Torquay United Fans Forum

Er, we played 4-4-2 against both Carlisle and Crewe, and did, as you and buckle said, produced the best football for years.

I agree that o'kane isn't a central midfielder, but I also don't think he plays well further forward either. It's telling that his biggest contribution (in terms of assists, goals and general effct on the game) comes when his nominal starting position is right midfield. He has less defensive duties, and (crucially) is afforded much more space by the opposition out wide, which is when he can use his attributes. Also, try and think of when he does something you applaud; quite often this is a through ball or after he's just dribbled past two players to set up an attack. These are things that happen more often from deeper positions, rather than when he's received the ball with his back to goal in the 'hole'.

Saturday was a prime example. O'kane hardly touched the ball. Why? Because after ten minutes buckle put him into the middle of the pitch. With both teams now playing five across the middle, he just didn't have enough space to play the ball.

Benyon struggled with one up front because after he had run fifty yards a d nicked the ball from the defender, he had literally no-one to pass to within those very fifty yards he just covered. At least when Zebs plays up top with him their hold up play actually has a chance of retaining possession. Also it allows the opposition defence far too easy a time. Reference Saturday; how many times did you see mills thirty yards in our half?

I don't necessarily dislike 4-5-1 as a formation, but you have to gave the players to play it, and those players have to know their jobs well. At the moment neither of these things are true.

I'd give my right testicle for it to be the Notts Chris Cohen, but one click to his twitter profile reveals it's the comedian and presenter Chris Cohen. Interview with him here:

http://uktv.co.uk/dave/article/aid/628010

Personally I am absolutely disgusted.

I have sent another e-mail to the club outlining my disappointment.

To all those who say it doesn't really matter, I will reiterate the point I made when it first happened; it is not just the goal music in itself (although that is terrible enough), it shows that Torquay United has stooped as low as it can, and joined the rank of fake commercial football club PLCs, and forgotten about its fans.

To try it is one thing. You can't argue with trying to do something. However complaints were received and they rightly u-turned on the decision. But to then start doing it again just because Mr Buckle wants it? If he wants it buy him an iPod and a decent pair of headphones, but leave me to celebrate and enjoy the moment with my friends.

People will stop going because of this. Not because of the act in itself, but because of its wider implications. Most of us could stay at home and watch Sky if we wanted to watch football, we don't have to come down to plainmoor. We do it because it's real football for real fans, and goal music is a sign that this is no longer the case. The fans that crave this real football will go elsewhere, either to local football, their armchairs, or shopping with the wife and kiddies.

And how its supposed to entice people in is beyond me. The only people who will hear it are people that are already there!

It matters, believe me.

Fletch wrote: Nick. It take a long time for the wheels of justice to start moving. 6 to 12 months after charging seems commonplace and there are certainly examples of longer than that (even in the Herald) so I wouldnt hold your breath...

I presume Nick was asking as Zebroski had a court date yesterday. on front page of herald today saying he has admitted assault, been ordered to complete 150 hours community service and attend an alcohol rehab programme.

Apparently he stepped in to defend branston (!), and the 'victim' had to be removed from hospital the next day for aggressive behavior.

Fonda wrote:....

As for us, we've evolved into some kind of chameleon football team. Against the better teams, where we're not necessarily expected to do well, we consistently raise our game and evidently compete as equals. We then play the poorer sides, where the expectancy is actually on us to take the points, we rapidly get dragged down to the level of the opposition and look worse than dreadful.

I actually think this is down to Buckle. He is a manager who likes to pay 'respect' to the opposition, and not become complacent. All laudible ambitions and ones which I agree with, however I believe he takes this too far. We pay so much respect to the opposition we often forget they're bottom of the league (for example) or a non-league side.

Buckle often says "win the battle first, then play your football", again he's right in his philosophy, but when you're playing a team that lacks quality, all that happens is you get dragged into just that; a battle, and that's exactly what you would want when you're bottom of the league. Conversely, when you play a team at the top, who will look to play more, our battling often has the effect of allowing us to impose our game on them.

I put this down to a lack of experience in the main. Although it has to be said he is a manager who acts on the conservative side of things also.

Mav wrote:I have read mansell several times, I must be looking in the wrong man of the match page as I am sure this said barnet. Or is the award now voted on with regards to the reciever running around like a headless chicken and giving the ball away at every opportunity?

Hmm. This seems increddibly harsh. If you mean "run around breaking up play, getting in the opposition's faces" when you say headless chicken, then I guess you're spot on. The reason Mansell had to run around like a headless chicken? Because Nicky Wroe today was not interested in playing for Torquay United, and Danny Stevens is a defensive liability, meaning that Mansell had to simultaneously defend three areas of the midfield all by himself. As for giving the ball away, I can't remember him being especially bad on Saturday, and posession football and pinpoint passing is hardly his game, is it?

As for 5 players, you can pick the two centre halves and two centre forwards. Benyon and Kee did everything they possibly could with what they had (which was B****R all) and actually managed to create some pressure from their own tireless running. And Benyon scored. Ellis and Branston stood up well to Kabba (who belied his years and looked useful) and Gallen (who looked just like his years and looked ponderous), as well as not conceding much from the pacier lot.

I can only presume that our tactics of hoofing the ball is our manager's idea, but it doesn't help Nicholson look good. Also, I don't think we've tried a long ball behind the full-back in the last three years.. seeing as we have pace on the wings, can't we do this instead of hoofing it up to short people?

forevertufc wrote:Dear oh dear,yes every one is entitled to there own opinion,and to make there feelings known,however all the club are guilty of is trying something to help encourage us the fans to make some noise,what was wrong with that?,atleast they tried.

Iam pretty sure the club have read these e-mail's and feedback forms,got the message,and i doubt you will hear goal music again.

also pretty sure the club are wishing us the fans would react at 3pm on saturday with the same passion in complaining about the goal music,channel into acually supporting the team with some positive noise,then they would not have to come with these idea's would they?.

Quite right, which is exactly what everyone's done, so I'm not entirely sure what the 'dear oh dear' is for...?

And it's wrong because, as football fans themselves, they should know that playing music after a goal is evil. Evil I tell you.

yellowsmiffy wrote: As for not being happy enough when we score a goal.... who are you to say how happy the fans are? I personally go balistic, as do most fans. It's the bits in between goals where we let ourselves down with the quiet atmosphere. The die hard fans in the pop should be in the corner section of the pop rather than on the halfway line, exchanging banter with the away fans creating a proper atmosphere.

What tosh. I stand on the half-way line and I've been going for 20 years, a season ticket holder for most of those, and hardly miss a game. I call that pretty die hard. Some of us actually go to watch the football, you know.

However, completely agree with you about the music; utter disgrace. The reason we moan about it Chow Mein, is because it's the thin end of the wedge. It's a microcosm of the decline of british football from a spectator sport to an entertainment comodity. It suggests that what matters is not the game, the spectacle, the connection between club and fans, the PASSION, but mass appeal to bland econocentric 'fans' advocating a homogenisation of what until recently was a very beautiful game. The reason I have continued to watch Torquay and all but stopped watching the Premiership is because League 2 (and Torquay in particular) have resisted this cultural shift until very recently. Please don't let them take it away from me!