Balance of the Team

[SkyBlueGull]

Okay - I haven't been to a match yet this season - Oxford was supposed to be my first but family illness takes precedence. I hope to be at Northampton next weekend.

So my observations are based upon the comments I have seen on here and the actual radio commentaries of the 3 games rather than seeing any of the games in the flesh so please don't berate me for not having been. I am just expressing an opinion from deepest darkest Warwickshire.

To me - the balance in midfield doesn't seem right with Mansell and Harding. There isn't that "wow" factor, that sense of anticipation that I used to get when I heard that Fowler, Russell or O'Kane were on the ball, that something was going to happen. (This may sound silly but I have listened to a lot of commentaries over the years).

Both of these players seem to similar - in the past we have played well with a workmanlike "box to box" midfielder and a playmaker. We don't seem to have that "playmaker" at the moment. I really would like to see Craig be given a go. I feel it could be so reminiscent of O'Kane - who spent almost a season in the shadows - before being given a chance. I don't feel Craig has been given that chance and needs a run in the side - to find his feet - and become the new O'Kane Mark 2. If it doesn't work out then get him off the wage bill - but I would rather try and explore his talents now at the beginning of the season - rather than at the back end of the season - where if we are in trouble - his type of player becomes a luxury you cant afford when you need to grind out results.

A couple of other observations

Central defence - I remember when Saah joined - we all thought he was a liability after a few games - that the jump up from the Conference was too much - but after 6+ games he began to establish a great partnership with Downes. I am hoping/anticipating that this will be the same with Downes and Pearce - remember they only got together some 3 days before the start of the season.

I feel really sorry for Yeoman and fear for his future at TUFC - I thought he did very well at Morecombe and Bristol Rovers at the back end of last season and thought this year would be his opportunity. We kept hearing about how he was the best finisher in the club ( in training) and he demonstrated that to me at Morecombe. I don't feel that the lad has been given a "fair crack of the whip" - he is in the doldrums - and his future looks to be elsewhere without ever having been given the chance of an extended run in the team. I will rue the day he goes because I feel that there is a talent there that we wont - but some other club will - benefit from

As I say just some humble opinions.











This may sound silly but I have listened to a lot of commentaries over the years

[lucy6lucy]

Dont feel 'silly' about giving your opinion or view of the first 3 games. What you have stated is pretty much what has been already been discussed/stated. I agree with what you have wrote, we just need time to bond, lets face it a month ago, we didnt have a squad worthy of putting out, thankfully we have 43 games to sort this out.

[Colorado Gull]

Craig should be given a go 100%, he is a great player and I still think our best midfielder.

[ferrarilover]

It's very early, but Harding really doesn't look the answer to me. I'm sure the lurking AC Northants faithful will be laughing up their sleeves at this, but, sadly, it's true.

He makes far too many mistakes, is too weak in the tackle and finds the game simply passing him by. I am lead to believe that Knill remains disappointed in Harding's performances. I don't know (perhaps the Bury fan can enlighten us?) whether Knill is one of those who sticks to the players he has signed, or whether he is likely to give Nathan Craig (as the ever correct, if hugely racist Danny points out, he is our best footballing midfielder) a chance.

Matt.

[brucie]

Having watched the Tiverton friendly I am not sure whether it was me but Craig looked like he had shed a few pounds and scored a really good goal in that game.
It doesn't look like he is Knills sort of player at all though. Ling didn't trust him to play central midfield. He is good enough on the ball but two managers don't want to play him in a central role in a 4-4-2, probaly because he can't run I guess.
The rest of the post is reasonable enough - Yeoman looked like he might break through this year but seems to have dropped further down the pecking order.
I would also be giving Thompson a go from the bench - but again he doesn't seem flavour of the month with the manager.

[Jeff]

I think I saw Craig play CM twice last season (Port Vale and Southend). His performance at Vale was ok, and he pinged a few decent passes around. But he was an absolute passenger at Southend, so I'm not convinced he can cut it in a 4-4-2. If we were to adapt to a 4-2-3-1, he could possibly play the role as the central one of the 3, spraying passes out to the wings - but then that would leave us a bit short staffed up front.

It'd be great if he was the answer, but I'm not sure

[ferrarilover]

Don't put it past Knill to go with 3-5-2. Play Cruise, Downer and Pearce at the back, have a central 5 of Manse, Lathrope, Chappell (is that right?), Craig and Cameron and a front two of Hawley and Ball. That side would scare the shit out of the public on paper, but it might just work.

Craig feeds the two speedsters on the wings and Manse goes box to box to fill in for the missing defender. With Lathrope in his traditional anchor role, we shouldn't be as light at the back as the formation suggests, but we would (hopefully) have more control of the midfield, better distribution through Craig and, who knows, we might just score 5 goals.

Matt.

[PlainmoorRoar]

yeoman needs to go on loan, he needs game time!

[tomogull]

[quote="SkyBlueGull"]
To me - the balance in midfield doesn't seem right with Mansell and Harding. There isn't that "wow" factor, that sense of anticipation that I used to get when I heard that Fowler, Russell or O'Kane were on the ball, that something was going to happen. (This may sound silly but I have listened to a lot of commentaries over the years). Both of these players seem to similar. (quote)

No - they aren't similar at all, Skyblue. Manse busts his guts out for the team and doesn't like losing. Harding 'disappears' for much of the game and he hasn't broken out into a sweat yet. But you are absolutely right - it is in midfield where we're failing. We badly need a Labadie-type midfielder.

[supergulls]

I think Lathrope and Craig are both a better option than Harding, in every team there is a place for a "water carrier" but I feel like playing two players that are similar is a big mistake. We are lacking creativity in the center of midfield. I am yet to see Harding play well and for me he should be dropped out and either Lathrope or Craig given an opportunity. But sadly as Harding is knills player I think we will have to have a run of bad results and prolonged amount of games before this happens.

[MidDevon]

Craig is without doubt the best passer of the ball at the club. Mansell, for all we love him, is not a great passer and in the 3 league games this season has given the ball away countless times and seems incapable or unwilling to pass out to the wings.

The issue seems to be do we need a "terrier" in the centre of the park who will run and run and run or do we wan's someone like Craig who has the ability of longer accuarte balls and putting balls into space.

To me Mansell is just not a 2013 style midfielder, most clubs have moved on and it's time we did

So what would I do

1. Make Aaron Downes captain....he seems to be shouting more than Mansell as it is.
2. Put Craig in central midfield but more forward than Mansell currently is.
3. Stick Lathrope behind Craig , in the position Lathorpe was so successful in a couple of years back, especially away from home
4. Move Mansell at best to right back or possibly the bench

My opinion is that Lathorpe would step up and offer the agression Mansell gives in midfield and give Craig the confidence to try the unexpected, knowing Lathorpe is in a sort of midfield sweeper roll.

We have yet to take a game to the other team on the 3 teams we have played so far, Wimbledon look midtable at best, Morecambe were one of the weaker teams I have seen since we returned to the league, and Oxford would have steamrolled us at leisure if we had played them 10 times on a row.

[supergulls]

Craig is without doubt the best passer of the ball at the club. Mansell, for all we love him, is not a great passer and in the 3 league games this season has given the ball away countless times and seems incapable or unwilling to pass out to the wings.

The issue seems to be do we need a "terrier" in the centre of the park who will run and run and run or do we wan's someone like Craig who has the ability of longer accuarte balls and putting balls into space.

To me Mansell is just not a 2013 style midfielder, most clubs have moved on and it's time we did

So what would I do

1. Make Aaron Downes captain....he seems to be shouting more than Mansell as it is.
2. Put Craig in central midfield but more forward than Mansell currently is.
3. Stick Lathrope behind Craig , in the position Lathorpe was so successful in a couple of years back, especially away from home
4. Move Mansell at best to right back or possibly the bench

My opinion is that Lathorpe would step up and offer the agression Mansell gives in midfield and give Craig the confidence to try the unexpected, knowing Lathorpe is in a sort of midfield sweeper roll.

We have yet to take a game to the other team on the 3 teams we have played so far, Wimbledon look midtable at best, Morecambe were one of the weaker teams I have seen since we returned to the league, and Oxford would have steamrolled us at leisure if we had played them 10 times on a row.

I agree on some of those points but are they going to happen ... No I think it's very unrealistic, if we go back to last season when mansell was out of the side we won all of the matches if my memory serves me right, But then mansell comes straight back into the team. I think it's the scenario of when he is fit or not suspended he plays in every game regardless of form.

[MidDevon]

You doubts are of course reasonable supergulls, but having watched 4th division football for countless years, like many on here, we are looking very much like a 50 to 55 point team and that is in the main because our forwards, like last season, do just not feature in our games.

Taking the captain out is a difficult decision for any manager as there is a sort of player "hierachy" at Torquay in the dressing room and sitting very much at the top is Mansell and Nico.

[PhilGull]

I think people need to remember that O'Kane played as an attacking midfielder in front of Lathrope and Manse in his last season, Ling wasn't playing 4-4-2.
From what I've learnt about Knill he likes to play quite an old fashioned 4-4-2 with pace down the wings and big man/little man up front that changes to a 4-2-4 in possession. The midfielders are there to do the grunt work and Craig just isn't suited to that sadly.
I agree about Yeoman. I was surprised when Hawley came in. I thought with Benners, Yeoman and Sullivan all able to play the 'second striker' role we were going to sign a big man permanently and one on loan. The signing of Hawley has pushed Benners to the bench and is making Yeoman and Sullivan fight it out for first reserve.
Having said all of that I get the impression that neither Harding nor Hawley were first choice picks. The trip to France seems to have been entirely fruitless.

[Colorado Gull]

Don't put it past Knill to go with 3-5-2. Play Cruise, Downer and Pearce at the back, have a central 5 of Manse, Lathrope, Chappell (is that right?), Craig and Cameron and a front two of Hawley and Ball. That side would scare the sh*t out of the public on paper, but it might just work.

Craig feeds the two speedsters on the wings and Manse goes box to box to fill in for the missing defender. With Lathrope in his traditional anchor role, we shouldn't be as light at the back as the formation suggests, but we would (hopefully) have more control of the midfield, better distribution through Craig and, who knows, we might just score 5 goals.

Matt.

I like that idea mate, just always the worry when you don't have 4 at the back.