Brief Synopsis (Torquay)

Aerok · Jan 2, 2012

Just not good enough, unfortunately.

Young on the right? Worst performance of the season. Kept coming to the middle, looking for the simple pass... backwards.. and often losing possession.

Chadders going off after 5 was bad news... Feeney tried to fill in, but he's not that sort of a striker.

Subs bench out of order? Game was crying out for Atkinson from the bench!

Paul_Roberts · Jan 2, 2012

Very poor. As I said in the match thread, Torquay were the first decent team we've played in a while and they beat us on our own patch without too much trouble.

We've got some really tough games coming up, and I'm genuinely concerned for the first time that we might not be good enough to stay up.

PL2 3DQ · Jan 2, 2012

A cracking game!

Once Chadwick went off in the 15th minute we struggled, I think if he had stayed on we might have got something from the game. As it was, his replacement Sutherland offered nothing; no fight and it was like playing with 10 men. Send him back.

Berry, Young and Walton all had good games but the reality is that we were poor for most of this game, it was only after we scored did we finally raise our game.
Once the first Torquay goal was scored Fletch changed to a 4-3-3 system but it meant every high ball was aimed at Feeney who was up against big centre-backs. Perhaps Soukouna could have been used for the last 10 minutes as a striker? In the end Walton played the last 5 minutes as a striker.

The club wasn't ready for the big crowd with extra turnstiles and blocks of seats opened just before kick-off; plenty of casual fans complaining about the lack of organisation.

Credit to the Torquay fans, they were excellent and backed their team for the full 90 minutes.

We lacked a presence up front and in defence and we paid the price. We have no adquate replacements for Purse and Chadwick.
We couldn't cope with Torquay's passing style and ability to run at our defence, Hourihane is too lightweight and offered no protection to the back four.

The plus points was the performances of Young, Walton and Berry and to a lesser extent Feeney.

GreenSam · Jan 2, 2012

I'm not pressing the panic button.

We lost a game. It happens. We haven't in the last 5 before it. We lost to a good team with two of our new gems missing (Chadders and Purse). January dealings still to come.

Not a good day, we were outplayed, it feels crap but it happens. We were never gonna go the season unbeaten whatever the final outcome.

I'm still confident we'll survive.

Cobi Budge · Jan 2, 2012

To the OP:

Strongly disagree with you about Young, I thought we were good on both sides. Young gave the team way more than Atkinson does, stood up for himself and went into challenges well. Very good game from a promising player.

JonB · Jan 2, 2012

Again, disagree with the above - as I posted during the game, Young had a shocker of a first half - utterly invisible.

His second half was only lifted by the cooly taken, albeit unchallenged goal.

Possibly our worst player on the park today, although there are a few challenging for that title.

McQ · Jan 2, 2012

Walton grew into the game but he looks lethargic and often had to throw himself into a tackle because he was slow getting to the ball. He has the ability, and the fitness because at the end he was still making long runs, what he lacks is sharpness. Hourihane does not complement him at all, and as a pair they get passed through to easily, and get to the defence to easily. On first viewing it seemed to me that this was how both torquay goals came because there midfield were free.
It sounds strange but I thought that all of the defence had decent games, especially Berry who was my motm.
We need another 'big' striker and a snappy energetic midfielder at least, perhaps blanchard when purse returns.
Torquay were mobile going forward and a couple of agricultural fellas at the back, decent but not great.

Finally I thought the ref was excellent apart from the free kick which led to the torquay which looked questionable.

Frank Butcher · Jan 2, 2012

Clearly second best today and I was impressed by Torquay. The first half was a stark comparison - apart from Feeney's galncing header, every Argyle effort came from oytsode the box. By contrast I don't think Torquay shot from outsode the box at all, working a number of intricate chances inside 18 yards.

Clearly some difference of opinion on Young but I thought he had a mare in the first-half. Eventually Fletcher moved to a 4-5-1 type formation with Sutherland wide (hopeless) and Young moving into the middle whence he contributed much more. That said, I didn't understand why you wouldn't play a striker as a striker at 2-0 down - and hence have two, but hey...

The best thing to come from the game is that there was no surrender. Earlier in the season we would have rolled over.

Lesson learn't - we need a right midfielder. Young isn't it, Atkinson isn't it and Sutherland certainly isn't it.

Johndelve · Jan 2, 2012

Beaten by a far better side.

Our game plan went out the window (along with any chance of winning) when Chadwick went off.

Too lightweight without Purse and Chadwick, midfield outplayed, and with the exception of Hemmings we had no attacking threat.

1st defeat in 6, but it isnt looking good, we lack strength in the squad to back up players like Purse and Chadwick.

Great attendance, but sadly 6,000 of those saw their first and only game at Home Park this season.

Bad day at the office.

Paul_Roberts · Jan 2, 2012

JonB":34207454 said:
Again, disagree with the above - as I posted during the game, Young had a shocker of a first half - utterly invisible.

His second half was only lifted by the cooly taken, albeit unchallenged goal.

Possibly our worst player on the park today, although there are a few challenging for that title.

Agree Jon, though it's worth pointing out that the occasion probably got to him. He's still just a kid and today would have been good experience for him.

McQ · Jan 2, 2012

JonB":3cp673dh said:
Again, disagree with the above - as I posted during the game, Young had a shocker of a first half - utterly invisible.

His second half was only lifted by the cooly taken, albeit unchallenged goal.

Possibly our worst player on the park today, although there are a few challenging for that title.

Disagree, he was not bad he showed energy and enthusiasm and skill, no more than ok but definitely not as bad as you say....step forward Sutherland for the worst.

Andy Holland · Jan 2, 2012

Posty, we must have been watching different games today, I thought Walton in particular was absolutely dreadful. He could barely trap a ball and his passing was all over the place, for the second Torquay goal he was stood in our box marking no-one. I lost count of the number of Gerrard-esc balls he lumped into touch or onto a fullback's head. The sooner he goes the better...and Fletch can play himself in the middle instead.

PL2 3DQ · Jan 2, 2012

Andy Holland":2ll25i10 said:
Posty, we must have been watching different games today, I thought Walton in particular was absolutely dreadful. He could barely trap a ball and his passing was all over the place, for the second Torquay goal he was stood in our box marking no-one. I lost count of the number of Gerrard-esc balls he lumped into touch or onto a fullback's head. The sooner he goes the better...and Fletch can play himself in the middle instead.

Yes, we must have.

NovaGreen469 · Jan 2, 2012

PL2 3DQ":1c3fno1s said:
A cracking game!

Once Chadwick went off in the 15th minute we struggled, I think if he had stayed on we might have got something from the game. As it was, his replacement Sutherland offered nothing; no fight and it was like playing with 10 men. Send him back.

Berry, Young and Walton all had good games but the reality is that we were poor for most of this game, it was only after we scored did we finally raise our game.
Once the first Torquay goal was scored Fletch changed to a 4-3-3 system but it meant every high ball was aimed at Feeney who was up against big centre-backs. Perhaps Soukouna could have been used for the last 10 minutes as a striker? In the end Walton played the last 5 minutes as a striker.

The club wasn't ready for the big crowd with extra turnstiles and blocks of seats opened just before kick-off; plenty of casual fans complaining about the lack of organisation.

Credit to the Torquay fans, they were excellent and backed their team for the full 90 minutes.

We lacked a presence up front and in defence and we paid the price. We have no adquate replacements for Purse and Chadwick.
We couldn't cope with Torquay's passing style and ability to run at our defence, Hourihane is too lightweight and offered no protection to the back four.

The plus points was the performances of Young, Walton and Berry and to a lesser extent Feeney.

Once again I completely agree with everything you say. I think Youngs performance was questionable though, I am a fan of Atkinson and think he should have started today, or at least come on as a sub to spice things up.

Plus points:

- Cole was fantastic again
- Berrys positioning, tactical sense, marking and tackling has vastly improved. He has turned into an excellent defender, my MoTM!
- Ashley Hemmings once again had a good game, unfortunately without Chadwick there was no real presence up front.
- We never gave up, and the belief was there to go on and score a second goal. We just weren't clinical enough.

Lets also remember, we have Purse back next match and hopefully Chadwick will be fit to play. Torquay are a quality side and we gave them a good fight, that's good enough for me. Twas a really good game and today I was happy to see some good football played by both sides.

Manchester Green · Jan 2, 2012

Abysmal performance, substandard until the goal.

Players passing balls to nowhere seemed to be the theme of the afternoon. Lack of decent crossing over on the wings, positioning totally askew with no-one to pass to.

Relegation on this form, disorganised rubbish.

Brief Synopsis (Torquay)

Aerok

Paul_Roberts

Guest

PL2 3DQ

Site Owner

GreenSam

Cobi Budge

JonB

McQ

Frank Butcher

Johndelve

Paul_Roberts

Guest

McQ

Andy Holland

PL2 3DQ

Site Owner

NovaGreen469

Manchester Green