Chelmsford v Torquay Sat 22nd Feb 3pm

[numpte]

Im not sure anyone is to blame so im not sure what criticism he should take. Why does someone always need to be blamed? As mentioned before, the sense of entitlement across multiple posts that because we are the biggest supported team with a long league history, in this league we should win every game and then people go into meltdown.

I went to the game have a better perspective than those that looked at twitter / score updates (did any of the critics on here go?). I thought we played quite well, were frequently threatening going forward, the best i have seen Jay and Cooke link up so far and we could / should have scored more. Im not sure the penalty to make it 2-1 was a penalty and would like to see it again, we missed by a whisker a (i think Morgan) shot from the edge of the box to make it 3-1 and kill the game, and then we are dealing with a patched up and tiring back 5 . Yes, we should have seen it out but we didnt. You could kind of see it coming but we had limited options and reduced personel on the bench for well known reasons.

[Dave]

Great posts from Brixham 63 and numpte.

Personally will admit I was wrong to bring GJ back into any discussions, but it boils my piss when over years, we've been left with the feeling we can't level criticism on the likes of Nicho and GJ told repeatedly oh it's not their fault, as both got a free pass from percentage of users on here.

Yet the moment PW has hit a run of bad results, he's just an out of his depth excuse maker, and doesn't get the same free pass.

PW has got a budget almost half his predecessor, a smaller squad, and his injuries also, 3 out 4 first choice defenders for start.

As for excuses, I watched the post match interview, at no time did he say we lost the game because of the referee, he said the 3rd goal should have been a goal kick, and there was a foul from the corner.

Well watching the highlights confirms PW was 100 % factually correct to say that, won't expect any retraction any time soon though.

Just give give PW the same time and patience every other manager has had, and remember PW didn't have anymore than 1 player, not a ready made squad that others have had.

[Dilmond]

Just a quick comment on your last line Dave: surely having no squad to take over is a blessing in disguise is it not? If the squad you were taking over was any good, it wouldn't be looking for a new manager, and the very reason why any new manager would be taking over, is because the squad was crap!

There is a small amount of discontent on this site, but on the other one Merse has gone into meltdown, blaming owners, managers, players and all!

[BigDave]

Great posts from Brixham 63 and numpte.

Personally will admit I was wrong to bring GJ back into any discussions, but it boils my piss when over years, we've been left with the feeling we can't level criticism on the likes of Nicho and GJ told repeatedly oh it's not their fault, as both got a free pass from percentage of users on here.

Yet the moment PW has hit a run of bad results, he's just an out of his depth excuse maker, and doesn't get the same free pass.

PW has got a budget almost half his predecessor, a smaller squad, and his injuries also, 3 out 4 first choice defenders for start.

As for excuses, I watched the post match interview, at no time did he say we lost the game because of the referee, he said the 3rd goal should have been a goal kick, and there was a foul from the corner.

Well watching the highlights confirms PW was 100 % factually correct to say that, won't expect any retraction any time soon though.

Just give give PW the same time and patience every other manager has had, and remember PW didn't have anymore than 1 player, not a ready made squad that others have had.

All the more reason why Wotton should be criticised when his new team performs badly - especially when his former team are performing better!

[Dave]

Just a quick comment on your last line Dave: surely having no squad to take over is a blessing in disguise is it not? If the squad you were taking over was any good, it wouldn't be looking for a new manager, and the very reason why any new manager would be taking over, is because the squad was crap!

There is a small amount of discontent on this site, but on the other one Merse has gone into meltdown, blaming owners, managers, players and all!

No having no squad isn't a blessing quite the opposite, new manager has say 16 players, he has no urgency, other than maybe 3 or 4 new players you have time to assess what you've got, and time to recycle positions your not happy with , when you have to sign 20 in 4 to 6 weeks a total different story.

So you can go out with a list of 20 players what do you do, if 10 say no, see where I'm going with this.

Yes I read all forums, the difference is Merse is not criticising PW, he's doubling down on the new owners for not supporting PW to bring new players in, which is something I don't agree with to a point, as Bryn made sustainability a priority, new players are needed not at a financial loss however.

[Dave]

All the more reason why Wotton should be criticised when his new team performs badly - especially when his former team are performing better!

Yes, but whether we like it or not Truro have much bigger financial backing from a Canadian business man, than we do, PW knew a new stadium was coming, knew he'd more money to spend, saw us as a bigger club with bigger long term potential.

Truro have signed some really good players, how do you think they got them, other than paying over odds, and running at a loss, something that nearly finished our club for good, so they're welcome to it.

[BigDave]

Who is the manager of Cheltenham and makes the decisions? What a ridiculous post.

Good choice of pseudonym numpte - Johnson and Downes are part of a management team at a club doing reasonably well two levels above a level in which Torquay are not showing significantly better form than their rivals. If Johnson and Downes were as bad as some Torquay fans think they would either not have been employed by Cheltenham or they would have been seriously detrimental to the Robins' performance, which is not evidenced by their league position. Wotton, on the other hand, had free rein over the players and assistants that he brought to the club but despite having backing from Warnock (who has enormous higher level managerial experience) is currently not setting the league on fire. The fact that Truro are keeping pace with Torquay should surely invite comparison between the merits of their relative managers: maybe (hopefully) Wotton will justify his position and the Gulls will surge forward into the National League - if not this season then some time before the end of the decade. In the meantime Johnson and Downes will be devoting their efforts to avoiding relegation into that League and maybe earning promotion to an even higher level.

[BigDave]

Yes, but whether we like it or not Truro have much bigger financial backing from a Canadian business man, than we do, PW knew a new stadium was coming, knew he'd more money to spend, saw us as a bigger club with bigger long term potential.

Truro have signed some really good players, how do you think they got them, other than paying over odds, and running at a loss, something that nearly finished our club for good, so they're welcome to it.

It's presumably not possible that PW saw Torquay as an easy ride: no great expectations with a newly built squad of 'cheapos', run down stadium, less demanding board, easily satisfied fans, etc.

Who knows what motivated PW to come to Torquay? He's not going to say "I am leaving a club that is on the up, who will soon find another manager because I have reached my ceiling, in order to join a washed up club with delusions of grandeur and no realistic prospects of anything better." Of course the usual optimistic platitudes are uttered and PW is obviously diplomatic, ambitious, altruistic (put whatever spin you wish.)

[Gull1899]

I think PW is doing fine this season (not great) considering where we were last season. I think the disappointment lies with fact we haven't sorted out our shocking away form all season & we may miss play offs entirely because of it.

I do however think we’ll be much better next season & have a proper title charge, if not he deserves to be under big pressure then

[culmstockgull]

I am sure these seven pages of contradiction will never have been written if, primarily because of a weakened team we were two nil down at half time, got one back early second half and battered them for the last 20 minutes without getting a deserved draw, becuase that would have summed up our season too date, there is no credible excuse that covers being two up and conceding three in 30 minutes, two of these in the last five minutes, protecting the fitness of his core players through early subs in anticipation of a big match on tuesday counts for nothing when you come away with nothing, I think we would have taken a draw away from home especially as most of the teams around us did no better.

[numpte]

Not sure he was protecting players. Young was taken off because he was already booked and then crocked someone in front of the ref so suspect he was withdrawn to save getting sent off. Morgan subbed through injury, he couldn’t continue and had to be helped off, hayfield possibly injured but a fresh pair of legs in threkeld seemed ok to me. That only left Mussa.

[bobbytanz1963]

No pointing in criticism of the manager, the players, the Board, these things happen and we know that the person on another board who is going off on one does that on a regular basis so he is best ignored !

Just take a backward step and remember what happened on 5th April 2024 surely the lowest point for the club.

As someone said “ Rome wasn’t built in a day”

[PainInTheGULLiver85]

So glad we have a game so soon. Such a bad loss to mull over. Yes we need a couple players in but we do have a good squad overall.

Do think perspective is needed, the league is still wide open. If weston beat us they are even in the mix. I also believe playoff games at plainmoor would be sell outs.

COYY

[Plainmoorish]

Very late to the party on this one. I was wondering, those interviews that the manager has to do straight after a game, can't be easy. Emotions running high. Given a day of reflection, the interview might be quite different. I also wonder whether having a game on Tuesday with a depleted squad was on his mind re. subs? Something that did trouble me, please correct if I'm wrong, that some fans were angry after the game. That's a strange emotion. Frustrated, disappointed.. both of those. Angry? Just struck me as a bit odd. One thing I think we can probably all agree on is that no one hurts more than the manager and players when they lose in that way. But it happens. On reflection, perhaps that was one of the games the manager might have chosen to take a bit of the blame than just sticking it on the players. Win together, lose together. Just thoughts. ps. I heard the first half performance was as good as any away game this season.