Torquay v Rovers

[Ian]

As is Mangan. Some changes needed if we want to win this.

 

[Boz]

It doesn't sound like we're creating that much.

 

[Ian]

Nothing really. Got a draw all over this.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Not good enough considering the standard of the opposition.

 

[Boz]

Torquay seem to be more dangerous atm, even hitting the woodwork

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Delivery from wide areas sounds awful.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Amazed cook is not on yet.

 

[Ian]

Well that certainly didn't sound great. Not good enough if your challenging for promotion. Sounded like an awful game. Creativity lacking again. We won't catch Lincoln now.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Very disappointing. Title chances officially over.

 

[Boz]

0-0. Disappointing result and I don't think we can catch Lincoln

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Still, Andy Doyle thinks it is a good result......

 

[Ian]

Still, Andy Doyle thinks it is a good result......

Haha, shouldn't laugh really.

 

[drwhoman]

Yes but it could have been worse. We could have been beaten! As it is Dover were flogged 5-0 at Boreham Wood (what happened there?), while Macc and Gateshead drew. Lincoln have been lucky with injuries. If we had had Tollett, Dunn and Maynard.... Still all is not lost. A win on Saturday please Rovers!

 

[drwhoman]

Also, as someone pointed out the other day, only Lincoln have won at Torquay this season? A midweek game after a tough one on Saturday. Is that four away games on the trot?

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Drwhoman, it was a dreadful result for a team chasing the title. Torquay are fifth bottom and have lost seven at home. Aside from the result, the performance was also concerning.

 

[Ian]

We have had a lot of away games but nevertheless we needed to win tonight. It's no coincidence we've been pretty lacklustre since the injuries to key players but we have to make sure we stay in the play-offs.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I felt sure Cook would come on at half time if it was goalless and I can't believe that MM has actually given priority to the Trophy this week ?

It sounds like the formation might need changing after the last few performances. Other than Jennings, we were totally reliant on the full backs to create in the 532 and it did not sound like there was one decent delivery.

 

[frenchrover]

Spot on Ian, we really do have to maintain some forward momentum otherwise even the play-off place could be in jeopardy. As nice as a trip to Wembley might be in the Trophy, we must ensure we give ourselves a chance of a Wembley appearance in the League playoffs, as I just can't see us realistically catching Lincoln for the automatic spot. A really disappointing result tonight with MM effectively keeping our best chances of a win on the bench until halfway through the second half which, to me, signals his acknowledgement that the champions spot is going to Lincoln.

 

[Sparky]

It's the injuries that have cost us. We looked good with 4-4-2 but losing Tollit and Dunn has meant MM has gone with 5-3-2. This means wing backs are our only creators from wide positions which means we're creating less and starving the forwards of service - Cookie relies on crosses from wide areas but isn't getting them.

But couldn't we have stick with 4-4-2? Dawson has been training with the squad on match days and Mekki could play out wide. If not, bring in a winger on loan.

I have some sympathy for MM given the injuries but he doesn't do himself any favours dropping our top scorer. We got away with it at Chester but not tonight.

None of the injured players are returning next soon so I just hope we can stay in the top 5 and get some luck in the play offs.

If we don't win on Saturday they'll be a fair bit of negativity around the place. Apart fcr one half v barrow and 10 mins v chester, I don't think we've played well for weeks and it will catch up with is eventually.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We could even play a 433 but we certainly can't rely on defenders to create chances. Ridehalgh has improved massively under Mellon but his final ball can still be a bit hit or miss: tonight it was 'miss'. Vaughan overlaps well but is not a good crosser of the ball.

Despite the general lack of creativity, Cook is capable of scoring a goal form nothing (as at Barrow last week), which is why I am amazed he only got fifteen minutes.