What Has Gone Wrong?

Bert · Post by **Bert** » 09 Mar 2021, 09:07

See notts county have signed Mark Ellis
Still in early 30s ,what a good signing

North Curry House · Post by **North Curry House** » 09 Mar 2021, 10:13

West Ham 1964 team photo. There were only three future Torquay players in the picture. The team lined up as follows;

Back row left to right:
J.Birkett, J.Kelly, M.Peters, K.Brown, J.Standen, J.Bond, J.Lyall, J.Bovington, R.Moore.

Front row left to right:
R.Bradbrook, Boyce, J.Byrne, G.Hurst, A.Sealy, A.Scott.

Ken Brown, John Bond and Tony Scott the three future Gulls.

This was long before Trevor Brooking!

Wolborough · Post by **Wolborough** » 09 Mar 2021, 10:31

Ah - thanks for the education!

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 09 Mar 2021, 11:05

Bert wrote: 09 Mar 2021, 09:07 See notts county have signed Mark Ellis
Still in early 30s ,what a good signing

Good signing indeed. Only bright point for us is he has had little game time this since returning from a cruciate knee ligament injury last year so will need some game time to get back up to speed..

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 09 Mar 2021, 12:14

John Bond was a class player , unfit and overweight when with us but made up for it with his reading, positioning and passing, but just the way he kicked the ball was quality, it was an effortless clip as if it was a toy ball. I'd never seen any Torquay player do that before him and very few after, except perhaps Bruce Rioch and the highly talented Donal Murphy.

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 09 Mar 2021, 15:30

John Bond was an entertainer and we used to call him "the muffin man"

I have never seen a player engage with the crowd like Bond did. Happy days.

Minneapolisgull · Post by **Minneapolisgull** » 10 Mar 2021, 02:26

Our current form is one of the worst in the league. Unless there is turn in form, not to be a Debbie downer we will be lucky to end up in the playoffs at this rate.
There is still just under 20 games to go so plenty of football left to play. Saturday we need to turn the corner.

notnow · Post by **notnow** » 10 Mar 2021, 08:17

Minneapolisgull wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 02:26 Our current form is one of the worst in the league. Unless there is turn in form, not to be a Debbie downer we will be lucky to end up in the playoffs at this rate.
There is still just under 20 games to go so plenty of football left to play. Saturday we need to turn the corner.

Only us could let an 11point lead slip away! We’ve been saying we need to turn the corner for weeks! On the bright side, I’m

behind GJ, if he doesn’t get us promotion no one will.

culmstockgull · Post by **culmstockgull** » 10 Mar 2021, 08:31

I believe the down turn in our form and lack of availability of a number of essential players makes this season all about managing our rapidly diminishing expectations. It was totally logical to believe that our form up to Christmas gave us the belief that promotion was a real possibility, anyone who believes that is still the case are kidding themselves, Johnson has said he hopes to have certain players back for the run in, by that time on our present form we will be mid table, not only the likes of Sutton and Hartlepool, but the pre season favourites of Notts County and Stockport and Wrexham are all on a run and have strengthened their squads with good established players whereas our loans have been anything but successful.

DWB · Post by **DWB** » 10 Mar 2021, 09:08

Our form has been bad and has allowed teams to catch us up with their games in hand, we have games in hand on some of them now!
Apart from Sutton who seem to be getting wins with last minute goals (an 83rd minute winner last night) the others are showing inconsistencies as well. Stockport thumped Solihull last night but lost at Weymouth on Saturday. Notts county lost at home to Halifax last night ( remember them!).
So I guess what I am saying is lets group together get some injured players back ( gosh have we missed Danny Wright it seems) and go again without the pressures of being top of the league. I believe we have a strong squad and see no reason why we can’t win it, if not finish in the top three.

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 10 Mar 2021, 09:13

Notts County lost at home last night and Hartlepool drew.

Predictably Sutton won again with a late winner, but that's their run of home games over.

What the other teams do is becoming irrelevant though, as we look to be going in one direction only. Its pointless speculating that Danny Wright will be back in 3 weeks or whatever it is, as its going to take ages for him (and the other long term injuries) to get match fit.

Realistically we are looking at a mid table finish I'd say.

North Curry House · Post by **North Curry House** » 10 Mar 2021, 09:32

Our final League position will be determined by our own results, so forget about Sutton winning with lucky late goals.

We should only worry about winning our matches and of course three points at Sutton are a MUST. I would have the team practicicing on the worst 3G pitch, I could find in preparation of going there. That match is vital....but we have to improve at home while maintaining our away form.

Sutton WILL drop points, when they do, we have to capatialise.

COYY

Wolborough · Post by **Wolborough** » 10 Mar 2021, 10:19

Yup - it can be turned round and that begins on Saturday!

Post by **SuperNickyWroe** » 10 Mar 2021, 10:53

culmstockgull wrote: 10 Mar 2021, 08:31 I believe the down turn in our form and lack of availability of a number of essential players makes this season all about managing our rapidly diminishing expectations. It was totally logical to believe that our form up to Christmas gave us the belief that promotion was a real possibility, anyone who believes that is still the case are kidding themselves, Johnson has said he hopes to have certain players back for the run in, by that time on our present form we will be mid table, not only the likes of Sutton and Hartlepool, but the pre season favourites of Notts County and Stockport and Wrexham are all on a run and have strengthened their squads with good established players whereas our loans have been anything but successful.

Agree with most of this.
It just shows that anyone can beat anyone in this league.
If Sutton's luck doesn't run out at some point soon, then they will win the league.
Not sure about the other teams mentioned - we have at least games in hand on most and more points than all of them except Hartlepool of course.
At the moment Notts' form is as bad as ours and Stockport are also inconsistent.
We should finish in the top three at least.
Which, lets be honest, there wasn't many fans expecting that at the start of the season.

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 10 Mar 2021, 12:14

Think a top three finish is unrealistic with the team we have (or are able to put on the pitch)

Beating Sutton on their pitch is also completely unrealistic, given that they virtually win almost every home game. The way we play will definitely not suit that pitch as it is practically impossible to complete a two yard pass successfully.

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