Burton Albion v Torquay United - 22/10/13

[wivelgull]

Down among the dead men. All the post-match communications on this site reflect what has been obvious since the first match. But don't let's continue with that - we all know what the outcome is going to be. However, another clear pointer to the future is an historical/statistical one. If you look at the Torquay United histories which contain detailed references to appearances, you will see that in the successful seasons we used very few players (sometimes as few as 16), but in the really bad seasons (as opposed to just bad) we use well over forty players. This is what is happening now. The answer is to get a decent group of players into position well before the start of the season, and bring in as few as possible as the season progresses. At the end of this season when we all look back and weep, how many of the loanees will be remembered or regretted?
A final point: there is a very small village to the North West of Hull called North Ferriby. It is about as big as Bishopsteignton. At present they are doing very well in their first season in the Krill North League (i.e. Blue Square North). If they get promotion - and it's not impossible - Torquay United will be playing there next season. And, yes, it's smaller than Buckland Athletic! Like I say, down among the dead men. I will be at Plainmoor on Saturday - but for how much longer?

[brucie]

The comments from those at the game are desperately worrying as we are turning in to a complete shambles.
We now have a team of strangers, players playing completely out of position. Was Hawley seriously playing on the left wing (with all the wingers we have that is just beyond belief).
We have now dispensed with 4-4-2 but noone it seems, the manager,the fans or the players seem to have a clue what formation we are playing.
Whilst Lings football was boring at least the players knew what they were supposed to be doing.

[WestLondonYellow]

The comments from those at the game are desperately worrying as we are turning in to a complete shambles.
We now have a team of strangers, players playing completely out of position. Was Hawley seriously playing on the left wing (with all the wingers we have that is just beyond belief).
We have now dispensed with 4-4-2 but noone it seems, the manager,the fans or the players seem to have a clue what formation we are playing.
Whilst Lings football was boring at least the players knew what they were supposed to be doing.

I usually try to be positive even after a loss.

Absolutely nothing to be positive about from last night, or indeed the last five games. 1 point from 15.

re the formation, i had absolutely no clue, what they were doing, what the tactic was and neither it seemed did the players. Set pieces once again were dreadful.

I understand this is league two and so we can't expect every pass to be perfect etc, but i don't understand the mentality of consistently heading it in the air and hoping it's go to a Utd player, for the majority of the time our tactic seems to be either try to play head tennis or welly it up the field and hope. Where's the intelligence? These are supposedly professional players!

[gullintwoplaces]

Full credit to the fans who went last night, only to be insulted by a dire performance. Sounds like AK owes them an apology. My normal optimism is disappearing now, and that saddens me a lot.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Ok last night.

First half was dull as dishwater and compounded by the loss of an injury stricken Bodin who was a passenger once again before his unfortunate injury. However I must add that I wish him a speedy recovery and hope it isn't anything serious.

We had a Hawley shot across goal but that was the peak of our cumulative attacking efforts. Burton didn't fare much better although they tested Rice a few times with routine shots, could have scored when a header from a cross was cleared off the line by Hawley and should have scored right at the death of the half when they had a free kick crash back off the post with Ricey beaten all ends up.

They found it easy to get balls into wide areas where often their wingers would comfortably beat one or two of our lads to either get a cross in or get into a dangerous area. It was just too easy.

In the second half I saw an impression of a nailed on relegation side except I don't think we weren't pretending. There was nothing. No ingenuity, no cohesion, no creativity, no passion, no energy, no ideas, no leaders, no gameplan, no interest, no chances, no sense. It wouldn't ordinarily worry me but I've seen the same thing in a few other games this season too and it looks like we'll be seeing more of it in future. Burton had more of the ball but weren't necessarily looking too threatening but they took the lead in the 70th minute when Kee's shot came back off the post only for Phillips to react quickest and poke it in. Fightback on then? No, we just gave up and gave them a second goal. Ball through for McGurk to race onto which no Gulls player in sight BOOM! 2-0.

Game over.

RICE 8 MOTM (again) good safe pair of hands and made a couple of outstanding saves.

TONGE 5 One of our better players on the night although it's not saying much.

O'CONNOR 6 All things considered did as well as could be expected and better than most.

NICO 5 Poor

CRUISE 4 Poor, I know he's not a centre half but he IS a pro footballer - 9 goals leaked in 3 games he's played.

MANSELL 2 Thanks Lee but it's over now, you've nothing left to offer us anymore.

McCourt 4 Not his fault that before coming to us he hadn't yet made a professional football league appearance but was suddenly expected to slot into a desperately poor, struggling side and make things happen. Meanwhile Lathrope doesn't even make the bench after playing the last few games. Totally inept management from Knill and completely extraordinary.

AZEEZ 4 A shadow of his previous performances

BODIN 1 Token rating as I felt sorry for him due to his injury. Before it he was asleep.

CRAIG 2 Had numerous opportunities to do what any basic pro footballer should be able to do and that is put a simple dead ball into a decent area. Failed dismally. No inkling of the legendary sweet deliveries that he is said to possess. He booted one free kick at a hundred miles an hour way over everyones head and he was only about 15 yards away!

HAWLEY 5 Battled hard as usual but never looks like scoring but Knill won't drop him as he is his friend and key summer signing. Totally inept management.

SUBS: McCALLUM 0 I could have been more effective and i'm in my 30's and 16 and a half stone (yes I've lost some weight!). Debut so a bit harsh but awful anyway.

Other subs no ratings as Benners and Chappell weren't on long enough.

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Right, Knill is a pr*ck and here's why.

First of all he drops Chappell from the 11. Ok so he hasn't been at his best these last few games but still a million times more dangerous than Hawley yet Hawley keeps his place regardless. Chappell is without doubt on his day our most potent attacking player. I simply cannot explain the reason why Chappell was dropped. What will happen now is that Knill will start him on Saturday and add yet more confusion to the squad AND Chappell. Quite incredible decision.

Then he starts with McCourt, a young lad who has been here a week, had yet to make his football league debut until he came on at Wycombe and he was expected to be the fulcrum of our midfield alongside a TUFC legend and stalwart who is past it. Oh and not to mention sitting in front of a back 4 shorn of any experience and leaders. Meanwhile Lathrope (who started at Wycombe and did ok only to be dropped again for the Mansfield game) is not even on the bench.

Then he starts with Hawley who has scored 2 in 13 and looks about as dangerous as a field full of parsnips.

Then he replaces the injured Bodin with McCallum with a ringing endorsement from Knill on BBC sport who said, "we hope he is the missing jigsaw piece".

WHAT F*CKING PLANET ARE YOU ON MAN!!! FFS!! MISSING PIECE!! I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE NOTICED BUT THERE ARE MORE ALAN!! AND THE F*CKING BOX IS MISSING!! JESUS CHRIST WHAT AN ABSOLUTE TOOL! IS KNILL OF THIS EARTH?!! NO IDEA WHATSOEVER!!!

If Alan thinks we need one player to address our problems then we'll be down by Christmas. The only constant beacon of progress and stability I can see out of this Knill squad is Martin Rice. That is it. The rest of the squad is a complete shambles in total disarray by a relentless and remorseless series of totally bizarre management decisions.

Yes anyway, McCallum comes on and suddenly he's the f*cking messiah and saves us except that he did p*ss all for 50 minutes.

Then he waits until the 77th minute to bring on Chappell which was staggering as not only should be have been brought on earlier but he did so 8 minutes after we had gone 1-0 down. Err Alan, we're losing mate, there is 20 minutes left in a game we have created much less than Peter Buchanan on art attack and you wait a further 8 minutes?!! Get the last 2 subs made as soon as the goal went in and go for broke you anus.

Then he brings Benyon on with 5 minutes left!!!!! ARGGGGGGGGGGH!!!!!!!

On top of this is the Cruise scenario. Nico started the season with the full back spot and had 6 or 7 poor games which we highlighted. Indeed many of us couldn't understand why Cruise never began the season but that's another odd decision I can't work out. Anyway, Knill brings Cruise in to replace Nico and there is talk of Nico leaving the club.

Then through no fault of his own Cruise has to fill in at centre half and then when Pearce and O'Connor both were available against Mansfield he drops Cruise to the bench and brings Nico back in!!! Oh thanks Tom but f*ck off again! Jesus, I don't know whether i'm coming or going so I haven't got a clue what state of confusion the players are in. There is no sense or continuity throughout the side, not just because of injuries and suspensions but because Knill is seriously disturbed!!

I mean it's just one thing after the other after the other after the other and it's embarrassing and there is just no need for this. I am seriously concerned about Knill's mental state and I say that most sincerely, I honestly believe he has some issues or it is dawning on him just how incompetent he is at the job and he is having a prolonged panic attack of about 2 months. Stop panicking mate, go back to the basics, copy Ling and become hard to beat (did I just say that?!). Then we can take it from there. A 1-0 competitive loss is better than a mullering each week and having more confidence eroded.

That's another thing, confidence. Gawd knows what morale is like and after each loss and dire performance comes an erosion in confidence and belief. Knill is destroying this regardless of result due to his chopping and changing that don't even make any sense anyway.

I also try and look for positives in a game but there are none. I just cannot believe how much one man has decimated my enthusiasm and excitement in such a short space of time. 13 games.

Ling did it gradually until I got worn down, Knill is just giving me a f*cking migraine tbh and there is just too much going on for my head to deal with. I feel really confused as though I've reacted badly to a substance.

That substance is Torquay United and I can't get it out of my system so i'll be at Bury and Accrington. Games we daren't lose but will. We are truly truly abysmal in all departments and a lower mid table squad is being moulded really quickly into a non league one by our saviour. How can one man create so much mayhem in the space of 13 games, it's like having a creation by Nick Park managing us made out of pliable materials.

I can't have any complaints because I wanted Ling out and we've got Knill. If he takes us down so be it, i'll still be there whenever I can get but there is no way on this earth I want him here now. He doesn't deserve a job in football in all honesty as he isn't capable nor has the skills both on and off the field to succeed in this industry IMO.

Come Saturday we could be in the bottom 2 with a third of the season gone and no glimmer of getting anything consistent and positive going in terms of results and performances which is the main worry. A couple of wins will see everything in a different light but with Pompey coming up followed by Bury and Accy away then Chesterfield at home each game is becoming increasingly important.

I'm not panicking as we still have time to turn things around and i'm hopeful we will, enough to see us safe but I've seen enough of Knill. He's crazy.

Despite the result I had a really great laugh last night. Stood with both Ben's, Alex, Kirsty, Keith, GG and my mate Gaz and tried to get some atmosphere going including a longish yellow army which i'm paying for this morning. It was a surreal night of dire football and tv theme tunes with an air of tenseness amongst the crowd waiting for the winner of the Great British Bake Off! Good to speak with Tony (Donnygull) again and his lad and i'll end with a rant.

THE CATERING AT BURTON IS ATROCIOUS AND WHOEVER RUNS IT SHOULD BE SHOT BY FIRING SQUAD FIRST THING!!

Get's down at half time and they have nothing left apart from chips and infected beef in a dry breadcake. Tossers.

SEE YOU AT BURY!!!!!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Oh and before I forget, we never looked like scoring yesterday but have a plethora of attackers who either can't score, can't score and still get played and we also had attackers on the bench that should be starting. Oh and we also have a lad called Yeoman who could do something. I wonder where he is now? Oh and someone called Niall Thompson I think his name is.

[brucie]

I actually think the squirrell incident has caused some long term damage in his head.

1. What was the point of having Mozika on the bench last night when the bloke is probably 5% fit if that.

2. What was the point of signing McCourt when he then signed Mozika

3. What was the point of playing McCallum for three quarters of the game when the bloke had just got out of his car the minute before the game started - no wonder he was crap, probably didn't know which team was Burton and which was Torquay.

4. What was the point of playing Hawley on the left wing

5. What was the point of playing Hawley anyway

6. What is the point of playing Benyon for six minutes every game

7. What is the point of playing Cruise at centre half - seriously the bloke looks less like a centre half than a five year old schoolgirl.

8. What is the point of Nathan Craig continually hoiking free kicks from dangerous set pieces 3 miles over the cross bar.

9. What is the point of Yeoman being at Bideford.

10. What is the point of Yeoman being at Worcester.

11. What is the point of Knill signing sixteen forwards with no experience who are worse than we have got already.

SO there it is No tactics,no morale, basically no bugger all really.

[brucie]

If thats not bad enough Ferrarilover seems to have left the building (or probably too embarassed to raise his head after his "we will be well clear of the bottom in six games time" quote) and even gullinwotplaces seems to have smelt the coffee.

[royalgull]

completely fail to accept that Nathan Messi-Bale was utter crap and instead it was obviously everyone else that made him look bad. Must have just been an off day as i fully expect him to dismantle this league and sign for Barcelona.

[Neal]

Very good posts Bruce and AustrianAndyGull.

It was there to see several games ago Unfortunately.

The board have a hard decision basically. Pay up Knills contract or have a very serious relegation fight.

We can all see he does not have a clue. Some will say "give him more time", "we havent gelled yet", "he's a decent bloke", "its all down to injuries" or even "its the negative fans fault".

The problem is the longer Knill is in charge the more money he will waste. And most of these signings look like a waste to me. Even Chappel who is the most live wire footballer we have has major distribution problems.

[miltonkeynesgull]

McCourt, a young lad who has been here a week, had yet to make his football league debut until he came on at Wycombe and he was expected to be the fulcrum of our midfield alongside a TUFC legend and stalwart who is past it. Oh and not to mention sitting in front of a back 4 shorn of any experience and leaders.

Cracking post Andy.

I think Nicho actually hit the nail on the head - perhaps inadvertently - with a tweet he sent last night, saying to the fans that "there's a lot of young lads who all need your help". We're packing the team with 18/19/20 year old loanees from Championship/Premier League clubs, all with incredibly little experience, and expecting them to work wonders.

And Brucie, you make some very good points. But a couple of things for what it's worth. Hawley was not playing left wing last night. It was a 4-2-3-1 with Craig, Bodin and Azeez all interchanging behind Hawley who was up top. He may have drifted wide at times but certainly wasn't on the wing.

And Cruise did as well as can be expected. He isn't a centre half, but he did as well he could've done. I'd have liked to have seen Mackenzie who is at least a natural CB, but I think he was carrying a knock.

[tomogull]

I'd add another point to the valid points Brucie has posted -
12. Jak McCourt played his first full 90 minutes in a league game last Saturday. Was it fair on the lad to ask him to play another full 90 minutes just 3 days later? Personally, I don't think it was. He should have been taken off early in the second half.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Spot on Brucie and I actually forgot about him arsing about with the formations too. Chopping and changing again just for the hell of it. Great.

I also forgot about the Pearce situation. The pressure that has been put on this lad after his recent illness diagnosis is nothing short of a joke and it is totally unacceptable. Ok so footballers at times whinge and moan and I don't generally have much sympathy for them but in the case of Pearce I have total sympathy.

Knill has had to bring Pearce back asap because he himself has failed to identify areas that we may need help in thus leaving us bare at the back. This has put pressure on Pearce uneccesarily which is completely unfair on the lad. He scored at Wycombe and had a decent game but looked well short of sharpness which was totally understandable. Pearce is trying to get things together in his own time and to be thrust back into a crap team on the back foot every 2 seconds is a testament to Knill and his management skills. Knill should be ashamed of himself IMO. Pearce probably needed a break to get his head and body together again from the double blast that has just hit him (getting ill and then being forced back into a f*cking warzone that is defending for TUFC) and that is why he got sent off against Mansfield. I wouldn't discount that at all.

Just another 2 complaints that are baffling there for you to get your teeth into.

I think most of you are trying to be constructive and keep positive but i'm Knill bashing here because he thoroughly deserves it and there are no excuses.

[Scott Brehaut]

I think I'd rather have a paraletic Ling picking the team than a stone cold sober Juan.

At least Ling's teams made a bit of sense, and you knew the game was going to be turgid before going - but we at least had a chance of winning.

Andy - a ranting PM is on its way

[AustrianAndyGull]

I expect it to say keep Knill and we go down. If it doesn't then i'll say it for you.