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Bristol_Gull wrote: ↑17 Nov 2019, 08:47 Yes, some of our best players are out (CLE, Andrews, Edwards, Little etc) however I don’t think the injury list can be used as an excuse as aside from Buse and Medford-Smith (who has only just joined), everyone else on the team sheet yesterday is a first XI player. We were playing Sutton who had a terrible form record coming into the game and in a very lowly position - you would expect title contenders to win the game.

GJ and the players have to take responsibility for the defeat, they didn’t get it right and we suffered a 2nd poor loss in a row.

The team need to dust down and step up in the next game.

I agree that starting 11 is first team players. The bench was a major issue, having those players back will boost us confidence and the players confidence knowing we have game changers who could come on and make a difference.

Keating, duku, Olaf are never gonna change a game. Last season Keating could. This season he has no chance.

WIth all due respect to Vincent and Buse, they wouldn't be first choice midfielders if everyone else was fit. That's not to say they have done terrifically well though.

Didn't the person from Sutton state that they had a fully fit squad? whilst we are missing a shedload?

Any team at this level is going to struggle to cope with the amount of injuries we have at the moment. People have to be realistic.

MellowYellow wrote: ↑16 Nov 2019, 20:50 Tad harsh to say he contributes zero. He's risen from the lower ranks and has great work ethic - a player in development. He may not have been in the side had it not been for injuries. But his work rate and team sprint won him the accolade of POTM. He is only 22, a good addition to the squad and will only improve as the season goes on.

MellowYellow wrote: ↑16 Nov 2019, 18:54 Reminiscent of a [highlight=yellow]Gary Owers[/highlight] formation and performance today. We are lucky that so many of the other results went our way and we are still well in the mix. However, our injury list is a big concern and even GJ magic wand can't fix everything. Not sure anyone has the answer to this conundrum.

Don't mention that name on here! =D
Dont think it would ever get close now to his dire brand of football - despite all the injuries we have!

Very similar to the Maidenhead game. No width, square pegs in round holes and a reluctance to change anything.

I hate formations without wingers. It doesn’t work, especially at our current level. Wingers obviously hugely help offensively but also simplifies things defensively as well and everyone knows their jobs. All of our worst football recently has come when we’ve played narrow, complicated formations - Nicholson’s obsession with the diamond formation, Owers’ lobsided 5 at the back and Gary’s worst performance yesterday. Keep it simple IMO.

We need a number 9 like the one Sutton had. He could challenge for all those long kicks that our goalie insists on making and take so much pressure away from Reid who would score even more feeding off a quality centre forward. Please don't pick on Buse, effort goes a long way for me even if he isn't the most skillful.

brucie wrote: ↑17 Nov 2019, 09:52 WIth all due respect to Vincent and Buse, they wouldn't be first choice midfielders if everyone else was fit. That's not to say they have done terrifically well though.

Didn't the person from Sutton state that they had a fully fit squad? whilst we are missing a shedload?

Any team at this level is going to struggle to cope with the amount of injuries we have at the moment. People have to be realistic.

Our captain is still out and we have just one other long term injury. Otherwise a full squad boosted by two loan players - who both played yesterday.

I’ll be the one to say it.... have we really missed Hall? I don’t think we have, I think we’ve missed Conor and little. Buse and Vincent have stood up to the plate.

Although we have won 7 out the last 9 I do think Asa Hall is missed because he does all the dirty work and his experience is invaluable in a tight match. He very quickly spots the danger and intervenes.

In midfield we need Connor for his class and passing, Armani for his box to box energy and free kicks, Jake or Frankie for vision and creative play and Asa who at 32 has the experience and know how which so many of our excellent young team lack.

Hopefully Connor and Jake will be back soon but about Asa I am in the dark.. But he has been missed for sure and I say that as a big fan of Matt Buse who has been magnificent since gaining a place in the team.

Asa had a broken toe against woking. He is over that but now has a groin injury, so out for a couple more weeks. Andrew's also injured in training but not long term. Edwards is out for weeks so wont see him back in a Torquay shirt again. Asa Hall experience as you say badly missed.

Edwards was reported as being out for 3 weeks with a slight groin problem. Hall was supposed to have a slight Achilles problem.

Watching the highlights seems to confirm something I thought at the time when watching the game live. Unless it's just the time it takes for sound to travel, but for their second goal it definitely seems like their goalie takes the free kick before the ref blows the whistle to restart play. Didn't see much of a foul on Cundy but at the time I assumed the early taking of the free kick was what the bench was annoyed with as the ref didn't appear to be looking at the time it was taken.

My thoughts after Saturday's game - if we'd scored in the first 15 minutes or so when we were well on top, it would have been a different game. Their keeper brought off two brilliant saves during this time. I didn't understand Gary Johnson's game tactics. Sutton aren't a free scoring side and yet we played with three central defenders who didn't seem to quite know what their roles were. Cameron and Cundy could have coped perfectly well,

Surprised nobody has mentioned the loss of Liam Davis. We were inconsistent at the beginning of the season when Liam was out, and I think we missed him big time on Saturday. The new lad did okay, but his inexperience showed. Jamie Reid seems to be struggling with his bunion (which are bloomin' painful) and Saiko Janneh doesn't look up to match fitness yet. It will come soon.

Our young team struggle against physical sides. Sutton closed players down quickly, were physically stronger, but not dirty, and we just didn't cope. I don't understand why Ryan Dickson is out on loan when we have so many injuries and so little experience in the side. I would never criticise Gary Johnson, but I think he should hold up his hand and say he got the team formation wrong on Saturday. Any news on the injuries to Frank Vincent (who has been great) and Ben Whitfield?

All these people picking teams and formations. I still don't see where the alternatives were?.
We had two fit midfield players and that became one after half an hour. We went to three at the back to try to cover the midfield situation and for no other reason. No it didn't work too well but what other options did we really have?

The back 3 didn’t have to happen lol... I’m not a manager but when we started the game we could played our usual formation and start Kalala over Niate... we’ve done well with that formation..... I believe he’ll go back to that Saturday.