Knill & The Season So Far
Posted: 16 Nov 2013, 23:24
Game 1 : Torquay draw 1-1 on opening day against AFC Wimbledon via a Downes header in the last minute cancelling out what looked like a certain Dons winner by Harry Pell in the 88th minute. Nicholson is preferred to start the season over Cruise much to some fans surprise and Hawley starts on the bench as does Chappell. Cameron starts too. Looking back over fans comments of the game we struggled in the middle and Downes and Rice were our best players. Nico struggled too but a promising start to the league campaign.
Game 2 : Torquay go to Morecambe and dig out a 1-1 draw after being on the back foot for much of the first half (I was there) in which we never had a shot. Second half we improved slightly with the introduction of Cameron and Hawley who started this game made a bit of space for himself at the edge of the area and curled one into the top corner. Other than that we created nothing and never looked dangerous. Tonge was sent off for two bookable offences late on. So Hawley in the 11 for this, Nico kept in but struggled as did the midfield of Mansell and Harding. Chappell started too so after not really doing much wrong in a promising first game v Wombles, Knill thinks it necessary to make 2 changes this week. Fans comments on the forum were about the form of Nico, the lack of penetration and the lack of leadership.
Game 3: Oxford at home and the first real signs of what was to come with a 3-1 loss. Cruise had to come in for the suspended Tonge and once again Knill arsed about with the line up dropping Chappell and starting Cameron again. Chappell netted soon after coming on but for the third game in a row we concede and we still haven't taken the lead in a game. Forum members complaining about the ref but also about how dull the game was and once again how we looked well short on energy.
Game 4: Northampton away who are the only team worse than us at the minute so quite understandable that we were able to muster a win there. That said this game was a game of two halves if you excuse the cliché. First half they targeted Nico and were successful, the only saving grace was that they didn't score more than the 1. Nico was annihilated. We created zero again (I was there). Second half is the best I've seen us play under Knill and we were treated to a dynamic period of about 25 minutes where we attacked at pace and created a fair few chances. I have not seen anything remotely like this period of play since. Chappell bagging two in an excellent performance. This time Bodin was on the bench for Cameron. Fans obviously happy but concerned about Nico and his form. Calls for him to be dropped.
Game 5 : The visitors were Hartlepool, at that point at the bottom and yet to score a league goal. The game ended 0-0 with some saying we had enough chances to score but just couldn't on the day. Chappell starts and Cameron on the bench. Tonge back in so full strength side. Forum members bemoaning our inability to score past a dreadful side.
Game 6: Fleetwood away, I went. Got well and truly stuffed 4-1. Men against boys on the day. No creativity whatsoever, no shots at goal apart from Benners consolation and a truly desolate experience. Cameron starts again, I think Bodin was on international duty. Again Nico given a torrid time. Ball starts again but still can't score likewise Hawley. 6 games without taking a lead and with no sense of direction noticeable. Mansell and Harding getting criticised on the forum. Ricey once again MOTM and he let in 4. Tells it's own story.
Game 7: We look for a the first positive reaction from the team as we head to Spotland to banish the ghosts of Fleetwood. We get no reaction and a tepid 1-0 defeat again creating nothing. This is still with a FULL STRENGTH team please bear in mind. Dale take the lead with 15 minutes to go yet Knill waits until 5 minutes from time to make his first sub - Sullivan and then when we really need a last minute push he replaces Nico with Cruise in the 87th minute. No other subs are made. Bodin starts as do Hawley and Ball AGAIN and still neither score. We haven't taken the lead in 7 games. Fans on the forum getting a bit despondant with Knill and his lack of direction or lack of tactical nous.
Game 8 : A bright spot in the season against a Cheltenham side shipping goals and with Darren Deadman in charge too. We overcome them 4-2 at Plainmoor with a brace from Ball who at last scores his only goals in Torquay colours. Hawley also scores and so does Chappell. Cruise now starts ahead of Nico which looks like Knill has finally had enough of the Gulls legend. A great result although the first sign of fans beginning to bicker on the forum about the suitability of Knill for the job of keeping us up never mind anything else. We finally take the lead in a game and after over 700 minutes of league football.
Game 9 : We revert back to type with a tepid 2-1 loss at league newboys Newport. Hawley dropped, Ball starts and debutant Azeez comes on for Chappell after 54 minutes and scores soon after. Knill waits until 10 minutes from the end before making further changes in a game we were chasing a two goal deficit for 54 minutes. Created p*ss all once again and looked totally disjointed. Ball has his last game and scores twice for us. Poor.
Game 10: A 3-0 rout at home by fellow strugglers York City increases the tension and anxiety around the club. To be fair to Knill on this occasion he made all the subs before the 70th minute but we were convincingly outplayed by York. Extenuating circumstances were that both Downes and Pearce were out and therefore Cruise played alongside new loanee Anthony O'Connor at the back. Debates about lack of cover at centre back on the forum.
Game 11: We travel to Wycombe (I was there) without new loanee centre back due to him being called up for Ireland so a bizarre decision from Knill to bring him in really. Cruise once again has to deputise alongside the returning Pearce who had been out with a serious illness. Things going surprisingly well without us creating much and we were 2-1 up at half time. They got up a head of steam and put us under pressure and equalised then we just needed to dig in and not do anything silly. Knill then brings on an untried 18 year old midfielder for his football league debut (McCourt) and we go behind 2 minutes later. Masterstroke. A demoralising loss that could so easily have been avoided. After going 3-2 down in the 77th minute Knill then waits a further 10 minutes and brings on...........................................Nathan Craig! Then Cameron in injury time! Lathrope started and did well but all the good work was undone. Forum getting heated.
Game 12 : The Dog and Duck head to Plainmoor or so some would have us believe. Mansfield were the visitors yet we couldn't break them down and we drew 0-0. Cruise dropped again for Nico, Knill brings off Chappell for Craig on 64 minutes (why?), Pearce gets sent off so Cruise comes on and then Benyon in the 82nd minute.
Game 13: Burton away on a Tuesday night (I was there) to witness the worst performance in many years. We had one half chance in 90 minutes and were totally clueless and leaderless. Knill was motionless on the touchline and afterwards said "I thought we did ok". My God. Downes was still out and Pearce suspended so O'Connor and Cruise were at the back. Chappell was inexplicably left on the bench and new loanee striker McCallum added literally at the last minute usurped the rest of the squad by being brought on in place of the injured Bodin in the first half. Bizarre. Nathan Craig started too as did McCourt. Bizarre. Chappell finally comes on after 77 minutes then Benners on 85 minutes when we were a goal down after 70. Scathing criticism on the forum but still some keeping the faith.
Game 14 : A 1-1 draw at home to Portsmouth after going in front with the quickest goal in TUFC history. For Knill that meant nothing, we couldn't hold on and had no chance of holding on. We scored too early. Cruise on the bench again, McCallum starts and Knill waits until the 74th minute before making a change bringing on Mozika. They equalised soon after. A poor display.
Game 15 : Bury were beaten 3-1 (I was there) but the signs were still there. No cohesion, no creativity, no direction, no leadership and we should in all honesty been 3 or 4 down in the first 25 as they cut into us at will down the flanks. We managed to nick two goals from corners. Downes on his return who now is our joint second highest goalscorer with 2 and he is a defender and he has been out for weeks and weeks. The others on 2 are Ball (now left but scored 2 in the one game having had 9 or 10 barren ones) and Azeez who again isn't our player and Hawley who has played nearly every bloody game! Anyway, the conditions deteriorated and Bury looked for a leveller which they were unlucky not to get as they had umpteen goalmouth scrambles. We hit on the break and got a third due to great play by Benners and a great finish by McCallum. We had a few chances once they were sucked in near the end but up until then we were poor in terms of creativity. We were resolute which I've not seen this season. Forum annoyed me because people were saying we'd turned a corner but if you'd seen the game quite clearly we hadn't.
Game 16: A predictable home defeat by a Chesterfield side without a league win in 7. Poor , no ideas, no fight and Knill forlorn on the touchline. I'm not the oracle but if he had read my insight into Chesterfield that I posted in the thread then he could have got us a point. I did his scouting mission for him yet he still failed to work out how they were going to line up and what their threats were when the information was out there and easy to understand. Today proved to me that he doesn't actually do any research into our opponents. He doesn't. Hoping the players can do the business on his behalf so he can take the credit. Calls for Knill out on the forum and justified. For this game he tries to combat effectively a 5 strong talented Spireites midfield by giving Mozika a start who was anonymous, giving Craig a start which not only was bizarre but he also played him on the wing, McCourt started which was bizarre and suddenly Nico is now sh*t again and so Cruise comes back in. O'Connor misses out again to international call up. On top of that he waits until the 70th minute to bring Benyon on, the 78th minute to bring on Sullivan and the 85th minute to bring on Cameron. Hawley starts again and still doesn't score. 2 in 14 or so I reckon. Still, more than Bodin.
In addition we have been dumped out of ALL THREE cup competitions at the first hurdle without scoring in any of them, two of which were at home.
To round off if you can see ANY positives in that little lot then you should really be a cognitive behavioural therapist, maybe you are but i'm not. I'm learning about it but all the above says to me is that we need to get rid of Knill now to give us a chance of staying in the division. His management approach is to create as much disruption as is humanly possible in footballing terms. He has been backed by the board and allowed to bring players in so that is not an excuse. Ultimately there is no evidence above that he is sane or a capable football manager. His demeanour is one of horror, despair and isolation and he has had more than enough opportunities to show us he is on the right path but he just hasn't been able to do that for whatever reason and for that he must go. He is a loser.
Game 2 : Torquay go to Morecambe and dig out a 1-1 draw after being on the back foot for much of the first half (I was there) in which we never had a shot. Second half we improved slightly with the introduction of Cameron and Hawley who started this game made a bit of space for himself at the edge of the area and curled one into the top corner. Other than that we created nothing and never looked dangerous. Tonge was sent off for two bookable offences late on. So Hawley in the 11 for this, Nico kept in but struggled as did the midfield of Mansell and Harding. Chappell started too so after not really doing much wrong in a promising first game v Wombles, Knill thinks it necessary to make 2 changes this week. Fans comments on the forum were about the form of Nico, the lack of penetration and the lack of leadership.
Game 3: Oxford at home and the first real signs of what was to come with a 3-1 loss. Cruise had to come in for the suspended Tonge and once again Knill arsed about with the line up dropping Chappell and starting Cameron again. Chappell netted soon after coming on but for the third game in a row we concede and we still haven't taken the lead in a game. Forum members complaining about the ref but also about how dull the game was and once again how we looked well short on energy.
Game 4: Northampton away who are the only team worse than us at the minute so quite understandable that we were able to muster a win there. That said this game was a game of two halves if you excuse the cliché. First half they targeted Nico and were successful, the only saving grace was that they didn't score more than the 1. Nico was annihilated. We created zero again (I was there). Second half is the best I've seen us play under Knill and we were treated to a dynamic period of about 25 minutes where we attacked at pace and created a fair few chances. I have not seen anything remotely like this period of play since. Chappell bagging two in an excellent performance. This time Bodin was on the bench for Cameron. Fans obviously happy but concerned about Nico and his form. Calls for him to be dropped.
Game 5 : The visitors were Hartlepool, at that point at the bottom and yet to score a league goal. The game ended 0-0 with some saying we had enough chances to score but just couldn't on the day. Chappell starts and Cameron on the bench. Tonge back in so full strength side. Forum members bemoaning our inability to score past a dreadful side.
Game 6: Fleetwood away, I went. Got well and truly stuffed 4-1. Men against boys on the day. No creativity whatsoever, no shots at goal apart from Benners consolation and a truly desolate experience. Cameron starts again, I think Bodin was on international duty. Again Nico given a torrid time. Ball starts again but still can't score likewise Hawley. 6 games without taking a lead and with no sense of direction noticeable. Mansell and Harding getting criticised on the forum. Ricey once again MOTM and he let in 4. Tells it's own story.
Game 7: We look for a the first positive reaction from the team as we head to Spotland to banish the ghosts of Fleetwood. We get no reaction and a tepid 1-0 defeat again creating nothing. This is still with a FULL STRENGTH team please bear in mind. Dale take the lead with 15 minutes to go yet Knill waits until 5 minutes from time to make his first sub - Sullivan and then when we really need a last minute push he replaces Nico with Cruise in the 87th minute. No other subs are made. Bodin starts as do Hawley and Ball AGAIN and still neither score. We haven't taken the lead in 7 games. Fans on the forum getting a bit despondant with Knill and his lack of direction or lack of tactical nous.
Game 8 : A bright spot in the season against a Cheltenham side shipping goals and with Darren Deadman in charge too. We overcome them 4-2 at Plainmoor with a brace from Ball who at last scores his only goals in Torquay colours. Hawley also scores and so does Chappell. Cruise now starts ahead of Nico which looks like Knill has finally had enough of the Gulls legend. A great result although the first sign of fans beginning to bicker on the forum about the suitability of Knill for the job of keeping us up never mind anything else. We finally take the lead in a game and after over 700 minutes of league football.
Game 9 : We revert back to type with a tepid 2-1 loss at league newboys Newport. Hawley dropped, Ball starts and debutant Azeez comes on for Chappell after 54 minutes and scores soon after. Knill waits until 10 minutes from the end before making further changes in a game we were chasing a two goal deficit for 54 minutes. Created p*ss all once again and looked totally disjointed. Ball has his last game and scores twice for us. Poor.
Game 10: A 3-0 rout at home by fellow strugglers York City increases the tension and anxiety around the club. To be fair to Knill on this occasion he made all the subs before the 70th minute but we were convincingly outplayed by York. Extenuating circumstances were that both Downes and Pearce were out and therefore Cruise played alongside new loanee Anthony O'Connor at the back. Debates about lack of cover at centre back on the forum.
Game 11: We travel to Wycombe (I was there) without new loanee centre back due to him being called up for Ireland so a bizarre decision from Knill to bring him in really. Cruise once again has to deputise alongside the returning Pearce who had been out with a serious illness. Things going surprisingly well without us creating much and we were 2-1 up at half time. They got up a head of steam and put us under pressure and equalised then we just needed to dig in and not do anything silly. Knill then brings on an untried 18 year old midfielder for his football league debut (McCourt) and we go behind 2 minutes later. Masterstroke. A demoralising loss that could so easily have been avoided. After going 3-2 down in the 77th minute Knill then waits a further 10 minutes and brings on...........................................Nathan Craig! Then Cameron in injury time! Lathrope started and did well but all the good work was undone. Forum getting heated.
Game 12 : The Dog and Duck head to Plainmoor or so some would have us believe. Mansfield were the visitors yet we couldn't break them down and we drew 0-0. Cruise dropped again for Nico, Knill brings off Chappell for Craig on 64 minutes (why?), Pearce gets sent off so Cruise comes on and then Benyon in the 82nd minute.
Game 13: Burton away on a Tuesday night (I was there) to witness the worst performance in many years. We had one half chance in 90 minutes and were totally clueless and leaderless. Knill was motionless on the touchline and afterwards said "I thought we did ok". My God. Downes was still out and Pearce suspended so O'Connor and Cruise were at the back. Chappell was inexplicably left on the bench and new loanee striker McCallum added literally at the last minute usurped the rest of the squad by being brought on in place of the injured Bodin in the first half. Bizarre. Nathan Craig started too as did McCourt. Bizarre. Chappell finally comes on after 77 minutes then Benners on 85 minutes when we were a goal down after 70. Scathing criticism on the forum but still some keeping the faith.
Game 14 : A 1-1 draw at home to Portsmouth after going in front with the quickest goal in TUFC history. For Knill that meant nothing, we couldn't hold on and had no chance of holding on. We scored too early. Cruise on the bench again, McCallum starts and Knill waits until the 74th minute before making a change bringing on Mozika. They equalised soon after. A poor display.
Game 15 : Bury were beaten 3-1 (I was there) but the signs were still there. No cohesion, no creativity, no direction, no leadership and we should in all honesty been 3 or 4 down in the first 25 as they cut into us at will down the flanks. We managed to nick two goals from corners. Downes on his return who now is our joint second highest goalscorer with 2 and he is a defender and he has been out for weeks and weeks. The others on 2 are Ball (now left but scored 2 in the one game having had 9 or 10 barren ones) and Azeez who again isn't our player and Hawley who has played nearly every bloody game! Anyway, the conditions deteriorated and Bury looked for a leveller which they were unlucky not to get as they had umpteen goalmouth scrambles. We hit on the break and got a third due to great play by Benners and a great finish by McCallum. We had a few chances once they were sucked in near the end but up until then we were poor in terms of creativity. We were resolute which I've not seen this season. Forum annoyed me because people were saying we'd turned a corner but if you'd seen the game quite clearly we hadn't.
Game 16: A predictable home defeat by a Chesterfield side without a league win in 7. Poor , no ideas, no fight and Knill forlorn on the touchline. I'm not the oracle but if he had read my insight into Chesterfield that I posted in the thread then he could have got us a point. I did his scouting mission for him yet he still failed to work out how they were going to line up and what their threats were when the information was out there and easy to understand. Today proved to me that he doesn't actually do any research into our opponents. He doesn't. Hoping the players can do the business on his behalf so he can take the credit. Calls for Knill out on the forum and justified. For this game he tries to combat effectively a 5 strong talented Spireites midfield by giving Mozika a start who was anonymous, giving Craig a start which not only was bizarre but he also played him on the wing, McCourt started which was bizarre and suddenly Nico is now sh*t again and so Cruise comes back in. O'Connor misses out again to international call up. On top of that he waits until the 70th minute to bring Benyon on, the 78th minute to bring on Sullivan and the 85th minute to bring on Cameron. Hawley starts again and still doesn't score. 2 in 14 or so I reckon. Still, more than Bodin.
In addition we have been dumped out of ALL THREE cup competitions at the first hurdle without scoring in any of them, two of which were at home.
To round off if you can see ANY positives in that little lot then you should really be a cognitive behavioural therapist, maybe you are but i'm not. I'm learning about it but all the above says to me is that we need to get rid of Knill now to give us a chance of staying in the division. His management approach is to create as much disruption as is humanly possible in footballing terms. He has been backed by the board and allowed to bring players in so that is not an excuse. Ultimately there is no evidence above that he is sane or a capable football manager. His demeanour is one of horror, despair and isolation and he has had more than enough opportunities to show us he is on the right path but he just hasn't been able to do that for whatever reason and for that he must go. He is a loser.
