Torquay United v Southend United - 14/12/13

hector · Post by **hector** » 14 Dec 2013, 21:33

Thought we played well today, but if anything I thought we looked better against Plymouth. The test for Alan Knill is building upon it and not reverting to form in the next away game liked they did after Plymouth. I thought Southend were poor for a team supposedly in 3rd place and didn't offer much of a threat.

Winning today I no use if subsequent form is patchy. We need some consistency.

Good to see Poke back. Defence looked more solid with him in goal.

nickbrod · Post by **nickbrod** » 14 Dec 2013, 21:48

Back home from my 400 mile round trip. That was more like it! If this performance can be maintained then there is no way we will be in the bottom two come the end of the season.
The new formation worked and for me Mozika should have been man of the match and if we don't sign him on a permanent deal then we will have missed out on a really top player.
The wind played a major part in today's game and have to say we made the most of it. The Marquis goal was top class, he and O'Connor are two fantastic loan signings and need them for the rest of the season.
Sorry to see Rice miss out but for me Poke made two crucial saves in the second half: one, under pressure punching the ball away from Corr and two taking the ball off Eastwood's head.
For all the criticism recently good on Knill for coming up with a winning formula and, for those who decided to boycott the game, the players gave 110% showing a united dressing-room.
Only sorry that that was the last time we will see Chris Brass who is off to Bury.

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 14 Dec 2013, 22:32

Spent the last ten minutes in a pub after a local game glued to a mobile and praying that we would hold on to the one nil.
We really needed a win today and its absolutely massive. We should be able to compete with teams in this league given the players we have.
Fair play to Knill - he has brought back our proper keeper and dropped Craig who isn't good enough.
After all the brickbats you have got to give Knill credit today - god knows what would have happened if we had lost.
Going back to the Ling formation might be the way to go - at last we have kept a clean sheet.
Long way to go but really we could beat Dagenham next week

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 14 Dec 2013, 23:17

Congratulations to Lee Mansell and the team. I thought we were good against Argyle but today every player gave his all. Massive win.

So pleased for all at Plainmoor. Michael Poke was faultless. Great handling in very windy conditions. O`Connor was outstanding. Damien Mozika is getting better with every game as he regains true match fitness. Marquis took his goal superbly and is a very confident as well as a combative player. I really enjoy watching Jordan Chapell who I am sure will go on to play at a higher level.

The big thing today was that every player put in 100% and when we lost possession 2, 3 and sometimes 4 players hunted in packs to regain the ball and really did not allow Southend to play. If we can maintain this level and have a little more luck in front of goal I feel sure we will pull clear and finish mid-table. Well done Alan Knill who must have been under huge pressure and I noticed he was thanking each player as they left the pitch Lee Mansell as usual being the last off. Great win.

jonnyfive · Post by **jonnyfive** » 15 Dec 2013, 01:03

royalgull wrote: if that's how you view the difference between Poke and Rice then you are more warped than Knill. There is very little between the two of them and Rice is in possession of the shirt so it's his to keep or lose, he's done absolutely nothing to warrant being dropped.

I hope you feel just as foolish as you should.

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 15 Dec 2013, 03:20

Poke has always been the better of the two. Rice has closed the gap without a doubt but there is still a gap and anyone with a remote clue about goalkeeping will be able to see it.

LocalGull · Post by **LocalGull** » 15 Dec 2013, 07:40

ferrarilover wrote:As comfortable a 1-0 win as you'll ever see. If 100% of Southend's shots had gone in, it'd have finished 1-1.

While we did just fine today, I don't think we were a great deal better than in any of the other matches we've seen this season. It was better than the real rubbish we saw a couple of weeks ago in the Cup, but absolutely nothing special.
Southend were standard L2 fare, mainly total shite, the sort of rubbish we'd have knocked for a hatful a couple of years ago. They couldn't even take advantage of a very generous Popside lino.

Only player who really stood out was Mozika (Mozilla?) who is one of the calmest players under pressure I've seen for a long time.

Play like that and don't concede a goal every time the oppo get in our half, and we'll be just fine.

Matt.

Thought we were much better than most of our performances this season, not sure we have played that well of with that much energy in any other game? Finally had 3 in midfield which suits the team and allowed us to win the battles and create a base for the front 3. Players seemed to have more fight in them too. Southend looked poor but let's not kid ourselves, on their day they're a good side riding high so makes the result even better. It was the way we played that made it all the sweater. Matt-I cannot believe you think Mozika is calm under pressure? I know you have a thing for him and have been touting him for months, but off his strengths his calmness on the ball is definitely not one. He can be strong in the middle and no doubt he'll get better with games, but he's awkward on the ball a lot of the time-definitely not calm. He's getting better, but he has been poor last few games and looked gangly and uncomfortable in the middle. Can see good potential in him but definitely not as an accomplished baller in the middle. Wasn't a stand out player definitely. There were some-Marquis for example making the difference up top, who has a decent all round game and held it up really well, something we have struggled with. Bodin looked good today and one of his best performances for a while. Yes he held onto it too long a few times and was a bit selfish, but at least he looked lively and involved and made things happen-and a great ball for the goal. Chappell had the beating of his man all game and Downes and O'Connor won everything at the back. Stand out players. If we play with the energy and drive we played with yesterday, which had been lacking, our ability should hopefully shine through. Fingers crossed we keep it up.

hector · Post by **hector** » 15 Dec 2013, 07:55

Southampton Gull wrote:Poke has always been the better of the two. Rice has closed the gap without a doubt but there is still a gap and anyone with a remote clue about goalkeeping will be able to see it.

Strongly agree with this.

I am not the biggest fan of Rice especially, but he did do better than I thought he would and he probably is entitled to feel a little unlucky to lose his place. However, the one thing I notice about Rice v Poke, is that Poke doesn't seem to have to fling himself about in the way Rice does. Rice pulls off these fantastic saves but gives the impression of someone having to play at the top of his game every match to make the straightforward saves. Poke just seems to be there. Poke, perhaps, reads situations better and just seems to be in the right place more often. I thought the defence looked more solid with him in and it will be interesting to see if we become a better defensive unit with Poke back.

CapeTownGull · Post by **CapeTownGull** » 15 Dec 2013, 08:15

To me keeping a cleen sheet is so important when struggling and it seems to that the problem was not so much with the defence but the midfield who were constantly overrun and not giving enough protection to the back four. With 3 in midfield our quality defensive players were able to keep a clean sheet. It also leads to more support for the attack so with 2 good wingers and a good striker we will score more goals. Keep these players and formation and we will rocket up the table!

Neal · Post by **Neal** » 15 Dec 2013, 08:21

For me Marquis made the difference. He worries defenders whereas likes of Hawley don't. He's control and distribution was good, we have lacked this all season. As for midfield, Mansel played well Mozika can pass, again we have lacked this, and this worries the opposition too because he can put a dangerous ball into the right place.

Both Bodin and Chapel were lively too which was good to see.

But in general and I'm surprised actually, the team in general looked cohesive, together and up for the battle. I haven't seen that all this season, I wasn't at the Plymouth game though.

I'm still firmly in the anti knill camp but 3 or 4 more performances like that then I will change my mind, I wont on 1 performance.

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 15 Dec 2013, 10:16

Knill has made some catastrophic mistakes this season. He persisted with Hawley and Ball for far too long in a 4-4-2 system in which we had two strikers who were quite frankly hopeless leaving our two central midfielders marooned and a defence with the snail paced Nicholson as wide open as the red sea.
He obviously did not get the strikers he was after and left it too late bringing in the aforementioned double act at the last minute.
The other blinding mistake he made was to not have any reasonable third choice centre half cover in his squad and having picked up injuries we ended up a shambles.
We have had loan signings here,there and everywhere, players shipped out on loan.
He does seem to be able to get in decent loan players and does seem to have decent contacts.
The squad is looking more solid now but probably wouldn't do if the likes of Marquis and O'Connor depart.
It was a great result yesterday under the circumstances and must have done wonders for morale. These things tend to go in cycles and it wouldn't suprise me if we won again next week.

ferrarilover · Post by **ferrarilover** » 15 Dec 2013, 11:37

Oh, f**k it, I can't be arsed.

Matt.

LocalGull · Post by **LocalGull** » 15 Dec 2013, 11:49

ferrarilover wrote:Oh, f**k it, I can't be arsed.

Matt.

Thank god for that. Saves us all from reading comments from someone who thinks he knows more than he does.

Post by **Dave** » 15 Dec 2013, 12:09

Considering he had been out all season, we saw a very calm and assured performance from Poke in very difficult windy conditions, unlike the Southend keeper who couldn't even figure out how to kick below the wind, something I've seen taught to academy keepers. Think Martin Rice with out doubt has improved massively, and everyone around the club are safe in knowledge we now have a very able no2 keeper who can come in at any time, but Poke is the better keeper and the no 1.

I would like to congratulate Alan Knill he's had enough stick, from me as well, yesterday he got it spot on, however as said by hector and others we can't afford to revert to type, we must kick on from here and pick 1-3 pts next week, and 3pts from our next home game, confidence builds you've got some momentum, and then you climb the league, and that's the best result for the club and fans.

wodger of awabia · Post by **wodger of awabia** » 15 Dec 2013, 12:10

brucie wrote:Knill has made some catastrophic mistakes this season. He persisted with Hawley and Ball for far too long in a 4-4-2 system in which we had two strikers who were quite frankly hopeless leaving our two central midfielders marooned and a defence with the snail paced Nicholson as wide open as the red sea.
He obviously did not get the strikers he was after and left it too late bringing in the aforementioned double act at the last minute.
The other blinding mistake he made was to not have any reasonable third choice centre half cover in his squad and having picked up injuries we ended up a shambles.
We have had loan signings here,there and everywhere, players shipped out on loan.
He does seem to be able to get in decent loan players and does seem to have decent contacts.
The squad is looking more solid now but probably wouldn't do if the likes of Marquis and O'Connor depart.
It was a great result yesterday under the circumstances and must have done wonders for morale. These things tend to go in cycles and it wouldn't suprise me if we won again next week.

Yes, I suppose it is a bit of a worry that 4 of yesterdays team are " not Torquay's players" , I guess that Leicester & Blackburn are quite happy to extend the loans of Mc Court & O' Connor as they are both well placed in the Championship, & unlikely to need them. Marquis could be recalled by Millwall if he keeps scoring as they are 18th. & may feel that he should be given a chance. Mozika is reported to be paid by the game, so owes no allegiance to Torquay, I assume that some team will offer him a two year deal in the Jan. transfer window, if he keeps improving. I should think that Stockley will be back when fit, & will play some part in the team.

We have got to stay up! looks like another "local derby" big payday next season if Bristol City come down. That would be six altogether ( Argyle, Exeter, Portsmouth, B. Rovers, & B.City. & Newport County) & I suppose you could also argue that Cheltenham is also a bit on the local side.

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