The play-off thread

[jacobncfc]

I make you clear favourites to be honest, we've lost any attacking spark we had in the first half of the season. Saying that though we are unbeaten in the last 13.

First goal is vital as we never look like we have the mentality to come from behind these days.

Just having home fans in is a big advantage. Johnson knows what he’s doing as well, and we have clear weaknesses defending set pieces and against teams who can counter quickly.

 

[nuffsaid]

Could see us maybe going in for Bennett again if we more than likely can't afford Armstrong on his Salford wages, never seen such an impactful loan signing, was impressive from day one, would love him back here.

Would be a decent crossover for us, you get Bennett and we get Armstrong (I dare say we COULD afford his wages). In fairness to Bennett it almost seems to be a mental thing, in a parallel universe he would have got a few early goals under his belt and gone on from there but it wasn't to be. Our last home game against Woking just about summed it up when he was running away with his arm up saluting his 'goal' without realising it had actually bounced down on the wrong side of the line (for us) and been cleared. Reid on the other hand is just the opposite, it's been tap ins, miss-hits and deflections, out of the 13 contenders for our goal of the season he didn't have one effort whilst the other joint top scorer Rooney had 7.

 

[Stocky]

I don't rate Bennett or Reid really. They're not terrible, Reid has been pretty productive but they're nothing special at this level. They're a bit powderpuff to be starters if we want to be the best team at this level next season.

 

[Jerry]

Just having home fans in is a big advantage. Johnson knows what he’s doing as well, and we have clear weaknesses defending set pieces and against teams who can counter quickly.

Well unless Whitfield is fit we won't be countering quickly with either Boden or Wright up front. I guess he could opt for a front 2 with Waters adding some pace alongside Boden. This worked really well for a few games but Johnson seems to have binned off that option after we failed to score against Bromley.

 

[GTFCfish]

Didn’t know that Cardwell was at Stockport, 1 goal in 37 games for us tells its own story.
Always tried hard though.

 

[nuffsaid]

Didn’t know that Cardwell was at Stockport, 1 goal in 37 games for us tells its own story.
Always tried hard though.

On loan from Chorley, according to wiki he is "A Powerhouse centre forward, strong, skilful and with a good turn of pace and excellent movement in leading the line.", although he could have wrote that himself.

 

[EnglishRed]

I don't rate Bennett or Reid really. They're not terrible, Reid has been pretty productive but they're nothing special at this level. They're a bit powderpuff to be starters if we want to be the best team at this level next season.

come on mate you are going up, keep the faith!

 

[Stocky]

Didn’t know that Cardwell was at Stockport, 1 goal in 37 games for us tells its own story.
Always tried hard though.

He's on loan from Chorley. We took advantage of the fact the North season stopped and with Connor Jennings not being available for the season, he was another body needed up front. Richie Bennett hasn't been great for us and was probably at his worst when Rusk came in. Cardwell hit the ground running and looked quality first 4 or 5 games which cemented himself as part of the team which even coincided with us putting Bennett out on loan to Hartlepool (who we recalled because quite frankly he was scoring too many goals for them). Cardwell's goals and form have dried up really. He's lucky to still be in the team at the moment and I don't think we'll buy him outright considering Chorley have him contracted and they want a decent fee. I think he's shown his mean level and we need to do better.

Handsome bastard though.

 

[CaliforniaGull]

Us Torquay fans are always pessimistic about our chances in big matches, but we didn't fluke our league position. We're a strong team even without Ben Whitfield and Danny Wright. And we have a top manager who has a habit of getting results when it matters. I reckon Notts County will have to be at their very best to defeat us.

Either way, I expect another good play-off match. Apropos of nothing, I hate that there's still club football to worry about in June. I need to get my stress levels down with how expensive healthcare is out here!

Re: Stockport, I thought Cardwell looked really decent against us, I figured his job was to hold the ball up for Alex Reid to do the scoring. Frankly, Reid looked rather average, but I guess that was just one match.

 

[jacobncfc]

Us Torquay fans are always pessimistic about our chances in big matches, but we didn't fluke our league position. We're a strong team even without Ben Whitfield and Danny Wright. And we have a top manager who has a habit of getting results when it matters. I reckon Notts County will have to be at their very best to defeat us.

Either way, I expect another good play-off match. Apropos of nothing, I hate that there's still club football to worry about in June. I need to get my stress levels down with how expensive healthcare is out here!

Re: Stockport, I thought Cardwell looked really decent against us, I figured his job was to hold the ball up for Alex Reid to do the scoring. Frankly, Reid looked rather average, but I guess that was just one match.

Weird ain’t it, the June thing? Although the 12pm kick off on Saturday coupled with three straight Euros game and the weather is going to make for a cracking all dayer in my garden. Hopefully the first one doesn’t put a downer on things...

I thought you were excellent in the draw at Meadow Lane and unfortunate not to win, while the opposite happened at Plainmoor when we threw away two points after a great performance.

I do think there’s a bit of that ‘everything has clicked and come together at once’ feeling around Notts that you sometimes get with a play-off winning team. But that’s probably because you forget about the teams where that looked like happening and then didn’t...

 

[Stocky]

Weird ain’t it, the June thing? Although the 12pm kick off on Saturday coupled with three straight Euros game and the weather is going to make for a cracking all dayer in my garden. Hopefully the first one doesn’t put a downer on things...

I thought you were excellent in the draw at Meadow Lane and unfortunate not to win, while the opposite happened at Plainmoor when we threw away two points after a great performance.

I do think there’s a bit of that ‘everything has clicked and come together at once’ feeling around Notts that you sometimes get with a play-off winning team. But that’s probably because you forget about the teams where that looked like happening and then didn’t...

Our lot playing on the same day as England on a scorcher of a day is actually a pain in the arse.

England is fun in the sun with a few beers. Can't say I'm that arsed when they inevitably lose tbh.

Watching SCFC is an ordeal because I actually care. It's not supposed to be done on a scorching Sunday in June is it? Nobody signed up for this ffs.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Our lot playing on the same day as England on a scorcher of a day is actually a pain in the arse.

England is fun in the sun with a few beers. Can't say I'm that arsed when they inevitably lose tbh.

Watching SCFC is an ordeal because I actually care. It's not supposed to be done on a scorching Sunday in June is it? Nobody signed up for this ffs.

Aye Sunday is gonna be a fucking nightmare cos do I shite pay for BT, so we need to find a pub showing the game and if it goes to extra time and penalties they'll be half way through that England game by the time it comes to a close, there'll be small scale riots if they turn the playoffs off for ENGERLUND.

 

[chipmunx]

Aye Sunday is gonna be a fucking nightmare cos do I shite pay for BT, so we need to find a pub showing the game and if it goes to extra time and penalties they'll be half way through that England game by the time it comes to a close, there'll be small scale riots if they turn the playoffs off for ENGERLUND.

a certain bookies who'se name includes the word bet and the number of days in a year... shows the matches usually - I watched Pools v Bromley last week on it - you only need £0.01p or more in your account to watch the feed. There's no commentary though - just the crowd noise - so that's a bonus too.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Aye Sunday is gonna be a fucking nightmare cos do I shite pay for BT, so we need to find a pub showing the game and if it goes to extra time and penalties they'll be half way through that England game by the time it comes to a close, there'll be small scale riots if they turn the playoffs off for ENGERLUND.

There are several dodgy streaming sites around. Get your mates over for beers and sync up the laptop to the TV. Job done. PM me if you want the url.

 

[nuffsaid]

Us Torquay fans are always pessimistic about our chances in big matches, but we didn't fluke our league position. We're a strong team even without Ben Whitfield and Danny Wright. And we have a top manager who has a habit of getting results when it matters. I reckon Notts County will have to be at their very best to defeat us.

Either way, I expect another good play-off match. Apropos of nothing, I hate that there's still club football to worry about in June. I need to get my stress levels down with how expensive healthcare is out here!

Re: Stockport, I thought Cardwell looked really decent against us, I figured his job was to hold the ball up for Alex Reid to do the scoring. Frankly, Reid looked rather average, but I guess that was just one match.

Reid IS rather average but (unlike Bennett in particular) does seem to have a fair bit of luck in front of goal. For the play off game(s) if Madden is fit it'll be him and Cardwell up front with Reid on the bench, I think that we played all three in a few games but that tended to be against weaker opposition.

 

[Chief Rocka]

There are several dodgy streaming sites around. Get your mates over for beers and sync up the laptop to the TV. Job done. PM me if you want the url.

I'm gonna try and live like I'm 18 again and day drink down the marina.

 

[B2TF]

I'm gonna try and live like I'm 18 again and day drink down the marina.

??? Having only your posts to go on, I'd always assumed you were about 15.

 

[Seventyseven]

After watching Notts beat Chesterfield, I'm a bit concerned about Saturday if we don't have our full-strength side out. Danny Wright and Ben Whitfield would've made a huge difference to the season run-in. As it was we drew our last four games but now unbeaten in 13,

As mentioned previously, having a home crowd only should make a difference but having been at the Barnet game, the atmosphere was muted, not helped by having to wear a bloody face mask throughout.

Obviously, I'm hoping for a win (however it comes), but I won't be too downhearted if we lose this.... if someone had said at the start of the season that we'd finish runners-up and be in the play-offs I'd have bit their hand off. And, no matter what, I'll be there next season be it against the likes of Brizzle Rovers or (heaven forbid) AFC Halifax.

So... am I going to predict it.... why not.... 1-0 to the Yellow Army with a 99th minute winner from our striker Kyle Cameron.

 

[jacobncfc]

Speaking of England, it looks like Southgate is going to start four full backs in a back five against Croatia. Burchnall’s Notts already influencing the international game.

 

[Jerry]

After watching Notts beat Chesterfield, I'm a bit concerned about Saturday if we don't have our full-strength side out. Danny Wright and Ben Whitfield would've made a huge difference to the season run-in. As it was we drew our last four games but now unbeaten in 13,

As mentioned previously, having a home crowd only should make a difference but having been at the Barnet game, the atmosphere was muted, not helped by having to wear a bloody face mask throughout.

Obviously, I'm hoping for a win (however it comes), but I won't be too downhearted if we lose this.... if someone had said at the start of the season that we'd finish runners-up and be in the play-offs I'd have bit their hand off. And, no matter what, I'll be there next season be it against the likes of Brizzle Rovers or (heaven forbid) AFC Halifax.

So... am I going to predict it.... why not.... 1-0 to the Yellow Army with a 99th minute winner from our striker Kyle Cameron.

Rumour has it that Wright played (and scored) in a behind closed doors match at the weekend so we may have some good news on the striker front. No mention of Whitfield though.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

I'm gonna try and live like I'm 18 again and day drink down the marina.

Spent a few hours in JP's bar after the Bromley game.
Sat drinking in the sunshine, rare event in our town.

 

[LongEatonPie]

Wright is my biggest worry for the game Saturday.
He played when ur form was at its best and seemed to lift the team.

We could be looking at penaltied as before I heard about Wright i had Notts shading it.

 

[ForzaCounty]

I don't rate Bennett or Reid really. They're not terrible, Reid has been pretty productive but they're nothing special at this level. They're a bit powderpuff to be starters if we want to be the best team at this level next season.

Can't agree in the slightest, Reid is a very capable goalscorer at multiple clubs at this level, thrives greatly when he's got a foil like Bennett alongside him. I haven't seen a game involving those two up front where they haven't been a nightmare for defenders to deal with.

Handsome bastard though.

... now that I can agree with. Makes me question my life choices.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Wright is my biggest worry for the game Saturday.
He played when ur form was at its best and seemed to lift the team.

We could be looking at penaltied as before I heard about Wright i had Notts shading it.

I‘m sad enough to have listened to a Torquay podcast last night. They said it was very unlikely he’d be involved.

 

[Droo]

Anyone nervous yet?

 

[jacobncfc]

Anyone nervous yet?

Nah. Don’t really feel as invested in this season, hope we win but I’d be far less bothered about losing than at the end of a proper season.

 

[Droo]

You miserable scrote

 

[Son of Cod]

He's on loan from Chorley. We took advantage of the fact the North season stopped and with Connor Jennings not being available for the season, he was another body needed up front. Richie Bennett hasn't been great for us and was probably at his worst when Rusk came in. Cardwell hit the ground running and looked quality first 4 or 5 games which cemented himself as part of the team which even coincided with us putting Bennett out on loan to Hartlepool (who we recalled because quite frankly he was scoring too many goals for them). Cardwell's goals and form have dried up really. He's lucky to still be in the team at the moment and I don't think we'll buy him outright considering Chorley have him contracted and they want a decent fee. I think he's shown his mean level and we need to do better.

Handsome bastard though.

Yeah, he's probably the best looking player we've had in recent years. I'm gonna predict he'll be on Love Island at some point in the next 3 years.

Like GTFCfish says, he always tried hard. Was unlucky to not score a few times for us. Played in quite a defensive team. Kind of player that I hope does well, but I wouldn't want him back here really. I couldn't place what he's lacking, but he's lacking something.

 

[Chief Rocka]

You miserable scrote

Im pretty nervous but not as much as last Sunday, we’re very much underdogs in our game.

 

[Pinner Stones]

Sod Sutton winning the league, another win for the tinpotters as Wealdstone take the programme of the year title from Stockport. Stick that up your pipe and smoke It. Another belt defeat.