TorquayFans.com | Torquay United Fans Forum

This is my fifth season as a member of this site, as each season has gone, I have time and time again come on here when the team is going through a rough patch and defended the manager and individual players, when most fan’s around me were going into meltdown.

I have been resolute, steadfast, and in the 2009 conference season with the team sat in the relegation zone at the start of that season I even stood alone on this forum in my defence of all things Torquay united.

This week I have come out again in defence of Martin Ling and some of our under fire players, we all understand things are tight right now for the club, gates are low, the new stand has to be paid for, I read apologies that appeared on various twitter accounts of our players, read with interest what Martin ling had to say, and took on board Lee Mansell saying we have to kick this losing habit.

I came to the match really looking forward to this match, it seemed in the week there was a real desire to put things right, and today I would see some repayment for my steadfast loyalty, however how can any one defend what we saw today, not even I can find any thing good to say today.

Not in a long time have I walked away from plainmoor feeling so ashamed and hacked off with the team’s performance, not even in the season we were relegated from the league when I kind of accepted our fate, and turned every home match wondering by how many we would lose by, rather than thinking could we win a match.

Time to cut this now, my plea Mr. Ling is stop and take along hard look now, the defence needs organising and badly needs leadership, I would have loved to defend Brian Saah tonight, sorry I cant, his performance was akin to a wandering jellyfish today, no matter how loyal you are to him, he needs a rest.

Look at Balance between attack and defence, there appears to be none, as such our full backs are being over exposed, and midfield over run at times, Lingy you have said your self, you disappointed at the goals conceded from our own attacks, what does that tell you?

I will continue to be the blind follower I am often accused of being, so please Lingy, can we have a new start Tuesday, and can we have the pride restored in our Torquay united.

.

Its Saturday for the next game at Southend. If you go to Plainmoor tuesday, its a long 7 days till AFCW turn up

Father Jack wrote:Its Saturday for the next game at Southend. If you go to Plainmoor tuesday, its a long 7 days till AFCW turn up

Yes my bad, of course i meant Tuesday week

Hopefully we'll sort it out before that, at Roots Hall. Although I'm not confident either.

I have to agree with Forever, today was not just embarrassing it was the sign for me that there is something seriously wrong in the management and coaching department.

If they cannot see that Brian Saah and Joe Oastler are out of their depth then we must get used to shipping goals - and lots of them!

There aren't too many options for Ling so to hear him say it is too early to look at loan players makes me think that he is out of his depth - as he seemed to be in the BSP with Cambridge.

Good post forever, this is the type of thing i agree with.

Admitting the team is below-par at the moment but backing the team to pull through it. Not calling for the manager's head but calling for a good team performance.

Refreshing post forever and well-balanced.

I am concerned about Lings response to the chants for Mark Ellis, Saah today was bloody awful but we have a back four who don't seem to speak to each other. If he brings in Ellis and perhaps shifts Robertson to right back he is not going to sort this problem. Saah needs to be dropped, I would also go as far as bring Mansell back to right back. he is good in midfield, however he would help to control the back four and organise them. This is something which is sorely missing currently. Ling also imo needs to be bringing a new center half in the mold of Branston, someone willing to put his neck on the line and verbally keep the defence in the right places. Something that Saah, Robertson or Ellis have ever done. However I can't see Ling dipping into the loan market for a center half.

Mav wrote:I am concerned about Lings response to the chants for Mark Ellis, Saah today was bloody awful but we have a back four who don't seem to speak to each other. If he brings in Ellis and perhaps shifts Robertson to right back he is not going to sort this problem. Saah needs to be dropped, I would also go as far as bring Mansell back to right back. he is good in midfield, however he would help to control the back four and organise them. This is something which is sorely missing currently. Ling also imo needs to be bringing a new center half in the mold of Branston, someone willing to put his neck on the line and verbally keep the defence in the right places. Something that Saah, Robertson or Ellis have ever done. However I can't see Ling dipping into the loan market for a center half.

moving Mansel to RB puts our star stiker out of sorts

Right lads,

I know we've not been getting the performances/results, we as supporters want (or in some cases expect), players are under-performing or not performing at all, and the manager is blocking out calls for players to be replaced! But for God Sake get a grip we're 13 games into ML's first season with the club he's bound to make mistakes!! Me personally I wait till the half way point of a season to see were we are, and then if its not upto standard (or where i think we should be) make my thoughts be known. Granted Saturday was from the reports and highlights awful, but isn't that why we are football supporters? Through thick and thin? No matter how bad our team is doing we go back in the hope that next week will be better, will be our day to shine and get the 3 points required? I'll leave you with a quote that myself and friends use and seems perfectly apt for this occasion... THE SEASON IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT!!!

TUFC

Totaly agree with your sentiment Scottishgull, i fully backed Martin Lings appointment at the time and i am still fully behind him as our manager, i hope that all can see that through my postings, i dont know how many games you have been Scottish, personaly i have been to every home game and Rovers away, and my thoughs at the moment is so far a frustrating season.

I agree it is only 13 games in to Lingy's time as our manager , we all know the circumstances , he came late into the job in terms of close season transfer buisness, and had to re-build half the team with no money, hence the reason why i am trying to take a balanced veiw about things so far, while others have lost there heads over our current form, which i think is totaly understandable.

The reason i say that is 13 games in , we are still seeing the same soft goals going in against us borne from the same silly mistakes, some of our attacking play has been out of this world, against the likes of Burton, Rotherham, Cheltenham , and yes for a short spell against the gIlls, yet we have only 3 points from the those games, if we had just cut out some of the silly mistakes and prehaps got the balance right between attack and defence in those games there is no doubt in my mind the team would have won all of them, however thats easy for me to say, not so easy for the management team to actually do.

And thats what this plea is about , for Lingy and Taylor to stop and have a long think before this run festers, the team have not won in 7 we have a 22 man squad some have not had a fair crack of the whip yet, when your unbeaten do not change it however we are far from that, and for them and all in fact to look at the video of Morcambe's goal and Gillingham's 4th goal, there is someting very similar about those goals so maybe a re-think on the balance of the team set up, all in all its about putting the last games behind us and having a fresh start Saturday.

Completely Agree Forever, Although when thins aren't going our way people instinctively look for a scapegoat!

Could the board have moved faster to assign ML? Possibly!

Unfortunately due to work commitments and financially (£200 & 926 mile round trip) I have still to make my long overdue pilgrimage to TQ1. The closest game i could possibly get to this season would be Morecombe away!

I think at times as football fans/supporters we tend to over analyise situations which we are of course entitled to do. But to judge ML on 13 games when as you say came in late in the close season is a bit of a joke, I remember looking at the league during last season and we were sitting mid table outside the play-offs with about 9 games to go. So on that basis anything is possible.

I fairly confident that ML and his team will get the tactis right on saturday, and hopefully Iron out the what in reality should be minor problems.


TUFC