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A scrabbled, scrambled, stressful start to the season which culminated today into a humilating 1-3 defeat against Woking. This is starting to look like a season to fray the nerves and test the faith. Come the end of the season will we be chanting "We Are Staying Up"?

Firepower

No one can rival Torquay for turmoil, and it’s clear that the form and talent of our midfield/forward line is a major factor in the Plainmoor disharmony. Torquay at least do have the record for the lowest goals for, numbering 2 league goals. Got some catching up to do if we are to surpass part-timers Dorking who have managed to score 11 goals in 6 games.

Mentality

Have lost four straight in the League, and with Southend away next: make that five. Boo's could be heard by our own fans after defeat by Woking and everyone still hates the chairman. It seems like a poisonous atmosphere is building yet again and surely only the players have the authority to turn it around? Yet, the team are losing a lot of points, today from a winning position with 20 minutes to go: a sure sign of iffy physical and mental resolve.

Squad strength

Given our relative resources, we have less room to play with than some rivals. It’s not unreasonable to fear that another injury to one of the two remaining forwards or to someone like Dean Moxey could leave us looking threadbare. Or maybe it does not matter as we appear to continualy crowd the midfield with the 3-5-2 as the distinction between depth and deadwood seems to have been lost.

Manager

Gary Johnson looked concerned after the Woking defeat: recent form has been patchy to say the least and Johnson, one of life’s battling underdogs by nature, is now in many fans view not best suited to lead us as front-runners. ( I am not of that brigade but, nonetheless, do not disregard their viewpoint.)

'We are, we are, we are staying up'!

dawlishmatt wrote: 29 Aug 2022, 20:44 It seems to be a pattern with you UnitedinDevon. It is always somebody else's fault. According to you we have 46 crap refs each season, the 23 teams we play are dirty timewasters and should have 2 or 3 players sent off each game. Added to the list we average 2 pens that were not awarded per game.

Time to stop living in your fantasy world and start facing reality. We are crap for one reason only, Gary Johnson.

You're a moron bud

I clearly indicated I wasn't posted other thoughts on the game, I challenge anyone if they think the ref had any control of that game.

I know you weren't there so your view on matters such as this are pointless

The day after another defeat and perhaps a time for reflection,there will be those that advocate a change in management, I have certainly thought about it and Johnsons ability to blame everyone but himself has certainly stoked the fires of change. but this is the nuclear option and short sighted at best and has huge financial implications, judging by the lack of quality in this summers acquisitions we do not have money to acquire good experienced pros before you even consider the costs of tempting in another manager plus their own team, so for me that is a big no, and besides we could end up with downes as the least worst option and the last thing we need at the moment is another Johnson clone.
Johnson has painted himself into a corner by telling pete to find him certain players who play in a certain way with a certain character which he signed probably not having previously met them and undoubtedly in all cases without giing them a full medical, that will come back to haunt us for the second season running both in terms of fitness, personality and ability. There is no point blaming the players, if they are incapbale of playing the way you want them to then you have acquired the wrong players.
Changes need to be made and quickly but hopefully not in a knee jerk way, our current style of play does not fuction suffiicently to gather enough points to make me at all comfortable , we have the players to hold our own in this league but nothing more.

Let's nip the GJ out lynch mob in the bud. It's not going to happen. GJ is the most important piece of the puzzle, so to any naysayers and loons STFU! Even the best, well funded managers have bad spells. GJ isn't well funded, otherwise we would have had a Bodenesque experienced front man in by now along with a Branston monster at the back. Whoever it is responsibility to man manage the manager, it's time to do your job. Get GJ back smiling again and we will benefit from his bounce. The players need to rally around and fight their way out of this together, show what they're made of if they are to have a career in Pro football. Either that or feck off back to shelf stacking or whatever they might be qualified for.

It's time for the fans, club and players to get behind GJ once again.

Time for a change

(not the manger)

2 things really stood out of for me in the game yesterday, firstly our set pieces - we had numerous long throw/corners/free kicks that we aimlessly put in the box to a team we a lot of height and everything came back out. Woking played a very high line on the freekicks but we didnt change it up at all, it was obvious to try something different with those opportunities

Secondly the system has to change - it is clear Crowe and Wyatt are not able to play well as wing backs. Without this the whole system falls apart, even with Dan Martin back i think we would be lopsided. Time to go to 4 at the back with either a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, when Iseguan came on he finally injected a bit of running from further back the pitch and put the 2 best crosses in the whole game

Hoping GJ make this system change for Southend

Agree Martin is better offensively and has good and direct pace but he's not better defensively than Wyatt. Even yesterday he got caught in possession in our half and Woking broke and very nearly scored.
We need a right back , Crowe just not ready for this level yet, two midfielders with some attacking instinct, pace mobility and aggression. I'd persevere with McGavin.
Is Duke McKenna still in QPRs reserves ?
and another striker, Jarvis is on course to be another Andrew Nelson.
And Halstead back , been no update on his injury or how long he's out for !
Lovett did alright but though haven't seen the replay looked like he made a mess of the headed equaliser?
I think centre of defence is ok with Moxey, Marshall, Omar and Donnellan, Tomlinson
So a minimum of 4 quality players please Gary and not wasters like Byron Moore etc.

davethegull2 wrote: 30 Aug 2022, 10:49 Let's nip the GJ out lynch mob in the bud. It's not going to happen. GJ is the most important piece of the puzzle, so to any naysayers and loons STFU! Even the best, well funded managers have bad spells. GJ isn't well funded, otherwise we would have had a Bodenesque experienced front man in by now along with a Branston monster at the back. Whoever it is responsibility to man manage the manager, it's time to do your job. Get GJ back smiling again and we will benefit from his bounce. The players need to rally around and fight their way out of this together, show what they're made of if they are to have a career in Pro football. Either that or feck off back to shelf stacking or whatever they might be qualified for.

It's time for the fans, club and players to get behind GJ once again.

But he’s abandoned his winning formula of attacking football.

What’s the deal with Evans? Does anyone know where he’s actually supposed to play?

Thought he was supposed to be an attacking left sided midfielder.
Seems he's another Lolos - highly rated and talented but as he's not featured much, perhaps not following the managers game plan instructions.

Highlights