Dover.v.Torquay Tue 2nd

CP Gull · Post by **CP Gull** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:09

tufc si wrote:This scenario is just getting silly now. I'll stand by Ricey all day long as i genuinely think he has a lot of love for Torquay and a passion for the game, he just hasnt got the ability to be our number one keeper. Surely Hargreaves can see this and will be grovelling for even a smidgen of investment to try and get a keeper in?

Cannot get a loan keeper in until January now, even if we wanted to. Personally, I was really hoping Greavsie might have tried to get one in last week .. but unfortunately the money isn't there. As Greavsie said, we cannot even afford £250 a week !!!

Our defending at set pieces has become a real weakness and costs us far too many goals. It doesn't help the fact that we seemed to give a fair few cheap ones away tonight but it does seem that Rice really doesn't help matters with his decision making, he stays on his line far too much for my liking and very rarely comes through a crowd of players to claim a ball. To be fair, his height (or lack of) really doesn't help but it must really put the defence under extreme pressure when they have no confidence in their keeper coming to claim balls into the box.

Anyway, we will just have to get behind Rice as there is unlikely to be anyone coming in (unless on a non contract basis ... unlikely, surely) and although I have yet to see Seabright in action in the League/Cup I imagine he must be pretty poor given how poorly Rice has been playing over the last couple of months and yet Chris Hargreaves still refuses to pick him!

Although the decision to allow the expensive Michael Poke to leave in the summer seemed a sensible one given the fact he was injury prone and the freeing up of his considerable wages enabled us to strengthen in other areas and in greater numbers on lower money, it doesn't seem like such a good move now given that it appears we have two keepers who quite simply aren't up to it!

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:22

forevertufc wrote:Seriously isn't difficult to organise to defend a corner. Defender on each post, bank of three defenders across the six yard line , anything from the goal line to six yard line tell your keeper to go and get it, anything from the six yard line out, one of the bank of three defenders go and get a good head on it, and then follow out as a unit.

Last week you said he was or might be told to stay on his line. Lets be fair Rice is a back up keeper and he's certainly getting our backs up.

tufc si · Post by **tufc si** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:22

Would honestly chuck Seabright in at the deep end now and start him. Saw him at Kiddy and he wasnt any worse than Ricey has been.

And regarding the Pokey situation, i dread to think how many extra points we'd have on the board if he was still with us....

Post by **Dave** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:23

Yes arcadia, I did, doesn't mean I agree with such a tactic.

Post by **SuperNickyWroe** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:28

sad thing is i think we'd have took a point tonight........

just not like that..........

arcadia · Post by **arcadia** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:30

forevertufc wrote:Yes arcadia, I did, doesn't mean I agree with such a tactic.

I'm only having fun, I employed a zone on corners in my teams and it was mainly because we had a small side I got the players to believe in it and it stopped the problem of letting goals in from corners but belief is like an extra player.

Glostergull · Post by **Glostergull** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:34

Gloomy Gull wrote:WTF is Rice doing "running out" ........he should keep f*cki*g running to the channel :B

We were playing Dover. Just how clsoe to the channel can we get.

Post by **Dave** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:37

arcadia wrote: I'm only having fun, I employed a zone on corners in my teams and it was mainly because we had a small side I got the players to believe in it and it stopped the problem of letting goals in from corners but belief is like an extra player.

We agree on something..

hector · Post by **hector** » 02 Dec 2014, 22:38

Before the game, I would have probably taken a draw, with the form Dover have been on, and it being a nasty cold Tuesday night at the other end of the southern country.

I listened in the car, on my way home from work, and the 'girly' commentator some are referring to, was actually ok, I thought. Spoke a lot of sense and when I read on here it was John Cadigan, then I see why. He posts on twitter and generally posts fairly reasonable and sensible stuff, so no problem with him at all.

People are jumping to assumptions it was the fault of Rice but as I got home at 1-1, I really couldn't be bothered to listen to the rest so I didn't hear if it was or not.

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 02 Dec 2014, 23:05

People are not jumping to assumptions. They are going on what the commentators said ie that we were sound defensively in open play but couldn't defend set pieces. When your keeper has come for FOUR corners in injury time and hasn't got bugger all on any of them then you know your in trouble.

Post by **Dave** » 02 Dec 2014, 23:17

Well yes and no Brucie. The commentators actually talked about a poor clearance from Pearce in the build up to the first corner and then a free header from the Dover lad to score, they then clearly said McQuilken gave away needless corner for the second, cut the problems out at source, two corners than shouldn't been conceded in the first place have led to goals against. Martin Rice can not fully shoulder the blame for these goals, while others receive no criticism for their part in some overall poor defending, it isn't fair.

A Realist · Post by **A Realist** » 02 Dec 2014, 23:27

Just spoke to a couple of lads who were at the game at to say they are not happy with Rice is a massive understatement. Although it didn't mention it on the commentary as they (the radio) had no idea what was going on for the second goal, both of them say that Rice dropped the ball on the line which let them get a chance to score. Granted they are still a bit pumped up from the game but they both said he was, and I quote, "abysmal".

Post by **Dave** » 02 Dec 2014, 23:30

Not doubting that Realist, but, again, if McQuiken does his job and clears the ball instead of giving away a needless corner, Martin Rice can't drop the ball and the team win.

A Realist · Post by **A Realist** » 02 Dec 2014, 23:36

forevertufc wrote:Not doubting that Realist, but, again, if McQuiken does his job and clears the ball instead of giving away a needless corner, Martin Rice can't drop the ball and the team win.

No doubt about that. From the little that was explained on the com, it did seem a needless corner(s) to give away. You would think that at that stage of the game the order of the day would be to get it as far up the park as possible. In some ways I hope it wasn't Rice's fault as even though he is not that good, if his confidence is low it will make it all the worse as the season goes on.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » 03 Dec 2014, 00:08

I'd be interested to hear where these fans were who said that Rice has gifted them a goal. Because if they were with most of the Gulls fans behind the goal we were attacking it was impossible to see what happened for the goal in stoppage time. We had two or three attempts to prevent corners before that though. First goal, no way did that look to be Ricey's fault - to me it just looked like a good, whipped in near post corner.

What cost us the game was losing the midfield second half. Absolutely bossed it first half, Young in particular barely had a kick second half. Completely off the boil. Bowman quite profligate with his chances again - and rather than go for goal when around the keeper and off balance, a simple touch and square pass to Briscoe would have seen us two up.

Worrying pattern for this season is letting decidedly average and technically limited sides off the hook, time and time again.

Torquay United Fans Forum