TALKING POINTS

Chris Wade – @TufcChris

Chris discusses talking points ahead of the NL game

IMPORTANCE OF HOME FORM

In what has been a tumultuous season of so many hard afternoons, our form at Plainmoor between now and the end of the season will go a long way to deciding our fate. After the game against Bromley, we will have thirteen matches remaining, with five at home and eight away. Unless our away form improves from a run that has seen us win once away from home since September, our away form won’t keep us up. There are must win games in those eight, including trips to Gateshead and Scunthorpe, but the majority of the leg work needs to be done at home. These six games at home are huge, and an improvement of three defeats in four games has to start against Bromley.

HOW MANY POINTS?

The big conundrum is always how many points do you need? That maybe for going up, getting in the play offs or staying up. In 2021-22 in a 44-game season, 44 points would have kept you up in the NL. And the last time that a 46-game season was played in 2018/19, 44 points would also have kept you. So, it looks like mid 40s is the minimum that we will be looking for to remain in the National League. We currently sit on 29 points from 32 matches. So the Gulls are looking for at least five wins form the remaining 14 games. That doesn’t sound too much, but when you consider we have 7 wins from 32 matches, it becomes a harder looking task.

THE LINE-UP

The tactics have been an absolute muddle in the last two matches. Jacob Mensah has waited patiently for a starting opportunity, but was selected at right back/right wing back against Southend on Saturday and looked very uncomfortable before being removed at half time. It was another team selection that simply didn’t work. Kieron Evans is available again after serving a one match suspension and will come back into the reckoning. In a vital match at the bottom, the lively Lewis Collins must also come into the equation for a start after his first Yellows goal against Southend. The squad appears better structured for three at the back, with Dan Martin surely ready to get back in the action soon. Unfortunately the right wing back/full back position remains a problem and has been that way all season.

QUALITY

An awful lot of this season, you can’t accuse the Torquay players of not trying or putting in the effort. They seem to be an honest and hard-working bunch. But we are where we are because of the lack of quality in the squad, and our inability to produce magic moments, or ‘sprinkle some stardust’ on games as Gary has said recently. The players have to find some quality within themselves in the final fourteen games to really impact games, really make a difference, and to score a goal from nowhere. Are they good enough, is the main question.

THE YELLOW ARMY

We’re in a situation at the moment where supporting your team isn’t easy. Far from it. We all want the best for our club, and to see us get ourselves out of this trouble and survive. But watching these games is hard. The lack of quality and poor results is hard. Let’s be honest. But supporting the players on the pitch is all we can do right now. The summer feels like it will be full of change, upheaval and questions whatever happens. Questions about the owners and their lack of comment and appearance will persist. But let’s get behind the players and try and roar us onto three points on Tuesday night.