Torquay United Fans Forum

Jeff wrote: Isn't it a trait of Lings tenure at Cambridge that they only ever beat sides in the bottom half? Perhaps an upcoming run of games against theoretically weaker opponents could lead to a healthier points total?

It was indeed. It was also a trait that we'd end a bad run of form with a 3 or 4 goal victory. You'll go a few games unbeaten now I expect.

yellow wrote:Ellis has been criminally underused by ‘the weasel’ and up until recently by Dinger.

My hope is that Dinger will give him a decent shot at it and not react to every mistake by dropping him for ages. In other words give him the same breaks as Brian Saah has been afforded.

IMHO ME is one of the few in the squad who have the talent to play at a higher level.

No one at a higher level will recruit him and have him as a regular fixture in their team, unless he can start concentrating for all 90 minutes of the game.

As for criminally underused?
The manager and coaching staff see the players every day in training and also in reserve matches. If he was that good he would have been playing every match.

Just to remind you (as has been posted elsewhere), when he was dropped after the Hereford game last season after a run of poor games (not just 1), we went on to a run of 2 defeats in the next 20 matches with Branston and Robbo as centrebacks, and one of those defeats was at Accy when he was restored to the side after a rest and then got sent off.
And only 10 clean sheets in that run? What a shoddy defence Branners and Robbo made !!!!!

Ellis has been criminally underused by ‘the weasel’ and up until recently by Dinger.

My hope is that Dinger will give him a decent shot at it and not react to every mistake by dropping him for ages. In other words give him the same breaks as Brian Saah has been afforded.

IMHO ME is one of the few in the squad who have the talent to play at a higher level.

i wouldn't disagree too much with your asessment, although Ii have not actually seen Howe play. i am not so sure I would put Stevens in the same group as Macklin. Stevens is actually one of our better players (which probably goes to show how thin our squad is really).
I am not sure that Mcphee came as cheap as what you think and he isn't short term really as he is on a two year contract, however I think Ling has probably realised by now that he is useless.
The biggest gripe though is over Ellis whose inclusion in this team which has been shipping goals is long overdue.

I think we should just consider this a good win that came along at the right time when negativity was setting in. We must be careful about getting too carried away, just as much as those negative posters before this victory were going overboard in their comments about the poor qulaity of our players. These are my thoughts on the squad, for what they are worth. In my view we have 3 talented players O Kane, Ellis and Howe who could go on to a higher level. People have been critical of Howe but if he had pace to go with the rest of his game he wouldn't be playing for us. There's been plenty said O Kane. Ellis has the physicality and athletism to play at centre-half at a higher level. We then have a group of good professionals Robertson, Mansell and Nicholson playing at their level (maybe Morris when fit). Then there are two younger pros who have the ability to establsh themselves, Oastler and Lathrope, at this level. Whether they do is down to them in terms of commitment and the support they get from the coaches. I think they show promise. Then there are the very young pros, I can't really comment on them, time will tell. In my view, Atenio, Stevens and MacKlin have not done enough and in an ideal would be moved to free up space. Same for McPhee, although his signing was pragmatic and probably worth it as a short term measure as a utility player. Then there's Saah and I really don't know about him. I played 20 years as a centre-half in local football and what I found was that my effectiveness was often dependent on who I was paired with in the centre of defence. It maybe that Ellis being more atheletic and powerful than Robertson gives Saah the chance to play to his strengths. However, I haven't seen them play together so can't really comment.

Anyway, I think there will be more ups and downs this season and with what we've got we will finish mid-table.

Had a quick look at the league table earlier, and perhaps one point to think about is that as it stands, we have played 9 of the top 12 already but only 6 of the remaining sides.

Isn't it a trait of Lings tenure at Cambridge that they only ever beat sides in the bottom half? Perhaps an upcoming run of games against theoretically weaker opponents could lead to a healthier points total?

To be fair, I think it's the only game that Billy B has played in, for us, that he has not particularly shone. Anyone else?
COYY

What a difference to make a great result - real team commitment and purpose (except from our Swindon loanee who did not look a team player), stemming from sensible formation - commanding keeper, Saah's best game, holding midfielder to allow Eunan to roam dangerously, energetic forwards (except Bodin). Tremendous performance, well done guys. Roll on Hereford.

Another turning point - although separate to us but in a way, relevant - was Plymouth's heavy defeat which may just have knocked the stuffing out of their threatened revival. I think we have been down the bottom enough to know you sometimes get a win or two that make it seem that things are improving, only for it to prove to be a false dawn.

Hopefully, we will be back on track a bit and they falter so it is a foregone conclusion come Nov 19th. I don't want some tense, closely fought derby. I want us to annihilate them and to be able to relax and enjoy a game against them for once.

Trojan 67 wrote:After last night's superb 4-0 result, only one team has scored more League 2 goals at home than us this season . . . . and that team sits on top of the table.
Only one ground in League 2 this season has seen more League 2 goals than Plainmoor . . . and the team that plays at that ground got tanked last night at TQ1.
If it's the entertainment of goals you're after then Plainmoor is the place to be. So why are attendances this season so low ?
All things considered (from the end of last season), it must be the recession, meaning fewer people have the money to attend.
Any other reason(s) ?

The weather; no transport; old age; poor health; etc....

Enormous credit must go to the players and to Martin for last nights result. It was a welcome relief and off the back of some absolutely horrendous performances was desperately needed. I'm not quite in the Brucie camp just yet but i have to see what result we get against Hereford as well as seeing what our performance and attitude is like at Crewe before i decide that may have turned a corner. Our away results of late have been shocking and the levels of application from the players in these games have been pretty much criminal, lacking creativity, positivity and effort. Away seems to be more problematic than home for me so when i go to Crewe i want to see a good, positive performance with plenty of effort. If we lose the game then fine. I'll only come on here after defeat slating the players if we don't compete and lack ideas. A good attacking show against the Railwaymen is probably more important to me than the result as it will give me confidence that we can take the game to teams away from home, compete and not just play with hope that we don't concede. A top drawer performance away from home is well overdue and i will wait and see to see if the lads are capable of delivering one. At the end of the day we have stopped the rot and, although i can't comment on the performance last night as i wasn't there, i can praise the lads for digging in and giving it a go. To get 4 goals in a game must indicate that we weren't intent on settling for 1 and kept pressing for more which will give everybody confidence. If we don't beat Hereford then it will be disappointing but so long as we get a draw and play ok i'll be happy. Again, for me the turning point could be after the Crewe game. I do think we will stay up because i think we will accumulate more points than Barnet and Plymouth who in my view will drop. I predicted Barnet and Macc before the season started so one out of two ain't bad! I expect Hereford to pull away for some reason but make no mistke we are in for a battle where every point must be worked for. Well done Martin and the boys for giving the yellow army something to shout about and hope it continues at the weekend.

After last night's superb 4-0 result, only one team has scored more League 2 goals at home than us this season . . . . and that team sits on top of the table.

Only one ground in League 2 this season has seen more League 2 goals than Plainmoor . . . and the team that plays at that ground got tanked last night at TQ1.

If it's the entertainment of goals you're after then Plainmoor is the place to be. So why are attendances this season so low ?

All things considered (from the end of last season), it must be the recession, meaning fewer people have the money to attend.

Any other reason(s) ?

Totaly agree F/J and Hector, i personaly do atleast try to be fair, Saah was awful against Gillingham, last night had a good game.

Ellis i thought was superb last night, however has had a few shockers, yet according to some, "there is only one Mark Ellis"

Agree with Hector. Too many get on his back for no reason. Yet "popside favourites" can have poor games and no-one says a word...

Really good last hour yesterday. Wimbledon were a funny team as initially they looked very good going forward and I felt our 3 first half goals were almost the result of counter-attacking football (of which there is nothing wrong at all...in fact I'm all in favour of it).

I don't think though that our defence really got especially tested but despite saying that, I thought Brian Saah played well. I am still of the view that he is being unfairly singled out for stick because of the fact he is not Guy Branston rather than his performances. He reminds me - in the way he plays, and is demeanour on the pitch - of Phil Lloyd, who essentially you never noticed. A more recent comparison may be Jamie Robinson. The sort of centre-halfs you never noticed but never did much wrong and to be honest, I don't think it is Saah who is making endless errors.