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“Ohhhhh we’re halfway there, ohh oh living on a prayer”
The Ed Dom Roman grades the players for the first half of 2022-23 (*only current players with 500+ mins)
GOALKEEPERS
MARK HALSTEAD
In looking at our season so far and what’s gone wrong, I wouldn’t point at the goalkeepers. Mark Halstead started the season in great form, with an aura of a keeper who wasn’t going to be beat, especially at Halifax. Since then he’s missed a few games with injury, and not quite re-discovered the same confidence, with some nervy moments creeping in behind a nervy defence. But he’s still earned his place as Torquay United’s number 1.
GRADE: B-
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 21, MINUTES 1826
GOALS CONCEDED – GOALS 40, CLEAN SHEETS 3, MINS PER GOAL 46
CARDS – YELLOW 1, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 2, AVERAGE RATING 6.7, WIN % 14
RHYS LOVETT
Rhys has done okay when called upon, he’s a vocal and keen presence at the back, but not the strongest at stopping shots or claiming crosses. As number 2 keepers go we’ve certainly had a lot worse!
GRADE: C
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 7, MINUTES 604
GOALS CONCEDED – GOALS 15, CLEAN SHEETS 0, MINS PER GOAL 40
CARDS – YELLOW 1, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 2, AVERAGE RATING 6.6, WIN % 29
DEFENCE
DYLAN CROWE
Dylan Crowe has shown glimpses of being a good player for Torquay, but it’s been far too brief to prove anything so far. Defensively he’s very naive, allowing attackers too much space and time, losing battles in the air and on the deck. The lad likes getting forward, and is best on the front foot getting up the wing, but he’ll need to improve on all facets of his game to make it as a professional footballer.
GRADE E-
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 21, MINUTES 1709
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 1, ASSISTS 0, OGS 1
CARDS – YELLOW 4, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 1, AVERAGE RATING 5.4, WIN % 19
SHAUN DONNELLAN
Shaun Donnellan’s season started with a mixture of injuries and appearances in different positions around the football field, and unfortunately he looked very much the journeyman footballer. But eventually Gary Johnson decided to give him a chance at right back and Shaun started to find some sharpness and decisiveness in his play. Steady but very much unspectacular, at the moment that will have to do.
GRADE: D
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 21, MINUTES 1683
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 1, ASSISTS 2
CARDS – YELLOW 2, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 1, AVERAGE RATING 5.9, WIN % 19
MARK ELLIS
I think we were all glad when Mark Ellis returned, and the big win at Aldershot celebrated everything that was good about the defender. He still has all the attacking energy of old and enjoyed coming back to Plainmoor. The centre back has improved our back-line, but the team has still conceded silly goals and he’s been at fault for some of them. Still a key man though if we are to climb the table.
GRADE: D+
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 10, MINUTES 891
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 1, ASSISTS 0, OGS 1
CARDS – YELLOW 2, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 1, AVERAGE RATING 6.8, WIN % 20
ROSS MARSHALL
Ross Marshall looked good in pre-season, but heading into the National League season his lack of quality has been sadly exposed. It’s not been all bad, he’s helped the team scrap out some wins, most notably at Daggers, but a lack of pace and poor decision-making means he is not currently good enough for NL football. A player who could blossom in time, but we need better options at present.
GRADE: E-
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 15, MINUTES 1175
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 1, ASSISTS 1
CARDS – YELLOW 4, RED 2
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 0, AVERAGE RATING 5.5, WIN % 20
DEAN MOXEY
Who’s been our player of the season so far? Well I don’t think you can look past Dean Moxey. The veteran defender spent the early part of the season trying to keep a defence featuring Omar/Marshall calm, and he did as well as can be expected. He’s missed a few games since, but has been a consistently impressive player amongst an awful lot of rubbish. Still highly motivated and competitive, Mox is an example to all.
GRADE: B
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 22, MINUTES 1838
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 1, ASSISTS 1
CARDS – YELLOW 2, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 4, AVERAGE RATING 6.8, WIN % 23
ALI OMAR
It was hoped that this could be Ali Omar’s season to establish himself as a NL player, but after a promising start the defender has been limited to odd sub appearances recently…dashing quite comically down the wing. Omar just lacks an understanding of where to be on a football pitch, gets lost positionally, marks space rather than opponents and doesn’t even present a threat on attacking set pieces. A popular but very limited player.
GRADE: E
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 20, MINUTES 1256
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 1, ASSISTS 1
CARDS – YELLOW 2, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 3, AVERAGE RATING 5.7, WIN % 20
BEN WYATT
Ben Wyatt hasn’t played for a while, which is a shame as his last appearances for United showed him to be a capable full back at this level. Wyatt is a decent player, lacking attacking presence but defensively sound enough and likes to get stuck in.
GRADE: D+
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 12, MINUTES 842
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 0, ASSISTS 1
CARDS – YELLOW 4, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 1, AVERAGE RATING 6.1, WIN % 17
MIDFIELD
DILLON DE SILVA
3 goals and 3 assists in 13 games is a good return for Dillon De Silva, and since arriving from QPR the winger has brought plenty of energy and width to Torquay’s play. Like any young player who comes to Plainmoor on loan, there’s elements to work on, picking the right pass at the right time being most important, but overall he’s very much impressed the Yellow Army and can stay as long as he wants!
GRADE: C+
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 13, MINUTES 1008
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 3, ASSISTS 3
CARDS – YELLOW 3, RED 1
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 3, AVERAGE RATING 6.7, WIN % 23
KIERON EVANS
Kieron Evans spent his early days at Plainmoor moving from positions, from central to left and right, the Welshman must have been in a daze! In typical Torquay fashion the Cardiff loanee was injured just as he was starting to make his mark. Kieron has returned in recent weeks and looks promising, with decent movement and pace notable in a Torquay team lacking both! We need goal contributions next.
GRADE: D
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 15, MINUTES 900
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 0, ASSISTS 1
CARDS – YELLOW 1, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 0, AVERAGE RATING 6.1, WIN % 20
ASA HALL
The year will soon be 2023, and despite his aging legs Asa Hall remains a very important player in the Torquay United squad. The skipper has done what he can this season, scoring 4 goals and leading the team with usual commitment. Sometimes this has worked, other times the midfield has been waltzed around in rather embarrassing fashion. He’s still an asset that’s for sure, but if we want to get more out of Asa then he can’t be doing 60+ minutes every game.
GRADE: D+
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 22, MINUTES 1307
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 4, ASSISTS 0
CARDS – YELLOW 3, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 0, AVERAGE RATING 6.0, WIN % 23
RYAN HANSON
Gary Johnson seemed to be pinning his hopes on a Hanson/McGavin midfield axis at the start of the season, and it didn’t pay off. It’s not worked out for Ryan so far, he’s not strong enough to take Asa’s mantle and not composed enough to pull the strings for the Gulls. Injuries haven’t helped and Hanson has barely been seen in recent times, so we can but hope there’s more to come from the midfielder in 2023.
GRADE: F
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 15, MINUTES 970
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 1, ASSISTS 0
CARDS – YELLOW 4, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 0, AVERAGE RATING 5.4, WIN % 13
TOM LAPSLIE
It feels like Tom Lapslie is always injured or returning from injury – the midfielder just struggles to stay fit. To be fair to him he’s managed 18 games in all comps up to this point, putting in some good displays in a regularly juggled midfield, but unfortunately Tom’s fragile body betrays his all action approach to midfield battle and in our struggling squad that’s a big problem.
GRADE: D
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 18, MINUTES 1267
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 2, ASSISTS 4
CARDS – YELLOW 3, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 0, AVERAGE RATING 6.4, WIN % 11
BRETT MCGAVIN
It felt like Brett McGavin was the great hope from the summer of 2022, a player who looked poised to boss our midfield and score goals to boot. But it quickly became clear that the midfielder wasn’t ready for such responsibility, and his early season struggles were hard to watch. There are shoots of promise though, his set pieces are an asset and he’s starting to move the ball quicker. A player who perhaps has an upwards trajectory in his locker for 2023.
GRADE: E
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 25, MINUTES 1652
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 2, ASSISTS 4
CARDS – YELLOW 3, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 0, AVERAGE RATING 5.7, WIN % 16
STEPHEN WEARNE
Stephen Wearne came in and instantly made us better with energetic performances against Aldershot and Derby. But 9 games later the winger has only registered 1 assist, and you’d have to say he’s flattered to deceive. He’s got talent, sound touch on the ball and is definitely worth his place in the team, but we need to see more end product from Stephen soon.
GRADE: D+
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 9, MINUTES 795
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 0, ASSISTS 1
CARDS – YELLOW 0, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 1, AVERAGE RATING 6.2, WIN % 22
STRIKERS
CORIE ANDREWS
Corie has never been fit since arriving at Plainmoor, considering he was our main hope for goals that’s hugely disappointing. And when he did play the striker showed very little to enthuse the Yellow Army. Is redemption around the corner? We shall see.
GRADE: F
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 11, MINUTES 542
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 0, ASSISTS 2
CARDS – YELLOW 1, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 0, AVERAGE RATING 5.6, WIN % 18
WILL GOODWIN
Whilst Corie has felt like a wasted summer signing, Will Goodwin has been the opposite. The young Stoke striker is full of fire and motivation, and has easily been one of United’s best players so far this season, scoring that late goal against Derby to provide the magical moment of 22/23 so far (very few contenders on that score). Strong determined characters like him give me hope, we just need others to follow his lead.
GRADE: B–
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 26, MINUTES 2317
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 7, ASSISTS 4
CARDS – YELLOW 6, RED 0
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 3, AVERAGE RATING 6.4, WIN % 19
AARON JARVIS
A pre-season injury to Aaron Jarvis meant we didn’t see him early on, but once the striker arrived on the scene he soon impressed with his strength and fiery attitude (well apart from a silly sending off at Eastleigh!). His hat-trick against Aldershot was fantastic, and 7 goals so far is a decent return. With players like Jarvis and Goodwin we do at least have some firepower, whether they can harness this together is another thing.
GRADE: C+
APPEARANCES – PLAYED 19, MINUTES 1453
GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS – GOALS 7, ASSISTS 3
CARDS – YELLOW 2, RED 1
PERFORMANCE – MOTM 3, AVERAGE RATING 6.2, WIN % 16
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Perfect grades given to all Dom.
The facts are the facts…….Hugely disappointing season, and massive games to come over Xmas. Not convinced that we are up for this relegation fight at all sadly.
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