Post by rjdgull on Sept 28, 2011 22:39:10 GMT
For some reason, September hasn't been a good month for us since returning to the league and in some respects it will be good to leave behind although weather wise it feels more like August than October. 
After finishing 20th last term, Jim Bentley has done an excellent job for Morecambe and few would have bet on them sitting at the top on twenty points after the first ten games! However, they have just suffered their first loss for a few games, at home to Bristol Rovers which coming on the back of a previous 6-0 home win against Crawley shows how topsy turvey this league is! Morecambe do like their away days though, winning four and drawing one (against Macclesfield!) of their five games on the road, conceding just three goals in the process!
Their top scorer is Danny Carlton who signed in January after being released by Bury and returned to the club for his second spell there. Another player to watch out for is midfielder Kevin Ellison with five goals so far but again was purchased on a free transfer from Rotherham.
As for Torquay, we will be once again without Howe for the first time since the Macclesfield game which was the scene of our last win! In that game, Bodin was also out on international duty with Macklin and Morris on the wings and McPhee combining very well with Atieno up front. This could work with Bodin replacing either a winger or forward and has the advantage of having two lines of four defending against a team that don't concede many away! The disadvantage was that not many chances were created in the first half but the way things have gone, going in level at half time feels like a winning position!
On the other hand, 4-3-3, with the wingers in an advanced position leaves Eunan free to push up more as he has been doing and and leave an extra striker/winger on the bench. There has been some good talk about formations this week and Ling may take this opportunity to dabble but ultimately it does come down to how individuals play.
Defensively, I can't see any change in the Saah/Robbo partnership but I'm starting to wonder if Leadbitter will make an appearance soon, particularly as he was kept back from the Crawley match which does suggest that he is now match fit! Whether this will then free Oastler to play in that defensive midfield role is anyone's guess!
After finishing 20th last term, Jim Bentley has done an excellent job for Morecambe and few would have bet on them sitting at the top on twenty points after the first ten games! However, they have just suffered their first loss for a few games, at home to Bristol Rovers which coming on the back of a previous 6-0 home win against Crawley shows how topsy turvey this league is! Morecambe do like their away days though, winning four and drawing one (against Macclesfield!) of their five games on the road, conceding just three goals in the process!
Their top scorer is Danny Carlton who signed in January after being released by Bury and returned to the club for his second spell there. Another player to watch out for is midfielder Kevin Ellison with five goals so far but again was purchased on a free transfer from Rotherham.
As for Torquay, we will be once again without Howe for the first time since the Macclesfield game which was the scene of our last win! In that game, Bodin was also out on international duty with Macklin and Morris on the wings and McPhee combining very well with Atieno up front. This could work with Bodin replacing either a winger or forward and has the advantage of having two lines of four defending against a team that don't concede many away! The disadvantage was that not many chances were created in the first half but the way things have gone, going in level at half time feels like a winning position!
On the other hand, 4-3-3, with the wingers in an advanced position leaves Eunan free to push up more as he has been doing and and leave an extra striker/winger on the bench. There has been some good talk about formations this week and Ling may take this opportunity to dabble but ultimately it does come down to how individuals play.
Defensively, I can't see any change in the Saah/Robbo partnership but I'm starting to wonder if Leadbitter will make an appearance soon, particularly as he was kept back from the Crawley match which does suggest that he is now match fit! Whether this will then free Oastler to play in that defensive midfield role is anyone's guess!
