rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Oct 16, 2021 8:40:36 GMT
After two defeats against in form sides we have a break from league action with a home draw in the FA Cup against a side we are yet to play having swapped positions in the national league in successive seasons. Havant and Waterlooville have got a good pedigree in the FA Cup and it will not be an easy game with Johnson wanting us to go out with the mindset of the underdogs.
With Danny Wright probably not fit, at least to start, I cannot see too many changes although a couple of loan signings now appear to be on the cards who may or may not be ready but we need the quality of someone like Sherring, Randell or Whitfield to galvanise the side. Would be good if Addai is fit to at least make a cameo appearance as he adds something missing to the side. Will be there this afternoon to cheer the team on. COYY!
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Post by register on Oct 16, 2021 10:58:20 GMT
Should we lose today’s game, I think next season, before our entry into the FA Cup, the team should spend a week training in India? 🇮🇳
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Oct 16, 2021 13:02:21 GMT
Looking forward to this. If the football is a let down, hopefully the curry won't be.
H&W are definitely a genuine threat and if we are anything less than "at it" we will pay the price. Hopefully, we will be "at it" and will have enough to go through.
Would love to see Addai and Andrews wide, but doubt if either will be fit to start.
Will we stick with a back three? Maybe we will as our new loanee defender is not available. If so, need the wing backs to push on.
GJ has been non-committal over playing budget and has suggested he does not have one, which sounds bizarre to me.
He has been lucky with the backing he has had up until now. Other managers have had a budget and when that is spent tough luck. Maybe we are there now with GJ.
If so, would extra unbudgeted Cup revenue free up more funds for players? Common sense would say yes.
I think that was the case with Lingy and the nail in his coffin was losing at home in the Cup to Harrogate - which put the lid on his hopes to bring in much-needed reinforcements.
Is Johnson at that stage? If so, this could be a pivotal match.
A win, start of a Cup run, extra funding, quality reinforcements, up the table to the play-off zone OR a loss, no reinforcements and a season spent hovering above the relegation zone?
Not sure it is quite as black and white as that, but it could be.
P.S. Saw the tracksuited H&W squad hanging around by the Mallock Clock Tower about 11.30 this morning so assume they stayed somewhere near there last night. Let's hope the players were able to sneak out for a drunken night in the harbour area!
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Oct 16, 2021 13:07:18 GMT
Be interesting to see if Shaun starts.
If he is staying for the season he will, but suspect we would need one of the other two to cancel their contract for that to happen.
If he is just here for a month, he may not want to be cup-tied.
Then again, he would want to stay in the shop window. If Halstead returns and does well, he would probably keep the shirt and Shaun would be out of the shop window for good.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Oct 16, 2021 17:04:57 GMT
Another poor performance today where a draw was just about a fair result but felt like a loss. We lined up in a 4-4-2 formation for the first time for a bit and as before it didn’t really work with the quality lacking with Johnson not a winger and O’Connell very much hit and miss. Despite hitting five goals last time we were at Plainmoor, we are obviously short of confidence with some good runs early on crying out for the ball to be hit but instead it was passed poorly and the move petered out on three or four occasions. Didn’t really help that the ref seem immune to giving a foul where their players were climbing over ours in some dangerous areas. O’Connell was very unlucky not to score with his shot crashing off the crossbar and Holman was blatantly shoved over in the penalty area just as a cross was coming in from Moxey but nothing doing and the first half finished scoreless with the loss of Lapslie after taking a knock before the break.
In the second half, Havant and Waterlooville were gradually becoming more dangerous but we took the lead after Holman was adjudged to have been fouled on the left of the penalty area and Little took a shot which was probably his only decent dead ball delivery of the game which the keeper kept out only for Wynter to slot the loose ball home. Unfortunately, we were unable to keep the ball and some poor buildup play in midfield saw them break free on the left for an one and one with McDonald and while his shot hit the post it fell nicely for one of their players to head home. The match was on a knife point and could have gone either way before what looked like a Gary time goal would get us out of jail when Lolos did some really good work on the right of the area, drawing about 4 defenders to him and able to cross low to the far post for Andrews to score on his return.
We just needed to hold out for four minutes of normal time plus another four of injury time but the players look nervous, defending ever deeper and not winding the clock down.A long throw into the box in the final minute was headed away to an unmarked player on the edge of our area and to be fair, he struck the shot sweetly into the corner of our net to the rapture of the travelling support.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Oct 16, 2021 17:14:18 GMT
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Post by Swanny on Oct 16, 2021 17:38:32 GMT
That was absolutely dreadful and we could not even hang on against a team a division lower. We were incapable of game managing after taking the lead in the 85 minute. I turned to my son and said this has all the feel of a late equalizer and I was sadly proved right. No leaders, we couldn't keep position and Havant just kept coming and coming until they got their deserved equalizer. Torquay were just hanging on. We didn't deserve the win but looked like we might just get over the line. It was a desperately poor performance from start to finish and we have become a very poor team. It really is a sad state of affairs what we have become. Huff and puff football with little creativity or entertainment. Lacking quality throughout the team and some players clearly not up to National League standard.
You scratch your head and try and think of players who did perform well. Well, MacDonald saved us more than once when Havant were clean through and his handling was assured but his kicking was atrocious either going out for a throw or too long and going out for a goal kick. You would think he would learn his lesson but no he hit it exactly the same again so the goes over everyone and possession is squandered yet again. Lewis did some good defending winning the ball or blocking shots and Wynter did well. There was a welcome return in the second half for Andrews and it seemed he had scored our winner. Lemonheigh-Evens did provide our main spark in the first half but has a tendency to take too long before shooting and the chance goes begging. Lolos showed close control and played a major part for our second goal.
But sadly when you see Omar in defence who is just not up to standard and the lightweight figure of O'Connoll in central midfield you know it will be a long afternoon. Players like Johnson are so hit and miss and that's probably putting it politely. The line-up just seemed unbalanced today and you cannot expect Moxey to offer any pace as a wingback. Havant attacked more a cohesive unit than us. We still play like strangers and I fully expect us to lose the replay. All our set pieces were appalling typically going over all the players and going out of touch.
Havant had the clearer chances before any goals were scored striking the post with MacDonald beaten. Our only real moment in the first half was a low cross on the right by Johnson and O'Connoll's shot clipped the bar. Lemonheigh-Evans had a low shot just outside the box the just crept wide. But the reality is that we rarely troubled their keeper in the first and he was carrying an injury and was eventually replaced.
Torquay took the lead thanks to winning a free-kick just outside the box in a central position. Little's curling free-kick was palmed out but Wynter scored the rebound. Torquay looked better after the breakthrough but Havant hit the post again but this time the rebound was put away. Andrews scored near the end tapping in from close range range after good work by Lolos on the right. For the rest of the game Havant gave their all and Torquay were just hanging on and just about surviving. But in the end they wern't even good enough to do that.
I dread to think what will happen in the coming weeks in the league and if we go out of the FA Cup on Tuesday our season is nearly over. I don't know what has happened to Addai and without that sort of flair, strength and pace we are pretty woeful. We had it in abundance in previous seasons under Johnson but it has all but gone this season. This season is all about being workmanlike and that is not enough.
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petef
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Post by petef on Oct 16, 2021 20:29:13 GMT
Glad I missed it.
To be honest in the 55 odd years i have supported the club i have rarely missed a home game. This season i have reached a point where i dont feel at all optimistic about the club or in fact the money orientated "peoples game " and football in general.. After last seasons damaging near miss it was inevitable we would face problems with players leaving and momentum completely lost. For me the dream and fantasy of reaching a higher and decent to watch standard has all but disappeared. With all thats gone on in the world on these past 18 months TUFC has unexpectedly slid down my list of priorities. I will, no doubt still attend the odd game but from the minutes i have seen this season that wont be anytime soon. Gj has a huge job on his hands we have drastically regressed from the heights of the first half of last season and nothing will change very quickly if at all. How long do you give young players to get up to speed? Who of any substance gonna want to come a struggling outfit in the national league. Garry played all of his cards when he first arrived on the scene with his son just up the road willing to send out some quality. Thats stream looks to have dried up along with his ability to attract quality loans.
Lightweight, inexperienced and with one or two who have reached and passed their best.
The week of hard training didnt work by the sound of it we ran out of steam and were looking tired come the final minutes
Theres no waiting around and hoping for the best in this game you will be eaten alive.
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Oct 16, 2021 23:00:55 GMT
Can't add much to the excellent reports already posted but we looked way off a National League side, I think we'd struggle in the NLS.
Fair play to H & W who were unlucky not to win the game. A very physical side.
Why didn’t McDonald in the last few minutes of the game try and keep possession rather than punt the fecking ball up field (even if it had gone out for a throw in deep in their half) - giving them the chance for a equaliser.
What's Kalvin up to nowadays?
Super Shaun my arse.
At least the curry was top class. The H & W lads were there the night before.
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Post by stefano on Oct 17, 2021 12:26:52 GMT
Away to Charlton Athletic in 1st Round if we win the replay ⚽️
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Oct 17, 2021 13:01:12 GMT
Away to Charlton Athletic in 1st Round if we win the replay ⚽️ God loves an optimist 😁 |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Oct 17, 2021 18:21:02 GMT
We lined up in a 4-4-2 formation for the first time for a bit Oh no we didn't. Are you Dave Thomas in disguise? |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Oct 17, 2021 18:30:26 GMT
If the football is a let down, hopefully the curry won't be. As expected, Gary Johnson's Yellow Army did let us down and the Maha Bharat did not. Just a shame they didn't poison the H&W team who were staying at the Hilton and dined there Friday night. Mind you, the Mexicans would have wasted their time poisoning Gordon Banks if the Germans had not bothered to test Peter Bonetti's goalkeeping skills. |
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Oct 17, 2021 18:57:21 GMT
If the football is a let down, hopefully the curry won't be. The Maha Bharat did not. Cracking curry it was to with a very pleasant bus ride home 🏠 |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Oct 17, 2021 23:36:07 GMT
Walking down Homelands Lane about 2.35, I saw Asa Hall parking up - so knew he was not playing. Hope it's just preventative maintenance to avoid a longer absence.
Did a massive queue at the ticket office mean Torquay had Cup fever and we were looking at a sellout? On closer investigation, it was because we had to take the name, address, inside leg measurement and two personal references for everybody buying a ticket. Those at the back of the queue would be lucky to get a ticket by 3 o'clock let alone 2.45. The reason for cashless turnstiles is supposed to be to avoid queues, so this is a spectacular case of an action causing a result that is the polar opposite of that intended. Will those given free tickets for the King's Lynn game have to jump through hoops before being allowed in? If so, had we better tell them to turn up two hours before kickoff?
Hearing Omar was in the starting lineup, I assumed we were going with a back four, Johnson on the right of midfield and O'Connell on the left with Lapslie and Little in the middle. Was not too concerned at the resting of Hall as we struggle to fit 4 central midfield players into 3 central slots (including "the hole"). All four being fit is a rarity, but as long as we have three fit....
Was confused at the start to see O'Connell on the right not the left and it soon dawned that we were actually going with three at the back - or should I say five at the back.
I am not a fan of this, but it worked well against Wealdstone with O'Connell and Martin pushing well up. That was never going to happen with Johnson and Moxey as wing backs.
Omar may one day be a National League standard centre-back in a back four, but he will never be a left side of a back three player in a million years. O'Connell may one day be a National League standard winger, but he will never be a central midfielder in a million years.
So we looked horribly lopsided and badly set up from the start. Lapslie played a holding role and just about kept things together, but it meant we had six outfield players committed to defending - at home to a team from a league below.
O'Connell (to the right) and Little (to the left) played ahead of Lapslie with Lemon playing just behind Holman.
Felt sorry for the Goalman. His stomach must have thought his throat had been cut - so poor was the service to him. The three behind him were all afforded plenty of space by a pedestrian H&W team, but so hesitant were they all that it mattered little that they had the time and space to create. All three dithered, messed about and failed to do anything incisive.
A dull first half ended with us lucky to be level at 0-0.
Lapslie took a knock in the first half, so not too surprised to see him subbed at half-time. On came Lolos and I hoped for a change in a formation that patently was not working. No such luck. Lolos replaced Lemon upfront, Lemon replaced Little at "inside left" and Little replaced Lapslie as holding midfielder. Now we had a lightweight midfield to go with our dodgy defence and toothless attack.
Little's dead ball delivery had been appalling all game but at last he struck a decent free-kick forcing a save from the keeper with Wynter following in to put us ahead. Wynter turned hero to villain when he seemed to have plenty of time to make a clearing tackle but didn't. Thought he had got away with it as the shot hit the post but the rebound was followed in for a well-deserved equaliser. Between the two goals, Andrews had come on as holding midfielder with Little going back to "inside left" and Lemon replacing O'Connell at "inside right".
Johnson was looking like a red card waiting to happen so it was a relief to see him subbed and finally a change of shape to 4-2-3-1. Little and Andrews in the middle, Lolos pulled wide right, and surprisingly Lemon wide left and Rogers in the hole rather than vice versa.
A great direct run from Lolos ended with a decent ball across the six yard box which Andrews was on hand to tap in. It was a breath of fresh air after all the non-productive messing about.
So it looked like we had edged to a win despite the poor performance. All we had to do was see the game out. As Chelston has said, the keeper unnecessarily handed them possession at the end of the game when we really should have been keeping hold of the ball. It looked like we had plenty of chances to clear the long throw but failed. It looked like we had plenty of time to close down the man on the edge of the box but we failed. I would like to see the goal again to check if the defending was as shocking as it seemed at the time.
Looking on the bright side, we managed to stay in the Cup despite a rudderless performance. We could have done without a Wednesday night replay with our lack of fit bodies. Hope one of Hall or Lapslie is fit for Wednesday and for Saturday. Would not fancy our chances with neither available.
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