Torquay United v Port Vale - 23/2/12

[cambgull]

Hmm... well, plenty of positives and negatives there.

On the positive side, we seemed to play much better football in the first half and created quite a few chances. More attacking and more chances means the goals will come.

On the negative side, the goals will come in a "unlimited monkeys, unlimited typewriters" kinda way. We really should've had a couple today and I thought the same against Fleetwood too. Unfortunately, there is no cutting edge when the ball gets to the box.

[AustrianAndyGull]

The key now is to play like that against Wycombe AND at Accrington. If we do that, the goals will come and we'll start getting the results i'm sure of it. Sounded like a solid enough performance on the radio and with some luck and better finishing we could have got something out of the game. Fairly pleased and even more so that i didn't put that £30 on us in the end. Brentford can go and fold though, cockney &8%$!!

[Scott Brehaut]

I'm blaming Bixie for the loss - his fault for betting on us!!

[PlainmoorRoar]

1) 4-4-2 YES finally 2 upfront really worked, especially Benyon we have missed his play definitely first half
2) Play someone else instead of Jarvis wide, Start Bodin and Macklin
3) Port Vale, especially Jones and Purse a disgrace diving, constant dissent, feigning injury - The lot!
4) Looking forward to Wycome, we dont look like a team going down!

Oh and course a terrible TERRIBLE REF!

[Neal]

Didnt go today, but glad to ehar that we played well. Sounded like bad luck and no shooting boots :-(

[Dave_Pougher]

How many argyle does it take to change a light bulb ??

None

They just sit around and talk about how good the bulb was whilst they they were in the Championship lol

There's a thought,,, probably why i feel like a guy with a glass half empty this evening. Well done to the lads for a better performance this afternoon sounds like they had a much better performance (esp Manse particularly pleased about that) and from the sounds of it Port Vale knew they had been in a game. Great,, long may it continue. Slightly peeved that Alan Knill didn't bring anyone in for this match though, short notice,, yes,, without a doubt, but you'd like to think that with the contacts Knill has already said he has he would have brought somebody in right away. Couple that with Bakers comments pre match saying " I'd be really suprised if we didn't bring someONE in within the next TEN days or so" I still feel slightly worried.

So the question remains, did Alan not bring anyone in,, or was he discouraged form doing so?

Over to you Simon/Bill

[divingbboy]

Annoyed that we lost that, but on the positive side that's the best we've played in A LONG time. Looked very composed and measured in the first half especially. Bodin had a great game, as did Downes before his hamstring injury. One thing's for sure: Alan Knill is a very hands-on manager during matches, constantly praising players when deserved, giving direction where required, and he's not afraid to fire a rocket up the arses of the players (choice quote of the match: "**cking MOVE BRIAN!! MOVE!!" Feel very comfortable with Knill. I think he's a safe pair of hands, I really do.

Port Vale weren't particularly good, but certainly know how to play dirty. Some pretty dreadful feigning of injuries went on whenever we got the ball.

[Colorado Gull]

As a part of my day today with the media, I made notes in the game for a match report! I will post it on here as soon as I can!

[tauntongull]

A far better performance today following the farce that was Aldershot on Tuesday night. I think we looked 100% better.

I only have a couple of concerns. Is it me or did we play too much of the ball from the back right down the throat of Purse? I felt that we needed to bplay to our strengths and the ball was far too much in the air for my liking. Our forwards like the ball on the floor in front of them - so why do we seem he'll bent on playing to the strengths of the opposition? I'm still worried about the goal situation or lack of. I really also think this will be Nicholsons last season. I want to look at our team and feel we have strength in all positions. Would have liked to have seen Thompson on the other wing today opposite Macklin as I feel it give teams something to think about and stops them pushing too far forward,

Otherwise pleased despite the loss and we made sure their directors behind us knew all about it - quite frankly they weren't as good as I thought they would be. A deflected goal - not much change from us. Well done lads.

[lucy6lucy]

How many argyle does it take to change a light bulb ??

None

They just sit around and talk about how good the bulb was whilst they they were in the Championship lol

There's a thought,,, probably why i feel like a guy with a glass half empty this evening. Well done to the lads for a better performance this afternoon sounds like they had a much better performance (esp Manse particularly pleased about that) and from the sounds of it Port Vale knew they had been in a game. Great,, long may it continue. Slightly peeved that Alan Knill didn't bring anyone in for this match though, short notice,, yes,, without a doubt, but you'd like to think that with the contacts Knill has already said he has he would have brought somebody in right away. Couple that with Bakers comments pre match saying " I'd be really suprised if we didn't bring someONE in within the next TEN days or so" I still feel slightly worried.

So the question remains, did Alan not bring anyone in,, or was he discouraged form doing so?

Over to you Simon/Bill

To be fair Dave, Alan did say on Thursday he would assess the team on Saturday and then decide on additions to the squad, so dont worry too much, expect some phone calls to be made tonight and Sunday and I wouldnt be suprised to see 1 or 2 players signed by Monday.

[hector]

Despite Dave Saunders on the radio putting a positive spin on it, I didn't think we were very good today. Port Vale were solid and quite often looked like they would hit us on the break.

We could still be playing now and we would still have a score of zero. It comes to something when the commentator is trying to suggest how much of an improvement it was by describing Rene Howe's header. That was it really. The total sum of our possible gaol-scoring efforts.

We essentially have a defence plus Rene Howe and that is it. They cannot do it all on their own. When you have a midfield that is incapable of passing to other players in yellow, then no wonder the attack (well, Rene) cannot score.

In defence, Poke had little to do and Saah was excellent. Our best player defensively and offensively by a mile. But overall, it was little better than the performance against Fleetwood. Hopefully, Knill has seen enough and will bring in some reinforcements on loan. He may as well send Benyon back to Southend because he is a waste of a loan. Still bundled off the ball too easily, still slower than Guy Branston and still incapable of shooting with power.

Other than Saah, Downes, Poke, Howe and MacDonald the rest of the team looked poor. The endeavour was there but sadly not the skill or talent to remotely threaten Port Vale.

[SBP]

Totally agree with you Hector.

Apart from the free kick i cant recall there keeper making any saves. In fact there keeper spent most of the match laying on his arse tapping his boots, what was that all about??

We need to make improvements in midfield, and we need to know who our best wide men our. My earlier team selection of leaving Bodin out was called into question by CAMBGULL, well today just proved it, he was basically ineffective on the left, beat a couple of players then losses the ball!! Ryan Jarvis seemed to find himself very deep, wouldnt it be better to have Nathan Craig doing that role! Maklin was introduced and instantly beat the full back and cut the ball back. No one there unfortunately.

We really didnt know what to do with the ball on occassions, players bumping in to each other!

[Colorado Gull]

FFS!!! I lost my match report again!!

Not doing this again!

Off to kick the cat!

[AustrianAndyGull]

I think the important thing to remember is that it was Knills first game in charge against probably the best side in the division and we had only won 1 game in 3 months. What did people expect? He at least now has had an opportunity to see first hand what he has to work with and the coming games against Wycombe, Accrington, Oxford and Dagenham are the ones in which we need to get some points on the board. Of course we are all assuming that Knill will have the answers and we will pull away from the bottom 2 but there is a very real possibility that the endemic apathy and negativity instilled in the squad by Martin Ling is just too embedded and we are just too far gone to turn things around. I am fully expecting Knill to stem the tide and revive our fortunes but by the same token, if we don't get a couple of wins from those 4 games i've mentioned then i fear the worst.

The deeper we get sucked in and continue failing to arrest this abysmal run of form, the more likely it is that we will drop. We have a couple of winnable home games in York and Chesterfield should we be in some sort of form then but out of our last 6 we will do well to get many points on the board from those apart from maybe Barnet at home. We need 13 points or thereabouts and a couple of wins in our next 4 will see us on the road to safety. Let's not forget, to get 13 points we need 13 points from 13 games, our last 13 games has seen us get just 3 points. The major issue is our inability to score goals and even when we do it is usually only the one so we rely on the defence to keep a clean sheet which rarely happens. This means not many wins. We need 3 or maybe 4 wins and a few draws to keep us safe so it is imperative we get one on tuesday night. The longer we continue without winning then the games are going to run out.

The critical aspect is our away form which has been nothing short of comatose this season, we have the joint worst scoring record away from Plainmoor in the division and if you'd seen half of the away games i have this season it is obvious to see why. No intention of winning a football match is why. Our games at Plainmoor at least give us spells of the game where we are on top and many times this season we have failed to take advantage of this but at least the opportunities are there to score goals and win games. Away from home we just don't look like winning again. THIS MUST CHANGE and it must begin at Accrington on saturday. We can win a couple of games attacking and we might be on the end of a couple of drubbings for being to open but a couple of wins is better than 2 or 3 draws and the rest defeats and this could make all the difference in the end. It's crunch time now and if i see the same attitude of performance at Accy next weekend then with Gillingham, Northampton, Southend, Morecambe and Daggers away to play then we'll be lucky to get a point or two. We need wins and we need them right now so the time for playing it safe and seeing how it pans out is gone. It's gung ho and ripple the net a few times and perhaps nick a couple of wins or it's knocking out the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz's again and eeking out a point or two. Meaning we have to win 4 of our remaining home games .

[brucie]

Heartbreaking today really as we should have come away with at least a point. We played some good stuff in the first half and Howe's downward header into the bottom left hand corner was a goal until their
keeper made a Gordon Banks save to keep it out . Unbelievable. Last time it was Warrington saving Rotherham and this time their keeper did the same.
We looked to be playing well and in control when Poke decided to throw the ball out to Leadbitter in front of the bench. Notwithstanding the pitch is a nightmare on that side the fullback lost the ball and from the resultant throw Port Vale scored with a complete fluke goal. After the game a supporter behind the goal was adamant that their player had put it in with his hand.
Can't fault Knills tactics,formation and line up. No lack of effort and thought all the players did really well - the only problem was that in the second half we didn't look as though we would score if we were still playing now. We just didn't create any chances.
The ref was awful,Port Vale players were falling down at every opportunity and that was that - another three points gone.
Yes Port Vale are top - big strong side but in the last three games they have failed to beat Barnet and Wimbledon, and followed that up by losing to ten man Morecambe.
We have just got to win on Tuesday - if we lose that one I can really see us going down. Knill seems a refreshing change after Ling really but he cannot go on the pitch and play himself. Benyon will be better for the game tonight and really with him and Howe up front we should not have a problem scoring goals.
Downes injury is a hammer blow as well.
This league is really average and six losses on the trot is a disgrace. We can't afford anymore hard luck stories - we MUST win the next game.