New Manager - Big Ask

[nickbrod]

All credit to Geoff Harrop today for picking a team all the fans wanted. Yes, returns for Nico, Pearce, Benyon and Lathrope. Be honest we would have done the same given the chance.
But the pitch was heavy and players like Nico, Pearce, Benyon and Labadie were struggling because of lack of recent match time. The new manager - Chris Hargreaves according to Radio Devon -is going to face a big task.
For all the good intentions today highlighted the problems:
1. Only two home wins out of 13 league matches
2. Plenty of attractive build-up play but few shots.
3. No cutting edge striker; let's have Marquis (or similar) back
4. Minus 15 goal difference

I spoke with Harrop before and after the game and there is no doubt he is a passionate, genuine guy. He did his best but there is no attacking player to make the difference. Benyon and Hawley, even Bodin, did their best but they don't shoot. Of our top scorers Chappel was on the bench and Downes is our centre-back, that tells you all you need to know.
Two wins at home = possible relegation.
Is Hargreaves up for the job because we need a minimum of 30 points from the last 63 available. That means 10 wins from 21 games.
Can it be done? If he is appointed I will give him 100% support but it will be a tough introduction to management.

[Jesus]

My son. Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me.

[Dave]

Don't think it was a case that Goeff Harrop picked a team the fans wanted at all, he made some common sense decisions. Cruise played the last games injured, never should have played at Plymouth, Lathrope should never have gone out and loan, McCourt did well, but he was never needed. Pearce is contracted to us, should have been playing weeks ago did nothing wrong, other than play ill against Newport, one up top with Marquis was fine, with out , well it was obvious, so Benyon/Hawley would make sense to many.

Today the team couldn't be accused of not shooting, Bodin forced two good saves from their keeper, and had two shots wide, Benyon hit the crossbar. But agree we need a finisher, is Hargreaves up to the job, was Martin Ling or Alan Knill according to the board, no, they weren't.

All we can do as fans is back our new manager regardless of we think, if we don't unite, then relegation won't be avoided.

[nickbrod]

According to the BBC stats we had 56% possession, 11 shots with only two on target. That is my point. To survive in League 2 we need a striker who lives up to his description.
We have to gain a minimum of 30 points to stay in League football, that is our goal.

[Dave]

I fully agree. Just wonder why it's a big ask for Chris Hargreaves or who ever becomes our next manager, to go out via the loan market and secure the services of a striker who knows where the goal is. Maybe that's why McCourt is being sent back, maybe to make room for a new arrival?

[nickbrod]

Sorry to be repetitive but you have to win home games to stay in the League you are in. Two wins at home = relegation. With a new manager and 10 home games left it could be done.
Who's next at home? Northampton. Guess what needs to be done?

[Dave]

Sorry to be repetitive but you have to win home games to stay in the League you are in. Two wins at home = relegation. With a new manager and 10 home games left it could be done.
Who's next at home? Northampton. Guess what needs to be done?

I fully agree with you, 2 home wins isn't good enough to stay up, we're not scoring enough goals to stay up right now, but you're confusing me. whats your point? What are you trying to say? what needs to done, isn't going to get done, maybe ? Or it won't be done, maybe? Or it can't be done, maybe ?

Everyone recognises what needs to be done, we need a new manager in place and a striker who converts chances into to goals, give me a reason why this will not be done.

[nickbrod]

We need, surprise, surprise, a striker. Marquis came on after 78 minutes for Millwall in their 4-1 FA Cup defeat at Southend. That suggests he's not returning to us.

[Dave]

My god, will the poster name Jesus please come and give me some divine strength and guidance. I am not trying to turn this in to an argument, I agree with you, have been all the way through the thread, everyone agrees with you, yes you're right , we need to win games, to do that we need to score more goals, so we need a striker who converts more chances.

What makes you think, the new manager if it Chris Hargreaves, isn't going to/doesn't know that, what makes you think the club are not going sign a loan replacement for Marquis.

[Colorado Gull]

So, your point is that it will be a huge ask for the new manager (Hargreaves?) to loan a striker?

[CP Gull]

So, your point is that it will be a huge ask for the new manager (Hargreaves?) to loan a striker?

To be honest it runs deeper than that. Is there anyone amongst our fanbase who would back anyone from our current squad to finish top scorer ahead of our CENTRE HALF Aaron Downes?

Does anyone feel confident enough to predict that anyone from the likes of Hawley, Benyon, Bodin, Cameron, Mansell, Lathrope,Craig or Mozika will outscore him this season ...'cos I don't!!! I accept that young Chapell might, but even that must be in some doubt, given that he wasn't even selected today!

The fact is that we quite simply don't look like scoring, in so many areas of the pitch. Just signing a striker, may not be enough I am afraid.

[Dave]

To be honest it runs deeper than that. Is there anyone amongst our fanbase who would back anyone from our current squad to finish top scorer ahead of our CENTRE HALF Aaron Downes?

Does anyone feel confident enough to predict that anyone from the likes of Hawley, Benyon, Bodin, Cameron, Mansell, Lathrope,Craig or Mozika will outscore him this season ...'cos I don't!!! I accept that young Chapell might, but even that must be in some doubt, given that he wasn't even selected today!

The fact is that we quite simply don't look like scoring, in so many areas of the pitch. Just signing a striker, may not be enough I am afraid.

Indeed Danny, the o/p asks whether Hargreaves is up to the job, well if he doesn't know how to go out and secure a loan striker, and is to become our manager, then the last one out turn off the lights. Of course he does.

Chris I don't normally disagree with you, but on todays evidence, I do disagree with you, we've created more than enough chances to win the game today, via midfield and Hawley/Benyon, if we had a goal scorer out there today, this game would have been won before half time, so it might just be a case of signing a striker.

[CP Gull]

I guess the point I am trying to make Dave is that ONE striker may not be enough. Most successful teams share the goals across the team and yet I just don't see that happening with us. Of course, we could strike it lucky and loan a striker that hits double figures between now and the end of the season but surely we will need goals from other areas of the pitch if we are to survive? At the moment, being honest, I cannot see the likes of Hawley, Benyon, Bodin, Mansell, Lathrope et al even hitting 5 goals for us this season let alone double figures! Our most consistent goal scorer, all season, has been our centre half, Downes ...

By way of an example, young Billy, undoubted talent that he is ... will probably end up playing over 40 games for us this season, all of them in an advanced position, but I will wager with anyone now that Downes will out score him over the course of the season! Same with Mansell, Lathrope and probably even Hawley and Benyon ! Quite simply, there are just not enough goals in this TEAM! Hopefully the new man will recognise this and certainly Labadie is a step in the right direction but far too often this season our SIX forward thinking players just never ever look like scoring ... just shooting (on target and with some power) would make such a refreshing change, but sadly there is no evidence that the existing squad have it in them!

[Dave]

I agree Chris, the distribution of goals through out the side this season hasn't been good enough, especially from midfield, however to be fair you could factor in the style of football tactics employed by Alan Knill as partly the problem. Today was day 1 , new manager albeit temporary, different style more attacking and the team has created more chances today than we mustered in the previous three games.

We know that Billy Bodin, Lee Mansell and Joss Labadie can all score goals, we've seen the evidence with our own eyes, until a new manager is appointed, and he's had chance to work on the training ground and get his ideas across, it's perhaps unfair to suggest that these three players won't start scoring freely again, as they've done in the past.

[nickfrench82]

I agree Chris, the distribution of goals through out the side this season hasn't been good enough, especially from midfield, however to be fair you've could factor in the style of football tactics employed by Alan Knill as partly the problem. Today was day 1 , new manager albeit temporary, different style more attacking and the team has created more chances today than we mustered in the previous three games.

We know that Billy Bodin, Lee Mansell and Joss Labadie can all score goals, we've seen the evidence with our own eyes, until a new manager is appointed, and he's had chance to work on the training ground and get his ideas across, it's perhaps unfair to suggest that these three players won't start scoring freely again, as they've done in the past.

Summed up well Dave. Score more goals and we'll be ok. Created far more chances today, played very well. It's obvious to everyone this is the problem. If we can get Marquis, or a Marquis type up front then we'll have someone to lead the line and enough in reserve to be able to affect the game from the bench.

The players have had a lot to cope with, much more than 4 games in 10 days, and it caught up with them in the last 10 minutes today. With a clear week, a new manager and fresh impetus I think we'll be in a far better position than we were today.

Today, the pitch was horrendous(full credit to groundstaff in getting the game on) and I think the only thing I would've done differently is replaced Hawley for Chapell and tried to catch them on the break as they came forward at us, which we proved we could with Billy's chances.

All in all, I think once the new gaffer is appointed, there are reasons to be cheerful and we still have a good chance.