FL2: Torquay v Stockport 5 February 2011

I think that Tuesday night's performance was down to a number of reasons. Firstly the hangover from the Cup game, secondly the two new players trying to fit into the team and thirdly the knowledge that whatever they did on the pitch it would not result in any points gained. Hard therefore for Buckle to motivate himself let alone the team.
There were a number of occasions during the game that Kee flicked on a ball to where he would have expected Benyon to be and this will be addressed in training with young Jake Robinson who I think will score many a goal for us as he has a great eye for goal and stays on his feet!
With the return of Zebroski I think we will see a far more balanced team than we saw on Tuesday and will therefore go with a 2 goal win!!

Immaterial of what has been going on in the last week we have to make changes in defence, conceding daft soft goals hasnt been going on the last couple of games its been going on for weeks. We just stand off and let players attack yet when we attack near the opponents area they are all over us.

I would give Rowe-Turner a start with Robertson next to him. Branston/Ellis need a break. At right back I would have Mansell.

In midfield Stevens has to be dropped, when he is running with the ball he comes inside 100% and then walks into a packed midfield and when he does pass he doesnt move afterwards. He is an impact player and should be on the bench. Okane/Stanley in the middle with Zebroski on the right and put Halpin on the left, will be a change to see a left footer on the left wing!

Bevan
Mansell/Robertson/Rowe-Turner/Nicholson
Zebroski/OKane/Stanley/Halpin
Kee/Robinson

Of course this side will not start and the same defence will be in situ as every other game and even though Stockport are bottom we will gift them one at least so need to score 3 every game to get a result. Bucks says he has faith in his squad, lets see him prove it!

I think I would leave the back four as per the players that left the field on Tuesday. Would agree that Danny would need to be dropped to the bench. Depending on whether he puts Zebs on the wing would leave Robinson and Kee up front with no game changer forward on the bench.

When's that window open?

We've not had a clean sheet for ten games now and that tells its own story. We frankly have forgotten how to defend especially when we have gone ahead in games. With no Benyon working his socks off up front I fear it will get worse. In our good periods we have defended from the front, pressing defenders into mistakes.and must somehow get back to those ways.
I would love to think we can put some things right tomorrow, maybe we can but I have a bad feeling about the game tomorrow and you just know that if things start to go wrong again the supporters will lose patience quickly and we will go into our shell. The true character of our squad will reveal itself tomorrow. Stockport will be fighting for their lives and as dangerous as any side we have faced. Incredibly they very nearly turned over Chesterfield in midweek two sides with a goal difference of FIFTY EIGHT Now who would have thought that result possible? You can't suddenly make wholesale changes at the back that would be suicidal, Row Turner may soon get his chance but has had no first team action whatsoever and would be a liability. Mans is our battling defender in midfield and has far more of an impact there. As much as I admire Danny's ability he often doesn't have enough of the effect on a game he should have and although he tries his hardest he doesn't offer defensive cover that a bigger guy could and as stated is far more use as an impact sub. Zebs return is a real plus he offers us so much more in so many ways even when hes falling over the ball!
Cant see many over 2000 if that, times are hard and getting harder by the day makes and you wonder how much longer the Premiership house of cards can sustain their ridiculous and obscene spending on players and players wages.

If ever there was a must win game, then this must surely be it, what a week it has been for Torquay United fans who are still feeling the pain from last Saturdays exit from the FA Cup. That defeat was followed by another very poor performance on Tuesday night and sorry it’s no good Paul Buckle saying he is happy with the way the season has gone so far, as not many fans might see it that way.

Our home form has been very poor indeed and we are losing games due to too many players making mistakes and you have to ask why that has crept into their game. We have gone from a team that could not be scored against, to a team who makes it easy for other teams to score and Bucks needs to find a way to get the defensive siege mentality the players had when they were on that wonderful run of not conceding a goal, back into them and as soon as possible.

The first team has almost been picking itself due to our very small squad and lack of good other players who could start the match, or come off the bench and do a half decent job. Mark Ellis for one would have been dropped by now at most other clubs, but hasn’t only because we do now not have a suitable player to replace him.

Will Bucks start Mark on the bench tomorrow? He could just move Robertson across and play Mansell at right back, but if he did that I think we would be in danger of getting over run in midfield, especially as Wroe has moved on as I’m not sure Craig Stanley will do the sort of job Wroe is capable of when he is at his best.

He could start Rowe-Turner along side Branston, but he would never be match fit and the other question is would he be the answer? Bucks stuck him straight in the side a year ago when he first came here and he never set the world alight or really impressed the fans. Bucks has either felt he is not ready yet or not good enough to play in the first team and would he risk starting him in such an important game.

You have to ask if having such a player on the payroll when the budget has been cut to the bones, is a wise move, to me it just looks a waste of a wage and I would rather see that wage going to a player who is ready and can do a job for the club. When money is tight and gates are low, I don’t think we can afford too many luxuries were the playing squad is concerned.

My first impressions of Craig Stanley were that he looked a good passer of the ball, not to sure I saw him get stuck into too many tackles or provide much cover for our back four. But he had a faultless first half and maybe due to tiredness made a few mistakes later in the game, it was his first game for us and I’m sure once he has had a few games here, we will see more from him.

I was talking to the yard foreman at Travis Perkins at Stibbs Cross today as he moved here from Brighton. We always talk football when ever we meet and he was telling me he believes Jake Robinson will do a very good job for us. He said when Jake was in the youth and then reserve team at Brighton, everyone raved about him as he scored goals for fun. Much was expected of him, but for whatever reason, it was felt he was not up to playing in the championship.

Jake certainly impressed me on Tuesday night; he is very good on the ball and not afraid to take a shot at goal. Fans talk about Benyons hard work and closing down and chasing lost causes, yes he was good at doing those things, but in my opinion, so often looked to pass the ball when a shot was on say near the edge of the box. I believe young Jake if given the service his game requires, will score plenty of goals for us.

I’m rather excited at the prospect of Jake Robinson playing up front with Billy Kee for one main reason. Kee can hold the ball up well and is also not afraid to take a shot at goal as we know, I can see many good moves coming from Kee holding the ball up and laying it back to O’Kane who then plays in Robinson on goal, much like what happened when Robinson scored on Tuesday night.

But to get the best out of those two up front we will need to play football and not hoof ball as they are never going to win many balls thrown up to them high in the air. We showed in the first half against Crewe that at our best we are a good passing side; mind you that fantastic half of football seems like a dream now after what has been served up since that game.

Paul Buckle is right when he says a win and we can start looking up the table, many teams above us have played two or more game than we have, but we would need to ensure we try and keep the winning run going, if we are not to start looking down the table.

A defeat while soul destroying for the players, club and fans, would not put us in any great danger just yet, but it could have an impact on the rest of the season. With some fans saying on Tuesday night they will be giving Plainmoor a miss this Saturday, unless Stockport bring a few fans down with them; I fear the gate will struggle to reach 2000.

The players had and wasted a big chance against Hereford to ease the pain the fans are feeling, I really hope for so many reasons they take this chance against Stockport, because failure to do so will see gates fall even further.

I like so many other home fans have spend a lot of money going to Plainmoor this last month or so and not enjoyed very much of it. I’m not sure yet if I will go to this game or go and watch Ants cup game. I’m really torn between the two and think I’ll sleep on my decision for one further night.

Yes but its only for one match, but he also got a £500 fine into the bargain and as I was close to what was going on and being said, I feel he has been treated rather harshly.