FL2: Rochdale v Torquay United - 16 February 2013

we have to win 5 of our last 17 games to stay up as a guess?on present performances i cant see one win.No leaders no inspiration no confidence its a total shambles.Teams are are made of defence midfield and attack at present we have 11 headless chickens not knowing what next to do predictable and easily beatable a frigging mess.Aldershot tuesday if we turn up in this mode i already know the outcome barring luck

Quite right, JamesB. We are on a losing streak but then again so are other teams as well; York and Accrington are both suffering catastrophic form and while, we are obviously being beaten too often at least we are not getting thrashed. I don't think it's fair to describe the team as a shambles; the players know what they need to do but some of them are finding it hard and you can only play as well as the opposition will let you. Yesterday Rochdale surprised me, playing some very tidy football on a hard, bumpy pitch and using the ball well. They are clearly a side which has under-performed this season and should be higher up the table.

Some of Torquay's players are, it must be said, of limited ability, but the centre of defence remains sound and they will, I am sure, manage some clean sheets this season.
Lee Mansell is getting it in the neck at the moment but he always seems to put in 100% effort. He looked to have picked up a nasty and painful knock at the end of the game at Spotland and I fear for the midfield should he be out for a game or two. To me, the biggest disappointment of the season has been Kevin Nicholson, who seems to overhit the vast majority of his passes into no man's land and who also looks less than solid when defending against nippy attackers.

Loyalgull deserves respect for travelling so far but there is no need to be quite so angry and cutting about the current bad run. We need a new manager for sure and we also need Ian Morris to come back into the side before the end of the season since he has qualities which, without wishing to be cruel, are lacked by Easton, Jarvis and Lathrope. Ryan Jarvis is an honest trier but he does not look like a matchwinner to me, whereas Elliot Benyon (and I hold my hands up to the fact that I have only seen him play for a quarter of an hour) does. At the risk of being accused of being a happy clapper I honestly believe that there is enough quality in the side, allied with some tactical nous from a new boss and hard work, for the side to finish well clear of the bottom two.

I watched Chesterfield relegated last season, and it is still vivid in my memory how much they looked like a doomed squad well before the season ended. There was a soft centre to the side which I just don't see in Torquay's team. On the other hand, Chesterfield's then manager is now at Home Park and I can imagine only too well what Argyle's home defeat yesterday would have been like for their fans. I am sure that Wimbledon, Plymouth and Accrington, to name three, will all finish below United this season, not that I am expecting a final position of 21st, mind, because I expect Aldershot and York, to name two, to be scrapping it out down there beneath us as well.

Keep your chins up, comrades!

James you've totally lost me who's bickering here?
I still believe we will survive and its highly unlikely that we will do a Lincoln City isn't it?

We've got the talent?
That ones debatable. Sure there's some talent in the squad but I sure as hell haven't seen much indication in any abundance. Too many "nice chaps" who work their nuts off for the team who would be fine alongside some real flair and creativity where thy can tackle hard and pass it sideways all day and everyone loves them for it. Put them in a side full of much the same and they all look decidedly poor to average. There's far more to being a successful side than just talent and Billy Bodin is a fine example of as hugely talented footballer, technically gifted but who has struggled to shine or show any sign in consistency of performance. We desperately need some larger than life characters to lift the and inspire what we do have.
Chris your point about Ian Morris coming back into the side, I seem to remember that it took him at least a half dozen games to get up to speed and it would be unfair to expect him to be "the man to save the club" after a career threatening injury.
The "we'll be alright there's far to much quality and talent in the squad to go down" attitude is a genuine recipe for failure and disaster. Seen it done it that got the tea shirt as the saying goes now more than ever we need honesty and a view looking in of things from someone who knows the game well.

That's Paul Bastard's bobble hat there in the corner of the picture. My first sighting of both Paul and the equally famous Squash'm.