TorquayFans.com | Torquay United Fans Forum

O’Connell signed for Weymouth, seeing as we haven’t seen Gabby Rogers at all I’d presume he’s off somewhere too

This season's squad is noticeably thin on wingers, especially now with O'Connell, and presumable Rogers too, leaving.
I think Evans is the only one who can play on the wing, so will be interesting to see if we bolster this position now with more signings/loanees or our systems of play don't require it and we bolster other areas instead.
This could also be why we have so many central midfielders signed on...

Wubble U wrote: 18 Jul 2022, 14:26 This season's squad is noticeably thin on wingers, especially now with O'Connell, and presumable Rogers too, leaving.
I think Evans is the only one who can play on the wing, so will be interesting to see if we bolster this position now with more signings/loanees or our systems of play don't require it and we bolster other areas instead.
This could also be why we have so many central midfielders signed on...

From our signings and the way we've played early on, I suspect that our width is going to come from our wing-backs. Crowe on the right and (ideally) Martin on the left. Last season it seemed apparent that Martin was a lot better when he was allowed to bomb forward, and I'd assume that Crowe would be similar on the right. I don't dispute that we could probably use at one further option in case we decide to go to a flat back four - probably Crowe-Marshall-Omar/Tomlinson-Moxey, with Martin able to play left-wing in a pinch.

Our abundance of CMs means that we have flexibility for the 'front five' - that is, central midfield and up front. The Newport game suggested that we'll have two strikers, which leaves 3 midfielders - so depending on the opposition, we could go with one defensive player (Hanson or Lapslie, say) or we would try to shut it down and play 2 - in that scenario you'd have one more spot remaining for a more attacking player like Evans or McGavin. There again, if we decide to play only one up top you have the latitude to have more behind them. In fact, with all these permutations we could go with a back 3 plus wingbacks, 1 DM, 3 ACM and one striker, if you wanted to. If you really need a right winger, we could probably put Olaf out there again (vaguely remember he had a few sub appearances there and he did ok)

I guess what I'm saying is that the players we have so far already offer us a lot of flexibility. While we'll maybe benefit from another winger, we saw last season that they're not always very reliable, so maybe GJ felt his budget was better spent on guys who can 'do a job' out there, rather than risking bringing in a couple of players who do sod all all season and then e.g. get shipped off to Weymouth as soon as feasible.

Whether GJ plays a 5-3-2 or a 5-2-3 he’ll definitely need another winger or two. Suspect he’ll go with one ‘striker’ like he has done with Wright over the past couple seasons.

Admiral wrote: 18 Jul 2022, 14:54 Whether GJ plays a 5-3-2 or a 5-2-3 he’ll definitely need another winger or two. Suspect he’ll go with one ‘striker’ like he has done with Wright over the past couple seasons.

you think? It felt like in both of the past seasons, this was out of necessity rather than choice. 20-21, Nelson gets injured before the season even starts, and then we try with a succession of partners without really getting anyway. 21-22, none of the strikers we brought in produced. Obviously we'll find out when the season starts, it seems to me that we'll go with Jarvis and Andrews up top, with Jarvis providing the hold up play for Andrews to run off of. I don't know whether pinged balls in from the wing into the box is in line with that approach.

The highlights in Jarvis' video seemed to suggest he was pretty good at bring the ball down and either laying it off, or turning and attacking. Wright was also pretty good at that but I doubt he has the pace that Jarvis does, and he also rarely had a mobile partner to work with.

Anyway. Like I said - remains to be seen. I'm excited about the new season, although to be fair I was last season too, and we know what happened there...lol.

happytorq wrote: 18 Jul 2022, 15:22 you think? It felt like in both of the past seasons, this was out of necessity rather than choice. 20-21, Nelson gets injured before the season even starts, and then we try with a succession of partners without really getting anyway. 21-22, none of the strikers we brought in produced. Obviously we'll find out when the season starts, it seems to me that we'll go with Jarvis and Andrews up top, with Jarvis providing the hold up play for Andrews to run off of. I don't know whether pinged balls in from the wing into the box is in line with that approach.

The highlights in Jarvis' video seemed to suggest he was pretty good at bring the ball down and either laying it off, or turning and attacking. Wright was also pretty good at that but I doubt he has the pace that Jarvis does, and he also rarely had a mobile partner to work with.

Anyway. Like I said - remains to be seen. I'm excited about the new season, although to be fair I was last season too, and we know what happened there...lol.

Perhaps so, but I feel we need a decent winger. Also, if we start with two up top it leaves us Olaf to come on, is GJ putting more trust in him this season? Don’t want to see him loaned out again personally.

Admiral wrote: 18 Jul 2022, 16:46 Perhaps so, but I feel we need a decent winger. Also, if we start with two up top it leaves us Olaf to come on, is GJ putting more trust in him this season? Don’t want to see him loaned out again personally.

I don't know if we have the budget to support another striker - I think I'd be ok with Olaf on the bench (assuming Jarvis/Andrews start). That way he'd be able to come in up top if necessary while still giving the flexibility to come in on the wing if GJ thinks that's a good idea. Or we can just say "sod it" and start with 3 strikers, which would be.. a bold move.

I wouldn't mind seeing a pacy winger brought in - I just have doubts as to how effective he would be in the system we're likely to be playing. We've seen Nemane and Notts County, and Whitfield at Stockport used in those wing back roles last season and it didn't seem to work too well for them. That can maybe be ascribed to the expectation that they'll also be working defensively, which - in Nemane's case, at least - is definitely not what they'll want to do.

Also I feel like a good reliable winger in this division is so rare that he'd cost quite a bit. Otherwise you're trawling for an U-23 player to come on loan, and we know from experience how hit and miss they can be.

happytorq wrote: 18 Jul 2022, 18:17 I don't know if we have the budget to support another striker - I think I'd be ok with Olaf on the bench (assuming Jarvis/Andrews start). That way he'd be able to come in up top if necessary while still giving the flexibility to come in on the wing if GJ thinks that's a good idea. Or we can just say "sod it" and start with 3 strikers, which would be.. a bold move.

I wouldn't mind seeing a pacy winger brought in - I just have doubts as to how effective he would be in the system we're likely to be playing. We've seen Nemane and Notts County, and Whitfield at Stockport used in those wing back roles last season and it didn't seem to work too well for them. That can maybe be ascribed to the expectation that they'll also be working defensively, which - in Nemane's case, at least - is definitely not what they'll want to do.

Also I feel like a good reliable winger in this division is so rare that he'd cost quite a bit. Otherwise you're trawling for an U-23 player to come on loan, and we know from experience how hit and miss they can be.

You can play with wingers and wing backs (the Conte way). But with just Olaf and no other wingers on the bench I feel we’ll be a bit light, one more should do. We simply don’t know who will be any good yet, but it’s good to see Gary has got most of his work done early. Expect Solihull to do a Torquay this year!

Johnson has said we probably need another striker, not a winger but a striker I think the two front men of jarvis and Andrews will be very effective as time goes on, remember Andrews is probably only 60 per cent fit, Koszela played at wing back for the newport game but he lacks any natural pace so if we do get another striker he will be bench warming.

I think you will see Olaf, O Connell and others being loaned out. I d be very surprised if Gabby plays for us again.

Also important to note that over the last couple seasons our most effective players have usually been loan deals, those players are probably still doing pre season with their respective clubs… another Kieron evans on loan and a Sinclair Armstrong style loanee and I think we’re looking pretty solid. All it takes is one bad tackle on Corrie Andrews and we’ve lost all our pace upfront but GJ already knows this

SBP wrote: 19 Jul 2022, 11:49 I think you will see Olaf, O Connell and others being loaned out. I d be very surprised if Gabby plays for us again.

O'Connell has already left the club - he signed for Weymouth yesterday. (it was mentioned in this thread)

CourtierGull wrote: 19 Jul 2022, 12:03 another Kieron evans on loan and a Sinclair Armstrong style loanee and I think we’re looking pretty solid. All it takes is one bad tackle on Corrie Andrews and we’ve lost all our pace upfront but GJ already knows this

I too, would hope for one other loanee (preferably for the season) and to keep the others in our pocket until the inevitable injury crisis. I think we'll do very well to find another Sinclair Armstrong. More likely to get another Rob Street. Also worth remembering that we only had Sinclair for a month last season - think we're probably going to want at least a loan from the start of the season until January. I don't remember how many loan signings we're allowed, but I think it's 5 - so far we only have Evans so it does give Johnson latitude to bring in other players as an when required.

After securing another striker with the Goodwin loan, the only major depth concern I'd have about the squad is at wing back. Don't think we have anyone who could naturally play there to cover Martin and Crowe, and doubt Cardiff will be too thrilled if Evans has to regularly be moved out to LWB to cover there.

happytorq wrote: 19 Jul 2022, 12:32 I don't remember how many loan signings we're allowed, but I think it's 5 - so far we only have Evans so it does give Johnson latitude to bring in other players as an when required.

You can have more than 5 loans in your squad, but only 5 can be named in the match day squad.

It’s a big shame nothing has come of that Liam Davis rumour. We do not have adequate cover for our wing back slots and I’m sure Davis would have provided great cover for Dan Martin. Johnson appears to have been repeatedly forced into playing our players of good pedigree out there and out of position, firstly Adam Randell, then Duke McKenna and now it would appear Kieron Evans. All lads with experience of playing in the middle of the park at a higher level.

Probably fortunate we didn't sign Tony Lee. He's been suspended by Poole Town following unspecified allegations.