Chelmsford v Torquay Sat 22nd Feb 3pm

[culmstockgull]

Agreed, how could you not, good people are running the club, something that we are are all eternally grateful for.
If they hadn’t there wouldn’t be this forum, club ect.

With the euphoria of salvation comes expectation and the owners are fully aware of that but something isn’t quite correct. Anyone who was at the Boxing Day game (with all respect to Weymouth) could see we weren’t good enough to win this league, we were sussed, easily by a team that will probably be playing in the league below down next season.

Probably going to get slaughtered for this but I’m going to suggest it’s player unity, they don’t seem to be a unified bunch, players have to be a selfish breed these days but I haven’t seen our players (with exception of one or two) wanting to motivate each other the crowd. When they score at Plainmoor they always peel away to the corner of the family stand, why? So they can get maximum camera coverage.

Anyone who experienced Leroy’s training sessions at Newton Abbot would have seen how he stopped moves in mid flight and coached the team involvement, spirit and it paid off.

Rant over.

COY season ain’t over.

I agree with a lot of your posting, with a good run towards the end of last year we started to believe, backed up with comments from the manager and the owners clearly to the effect that promotion was our goal, but words are not he same as actions, we haven't started the same eleven for months and we change them very early in the second half, are they not fit, are they carrying injuries, are they not doing what the manager asks. Today, we had a 39 year old playing 90 minutes so he probably wont be able to walk for a week, a centre forward who the commentary seem to suggest was carrying an injury, Young, subbed early again as we now he is carrying an injury that only a long summer break will cure. Hayfield limping before being subbed and thats before all the other injuries. So just when we needed a strong squad for tuesday night our starting eleven will probably consist of two established cente halves, seven across the middle and hopefully but no guarantee two forwards. Also I think the reason the players rush over to the family stand is because that is where their partners and children sit.

[Dilmond]

I seem to remember a statement at the start of the season stating that our players were going to be supremely fit for the campaign ahead, but that does not seem to be the case. So the seasonal curse of injuries, (and the need therefore to have players return from injury too early) hits us hard again.

Some people's expectations for this season were not set very high, and a season of stabilization with perhaps a pop at the playoffs was considered acceptable. So yet another curse which Torquay fans continually fall under, low expectations. I personally thought we would be neck and neck with someone at the top and many points clear of the rest, and just fail at being champions in true Torquay fashion.

Yes I am aware of the situation at Torquay: new owners, new manager, new players, but the same old underachieving Torquay United!

[Dave_Pougher]

Not sure even GJ blamed the arena , if that’s the case we’ll probably lose 6-0 Tues if the arena affects the score lol
Not picking on PW he’s doing OK , but that’s it OK, OK won’t win titles, ruthlessness does.
Lack of action & positivity from him causing concern IMO.

Side note, look out for Ollie Jenkins on Tuesday youngster creating goals like an experienced pro.Where did WSM obtain him from?
Yate Town. Players are out there,
Just saying.

[TheYellowFromExeter]

I agree with a lot of your posting, with a good run towards the end of last year we started to believe, backed up with comments from the manager and the owners clearly to the effect that promotion was our goal, but words are not he same as actions, we haven't started the same eleven for months and we change them very early in the second half, are they not fit, are they carrying injuries, are they not doing what the manager asks. Today, we had a 39 year old playing 90 minutes so he probably wont be able to walk for a week, a centre forward who the commentary seem to suggest was carrying an injury, Young, subbed early again as we now he is carrying an injury that only a long summer break will cure. Hayfield limping before being subbed and thats before all the other injuries. So just when we needed a strong squad for tuesday night our starting eleven will probably consist of two established cente halves, seven across the middle and hopefully but no guarantee two forwards. Also I think the reason the players rush over to the family stand is because that is where their partners and children sit.

With all these injuries, some potentially a bit longer than just one or two weeks, it may be a long shot but I wonder what the chances of Tom Lapslie coming back are? He loves the club and the area, and has been involved in the community recently.

[numpte]

All the doom mongers should go and support Real Madrid if you want to support a team that wins every week.
And some people i saw on here or FB slagging off the co chairman for being on the radio.
Keyboard warrior muppets and your sense of entitlement shameful.

[Southampton Gull]

Looking into the wreckage of a defeat after being 2-0 up isn't being a doom monger or expecting to win every week.

Personally speaking I'm underwhelmed by our manager who isn't delivering what he promised and who doesn't take his share of the blame but puts his players in the firing line along with everything else. The narrow minded keep referring back to the previous manager when he was employed by a charlatan intent on destroying the club. Wotton is backed to the hilt and needs to start taking responsibility for some of our setbacks. I'm not calling for his head, I'm not stating my opinion based on anyone or anything else but what we have right now. It's not like we're a few games into the season where he could rightfully be cut plenty of slack, we're at the business end of the season and his promise of the type of side he would produce isn't evident on the road. That's the bare minimum I expect. As much as I wanted and expected us to be fighting for promotion it's not and never has been the be all and end all for me. To criticise him, justifiably in my estimation, has nothing to do with anything or anyone else. His post match reaction borders on the ridiculous. Put your hands up and take some of the blame. That's it. No need to blame the pitch, the stadium, the atmosphere or the travelling let alone the injury list. Time to earn your stripes and show what you're made of. I don't think that's asking too much.

[Louis]

[culmstockgull]

All the doom mongers should go and support Real Madrid if you want to support a team that wins every week.
And some people i saw on here or FB slagging off the co chairman for being on the radio.
Keyboard warrior muppets and your sense of entitlement shameful.

Keyboard warriors is a misnoma as we couldn't vent our positive or negative feelings in any other manner on this forum, being a season ticket holder and only missing four games home and away all season I support Torquay and have done for 60 years so therefore by logical default I have no sense of entitlement, I think I know as much about our team as anyone else, it is not doom or gloom to raise legitmate and valid questions such as why two thirds of the way through the season we have any number of players who cannot manage 90 minutes,more so as we are supposed to be a full time team. Why we allow two subs on that haven't warmed up correctly and get hamstring issues, I do not expect to win every game but also I do not expect to lose games when we are comfortably on top which has happened far too many times this season.
New owners, new club, new optimism, I do not think the supporter numbers wold have been any less this season if we were informed that this year would be one of consolidation and promotion may be a step too far, that would have managed expectations a lot better than everyone from the board down stating clearly we are promotion bound.

[Fozziefan]

With all these injuries, some potentially a bit longer than just one or two weeks, it may be a long shot but I wonder what the chances of Tom Lapslie coming back are? He loves the club and the area, and has been involved in the community recently.

Would love to see Lapslie back but wasn’t he out for a year? Probably still injured and might not be the player he was before such a major injury.

[Unitedtillidie]

What is Hamon doing for the winner , talk about not commanding your area ,All he had to do was come and catch it . We’ll never go up with this squad or manager , they havnt the right temperament to win away and the tactics are shit and have been all season .

[BigDave]

Looking into the wreckage of a defeat after being 2-0 up isn't being a doom monger or expecting to win every week.

Personally speaking I'm underwhelmed by our manager who isn't delivering what he promised and who doesn't take his share of the blame but puts his players in the firing line along with everything else. The narrow minded keep referring back to the previous manager when he was employed by a charlatan intent on destroying the club. Wotton is backed to the hilt and needs to start taking responsibility for some of our setbacks. I'm not calling for his head, I'm not stating my opinion based on anyone or anything else but what we have right now. It's not like we're a few games into the season where he could rightfully be cut plenty of slack, we're at the business end of the season and his promise of the type of side he would produce isn't evident on the road. That's the bare minimum I expect. As much as I wanted and expected us to be fighting for promotion it's not and never has been the be all and end all for me. To criticise him, justifiably in my estimation, has nothing to do with anything or anyone else. His post match reaction borders on the ridiculous. Put your hands up and take some of the blame. That's it. No need to blame the pitch, the stadium, the atmosphere or the travelling let alone the injury list. Time to earn your stripes and show what you're made of. I don't think that's asking too much.

You surely cannot criticise the current manager: just look at how badly Truro are doing since he and his goalkeeping mate left them. Also just look at Cheltenham's performance on the fringe of the play-off spots in a division two levels above Torquay to understand what a catastrophe Johnson and Downes were: without their involvement the Robins would surely have sealed the League 2 title by now and doubtless the Gulls would have seized a National League place if they had never graced/sullied the TUFC dug-out. Johnson and, in particular, Downes were not as bad as the Torquay faithful maintain and Wotton is continuing to demonstrate that he is performing in accordance with the Peter Principle i.e. his ability ceiling is probably only that of a National League South higher end manager

[numpte]

Who is the manager of Cheltenham and makes the decisions? What a ridiculous post.

[desperado]

I'm as gutted as anyone after Saturday but come on - we've lost 6 games out of 33 - what did people expect
Go the whole season unbeaten?

[Brixham63]

We are doing ok. Criticism is the right of all supporters but balance it out with some perspective.

We have come from the edge of oblivion. No other team in this league had one player in June. Every team in this league had a core of players who new each other, ready to go on day one of the season. The Bryn consortium literally had no idea about how to manage a football club on day one and had to make a standing start. Our budget is apparently modest but sustainable. Wotton had the choice of what players were left after a frantic minimal pre season.

This is the season of stability, not getting relegated and building a core of players that we can keep for a few years. Wooton's Truro played us off the park last season. A team without a home, travelling to Gloucester for its home games and still taught us a footballing lesson. Wotton is good enough.

We will make the play offs I hope but might not get over the line. That experience will only improve our players and hopefully put us on the map as a team players want to be a part of. The team isn't a team yet so we will have to be patient. It will take time.

Criticism after losing one game, a total of 6 as desperado says, is nuts. Five of the top 7 teams in the National League have lost more games. If Wotton had been able to recruit another 5 suitable players he would have done it.

We must give the club Board manager and team time and manage our own expectations. I recall the often unwarranted and frankly mean criticism of Mike Bateson who kept us going through some very tough times.

[Southampton Gull]

There's nothing wrong with criticism after squandering a two goal lead away from home and there's nothing wrong with criticising the manager of that team when he's blamed everyone and everything except himself. Everything else is taken as read, no criticism of the Board and nothing abusive just honest opinions expressed about the manager. What's the problem with that? Why are so many hung up on the previous regime which has nothing to do with me expressing my opinions. I'm not accusing him of stealing a living, not calling for him to be sacked, not abusing him in any way. I'm shocked that he didn't offer any culpability for that shocking end to the game from such a dominant position and it's not the first time either.