will be some listening to the Chelmsford commentary or purely unaware that it's available.