rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 17, 2021 7:27:42 GMT
Plainmoor hasn’t been a happy hunting ground this season although I felt that our match last Saturday was an improvement from the first 2 debacles albeit with the old defensive frailties coming to the fore making it very hard to win or even draw a game. I still have confidence in Johnson to sort things out whether by bringing new people in or getting the best of young players, many of whom are lacking that crucial experience. I am gutted in that this will be the first home game that I will miss for some time as I take my daughter to start a new university course in Cardiff but of course will be listening in. Not as gutted though if we were playing like last season….. Southend are the second of the two relegated league sides that we will have played early on this seasonand will be a tough game but as always looking forward to reading those match reports! COYY Gaffer’s press callLewis pre match thoughts |
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Post by gullone on Sept 17, 2021 16:22:57 GMT
Just got my ticket on line and hoping for no problems getting in tomorrow. Last week i had a crack in my phone screen and the bar code couldnt be read. My fault entirely and i didnt arrive at the ground until five to three either ! Anyway i went around to the ticket office which WAS open and busy dealing with a queue of approx 50 fans with various problems. A very helpful blonde lady also came down the line and went and got one printed off for me in a couple of minutes. Just wanted to say that i have always found the Torquay United office staff extremely helpful when it comes to customer problems and i am sure that will apply tomorrow and in the future.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 18, 2021 16:07:31 GMT
👍 - 1-0 win with a late winner from CLE
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Post by stig123 on Sept 18, 2021 16:10:44 GMT
Much needed. Macdonald in goal?
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Post by tjgull on Sept 18, 2021 16:52:58 GMT
Much needed. Macdonald in goal? Yes. |
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Post by stig123 on Sept 18, 2021 17:45:59 GMT
Thanks..didn't know he had returned to the club.
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Post by tjgull on Sept 18, 2021 18:07:28 GMT
It was only confirmed this morning stig. He did ok today.
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Post by Swanny on Sept 18, 2021 18:18:11 GMT
That was a nice pleasant surprise for me today in more ways than one. I bumped into Danny Wright this morning in Sainbury's this morning and had a brief chat. Early afternoon I heard a rumour that MacDonald had returned to the club. It was gone the dreaded 2pm cut-off time when I heard this confirmed. I had a sudden urge to go to Plainmoor to witness MacDonald's return and something resembling a football team again. I frantically got my lap-top out in the vague hope I still could buy a ticket. I was staying at my mum's in Plainmoor. I logged into the website and it said you could still get a ticket up to 3:15pm! I brought my ticket at 2:45pm and raced up to PLainmoor and got in the Popside just before kick-off.
So what is going on at Plainmoor regarding ticketing? The club needs to seriously clarify the ticketing deadline. It all seems rather muddled and if there was a strict 2pm deadline today I would not have gone.
On to the match and even if the match had finished 0-0 I still would have been upbeat. We looked like a proper professional team again. Certainly not world beaters and there is much improvement needed but it was solid and we played as a team again. MacDonald's presence clearly settled the whole defence. It helps having an extrovert in goal, shouting orders and commanding his area. It was also a good shout relegating Omar to the bench.
Lolos was deservedly sponsors MOTM, he was our liveliest striker who put himself about and has a nice bit of strength and skill. Lolos had Torquay's best chance in the first half but dwelled on the ball too long and the chance went. It was a similar story with Torquay's other youngsters like Johnson, Rogers and O'Connell. They all put in a really good shift, showed the right spirit and showed glimpses of what they can do. All of them as well at times made the wrong decision and clearly have a lot to learn but there is potential.
The second half was drifting towards 0-0. Torquay did have a good 20 minute spell and were getting in dangerous positions but the ball would not fall right in the penalty box. We were not really testing the Southend's keeper. Southend had a few breaks themselves but Torquay held firm and there seemed a good understanding at the back. It took a lovely cross by Moxey to finally break the deadlock. A low cross from the left on the byline was turned in at close range at the far post by Lemonheigh-Evans. Torquay deserved it and there was not much time on the clock for Southend to respond.
Omar came on to shore things at the back. He is commanding in the air and Southend were doing a lot of that. I liked the look of Addai who came on in the second half and went right wing. He is quite short like Nemane but a lot stockier. You can tell he has a nice bit of pace and skill. Holman did very little after he replaced Lolos. It is almost like Holman is waiting for something to happen, unlike Lolos who makes things happen for himself. Lolos is a far better option in my opinion.
A good step forward both on and off the pitch today.
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Post by swatcat on Sept 18, 2021 19:34:03 GMT
Swanny - thanks for some excellent comments. ATB
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 18, 2021 20:09:05 GMT
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Sept 18, 2021 20:13:38 GMT
Went out for breakfast this morning and bumped into Super Shaun who played a very straight bat to the suggestion that he might be needed back at Plainmoor. If he really is looking for a new career, he should try acting after that Oscar-winning performance.
The shock that RJD is incapable of delivering his offspring to Cardiff and getting back by 2.59PM was offset by the pleasure of seeing Swanny joining us rough lot on the Pop rather than his posh mates in the Family Stand.
Southend are absolutely shocking. We could not have asked for better opposition to come up against as we desperately needed to get three points on the board.
I am not saying Shaun Mac is perfect but he was a loud and commanding presence behind the defence rather than a shrinking violet - a big improvement.
The back three (Wynter and Moxey either side of Lewis) worked really well but that is partly down to the fact that Southend asked no questions whatsoever of Johnson and O'Connell as wing-backs. Not sure O'Connell in particular would have had the answers if they had. Hall could well have been overrun with Lemon and Rogers playing ahead of him if we had been up against a combative opposition midfield but we weren't. Lolos was a big improvement on Holman up front - his constant movement causing Southend problems and probably merited his man of the match award.
We looked the better of two poor sides in the first half but did not make the advantage pay - and you got the terrible feeling we would live to regret that.
We seemed to lose our grip at the start of the second half and that sinking feeling started to creep in that we were going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
At this stage, I thought our fans were absolutely magnificent getting behind the team and driving them on - not getting on their backs. It's nice to see big crowds at Plainmoor, but often the smaller the crowd the more supportive they are. I am convinced the support made the difference as we battled to a well-deserved 1-0 win instead of sliding to a confidence-shattering 0-1 defeat.
Great to see the players' reactions to the goal and at the final whistle. I cannot believe that any footballer - professional or amateur - would rather lose than win. Lemon went crazy on scoring the winner. It really does matter to him - he does hurt when we lose and love it when we win. The looks on the faces of Lolos and Omar (who only played a few minutes) at the end were a picture. The first time they have had the buzz of being cheered off after a win rather than facing silence or boos after a shocking defeat. It is obvious which reaction they prefer. Let's hope we have enough about us - and can bring in sufficient reinforcements - to make that reaction the rule rather than the exception - even against much better opposition than Southend.
Only down side to the day is that Strictly Bollocks on the telly. Wish we had arranged to go out for a curry. Mind you, would we have won if we had?
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 19, 2021 7:12:13 GMT
The shock that RJD is incapable of delivering his offspring to Cardiff and getting back by 2.59PM. Would have been nice but the motorways were packed - hellish 4 hour drive up to Cardiff! Good to read that we were able to stabilise the back line and probably lining up with more players actually playing in their strongest positions - CLE, Moxey and Johnson. With Little and Lapslie out our midfield is weaker than it has been and would be good to get one of those two back for Chesterfield next week. |
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Sept 20, 2021 18:06:52 GMT
The shock that RJD is incapable of delivering his offspring to Cardiff and getting back by 2.59PM. Would have been nice but the motorways were packed - hellish 4 hour drive up to Cardiff! Good to read that we were able to stabilise the back line and probably lining up with more players actually playing in their strongest positions - CLE, Moxey and Johnson. With Little and Lapslie out our midfield is weaker than it has been and would be good to get one of those two back for Chesterfield next week. Nice to see the goal on Spotlight ⚽️ |
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 21, 2021 6:49:34 GMT
link - just seen it, very good goal. CLE made a few good runs as well that could have put him through and just needs the right pass to open up a defence.
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