Hi AWAYINBC. It was a decent game but I wouldn't call it great though. I and quite a few others expected Torquay to have come out al guns blazing. However, they did virtually nothing at all in the first half. The wind was a bit of a problem for both sides. Torquay against in the first half where they didn't show much in the way of enterprise. With for Argyle who did overhit quit a few balls so it kind of spoilt the spectacle a bit. But, Argyle did everything but score once again. They had most of the possession and created nearly all the chances. All of the players were playing reasonably well and apart from the odd moment and corner against they didn't look like they were in trouble at all. As usual they couldn't put the ball in the net. Not one of those local derbies where they kick lumps out of each other so the Ref had nothing much to do. Second half and me and mates thought that, as Argyle couldn't score in the first half, that Torquay with the advantage of the weather would run us ragged. Not a bit of it and if anything it was still Argyle making the play and running. A few more chances went begging but they still plugged on. To be fair it looked like a nil nil. Thanks to the Ref and a dumb lino that changed. Argyle should have had an absolute blatant corner but for some bizaar reason the lino didn't see it from 10 yards. He watched the Ref and he gave Torquay a goal kick. From that the Ref gave a free kick just outside the area at the Argyle end. Apparently Purse "fouled" by stepping in front of a player and allowing Gilmartin to pick up the ball. ALL defenders shield the ball these days but this time the Ref gave a stupid decision. This free kick led to a corner for themwhen Gilmartin pushed their effort around the post. What have Argyle done all season long? Conceed from dead ball situations. Sure enough there it was and against everything that had gone on Argyle were one down. They kept battling and it looked like they were never going to quite put it away. Up pops young Harvey, takes the ball on the edge of the box, back to goal and turns. Slots it into the bottom corner for a very good strike. One one and at least some justice done. Another game though where we should have had all three despite Torquay's league position. Unless they improve then can't see them going up. It was a decent match and a 10000 plus crowd despite the weather. Disappointed in the end that we didn't win this one. They have to get a break soon or somebody who can tuck it away. Tyler Harvey for a very young lad had a very good game. He looked the part all match and I can see why others are looking at him. If anyone goes this window then I'll be surprised if it isn't him. I believe he is being watched by a few.
It is disappointing that when they play well they do not reap the reward........is it a combination of poor forwards and tactics ? When they play poorly they generally lose.......so after a few good games are we going to suffer soon and drop into the bottom two........maybe Sean O'Driscol would come and help Mr cast-iron,job for life Fletcher.
What we don't do is put the ball away plym. Nothing wrong with the rest of it or any tactics this time. The difference between scoring and not is such a fine line and it just doesn't seem to go for us somehow. We could have been 3 up by halftime. Easily. Somebody gets in the way, it hits a bobble, a worm pops up. I don't know what it is but it's frustrating. We have been quite acceptable in the last 3 home games but it just doesn't go our way. If you are riding high then they all seem to go in. If you are struggling then there seems to be a hidden wall across the goal mouth.
Clearly things haven't been good all the time this season but this is the clear message that's been coming out lately, home & away, excluding Accrington, where Fletcher admitted we hadn't played well. It's frustrating but I do get the impression that just a little bit of something, be it luck or a player or two during the window, would see us start to move ahead. Fingers crossed for 2013.
The problem notDistant.....is that we've had our fingers crossed for at least five years........all that crossed fingers achieve in the end is cramp and pins and needles. We need to become a professional football club again......we even have difficulty bringing in a D of F into the club. We are being told that a MacDonald deal depends on shifting on others and that includes Purse........MacDonald will not be scoring the goals we need. So where is the money coming from to buy a GOAL scoring striker.......clearly not from James Brent. Who will be at the centre of defence with experience if Purse does find another club.........it seems that we are not able to make our own luck......in fact the only luck we will be involved in is......that we will be lucky to avoid Conference football next year.....and there must be half a dozen clubs there that would gobble us up at the moment.
I sort of agree that we might need a bit more than crossed fingers but I also agree that we haven't been exactly lucky and need some as well. It is so frustrating to watch. We put teams to the sword yet still don't somehow manage to finish the job. Chesterfield was the prime example of that. We outplayed them for most of the match and lost. We should have beaten Torquay if there was any justice but we drew. If there is a football god then either we have upset him/her so much and badly or at some time soon we will get justice and spank somebody. We actually do deserve to and that isn't a green tinted view either it is fact. A couple of wins and getting what we should would make all the difference. By the way, once again it was Purse who gave away the free kick. Unjustly in my view but nevertheless it was our supposed most experienced. I think he has had a couple of decent games but I don't think he has shone this season at all. Did we miss him when he wasn't on the pitch? Not in my opinion and Nelson and Blanchard are a half decent combo. However, I don't want MacDonald back either. I think he has done nothing at all and we have not missed him one jot. Waste of a purchasing opportunity in my opinion when we could go for something better than him if there is some cash to splash. Back to Fletcher being loyal and out of touch again which is one of his many flaws.
Clearly the current situation isn't satisfactory in terms of results or league position but at least now we're feeling hard done by in that results aren't really rewarding performances. For large chunks of the past few years we probably didn't deserve the little we did achieve....... The truest thing that's said here is that Brent won't be providing money to splash on players. Personally I'm glad of that as the current football climate can't last and at some point there is going to be an enormous shake out of bankrupt clubs. I don't want PAFC to be one of them. That means that fans do have to get used to clubs balancing the books. I can imagine the hoo-haa if Tyler Harvey makes progress and gets sold on but I'm afraid that's going to be life in the future. Of course, I'm not actually sure the big clubs now don't have the right to take him whether we like it or not since the rules were rewritten by them. I've never been convinced by Purse: clearly he steadied the ship last season but he's what, 35, playing out the dreg ends of his career at what must seem to him like a two-bit club with his family 300 miles away. If we can find someone to take him & his wages off our hands I won't lose any sleep.
Notdistant you are doing Purse a disservice saying that, his family might be 300 miles away but he genuinely likes being down here and although he has had a few blips this season he has saved us more times than he has sunk us. In my opinion Fletcher might be worried that Purse could take his job as he has more coaching badges than he has for one thing. If anyone is on course to sink us then its Fletcher single handedly, and if he went I definately wouldn't lose any sleep !
Sickening again, could'nt have scored if played till dawn...something has to change immediately I think!
Moi .... Moi ..... no just stating that they wouldn't be able to score even if it was put on a plate for them !
Definately .... even if they had step by step instructions and for those who struggle with reading ...... pictures
