Slough v Torquay Tues 21st Jan 7:45pm

[Taelee73]

Wotton has said a million times we’re nowhere near the team or style he wants yet, it takes time. TBH I’d rather we had another year in NLS to build than get promoted and either really struggle or be relegated again.
We have the makings of a good side, but we need more players and more time to implement his style of play.

Mussa can be brilliant and awful, Carson has gone backwards since he signed an extended contract (although he may be playing out of position?) Hamon does need serious competition to keep him sharp.

[Nick Potkins]

Without Cody didn't work at Worthing and failed again tonight. This is still a fantastic season, better than we could have expected. We need to accept, a top seven finish is still a great achievement.

[culmstockgull]

Four geriatrics having a very slow and depressing drive home even after crossing the border into devon we still could not believe what we had witnessed in a game when the loss of two pimnts was 110 per cent avoidable, two back four players on the subs bench told us that three out of the starting back four were porbably incapable of playing 90 minutes and so it proved. In a first half when we OK but not outstanding and scoring through a schoolboy defensive mistake but yet again totally incapable of putting the game to bed.
Hasani comes on at the start of the scecond half, a lovely passer of the ball but would lose a one on one tackle with a blade of grass, so an already lightweight midfield just became weaker, then cooke is off after 60 minutes, no obvious injury but I cannot remember the last time he scored in open play, I know wotton has said he believes mussa can play up front, unfortunettely he is the only one in england that does, Mussa cannot head and his feet raarely leave the ground and even after 30 plus games he still does not have the fitness or attitude for a full 90 minutes, he has a lazy personaity, he loses the ball far too often in the final third and I have yet to see him make a recovery run , that task in his mind is for other less talented players. then comes the most inept sub of the night, carson on for foulston when logic was screaming moxey being the obvious choice, how many games does wotton have to watch before he reaches the same conslusion that we all have that carson is not and never will be a fullback, it was his inability to close down the winger not once but twice that caused both of their goals.
While our car occupants disagreed on certain aspects of the game we were all in total agreement that we suspect there is something very wrong in the dressing room, after more than half a season a team of so called full time pros many of them experienced they are still incapble of playng a 90 minute game, a good first foloiwed by a dismal second or the other way around, this is basic coaching 101, I know he is just an advisor but warnock would never have allowed any of his teams to fold so easily from winning positions, we need some new blood into the squad and not of untried 20 year old variety.

[DVNGull]

While our car occupants disagreed on certain aspects of the game we were all in total agreement that we suspect there is something very wrong in the dressing room

I do agree with large parts of this post but the attached quote is absolute rubbish, you do realise we are 14 games unbeaten?

[SuperNickyWroe]

Another away disappointment.
2pts won instead of 6.....
Anyway, move on and hope we get one or a few players in....
Up the Gulls.

[numpte]

Something wrong in the dressing room? Rubbish. These are level 6 players in a regional league, there is a reason they are at this level!

[Plainmoorish]

In my opinion there's no doubt that this group of players has what it takes to secure promotion. They have the ability and between them have created more than enough opportunities to put games to bed. Missed opportunities for more points along the way? For sure. A bit of inexperience demonstrated here and there? That too. But what I don't subscribe to is the idea that simply replacing players is the solution. Let’s focus on developing the talent we already have. Let's lift them up. At the very least that should be part of the business model. Develop players so that they can be sold on at a profit.

And here's just a thought, if you shout at anyone long enough and loud enough, they'll eventually stop listening. Football in the lower leagues seems to have been left back in the dark ages when it comes to this. At the end of the day, these players are real people, many of whom (not all) will be earning minimum wage, where win bonuses help stop them dipping into the red at the end of each month. Draws and losses hurt them in more ways than just feeling disappointed. The naming and shaming players, is a poor show. It's trolling. I don't see how it helps? And I include the club 'experts' on many occasions in this regard. I genuinely believe every player we have is going out there to give their all and do their best for the club.

We have good enough players, the right manager, and excellent owners. All's well and the lads are learning and are going to smash it coming into the business end of the season.

Ps maybe forums just aren't for me!

[desperado]

I suppose Carson went left back as he was reckoned to have more pace than Moxey (and Dean had got done for the Welling goal in the last home game)
but Carson has looked sloppy and sluggish lately
Cooke last scored from open play in the last home game so not that long !

[culmstockgull]

Something wrong in the dressing room? Rubbish. These are level 6 players in a regional league, there is a reason they are at this level!

Yes .we may be in a level 6 league but we have any number of players that have played at a much higher level and a certain player called young who is totally wasted at his level, so it should be second nature for them to do the basics and know what is expected of them for a mere 90 minutes once maybe twice a week,We have an experienced captain in threlkeld, who neither talks or leads, he just plays his own game,the half time team talk last night should have been a simple good natured affair.You are leading,Slough will come out with a flea in their ear and you just need to manage that, they will get frustrated if you do your job then you can go on and win the game, but no we decided to shoot ourselves in the foot for the numerous time this season, forget any sense of football and defend like the under 11's(apologies to them, they are probaby coached better than that), so tell me that is not issues in the changing room.

[numpte]

Pure speculation and utter nonsense. I saw a team (I also went) that dominated the first half and didnt perhaps create enough good chances that we might have expected from that domination. I saw something similar on Saturday but we created the chances then and didnt take them. I then saw some key players being withdrawn (injury) and we handed back the initiative to Slough. Given where we have come from a few months ago, and the current player rosta, i think we are slightly punching.

People in uproar becuase we drew a game (that we probably deserved to draw based on the second half) and lost top spot is laughable as is the euphoric nonsense when we got to the top last month. It doesnt matter until the end of April.

[TUFC67]

In my opinion there's no doubt that this group of players has what it takes to secure promotion. They have the ability and between them have created more than enough opportunities to put games to bed. Missed opportunities for more points along the way? For sure. A bit of inexperience demonstrated here and there? That too. But what I don't subscribe to is the idea that simply replacing players is the solution. Let’s focus on developing the talent we already have. Let's lift them up. At the very least that should be part of the business model. Develop players so that they can be sold on at a profit.

And here's just a thought, if you shout at anyone long enough and loud enough, they'll eventually stop listening. Football in the lower leagues seems to have been left back in the dark ages when it comes to this. At the end of the day, these players are real people, many of whom (not all) will be earning minimum wage, where win bonuses help stop them dipping into the red at the end of each month. Draws and losses hurt them in more ways than just feeling disappointed. The naming and shaming players, is a poor show. It's trolling. I don't see how it helps? And I include the club 'experts' on many occasions in this regard. I genuinely believe every player we have is going out there to give their all and do their best for the club.

We have good enough players, the right manager, and excellent owners. All's well and the lads are learning and are going to smash it coming into the business end of the season.

Ps maybe forums just aren't for me!

Outstanding post. The playing budget is £500k. Averages at £25k per player. That's a poor pay for a full time sportsman. You can imagine why many teams are part time as they will no doubt take home way more. The training and fitness our team does is only marginally more thorough. Therefore, we've cut our cloth accordingly.

Constructive criticism and debate is always welcomed, but we have a collective responsibility to support and encourage our players; people don't respond well to being told they are shite (as a section of supporters have done, from the first kick of the game, in the past).

I'm enjoying this season immensely. We have accrued only 1 point less than last season! Back to winning ways on Saturday

[Louis]