League 2 Playoffs: Shrewsbury Town vs Torquay United

[Plymouth Gull]

Greenhous Meadow
Friday 20th May 2011
KO: 7.45pm

So then, we travel to Shropshire on Friday night, as we go head to head against Shrewsbury in the 2nd leg of the Playoffs. We reached "half-time" at 2-0 up, so anything other than a 2+ goal defeat and we will go through. However, I can't see us resting on this advantage. We know that Shrewsbury have to come at us. If we line up 5 at the back we are creating our own problems. We will be allowing them to attack us, which will in turn force us deeper and deeper. We need to go to Greenhous Meadow on Friday, and attack our hosts. Just like we did at Plainmoor on Saturday evening. Attack them, take the game on as we have done with every other one, imagine it's 0-0 and go from there. Whether we do what we did in the league fixture up there - Eunan in the hole behind a lone striker with two quick wingers, or whether we go with the front 4 supported by Eunan. It's a tough decision to make, but that's what makes managers good or bad. It will be a tense atmosphere on Friday night, with a sell out of around 8,500 (?) Shrewsbury fans in the Stadium. We will hopefully have 900 or so loud fans getting behind our team, I'd imagine it'll be a fantastic atmosphere.

GULLS NEWS.

I don't believe there are any injury concerns that were picked up on Saturday. No bookings received, either. I'm unsure as to whether we'll see us line up with the same front 4, I don't think Kee is effective at all on the right, but who knows.

SHREWS NEWS

Captain Ian Sharps is doubtful for the tie, after limping off in the first half on Saturday, with a suspected hernia injury. Apart from that, I don't think there are any fresh injuries.

RECENT GAMES AT THE MEADOW.

I have to admit, I didn't think our record at Shrewsbury was as good as it is. In our last 10 trips to Shropshire, we have won 6, drawn 3 and lost just a single time. That gives me a little bit more confidence, but still, our good run against the Shrews is bound to end soon - I really hope it doesn't on Friday though! The highest scoring game at the Meadow in recent times came in 2002/03, when we ran out 3-2 winners. We bottled a 0-2 advantage with 15 minutes remaining, before David Woozley popped up with a 90th minute winner to take the points. The Shrews' only victory against us came in our horrible year of 2006/07, where a 77th minute Derek Asamoah goal proved to be the winner, as we went down to a single goal defeat. That was the last game at Gay Meadow. Since the move to Greenhous Meadow, both games have ended in 1-1 draws. Dave Hibbert cancelled out a Chris Hargreaves goal last season, while this season Jake Robinson put Shrewsbury 1-0 up before Elliot Benyon equalised from the spot to level the score.

PROBABLE LINE UP.

I would imagine that they will line up very similarly to the 11 that started against us on Saturday. Sharps is obviously unfit, and maybe Tom Bradshaw will start in place of James Collins. I can't see there being many more changes, though.

REF WATCH.

K K WRIGHT
P Bankes and D J H England
Fourth Official G Ward

Kevin Wright is the man in the middle for this game, on Friday. Wright has done the majority of his games at Championship level this season, with the occasional League 1/2 game. In 26 games, there has been 76 yellow cards and 5 reds. The last Torquay game he did was the 5-0 victory over Darlington at Plainmoor last season. Same again please.

PREDICTION.

A noisy night, hopefully 1,000 Gulls and we'll go through. I don't care how, as long as we do it.

YELLOWWWWWSSSSSS!

[Trojan 67]

Who scores first and when will open up the tie or kill it dead.

Whatever, if we don't score and we don't concede then we're going to Old Trafford

[GulldenBoy]

Can't make it myself so going to watch it on Sky through my Xbox, anyone know which game is on the red button yet as i can't get that through the Xbox????

[GulldenBoy]

Nooooooooo!!!!! According to the radiotimes website our game is on the red button: http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServl ... llpage.jsp

[diamondgirl]

Goldenboy, I'm afraid it is on Red Button, which is a bloody nuisance as I dont think you can record it either. Although I am going to the game, I like to record and watch it later (But only if, sorry when we win!!)

[Awayday]

I have made another post with regards to noise and atmosphere on Friday................

Other than that I think we will do well and make good the 2 goal advantage.

[Trojan 67]

As it's only "half time", it's appropriate for the previous and current match day threads to be top of the Main Board.

[PlainmoorRoar]

Need to do what reading did to Cardiff,

press press press
then if we pick off a couple of goals, lets not sit back because then we will lose!


With it being on the red button, Boots and laces will still have it on?

[Trojan 67]

Need to do what reading did to Cardiff,

press press press
then if we pick off a couple of goals, lets not sit back because then we will lose!


With it being on the red button, Boots and laces will still have it on?

Was Cardiff v Reading on the red button ?

[eastyorksgull]

hi guys,well not long now,am so excited,cant wait for friday,no fear attitude,show them what TUFC are all about,pride,passion,desire,and yeah we will be at old trafford....simon

[Scott Brehaut]

Was Cardiff v Reading on the red button ?

No - all the other playoffs are on separate days (Mon, Tue, Wed and Thurs), with the League 2 playoffs both played on Friday. Hence the need for one to be on the red button.

[Loggerheads]

Need to do what reading did to Cardiff,

press press press
then if we pick off a couple of goals, lets not sit back because then we will lose!


With it being on the red button, Boots and laces will still have it on?

To be quite honest if you sit back I can't see us getting 2 goals, we need Torquay to come at us a bit.

Plainmoor is a very tight pitch and allows you to close and play an effective pressing game, we have a nice wide large pitch so I think we are in for a very different game on friday.

Might be clutching at straws and looking for every piece of karma, but Friday is Shrewsbury's 125 birthday to the day, so all gifts presented to us during the game will be very much appreciated

[HRG]

I've only said that it's on the red button in two threads already. I sometimes wonder why I bother. 8/

Anyhoo, I expect us to go for an early goal, it won't kill off the game but it is less likely that Shrewsbury will score four than three. I'd be very disappointed to see us sit back and defend but I don't think that's going to happen from Buckle's and Branston's post match interviews.
Hopeful but not confident.
COYY!

[Boom Boom]

Definitely should take a leaf out of Bournemouth's book. Heavily outnumbered in a stadium full of loud Huddersfield fans & have put brilliant away leg performance thus far.

[ferrarilover]

Hmmm, some saying half time 2-0. Perhaps it's 3/4 time and 8-1, is that better?

For those 'worrying' about us sitting back, forget it, PB has said all season that he only knows one way to play and that is attacking, so he will, in my view, go with what he knows.

There's a surprise, Shrews Torquay is the reserve match, where as Accrington Stevenage is the main attraction. Quite what kind of a match we will witness between the two weakest teams (overall) in the playoffs playing hoofball on that quagmire of a pitch is anyone's guess.

Matt.

Matt.