Woking v Torquay match thread Monday 28/8/17 3pm

[brucie]

This game was always going to be a heavy defeat. For once you could cite injuries as a factor. Its the manner of our defeats against Guiseley and Solihull that are killing us at the moment.

[Grecian71]

Very good impartial post from an Exeter fan. Thanks Grecian71. Do you need another striker to replace Ollie Watkins. You can have Rory Fallon for free ....... with a couple of cornettos thrown in !

No probs - I had a distinct feeling of "there, but for the grace of God" today - so will keep my fingers crossed for you, both on and off the pitch.

Will try to catch another of your games up here later in the season when I'm not on Grecian duty, next time at a ground I've not been to (Maidenhead sounds nice). I now have a busy September of FGR, Barnet and Coventry - a weird mix.

Fallon? Thanks, but no thanks!

[merse btpir]

I honestly think that was a game you could have got something from with a more defensive set-up, hit the channels for wide runners and then relied on set pieces. At this point the management should be just stemming the bleeding and accepting some grubby 0-0 draws, or with luck a one-nil win against the run of play.

A very good and accurate report Grecian71 with which I wholehearted concur......

I was sitting right behind the United technical area and the total lack of game management from Herrera was shocking and to the consternation of one applicant for the manager's job who was sitting next to me. The geezer didn't even have fluids primed ready for the drinks break when it was offered; that's how out of his depth and Mickey Mouse he is! And he has the charisma and presence of a ghost.

With three central defenders playing, why not go 3 (Anderson, Kuklowski & McGinty) at the back and use Higgins and Reid as wingbacks instead of an out of position and off balance/right footed Anderson at left back exposed with Gosling doing jack-shit to cover him and so preventing him from tucking in and protecting McGinty when he was taken on one for one? United were there for the taking because of this and it was seen in the seats before it became reality.

Young's lack of desire and fight is shocking and he became a liability defending as the game wore on. He's not fit as many of the side aren't; the whole issue of fitness and conditioning needs addressing because Nicholson gifted that responsibility to his mate.

Did anyone monitor Lavercombe before they brought him in? Following on from Saturday he gifted the first goal by going down too late and letting the shot bounce before he could have got his hands to it.....from 25 yards that ridiculous and kicked the guts out of the side so early after a bright start; he got beaten for a second time from outside the box too. He's not good enough!

The engagement of Fallon has been a joke as has been the gifting of contracts to players with dubious injury records over the past few seasons....Gowling, Davies and (I'm sorry to say) Clarke. Fallon is way off being fit and Howarth is another one like that....Nicholson's mis-management has been scandalous and now he has the cheek to claim he's left a 'lottery legacy' to his successor. I don't think any of those potential successors watching today would agree. Two games in three days and most of them were blowing out of their arses and are devoid of pace anyway.

Nicholson, Herrera and Jeffery knew the fixture schedule and should have had the players prepared and conditioned appropriately. Today's performance was pedestrian, uninspired, without courage and a shocking indictment on them as a management team.

[timmax]

Klukowski has played 90% of his career as a midfielder he is not a defender. We have yet to play one single game this season with a back 4 consisting of 4 defenders. Why we havent got a loan or two to cover Gowling and left back is astonishing. Agree about fitness issue. I actually believe a new manager will identify these glaringly obvious things and with a CM and another striker could turn this shambles around. If he isnt announced before Saturday then I give up.

[standupsitdown]

I can only go by what I saw yesterday, but at the moment this looks like a team that will be relegated by February. The defence was awful, there was no creativity and no threat up front. But with a decent manager to select and organise the team, plus a few additions, I think they could turn it round to at least survive relegation. Great goal though.

[Brightboy92]

A quick eye witness account from a Grecians fan at the game - I live in a village not far from Woking and thought I'd take in some football. I'll keep it short as you probably won't appreciate a City fan having witnessed that - but just to say that for the sake of professional football in Devon I do hope you turn this around.

I didn't really understand your line-up given the circumstances, far too attacking leaving a back four of limited ability, and low in confidence, exposed. You were outnumbered in midfield and while I guess Luke Young is a decent player he didn't have a great game today - tidy enough when in possession but offered little protection to the back four when in defensive mode. (Watch the third goal to see how he bounced off the Woking player who then crossed for a decent finish).

Their first goal should have been a save all day long, but it looked like the keeper saw it late, still got to it but then misjudged the trajectory and appeared to palm it into the net. Poor defending on your right from a routine throw-in on the halfway line led to the second. And then you get back into it with a great strike following a long throw which was cleared well enough, but returned with interest.

That just went to show how brittle Woking were, they briefly went to pieces at the back and you had a decent penalty shout straight afterwards which if given would have put them down to 10.

However normal service resumed in the second half, no changes to personnel or tactics and the third goal followed, which as I say resulted from poor midfield cover (and a non-existent left back) followed by a smart finish around the six-yard line. The fourth was another good finish from someone who again had too much space to attack the back four.

I understand the doom and gloom but I honestly think that was a game you could have got something from with a more defensive set-up, hit the channels for wide runners and then relied on set pieces. At this point the management should be just stemming the bleeding and accepting some grubby 0-0 draws, or with luck a one-nil win against the run of play. Some of the basic ingredients are there - Gosling can deliver a good cross, you've got your guy with the throw, and judging by Keating's record he's got an eye for goal.

Some final points;

- good positive away support, though I didn't wait for the end to hear the reception at the final whistle
- I honestly think the players kept trying despite everything.
- Fallon offered very little, he just gets in the way of players with more to offer.

Even with limited options due to injuries, it should have been obvious that lining up with a defensive-minded team is paramount.
It's also worrying about the lack of fitness/conditioning of our players. I hope the new gaffer gets a chance to bring in his own assistant, and we need to look at getting a new physio & fitness coach in as well.

[arrywithanh]

and lets not forget a big hats off to James Gray, I like Keating and his work ethic, but pre-season Gray was good, and against Woking showed his opportunism. I think that is what Williams offered, it is opportunism that we lack in general throughout the team. Praying for a new manager this week to at least try and sort this debacle out.

[Eirik]

Highlights from the game: http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/mat ... eos/113568

Great goal from Gray.

[Jeff]

What a hit from Gray.

Rare bright spot this season

[wivelgull]

Just watched the highlights. Doesn't look too good. The goalie seems - well - not quite up to it (but please don't ask for Mark Coombe to return!).

[desperado]

Agree with Merse, with the personnel we had available this game was crying out for us to shore up the
defence and play 5-3-2 , Klukowski, McGinty and Anderson centre backs, Higgins and Reid wing backs,
Young, Gosling and Gray the three and Keating and Pitman up front, no need to have played Fallon at all

[MellowYellow]

Agree with Merse, with the personnel we had available this game was crying out for us to shore up the
defence and play 5-3-2 , Klukowski, McGinty and Anderson centre backs, Higgins and Reid wing backs,
Young, Gosling and Gray the three and Keating and Pitman up front, no need to have played Fallon at all

Agreed and I would have had the 'kit-man' in goal.

[arcadia]

It make me laugh when a few supporters can work out a better system with the players available than the management team. I am not sure that Ronnie Moore is the answer and would only have him if he could tell me the players that he would bring to Plainmoor.
We need to know that he can get players here on the budget offered.
Of coarse providing he is Harrops choice.

[desperado]

Well have a good laugh then, seems an obvious thing to try when you have leaked 15 goals in 5 games
and have to play a centre back at left back. Herrera had nothing to lose by trying it

[SuperNickyWroe]

Well have a good laugh then, seems an obvious thing to try when you have leaked 15 goals in 5 games
and have to play a centre back at left back. Herrera had nothing to lose by trying it

.....apart from 4-1..... :}
cant believe he didn't play 3-5-2 with the players that he had.