PSF: Torquay United v Leeds United, 27/07/12

[OllieGull]

Bodin played quite well tonight ^.^

[bixieupnorth]

3925 attendance I heard, so officially more Leeds, but on effect prob more like 2500/1500 to them I'd imagine?

[OllieGull]

3925 attendance I heard, so officially more Leeds, but on effect prob more like 2500/1500 to them I'd imagine?

They had 2000 and something and we had 1900 and something, was quite close :-|

[Colorado Gull]

Before I get into the match, a quick word on the Leeds fans. Very noisy and had some great banter joining in with the whole ground joining in with the Mexican wave. To be honest, it was more fun waiting to join in with the Mexican wave rather than watching the football in the first half because we were quite poor. We were never in the game and Leeds were all over us. Having said that in the final few minutes of the first half, we got into the game a bit more and started passing it and linking up well. Bodin, Nicholson and Mansell played some nice passing the left hand corner between each other and ended up linking up with Jarvis. He was in the box, beat a player but his shot was blocked. We had the two best chances of the first half from Billy Bodin, who had a very good half using his pace well and beating players with class and skill, which got some appreciation from the visiting supporters. The ball came to Bodin on the wing, beat three or four players while running into the box. He beat the last player with a clever step over and his shot was saved. The second chance was when a ball was played over the top by Downes and it came to Bodin. He had two Leeds players aroundb him, but he beat them with pace, shot at goal but his effort on goal just went past the post. Having already mentioned Downes, he had a pretty solid game and put in some strong challenges, some were a little too strong and gave away free kicks, but he had a good performance. Rene Howe had an ok game linking up with players especially Mansell, he also got up well for headers and chased down the ball well, but other than that he wasn't really in the game. The goals conceeded were good goals, the first a strike from 20 yards out which nestled into the corner of the net. The second was just a brilliant free kick, bouncing off the post and in. The first half performance was pretty poor, but the fans where I was were having fun and hoped for a better showing in the second 45.

Well we got that because we played much better in the second half, even Ricey had a good game making a couple incredible saves and kicked the ball very well. Saah was solid throughout, very calm on and off the ball. Macklin was the best player on the pitch by far. When he got the ball he looked very good and linked up with players very well including Jarvis, Yeoman, Mansell and Thompson. However sometimes he used his pace with good affect running down the wing and beating players with ease. When he got to the edge of the pitch he played in some great crosses, especially one to Yeoman at one stage and Ashley really should have finished it off. Cruise had another solid game with Leadbitter playing quite well getting stuck in and passing well. Danny, Lathrope and a couple others were still off the pace. The goal was a good one from a corner, it was whipped in well and headed in with skill by Mckenzie. In the end we really did deserve the final goal to get the draw, but the result doesn't matter in a friendly and we can take some positives from the game, especially the second half performance.

Exeter is our next friendly next week, it'll be good to see how we look against a side that we will face in the season ahead. I would like to see Morris play in the middle and play Jarvis and Rene upfront because he really needed some help today, even though Jarvis has been a little poor. Morris played for Scunny in the CM and he is not a winger, we can all see that and I hope Ling sees that too.

Onwards and upwards!

[Richinns]

Danny - who played the free role in the middle tonight?

[bixieupnorth]

thats official, leeds 2050, in reality there were a lot of leeds fans in our areas, i'd plump for 2500/1400

[bengull]

My first look at the boys this season and a couple of thoughts...

Nathan Craig looks excellent, good with both feet and clever with the ball, some really nice first time passes. Could be a real asset in a number of positions. Goes about his business quietly, the sort of player I like.

Macklin looked like a world-beater when he came on, had the full-back worried every time he got at him, didn't waste the ball when in possession either. He got to this stage last season and failed, lets hope he can make the right choices this time. Can this turnaround be a bit of Lingy man-management genius? If he can play like that consistently he will be a real threat.

Downes, if he can stay fit, will be a real asset for us, looked a bit shaky at the start but grew into his role as the game wore on, by the second half he was dominant. He just needs games.

Leadbitter was a concern, albeit a step up from the tests he would have been up against last season. There is definite potential there, but he needs to develop a footballer's brain, you only need to look at how Mansell played at right-back in the second half to know the first yard is always about your positioning.

Rene and Nicho both look 5 years younger, kudos to both of those, i get the feeling Nicho is going to be a really potent attacking threat next season, a rejuvenated player from the one rotting under PB 3 years ago, and a model professional.

Ticks on the night for Saah, Cruise, Bodin, Easton and Rice, all did their jobs well. McKenzie and Thompson both had cameo appearances and neither looked phased, certainly not just filler players in the squad, worth persevering with.

Looking for big performances from Morris, Stevens and Jarvis on tuesday night, all struggled to impose themselves tonight. I really want Jarvis and Morris to succeed so hope they can prove their worth as automatic picks in our team against League two opposition.

As an overview of the match, we were shell-shocked by an organised and fluent Leeds side in the first 20 minutes, who had the referee ridiculously in their favour throughout. First goal was a nice strike into the bottom corner from 20 yards, given far too much room. 2nd was an unstoppable, world class free kick. They also missed a couple of glaring chances infront of the fam stand. If you take that 20 minute opening salvo out of the equation it was a very even match, we nullified their threat and matched them up until half time, and with Macklin's injection of pace, had them rattled in the second. McKenzie's header was a nice moment for the lad, and 2-1 was probably a fair reflection, and certainly not a bad effort against the 'Champions of Europe'

Final word saved for Bristow's Bench. Awesome, take a bow everyone who had a hand in it. Compare the structure we had in place this time last season to what we have now, and that will indicate which direction this club is heading. Shame we won't see it that populated too many times in the near future. Perhaps we could adorn it with some Torquay flags in the coming months though, really added to the atmosphere.

[ferrarilover]

We won the last 80 minutes 1-0, if you care to look at it that way.

Saah was unbearably good tonight, that boy will be off 12 months from now and for a considerable fee. He's already at least as good as Robbo.

Bodin held his own against vastly superior opposition and but for a superb save would have had a very pretty goal indeed.

NC looked his usual self, Eunan Mk. II.

Special mention must go to Lloyd Macklin who was SO good, he forced Leeds to double up on the left hand side and he still skinned his man (men) repeatedly. Don't get me wrong, he'll need to do it many many more times to win over the doubters, but he can only do it one game at a time.

Matt.

[PlainmoorRoar]

Danny - who played the free role in the middle tonight?

Morris played the first half in the position

[SteveDeckchair]

Sounds a positive night overall then. Might have to get my ass up to Sid James next week. I'm interested to see just how shite they are going to be this season.

Could be hilarious.....

[Dave]

Plenty of positives from this match for me, we have got a real squad now, not just a starting 11, not worried any more if Nicho got injured Cruise looks fantastic, what has happened to Macklin if he stays and carries on playing like he did tonight then fair play to Lingy for some inspired man management, thought Macklin played better than I have ever seen him play.

Morris, Craig and Easton all looked like they can do a good job in the middle, and what surprised me the most is how good Nathan Craig looked defensively, last season after going 2 down at Cheltenham my first thought was where are the game changers on the bench got some now.

The pace of Stevens,Macklin and Tompson sure had the leeds back line troubled in the last 10 minutes, even Ricey waded in with a couple of very saves, his kicking was top notch aswell, all in all after watching that more in the second half than the first feeling quite positive for the season ahead.

[Gullscorer]

Not surprising that there were so many Leeds fans at the match; they top this list of travelling support:
http://www.football-league.co.uk/static ... 950,00.pdf
Sorry I messed that up; here's the link:
http://www.football-league.co.uk/static ... 950,00.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
And Gulls supporters come third in this list:
http://www.football-league.co.uk/static ... 951,00.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Football League stats page:
http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/A ... 94,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Gullscorer]

If, and it may be a big if, Lloyd Macklin carries on the way he's started in pre-season, I wonder if he'll be taken off the transfer list eventually. He won't, of course, if his season turns out to be a repeat of last year's. But perhaps being transfer listed triggered off a change in attitude and approach which can only be good for all concerned. If so, then he will deserve all our support and good wishes, whether he stays or goes. We shall see..

[Tq2Yellow]

What amazes me about Macklin (and bear in mind he was impressive last season in pre-season) is how no one is on his back despite what has happened.

All the supporters were cheering and willing him on, they all want him to succeed as they know there is a decent talented footballer inside and just want him to realise that potential.

Demonstrate it to us all Macklin, don't look back on your career in a few years time with regret!

[Dave]

This it with Lloyd Macklin, he did play very well last pre-season and clearly behind the scenes all was not well with him, Martin Ling has come out in public and given him a huge kick up the back side, but it has to stop there, these things have to be two way.

Lingy can not tell Macklin to buck his ideas up or go, with out being prepared to welcome Macklin back into the fold so to speak if he does just that and starts putting it in fully in training and on the pitch, and that applies to us fans aswell, everyone deserves a second chance.

Last night he showed more than enough desire, and a great deal of strenght on the ball aswell, he was up against championsip defenders who could not handle him one on one , as already mentioned on the thread they doubled up on him and still struggled to stop him.

This lad has potential I have said it all along, right now if it was me I would not be to quick to let him walk out of the door, take him of the transfer list and give him 6 months to prove him self, if nothing has changed for the better then let him go.