Just back.

First half Torquay were first to the ball, put in the better tackles, better organised and wanted it more than us.
Yes we should have had a pen but we didn't get it, that didn't lose us the game.
Second half was slightly better but I think it was more them free-wheeling because it looked easy for them.

I fully understand the hypothesis that you make your own luck in football but bloody Nora Hurst must have run over a dozen black cats on his way to Grimsby.

No bad luck regarding the two Torquay goals-just appalling defending (or lackadaisical play in dangerous areas) but to lose Pittman to a seemingly innocuous challenge and then to play the last 20 odd minutes with ten men when you are trying to get back into a game is pushing the boundaries of fortune a step too far. I wonder how many games this season Hurst has been able to put out what he feels is his strongest first XI?

I keep banging on about it but today showed yet again how much we are missing Boyce. Every time they got the ball in our half today panic set in. Is he even getting a game for Scunny? (See they lost 4-1 today).

McLaughlin showed his lack of defensive capabilities today but I felt a bit for him seemingly being expected to play as an out and out winger.
Hannah did little to force himself into Hurst's thinking. It may have been lack of match time but had LJL missed either of those two chances (both of which were created by him) the knives would have been well and truly out for him both on here and at the time. I cannot remember a Town forward with such a seemingly poor awareness of what is going on around him.

Quoted from barralad

I fully understand the hypothesis that you make your own luck in football but bloody Nora Hurst must have run over a dozen black cats on his way to Grimsby.

No bad luck regarding the two Torquay goals-just appalling defending (or lackadaisical play in dangerous areas) but to lose Pittman to a seemingly innocuous challenge and then to play the last 20 odd minutes with ten men when you are trying to get back into a game is pushing the boundaries of fortune a step too far. I wonder how many games this season Hurst has been able to put out what he feels is his strongest first XI?

I keep banging on about it but today showed yet again how much we are missing Boyce. Every time they got the ball in our half today panic set in. Is he even getting a game for Scunny? (See they lost 4-1 today).

McLaughlin showed his lack of defensive capabilities today but I felt a bit for him seemingly being expected to play as an out and out winger.
Hannah did little to force himself into Hurst's thinking. It may have been lack of match time but had LJL missed either of those two chances (both of which were created by him) the knives would have been well and truly out for him both on here and at the time. I cannot remember a Town forward with such a seemingly poor awareness of what is going on around him.

Hannah offers nothing. People say he's a good finisher but it's about time he started showing it. LJL has his limitations but I know which player is easier to play against out of him and Hannah. We need at least one forward player in on loan. Particularly if Pittman and Arnold are going to be so injury prone. People say we'll not go up relying on LJL and they may have a point.but I always think LJL is more likely to score than Hannah because he does at least do something. Like you said, if it had been LJL missing those chances the knives would be out and yet people gloss over the fact that they were glaring misses and cost us points today.

Quoted from mariner91

Hannah offers nothing. People say he's a good finisher but it's about time he started showing it. LJL has his limitations but I know which player is easier to play against out of him and Hannah. We need at least one forward player in on loan. Particularly if Pittman and Arnold are going to be so injury prone. People say we'll not go up relying on LJL and they may have a point .but I always think LJL is more likely to score than Hannah because he does at least do something. Like you said, if it had been LJL missing those chances the knives would be out and yet people gloss over the fact that they were glaring misses and cost us points today.

I know Hannah should have scored today but please tell me you are taking the p|ss there or did you not go to Lincoln?

Quoted from mariner91

Hannah offers nothing. People say he's a good finisher but it's about time he started showing it. LJL has his limitations but I know which player is easier to play against out of him and Hannah. We need at least one forward player in on loan. Particularly if Pittman and Arnold are going to be so injury prone. People say we'll not go up relying on LJL and they may have a point.but I always think LJL is more likely to score than Hannah because he does at least do something. Like you said, if it had been LJL missing those chances the knives would be out and yet people gloss over the fact that they were glaring misses and cost us points today.

Also take into account that we actually paid good money for Hannah on a relatively long-term deal - most disappointing permanent signing of the last few years IMO. In fact, did we not pay less for Hearn than we actually did for Hannah?

Quoted from arryarryarry

I know Hannah should have scored today but please tell me you are taking the p|ss there or did you not go to Lincoln?

You need to actually get the ball and challenge defenders to score. Hannah doesn't. LJL isn't a great finisher, far from it. But a lot of the time Hannah is no better.

Hannah got plenty of stick for both misses from the people sitting near me. I think people are starting to tire of him missing chances when finishing is practically the only thing he brings to the team.

Quoted from Chrisblor

Hannah got plenty of stick for both misses from the people sitting near me. I think people are starting to tire of him missing chances when finishing is practically the only thing he brings to the team.

Precisely my point. If you're going to be that sort of striker, the sort that doesn't contribute much during play but pops up with goals, you need the goals to justify yourself being on the pitch!

My take on it, Torquay were a class above in that first half and in the second did what they had to do.

I don't believe this manager and squad are good enough to compete for a play-off place let alone top spot. We are still short of 4 or 5 players.

We need a right back, and another centre-half and at least a couple of forwards.

I know many on here were pleasuring themselves when Toto signed but to me he is a disaster waiting to happen each game, on Tuesday his defending for Lincoln's first goal was hopeless and today it was him that played the ball to the guy who scored the second goal.

Brown looks to me like Kerr but with legs, he was poor today and as for his corners, garbage.

I've always been a fan of Disley but today he was poor. Nielsen had one of those games where he was in and out although he did play a great ball through to Hannah for his second chance. McLaughlin was also poor, hardly created a thing and defensively he just can't hack it, God knows why some suggest he can do a job at right back.

Hannah should have scored and even though LJL had a couple of efforts at goal he never looked like troubling Sky Sports tickertape.

For me major changes are needed if we are to get out of this league.

Quoted from arryarryarry

My take on it, Torquay were a class above in that first half and in the second did what they had to do.

I don't believe this manager and squad are good enough to compete for a play-off place let alone top spot. We are still short of 4 or 5 players.

We need a right back, and another centre-half and at least a couple of forwards.

I know many on here were pleasuring themselves when Toto signed but to me he is a disaster waiting to happen each game, on Tuesday his defending for Lincoln's first goal was hopeless and today it was him that played the ball to the guy who scored the second goal.

Brown looks to me like Kerr but with legs, he was poor today and as for his corners, garbage.

I've always been a fan of Disley but today he was poor. Nielsen had one of those games where he was in and out although he did play a great ball through to Hannah for his second chance. McLaughlin was also poor, hardly created a thing and defensively he just can't hack it, God knows why some suggest he can do a job at right back.

Hannah should have scored and even though LJL had a couple of efforts at goal he never looked like troubling Sky Sports tickertape.

For me major changes are needed if we are to get out of this league.

A reasonable assessment. I don't personally think major changes are needed but the squad needs more depth and desperately needs a top quality forward player in pronto.