NL: Torquay United v Solihull Moors 3pm 26 August 2017

1-0 down already - can things get much worse?

0-2, this is about as bad as it can get!

Yes they can their keeper scores to make it 0-2.
Lost count of how many times I written the same words and description of a football match involving TUFC . Shocking, Inept, Impotent, Toothless, lacking leadership, etc etc .
I could go on and no doubt others will have similar views but despite the effort put in we have no genuine leader on or off the pitch and it was exposed to the full this afternoon.
This current squad should be producing better results even though its far worse ability wise than we all could ever have imagined and Nicholson and along with most off us have been kidding ourselves that this is actually a talented group.
Said it many times but we have all forgotten in the murky fog of failure and slow demise just what a capable footballer looks like. A game changer, a strong character that can lift others when things are going wrong. A Guy Branston - An Alex Watson or a Dave Caldwell we need a big character in this squad its been missing for years and never addressed.
The best sides have more than one.

Just one observation today - Luke Young is not a captain or leader he drifts in and out of games occasionally showing a flash of quality but far to inconsistent in every performance. I watch his loose passes and hes far too quiet and subdued for my liking to lead the players but for some reason we like to recall the one flash of class, an oasis in a vast desert of of mediocrity.
Maybe we have been fooling ourselves all along that he is the best thing since sliced bread and its maybe part of a the bigger problem and unless we can get somebody to come in and make cold honest decisions then we will just continue to slide and falter.
So bloody lightweight in midfield with Young and the inefective Lathrope - I have no idea what he offers this side an OCCASIONAL GOOD TACKLE PERHAPS BUT CREATES NOTHING - GOOD AT THE SQUARE PASS - NEVER SCORES OR LOOKS DANGEROUS OR THREATENING AND NEVER LIKELY TO OPEN UP A DEFENCE.
Its easy to blame individuals I know bu that is what we all end up doing, how else are we meant to let off steam?
To the match itself. Thought the ref had a great game one of the best so far this season so no excuses there.
Two sloppy goals win it for the part timers - we huff and puff with plenty of effort and little application pattern or penetration up top.
It was all so tiresome to watch players continue to struggle with their own games as everything once again collapsed around their ears.
Its pretty pointless describing the goals - just the same consistent lack of concentration and general ineptitude cost us again today the second quite comedic no doubt will be explained in another report.

What a joke of a performance in a match that will be forever remembered for Lavercombe's comedy contribution. Solihull's other goal was a bit of a freak as well. But that was good enough to beat this sorry Torquay team. So who is going to be the next manager? I tried to find out and a few of us spoke to Chris Rich at the end of the game. They are after experience and are still interviewing. They want to take their time and get it right. Ronnie Moore was spotted in the crowd today so he is one of the candidates, Solihull's directors confirmed their old manager Bignot is being interviewed. What is clear is that Herrera is not the answer after another shambles today and I expect he will get a hat-trick of defeats on Monday against Woking. Let's hope someone is in place for next Saturday because things are getting desperate. Crowd 1,862 with 80 from Solihull.

In the dug-out today was Herrera, Gowling (who seemed more vocal than Herrera) and our head of recruitment. No Simon Jeffreys from Winners Gym and I had it confirmed that he has left the club thankfully.

So only one change today, Lavercombe for the injured Clarke in goal. We knew we have been over reliant on Clarke this season and today proved that. Lavercombe hardly had a save to make all game and showed today he was not the answer. Let's not beat about the bush, he was suspect in his last stint at Torquay judging long range shots. It was only his timely injury that paved the way for Brendan Moore to replace him and help save Torquay from relegation in the great escape 1 season. It was a typical lazy choice to get Lavercombe in on loan. Today Lavercombe misjudged a very long shot, or to be precise the kick from the opposing keeper! The ball bounced once, over the stranded Lavercombe and into an empty net for Solihull's second goal.

Solihull's first was a bit of a comedy act as well. A corner was hit along the ground, our gormless defenders were too slow to respond and the ball was flicked in at our near post. I don't know whether the corner was intentionally hit low or was just a mis-kick? Either way, it was enough to bamboozle our slow thinkers. Pittman, who has been so anonymous this season thus far, did turn and place a sweet low shot beyond their keeper at his far post into the corner of the net to make it 2-1. A neat finish but yet again Torquay created very few clear openings all game. I can only think of a Keating header in the first half that was well saved and a Reid golden chance after beating his man when through hit the outside of the post. Gosling for all his excellent running with the ball and beating defenders is a weak finisher or has a tendency to not shoot when he should. Today in the first half he had a great chance but instead laid the ball off and we lost possession. We had one or two headers from corners that were off target and that was about it. Too often crosses came into the box but we have not got the big men in attack to to anything with them and they normally drifted out of play.

Clueless stuff all over the pitch, even Young (who was voted sponsors MOTM) made some bad errors. I am not sure who I would have voted for. The only bit of quality was Pitman's finish. I do like right back Higgins for his commitment and long throws. So many of our other players are so lightweight. It is no wonder we are bottom and let's hope keeper Clarke will be back soon. Just when you think things can't get any worse...

Highlights of the match, turn away at 5:21

www.torquayunited.com/official-tufc-tv-united-1-2-solihull-moors/

"There may only be one game in the National League this evening but it could have huge implications at both ends of the table.

Solihull Moors will go top and earn a two-point lead if they win at struggling Aldershot."