Torquay United Away

[Andy S]

Oh deep joy!

The season hasn't even started and it's already Hartley's turn in the barrel.

God help us when we actually lose a game.

 

[memory man]

MannameadGreen wrote:

Hartley was good last night in my opinion, too. Not getting the criticism.

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.

And finding a man with a pass is not something Paul Wotton can help him with.

 

[mervyn]

MannameadGreen wrote:

Hartley was good last night in my opinion, too. Not getting the criticism.

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.

And finding a man with a pass is not something Paul Wotton can help him with.

Agree Hartley's passing game was poor last night, but our central mid-field didn't help him by responding so slowly that Torquay's central players were able to nip in and intercept. At least he had the nous to realise the problem and started to move the ball out sideways, but that slowed our game down.

 

[davie nine]

Hartley's distribution is a concern, but, with regard to the play-offs, like Reid and McHugh, he was carrying an injury (hip I believe) that meant he was not as dominating with his aerial challenges in defence or attack.

In fact, the number of goals conceded in the last 2 months of the season suggest that this could have been the main contributory factor to our just sneaking into 7th place rather than comfortably qualifying for the playoffs.

Hopefully, like Reid and McHugh, his injury problems have been resolved.

I am feeling very optimistic about 2015/6.

 

[chronicgreen]

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.

Really? Sawyer better than Kellett? Simpson better than Talbot?

I know Sheridan is persona non grata on here but to overlook his ability to spot excellent players is wrong imo, the core of our current squad(except Nelson) is still populated by what most consider to be very good players for this division and all brought to the club by the previous manager(along with some now departed loan players like AOC who weren't half bad).....whether he managed to get the best out of them is another argument.

 

[mervyn]

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.

Really? Sawyer better than Kellett? Simpson better than Talbot?

I know Sheridan is persona non grata on here but to overlook his ability to spot excellent players is wrong imo, the core of our current squad(except Nelson) is still populated by what most consider to be very good players for this division and all brought to the club by the previous manager(along with some now departed loan players like AOC who weren't half bad).....whether he managed to get the best out of them is another argument.

fair point , but I wasn't comparing them to previous loanees. I actually rated JS higher than most posters here, nor do I doubt his ability to spot a player.

 

[X Isle]

There's no argument on getting the best out of them Chronic, the sum of the squads parts were not achieved.

I agree with you, JS had a great eye for a player, the squad's abilities were greater than 7th. But *IF* Del Bhey CAN deliver the sum of this squads abilities, even if there is a little less quality than Sheridan's squad (and it's too early to say), the outcome could well be better than 7th.

That remain's the elusive 'if', but we look forward to finding out.

 

[jerryatricjanner]

Not fair to compare Kellet and Talbot who played a handful of games as loanees with Sawyer and Simpson who are our players. It would be fairer to compare Adams mid season loans with them at a later date.

 

[chronicgreen]

Yeah, and if your aunty had a beard she'd be your uncle(maybe)

 

[jerryatricjanner]

Really don't understand your analogy. I just don't see how you can compare players when 2 were bit part players only with us for a small part of last season and the others are here for the season. Why not compare Sawyer for instance with Purrington, McHugh (the left back version), Mellor or TDH who all had brief spells at left back?

 

[chronicgreen]

Purrington wasn't brought to the club by Sheridan, the others were but not as left backs with the exception of THD(who was a loanee and played a handful of games so is unavailable for comparison by your reckoning above).

I was responding to mervyn's comment that all the new signings were "to a far higher standard than previous". I happen to disagree with that, whether they be loanees or permanent signings. Must we go on?

 

[X Isle]

No, we mustn't, because both opinions are invalid to me. It's still way too early to make definitive judgements about the new signings. We're still in pre-season FFS.

I remember Lee Power having a fantastic first pre-season, turned out he actually had the perfect blend of the vision of Ray Charles combined with the pace of Douglas Bader.

Good or bad, you don't know what you've got until a few months of blood & snotters.

 

[oddball]

The Torquay guy with the long throw,name unknown didn't get a teamsheet, was head and shoulders above everyone else on the park(literally and metaphorically),I thought Luke Young had a quiet game,and I don't think Torquay will be tearing up any trees this coming season unless they find a regular goalscorer, their attack looked powder puff.As for Argyle,the signs look promising although we looked weak in the final third as well. Finishing will have to be better than last night if we are to beat Wimbledon.

 

[Greenskin]

There's no argument on getting the best out of them Chronic, the sum of the squads parts were not achieved.

I agree with you, JS had a great eye for a player, the squad's abilities were greater than 7th. But *IF* Del Bhey CAN deliver the sum of this squads abilities, even if there is a little less quality than Sheridan's squad (and it's too early to say), the outcome could well be better than 7th.

That remain's the elusive 'if', but we look forward to finding out.

That squad last season was not good enough to get any further than 7th because there weren't enough goals coming from other areas rather than the strikers and it was nothing to do with tactics or motivation-the balance of the personnel was wrong after the sale of Hourihane, not enough people in the team with the ability to score, as was pointed out almost to the point of exhaustion throughout the season. Whether you blame Sheridan or other factors is a matter of opinion but one thing is for sure-if the right type of player who can address the imbalance isn't signed [for whatever reason] by Adams , then no matter what tactics are employed then results will be no better and if too gung ho an approach is adopted, may be considerably worse. I do hope the optimism that seems to be prevalent is justified ,otherwise some people have a rude awakening in the offing. As you say, playing Bideford, Torquay, Reading reserves etc in pre season is certainly no guide to what's coming in the next 9 months-the talk will cease to be talked and the walk need to be walked from 1500hrs next Saturday.

 

[jerryatricjanner]

No, we mustn't, because both opinions are invalid to me. It's still way too early to make definitive judgements about the new signings. We're still in pre-season FFS.

I remember Lee Power having a fantastic first pre-season, turned out he actually had the perfect blend of the vision of Ray Charles combined with the pace of Douglas Bader.

Good or bad, you don't know what you've got until a few months of blood & snotters.

Exactly. How can we tell from a handful of fixtures against non league opposition? Until we see then in competitive battle we can only speculate.