Accrington Stanley v Torquay United - 2/3/13

[brooker]

I must admit I had a bit of a moan on Tuesday during the game, but you're totally right, it doesnt take a genius to realise that shouting abuse at a player from 12 yards away will knock his confidence. It was really obvious with Bodin earlier in the season, it looked like he hated playing in front of the pop, and sometimes he'd look like a rabbit in the headlights, and start legging it about aimlessly marking people with no real strategy, and no positive effect on the game. It makes sense though that if a player gets booed when he loses the ball, that he feels the heat, and then doesn't want the ball again, consequently making more mistakes when next in possession.

[AustrianAndyGull]

There are some really fair and sensible points from you guys here about the effects of abuse on players at games but if i may counter argue that with an admittedly flimsy but interesting point of my own.

In games AWAY from Plainmoor the players get pretty much 100% support generally, certainly in every game i've been to this season. The players come to take throw ins right in front of us and we clap and encourage them on verbally saying they are doing well, to keep going, to keep trying, applauding for tackles or when good work is done. We do this all through the games and they are away from Plainmoor and the usual situations and away from most ofthe people who shout idiotic abuse at them. So why do we actually play WORSE than we do at Plainmoor each time we have an awayday? Surely it should be the other way around. They are away from Plainmoor, away from the pressure, they are expected to get beat anyway and they get total support, as much singing as small groups can muster and constant encouragement and praise from the stands. Surely they should be making a better fist of these games then if they are under less pressure? I'm not coming to any conclusions about anything but am just putting that theory out there to see what you guys think. Obviously we all know they are under pressure anyway given the run of form and league position but if ever there were games to get away from all the madness it is at places like Rochdale and Accrington in front of less than 100 supportive Gulls and no negativity and a fresh change of scenery.

[chunkygull]

You didn't exactly get slaughtered Chunky, you were claiming that our players were completely incapable of doing some of the things you have listed there which was probably harsh. Whilst I completely agree with you saying that any pro footballer should be able to do these things to a large extent, I'm not sure our players are quite as incapable as you allured to. When you re-explained what you meant, it made sense.

Bodin, Benyon, Nico, and Leadbitter are the only players I can think of that are seriously one-footed. I'm not sure about the central midfielders, but i've seen them use their other foot for short passes in quick exchanges. I agree, the simple short passes should be bread and butter stuff for any professional or even the better semi-pro players. It does seem to put us in awkward positions at times.

One thing which doesn't help us though is us - the fans. I think fans underestimate how much pressure the players can feel when the crowd is on their back. We're so hypocritical in that we say ''the players need to stop losing their composure for the last 30 minutes, as we always seem to do before hitting the ball long and panicking''. So why is it that as soon as we're losing, the crowd start screaming for more urgency, and shouting out in anger everytime a pass is misplaced or a players makes a poor decision on the ball? I even heard fans shouting to smack the ball up the pitch...WHY!?? It achieves nothing. The fans have no patience.
This urgency and frustration directly translates to the team's performance, and you can see the fear on their faces as we're chasing the game. They want to get rid of the ball to someone else as quickly as possible, they choose the safer passes, and they start playing more selfishly to ensure they don't make a crucial mistake e.g. hoofing a clearance up the field to ensure they have done their defensive responsibility, leaving the problem to the attacking players to get on the end of the long ball or to win it back. We're never going to win another game until the team plays as a team. The fans need to encourage the players. This obviously won't happen though as the fans are clueless bafoons who have no idea what they are often doing to the players psychologically at times, when the players need our support the most.

honestly, if you look at those posts again i didnt name any of our players in any criticism.i didnt say anyone was incapable i was just stating what they should be able to do and what makes it worse is they probably are capable to do it. to be honest i go a lot on what i have heard and read other people saying lately. i havent seen us play as much as usual this season through work and childcare commitments so i cannot criticise individuals that i have not seen enough of.(hence i have stated before i tend not to post on current team and football matters much). it was mainly a gripe at footballers in general who appear to not be able pass a ball accurately or positively. i have seen plenty of this at plainmoor down the years and the gripe is something that has built up over time.

my main point was, like i said i get annoyed at the labels midfield players have in recent times. they are expressions we never used to hear. i appreciate there are strengths and weakesses to a players game, thats what defines their position and their role in the team. i keep reading and hearing none of our midfield can play a positive forward ball,, which from what i have seen, also is pretty fair. however, if a so called defensive/holding midfielder (hate that title) is asked by their manager to win the ball and push it to the forwards or wide areas they should be able at this level to do so. i do feel players should be able to perform different roles and tasks their manager asks of them in their position.i can only conclude they have being told to play in the way they have been playing by the coaches and management.
knill is exempt from this currently.
some interesting points he made about us after tuesdays game-

" alan knill - I think there's a bit of apprehension there – we've got some young players who haven't been in this situation before.

"I was delighted that we scored (from open play) after such a long time without one, but disappointed that we couldn't keep that one-goal lead.

"In the second half we had a great chance to make it 2-0 and didn't take it, and they go down the other end and take their chance.

"Then we go deeper and deeper. Instead of stepping forward, we stepped back.

sounds like he was surprised at how much we retreat when we go a goal up.something that has been mentioned on here many times.

i feel like i got slaughtered before because i got the triple face palm picture and told i had obviously never played football and pretty much didnt know what i was talking about :no: .


i have to say though ,again yellowsmiffy, i absolutely 100% agree with the points made in your post though. in fact .

[oxgull]

Manse looks up for this one and we will need him to put a shift in. Although I have us down for a 0 - 2 defeat in the prediction league it's a reverse phsycology thing from me. We might just nick something here if the guys get fired up and the travelling yellow army give it everything. Our fortunes really have to change soon surely???? I can't see any loanees coming in so it's up to those already here to pick themselves up, and that's a challenge for the management, to stop the rot and gives us all something to cheer about. Can't get any worse can it???? Come on you yellows!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's time for the tough to get going.

[AustrianAndyGull]

The referee for this one is the vastly experienced ANDY D'URSO with the assistants NICK GREENHALGH & DARREN HANDLEY and the 4th official is KEVIN MATTOCKS.

[oldpedant]

The referee for this one is the vastly experienced ANDY D'URSO with the assistants NICK GREENHALGH & DARREN HANDLEY and the 4th official is KEVIN MATTOCKS.

Are you sure? The league website says something different.

http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/Appointments


Where did you get your information from?

[Yellow4life]

Andy D'urso is at York

[AustrianAndyGull]

Andy D'urso is at York

Yes, sorry Ryan, sorry all. I was looking at the wrong bit. It was the official football league website i was looking at but i inexplicably was looking at the wrong game. SORRY ALL!! We've got JEREMY SIMPSON, not BEADLE! Assistants are GLEN HART ( sounds like an area of outstanding natural beauty in Scotland that ! ) and PETER WRIGHT. The 4th official is MATTHEW BRISTOW.

I bet D'Urso is over the moon to discover he doesn't have to go to Accrington.

[brucie]

Well its Friday lunchtime and I can scarcely believe that we have not managed ONE signing. Macdonald clearly isn't up to the task but we have not bought in a replacement centre half. Yet again more talk from the board and no action whatsoever. Whilst I was happy enough with Knill being bought in after two games I am now not sure at all that he is the right man for the job. I mean its an important game tomorrow and we are going in with it seems on Tuesday nights evidence a central defender who is incapable of heading the ball.
The team desperately needs strengthening in key positions and bugger all seems to be happening.

[Plymgull]

This could be one of if not the biggest game of the season, i was hoping so much we would have at least made a signing before this game.

Accrington 3-1 Torquay.

HOPE i'm wrong but were buttom of the form table for a reason. Were crap.

COYY!

[Dockers Pal]

It doesn't look like there will be any loanees joining us before Accrington - if we do we'll be picking them up at a roundabout somewhere near the M6 !!
So as a deputy for Downes if Macdonald is poor at dealing with headers we can expect Accrington will be putting in plenty of crosses to expose him. Instead of him, why doesn't Mackenzie get another chance - we know from the games he has played that he will get stuck in.
Also on Wiki, Cruise can be a left midfielder - coming from Arsenal you would expect him to be a capable passer of the ball which we need - a possible option, many have said he's not a great defender. It seems a pity to waste him if he's a good passer. But that's Bodin's shirt.

[PhilGull]

It doesn't look like there will be any loanees joining us before Accrington - if we do we'll be picking them up at a roundabout somewhere near the M6 !!
So as a deputy for Downes if Macdonald is poor at dealing with headers we can expect Accrington will be putting in plenty of crosses to expose him. Instead of him, why doesn't Mackenzie get another chance - we know from the games he has played that he will get stuck in.
Also on Wiki, Cruise can be a left midfielder - coming from Arsenal you would expect him to be a capable passer of the ball which we need - a possible option, many have said he's not a great defender. It seems a pity to waste him if he's a good passer. But that's Bodin's shirt.

Hmmm... left-back from North London club, better going forwards than defending? If we don't get any new faces in I would rather see Cruise given a go than sticking with what we know doesn't work. You never know, maybe he is the League Two Bale

[Bitchie Renault]

As many has said, a very suspect place, a horrible ground, a generally dreadful pitch, invariable appauling weather and a TUFC record there (lost 4 out of 4 since their return to the league) that offers few crumbs of comfort. I'm reminded of another terrible record we had in that part of the World at Rochdale in the mid-90s, I went to 5 consecutive painful defeats there and then sixth time lucky we won 1-0 win a classic breakaway Rodney Jack goal. Could do with his creativity now.
I'm already fairly resigned to a defeat tomorrow, and while on paper it is a massive six-pointer and psychologically we desperately need a result and soon, I don't think it is the end of the world if we do lose, the teams around us still have some very tough fixtures to come and we have three or four winable ones, admittedly easier said than done.
Would be delighted with any kind of draw, but going for a pessamistc 1-0 defeat.

[AustrianAndyGull]

It doesn't look like there will be any loanees joining us before Accrington - if we do we'll be picking them up at a roundabout somewhere near the M6 !!
So as a deputy for Downes if Macdonald is poor at dealing with headers we can expect Accrington will be putting in plenty of crosses to expose him. Instead of him, why doesn't Mackenzie get another chance - we know from the games he has played that he will get stuck in.
Also on Wiki, Cruise can be a left midfielder - coming from Arsenal you would expect him to be a capable passer of the ball which we need - a possible option, many have said he's not a great defender. It seems a pity to waste him if he's a good passer. But that's Bodin's shirt.

I didn't expect any new players in for this and i still don't expect anything other than a loss, a shocker and perhaps the usual one half chance for Howe or somebody to give us a little boost. I reckon if we all had a quid in a bucket at the front and given a ticket with a number on it ( up to 90 for the 90 minutes ) then in whatever minute we get our only semblance of an opportunity to score, the person who has that minute number on their ticket gets 90 quid!! Genius! :ping:

I'm still going though although i'll take a book and a packed lunch. :~D

MacKenzie was awesome when i saw him at Vale Park on his debut and i would have no qualms if something happened to MacDonald or he was having a real shocker and had to be brought off to be replaced by Kirtys but i say stick with Angus. Cruise should be in the starting 11 too, we NEED something different, hey it might not work but neither will the alternative of sticking with what we know so i'd rather take that chance.

I just fear for us in this, we've got a makeshift defence which cannot keep clean sheets and they will be facing an onslaught on a ropey pitch from Beattie and Amond, who i rate highly. We will concede, no doubts in my mind so we just have to go mad for it at the other end and hope to get something there. I can't see us having more than 2 shots never mind goals but you never know. Either way, it is going to be a thoroughly uncomfortable afternoon for the players on the pitch and an uncomfortable afternoon for the fans off it!

This will either be a 1-1 draw or we'll lose. It won't be a 0-0, we won't score more than 1 so by my reckoning a score draw from a 1-1 is progress and i think that is achievable.

[Jeff]

Still haven't decided if I'm going to do this tomorrow or not.