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Post by tufcwewillbeback on Aug 23, 2008 8:39:08 GMT
Looks as though Hargreaves should move back into his rightfull midfield role where, for me, he should be the first name on the team sheet.
However, reading the news of Todd's injury, it is suggested on the United site that Hodges could slot in at centre back.
Hodges, from his time at Plymouth, is of course, a versatile player but im not sure he has ever played cenre back. Is this not just going to another Hargreaves like experiment.
Having said this, with Todd injured and Hargreaves, hopefully moving back to his favoured position, I can understand why Bucks would try Hodges at the back and hope that if he does it works.
In summary, this could well be something that causes us greater problems though, might it be a possible solution?
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Aug 23, 2008 9:01:39 GMT
tufcwewillbeback, I think there is a world of difference between an experiment and something that becomes a need, do to circumstances.
If Hargreaves moves back in to midfield, it could indicate, that Buckle now feels the experiment did not work with Hargreaves. As you have heard me say before, unless you try something, you will never know.
You say the club says Hodges COULD play at CB and maybe he could, we will have to wait and see. If he does today its only because Todd is injured and Buckle may not have faith in other. The could may just mean that if we and another CB injured, Hodges could fill in that spot.
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Post by weathergull on Aug 23, 2008 12:03:35 GMT
tufcwewillbeback, I think there is a world of difference between an experiment and something that becomes a need, do to circumstances. If Hargreaves moves back in to midfield, it could indicate, that Buckle now feels the experiment did not work with Hargreaves. As you have heard me say before, unless you try something, you will never know. You say the club says Hodges COULD play at CB and maybe he could, we will have to wait and see. If he does today its only because Todd is injured and Buckle may not have faith in other. The could may just mean that if we and another CB injured, Hodges could fill in that spot. Again though Dave, we have this problem where Buckle is going to see IF Hodges is any good at centre back!  Why-oh-why does he continue to do this? We have perfectly good centre backs who are sat in the stands and can't even get a bloody game! So if this experiment with Hodges doesn't work, how long will he continue with it? It's taken three games for him to realise Hargreaves is in the wrong place! We all knew pre-season! Words fail me i'm afraid!  |
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midlandstufc
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Favourite Player: Dawkins lol
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Post by midlandstufc on Aug 23, 2008 15:05:37 GMT
I think it's now been proved. Why pay two centre-backs when they will never be picked when they're required??
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Post by crispygull on Aug 23, 2008 15:59:32 GMT
I think we've probably seen the last of Robertson and Woods in Torquay shirts in all honesty. I cannot see either of them being happy, sat in the stands, after the dismal performance against Ebbsfleet.
Their only hope of a future at Torquay I would suggest is whether they manage to outlast the Manager, given the problems we have at the moment.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Aug 23, 2008 16:59:12 GMT
Today was the day that Woods and Ellis should have stared, or maybe Robertson. We know Buckle wanted to push out Woods to Truro and would have, if he had got his man. I have said it before I would expect that Woods must be very angry to see his place taken by a midfielder, who sadly has done a poor job.
I would suggest that all is not happiness in the changing room and there may well be some problems between the manager and some players. By playing Woods to day Buckle could have shown why he felt he needed to experiment, or he could have been shown it was a big mistake, not playing Woods from the start.
I also fear we may not see Woods, Robertson or maybe Even Ellis playing, we really need someone at the club to let us know, just what is going on.
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jack
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Post by jack on Aug 23, 2008 17:23:57 GMT
It is fairly obvious that there is some unrest. I don't think Sills and Hargreaves are too happy either.
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Post by bitemebryn on Aug 23, 2008 17:46:17 GMT
Not to play Robertson, Woods or Ellis today was shocking. These players must be spitting feathers and to be honest they are all probably inwardly laughing their tits off at the failure of Buckles make shift defensive pairings so far.
Matt Green is another one who must be wondering why the fluff he bothered coming here. Sub ed at half time when Roscoe Dsane has had 7 months here to prove himself and still hasn't managed it.
Monday is a must win, or a good perfomance at the very least. Not anything to do with promotion, but PB needs to show the locals he hasn't lost the plot or the dressing room.
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Post by sameasiteverwas on Aug 23, 2008 22:54:04 GMT
It's an absolute joke at the moment, teamsheet is a complete mess, i bet more than half the squad are mentally out the door / taking the piss out of the manager.
Don't see too much defence of this rubbish from Merse today for once
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Aug 23, 2008 23:06:25 GMT
It's an absolute joke at the moment, teamsheet is a complete mess, i bet more than half the squad are mentally out the door / taking the piss out of the manager. Don't see too much defence of this rubbish from Merse today for once How can you defend the indefensible, that is the question. |
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merse
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Post by merse on Aug 24, 2008 12:14:41 GMT
It's an absolute joke at the moment, teamsheet is a complete mess, i bet more than half the squad are mentally out the door / taking the piss out of the manager. Don't see too much defence of this rubbish from Merse today for once  I've not defended poor football. I have derided the futility of barracking the side from virtually the start of this season and observed that I consider it a "pay back" of vitriol over last season's disappointment. I have tried to explain the difference in expansive play on a perfect day and having to be more pragmatic on a shite one (there have been two already this season!) I have shown my abhorrence at the rapidly emanating "get Buckle out" vibes and illustrated the futility of protest when those protesting are not aware of the full facts of the manager's workload. I have tried to show my understanding of just where the manager is coming from with his selections rather than merely deriding them in too simplistic a fashion. That doesn't mean I agree with all of them,but it does acknowledge that it is only HIS opinion that matters in the end. I foresaw his selection yesterday,and saw it undermined and consigned to the bin after just 8 minutes through one player's appalling stupidity and poor professionalism. I then saw it further undermined by an equally stupid challenge from an individual and yet further idiocy just before half time when another player committed a red card offence (albeit under provocation) that could have seen us starting the second half not only two goals down but two players too! The manage has to be left to deal with all that in private with the individuals concerned. The only person he needs to be answerable to is the Chairman, and the fans have no right whatsoever to expect him to "wash any dirty linen" in public. It's not the manager's style, it's not the Chairman's style nor the Torquay United Way. No one with any semblance of common sense would expect the manager to accept what went on last Monday without addressing it, and surely he showed that he had through his selection yesterday. So why expect him to go public with his man management? Man management has never been enhanced by "going public" at any time. I just hope now that a lot of folk who think it is all so simplistic have some grasp of the nuts and bolts of the manager's job and that they have some grasp of the very real difficulty of achieving promotion form this very competitive and combative league. |
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Post by buster on Aug 24, 2008 16:17:53 GMT
Merse
Having managed & coached a team for many years I can imagine some of the issues that the manager may have to deal with.
Can you though shed some light on why PB is not selecting players that he has signed? I`m thinking specifically Ellis signed as CB cover. Robertson retained as CB or RB cover. PB had the opportunity of seeing them all last season so knows what they are capable of. What has changed that they are now not up to playing ahead of an experiment?
buster
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merse
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Post by merse on Aug 24, 2008 17:00:55 GMT
In response to your query Buster, the manager has been here long enough and signed virtually ALL of the squad so he will always be leaving out some of "his own signings" My personal feeling is that he has made the central defence selections he has through a desire to pass the ball out from defensive situations this season - rather as many of his detractors on various sites would have him done according to their protestations! So, he has identified certain players he feels can do this over certain players who (perhaps) he feels don't display that potential. Don't tell me you suddenly expect Steve Woods to find a sudden couple of yards of pace or a degree of passing accuracy that we have never seen before? Do you prefer he signs the vastly experienced Lee Hodges and then leaves him on the subs' bench in deference to the very raw potential of Mark Ellis? I have been lambasted on this site and others for posting my understanding of the use of no frills, less risk, pragmatic football with players at this level. Yet when I admit that I understand that the manager is trying to play a more expansive game this season I am accused of "U Turns" At the end of the day, as long as a manager is obviously putting one hundred per cent of effort one hundred per cent of the time I am happy to let him get on with his job even though I personally may not like his style or agree with his selections. You've only heard me start shouting about a certain manager when he clearly was NOT putting in one hundred per cent, was NOT setting any example of commitment to the players by moving ninety miles away from the club and was "airey faireying" about on Radio 5 when he could have been out on club business scouting future opponents.
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jack
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Post by jack on Aug 24, 2008 17:07:48 GMT
Merse - Come on, Buckles team selection was not "undernined" as you put it by Thompsons sending off. Blimey we already losing by then.
You say you "foresaw" Buckles team selection yesterday. How an earth could anyone reasonably have predicted that the manager would play Brough and Hodges at the back yesterday.
Buckle is paid good money to manage this club but at times he cannot see what is staring him in the face.
Have you ever seen Brough play at centre half? - I challenge anybody who has seen him play there to defend that this was a rational selection by the manager.
I am not having a go at the player, he looks a different prospect when played in his best position (midfield).
For all Ellis's faults he is a better prospect than Brough at centre half - no doubt it.
To me Buckles selection smacked of trying to appease one of his new signings at the expense of the younger player who would have been the far more sensible option.
Also how exactly does the managers "workload" alter his ability to pick the team?
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merse
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Post by merse on Aug 24, 2008 17:18:12 GMT
Merse - Come on, Buckles team selection was not "undernined" as you put it by Thompsons sending off. Blimey we already losing by then. You say you "foresaw" Buckles team selection yesterday. How an earth could anyone reasonably have predicted that the manager would play Brough and Hodges at the back yesterday. Refer to my posting of last Tuesday and I was inviting opinion on Thompson going to right back, Mansell to midfield and Hodges to centre back. No, I didn't foresee Brough at centre back and I referred to that last night. Of course Thompson's sending off wholly affected things, he was only on the pitch for ten minutes! Yes, we were losing but it sure made playing a normal game impossible and thus reduced the chances of getting back in contention harder. In addition to Thompson's sending off, both penalties resulted from poor individual decisions and you can't blame those on what roles the players were fulfilling......................they don't play in designated squares on the pitch to one standard and then drop to a lesser standard when they stray out of them for God's sake do they? |
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I've not defended poor football. I have derided the futility of barracking the side from virtually the start of this season and observed that I consider it a "pay back" of vitriol over last season's disappointment.