We have the quality but do we have the knowhow....

[Richinns]

to make the playoffs this year?

Don t get me wrong – this is not a thread to insight negative and unwarranted comments about individual players, the team, the board, the manager etc.
I think pretty much all of us would have taken a just outside the playoffs, a good cup run and safety from relegation type year if it was offered at the start of the season.

I would, however, be interested to see how many points we have lost in the last 10 minutes of games this season, and where we would be if we had not done so.

Losing points and conceding late goals seems to be a Torquay United speciality for as many years (for as long as I can remember!) - and I cannot really remember many occasions where we seem to do this to other teams? (may be my loyality blinkers my view on this!).

What I would say is that a major reason for this (in this season) is that we have a very young and exciting team, which is positive, but the downside of this is the fact that as a team we are extremely inexperienced which could be a major factor to why late failure keeps occurring.

[Southampton Gull]

I'm expecting some more quality to be added shortly. I think we have the "bottle" and also the desire. What we don't seem to have right now is the "rub of the green". Last night the officials aided our downfall, if they'd applied the letter of the law in a fair and just manner then we wouldn't have conceded that first goal and the game could and most likely would have ended differently, then you wouldn't be posing this particular question but instead might have posted "The play-offs look a realistic target"

[Richinns]

May be 'bottle' was a bad word choice and I am not questioning the teams desire here Dave. The Playoffs is still a realistic target but without the late points lost we would be comfortably sat in the top 7 I would have thought. That being said I am very happy with things at Torquay at the moment and very happy with the season they are having.

Instead of bottle read knowhow for this thread.

Any further information that you can share on the addition of quality????

[Southampton Gull]

I think the question you pose is valid it's just that last night it seemed to me we were robbed by inept officials, not the first time this season either.

All I'll say for now is that the hunger for success is there and I don't expect PB to settle for mid-table, he's ambitious so expect some changes in the personnel before long.

[Fletch]

I think what everyone seems to forget (and I wasnt at Cheltenham so im sure Dave will correct me if needed) is that when teams are behind (like Burton and Southend last week) they will throw people forward in the final 15 to try and salvage something from the game.

As for the point about officials, I dont think its happened as much as it seemed to last season. Must be some truth to things always going against you when you are down the bottom...

[Southampton Gull]

We stopped defending from the front, Fletch. Their keeper had the freedom to dribble all the way to the halfway line time after time, taking Kee off seemed the start of that. Game over, lessons learned I would hope. Onto the next match.

[royalgull]

It was only 2-1 when they got that first goal that shouldn't have happened but it changed the entire dynamic of the game. 2-0 the game is over, 2-1 with 10minutes to go gives them something to have a go at.

We didnt' defend both goals well enough, the 2nd in particular was horrendous. Would have hoped after the Morecambe debacle they might have learned but there we go, still in with a shout be excellent to get a win at Accrington saturday and erase this game from memory.

[royalgull]

Bucks said post match that he's trying tog et 2 more in, 1 of which is a forward.

Pretty honest evaluation of the nights events. Said we were in control, it was our fault but he mentioned the referee's role for the 1st goal. Didn't mention the horror tackle on LRT.

[Dave]

I think what everyone seems to forget (and I wasnt at Cheltenham so im sure Dave will correct me if needed) is that when teams are behind (like Burton and Southend last week) they will throw people forward in the final 15 to try and salvage something from the game.

As for the point about officials, I dont think its happened as much as it seemed to last season. Must be some truth to things always going against you when you are down the bottom...

Not having a go at you Fletch i am meaning this as more of a general reply,i got invloved in a debate about this on the other site,its making me pig sick now,not in anyway slagging Buckle here,but as Dave rightly points out we did go 1 up front,it did allow there keeper to bring the ball all the way down to the halfway line,which did allow Cheltenham to put almost there entire team in our box=net obvious result, that was likely to be my only away match however ,i have and will be at all the home games and i have say we keep doing this and 90% of the time it ends the same way.

What is the point of scoring if your going to worry about how the other team are going to react,for christ sake can some tell me what wrong in the team to just continue doing ,what they were doing that got them the lead in the first place,this may not work any better however it has got be worth a try,if the other team does fight there way back into the match fair play,least we could say we lost the points with a fight,because at the moment we are giving them away like christmas presents.

Yes the game did turn on a poor refereeing decision,it what followed,in the last 10 minutes it was crying out for to have an attacking outlet,who could hold the ball and run into the corners,but there was no one there,so the ball kept coming back and back at us,and wieght of pressure told

[Dave]

Think the question in this thread is a good one,it has been alluded to there is a desire to see us promoted this season this is something that does please me as a fan,yes Plymouth are coming down,we might get Bristol rovers and Yoevil to boot however the rewards of promotion in my opinion would be greater than three homes matchs with a big a gate and some near by away trips.

I have read somewhere that it is now 23 points droped from being in a lead,think its fair to say the team naturally would have droped some of those points,however if even half of those points had been gained we would now be looking at automatic promotion,at the start of the season i would have taken top 10 and a cup run,so overall i can not say i am unhappy,there are many fans saying across the tufc forums,saying we are punching above are wieght just be happy,if these points had been held just how far would would we really be punching above our wieght.

I dont like in all walks of life ,the use of the word "blame" does my head in,mistakes are part and parcel of life,the manager and players set out to do what they think is right and will secure the points,have mistakes been made ,yes,could go on for hours however saturday against Southend thought we went defensive and sat to deep to soon,may not have made any difference this just one example of were i think we have got it wrong,there are many were we ahve also got it right.

Is partly inexperience ,yes aswell,thought when we came under pressure last night there were to many panicked rushed attempts to clear the danger from our box,when a few cool experienced heads might have calmed things down a bit.

Like i say overall iam very with this season just a tad frustrated knowing how it have been even better,Bucks has come and said he is looking to bring in afew loan players lets hope he can,and they can help kick us on,COYY