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Torquay United Away
- Thread starter GreenArmy1984
- Start date
C
Cobi Budge.
Guest
Im not that sure on Nelson at RB I would play McHugh because hes our best defender and I have never seen him have a bad game at CB I agree hes not a LB but at CB for me hes flawless and near enough as perfect as you can get in this league plus hes my favorite player. He should play every game for me barring injury or a loss of form which I dont think he will have.
I cant think of any mistakes he made last season at all whereas when you look at the goals we conceded against Wycombe in the Play-Offs most of the goals were from a Hartley mistake correct me if I am wrong there.
I cant think of any mistakes he made last season at all whereas when you look at the goals we conceded against Wycombe in the Play-Offs most of the goals were from a Hartley mistake correct me if I am wrong there.
A decent workout for the team, with some promising signs I feel. Central midfield area lacked a little edge, but I liked what I saw of Boateng, considering he's still getting to grips with being here. Good to see Reid getting stuck in and looking fit.
810 Argyle fans - very impressive!
810 Argyle fans - very impressive!
Cobi - I may be wrong but I think before last season started (or very early on) you had McHugh's name on your shirt. You defended him ceaselessly when he under performed at left - back and eulogised endlessly at him at centre - back. He had a good season but whenever we went 4 at the back the centre pairing was always Hartley and Nelson. Simple reason is that they are bigger and stronger. There is no doubt that McHugh is the better footballer but he's not the better defender.
Those saying that Hartley cost us the play-offs, it certainly wasn't my recollection but also remember that in those games it was McHugh that went off when we went 4-4-2 and attacked. I seem to recall the two full backs being got at which was always our weak spot when playing a back 3.
McHugh is a good player and he's reasonable back up but he's not our best defender.
I missed last night but it sounds like we played a similar game to the one we played at Bath and also sounds like DA is trying different things still. Sounds like last night we played it long (as at Bath) and I suspect that is an instruction from the bench. If true at least we're not only setting ourselves up for plan A but also looking at Plans B and C. Wasn't this what we all wanted last season?
Those saying that Hartley cost us the play-offs, it certainly wasn't my recollection but also remember that in those games it was McHugh that went off when we went 4-4-2 and attacked. I seem to recall the two full backs being got at which was always our weak spot when playing a back 3.
McHugh is a good player and he's reasonable back up but he's not our best defender.
I missed last night but it sounds like we played a similar game to the one we played at Bath and also sounds like DA is trying different things still. Sounds like last night we played it long (as at Bath) and I suspect that is an instruction from the bench. If true at least we're not only setting ourselves up for plan A but also looking at Plans B and C. Wasn't this what we all wanted last season?
To you maybe but you don't 'worry' as you haven't realised he's our best central defender, but I do worry about one of our best players not playing and becoming disgruntled, that said he's a fighter so fancy him to force his way back in.Mark Pedlar":12dlidmm said:
I am very excited about the new season.
Just two thing's that concerns me slightly. People have mentioned it before. He certainly "talks the talk" but does he "walk the walk"......
Its just a few people who were there said what a dullish game it was. Yet if you read what Adams says then he makes it sound like a very convincing performance. My only fear with him is that he sees what he wants to see.....and he tells us what we THINK we want to hear.
My other concern is McCormick. I don't think he is having the best of pre-seasons. I saw him on Saturday and he was shaky. I heard he has made mistakes in other games, and they gone unpunished like tonight. I just cant understand why so un-assured recently!
Just two thing's that concerns me slightly. People have mentioned it before. He certainly "talks the talk" but does he "walk the walk"......
Its just a few people who were there said what a dullish game it was. Yet if you read what Adams says then he makes it sound like a very convincing performance. My only fear with him is that he sees what he wants to see.....and he tells us what we THINK we want to hear.
My other concern is McCormick. I don't think he is having the best of pre-seasons. I saw him on Saturday and he was shaky. I heard he has made mistakes in other games, and they gone unpunished like tonight. I just cant understand why so un-assured recently!
I would say McHugh is our best centre back. At left back he was very average and I certainly wouldn't play him there but he's definitely our most consistent centre back and he makes far less mistakes than Hartley. Agreed that Hartley is a better organiser/leader though.
I think we just have three very good centre-backs. All three must be in the league's top 10. Hartley was good last night in my opinion, too. Not getting the criticism.
Not a great game or performance, but it improved in the second half. Good to keep the clean sheet. Our man of the match was probably Cox, although Boateng, Hartley and Nelson were also good. McCormick and Mellor were dodgy.
Cox is a very unsung player for us - we look much better defensively when he is in the team. Only thing is, when Cox is in we miss Simpson's unsung attacking ability to keep the play fluid and ticking over. Boateng is too good to be dropped, so it looks like a straight choice between Simpson and Cox (and possibly McHugh) to partner him. If we choose Cox, our attacking play suffers, but if we choose Simpson our defensive play suffers. It's not that Simpson is a liability defensively or Cox is a liability going forward. It's that both are naturally very good at their favourite thing, and we miss Cox's defending and Simpson's attacking when they're not in the team.
Not a great game or performance, but it improved in the second half. Good to keep the clean sheet. Our man of the match was probably Cox, although Boateng, Hartley and Nelson were also good. McCormick and Mellor were dodgy.
Cox is a very unsung player for us - we look much better defensively when he is in the team. Only thing is, when Cox is in we miss Simpson's unsung attacking ability to keep the play fluid and ticking over. Boateng is too good to be dropped, so it looks like a straight choice between Simpson and Cox (and possibly McHugh) to partner him. If we choose Cox, our attacking play suffers, but if we choose Simpson our defensive play suffers. It's not that Simpson is a liability defensively or Cox is a liability going forward. It's that both are naturally very good at their favourite thing, and we miss Cox's defending and Simpson's attacking when they're not in the team.
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MikeN
Guest
Mark Pedlar":19lwoszx said:
Then I would say your recollection was wrong. The fullbacks were got at, but Hartley was stand out bad in two poor team performances. I think you'd have to be a big Hartley cheerleader not to spot that he had a 'mare, especially in the home leg.
My worry about Hartley is that, while he's a good player at this level, when forwards get at him his game seems to go rapidly downhill, conceding free kicks, making mistakes and getting himself booked. Is he a flat track bully?
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Cobi Budge.
Guest
I do like Hartley but the real unforgivable moment was Wycombe's second goal in the first leg, an obvious handball yes, but you play to the whistle, he could have blocked that quite easily.
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ogwellmike
Guest
MannameadGreen wrote:
I'm generally a Peter Hartley fan but I did think he was well below his best last night. Maybe that was why he was subbed when he was.
His defending was OK but did you not notice how many of his passes up-field failed to reach their target? I counted five consecutive poor passes at one stage. He then went through a spell of giving the ball to Nelson instead of doing the passing himself - as if he had lost confidence in his own ability.
I'm generally a Peter Hartley fan but I did think he was well below his best last night. Maybe that was why he was subbed when he was.
My first viewing of the team last night. was impressed with Torquay's work rate and commitment, and above all their pressing game, which may have been harder for us than previous friendlies. if so, then a good work-out.
Boateng absolutely outstanding at this level. I think wherever we are in January we are going to miss him, so hope an extension becomes possible. generally impressed with all the new signings, all to a far higher standard than previous (excepting AOC of course). Was particularly pleased to see Reuben looking fitter than the end of last season, and his hold-up skills last night were almost Trigger-like, so I'm very optimistic about his continuing performance this season.
Previous reports of Sawyer were that he was simply competent and workman-like. I thought he was better than that.
Forgotten the name of Torquay's new centre back, but what a throw! I think they'll make mid-table at least.
Boateng absolutely outstanding at this level. I think wherever we are in January we are going to miss him, so hope an extension becomes possible. generally impressed with all the new signings, all to a far higher standard than previous (excepting AOC of course). Was particularly pleased to see Reuben looking fitter than the end of last season, and his hold-up skills last night were almost Trigger-like, so I'm very optimistic about his continuing performance this season.
Previous reports of Sawyer were that he was simply competent and workman-like. I thought he was better than that.
Forgotten the name of Torquay's new centre back, but what a throw! I think they'll make mid-table at least.
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Cobi Budge.
Guest
DA said in his Q & A on Monday that the possibility of extending Boateng's loan to the end of the season was likely.
