TALKING POINTS

Chris Wade – @tufcchris

Chris looks ahead to the game at Plainmoor

SOLID AUGUST

Tuesday night and the first game of the season under the Plainmoor lights sees the 24/25 season move into it’s second month. 13 points from the first 6 games is a strong start, and probably better than most people could have hoped for. Saturday’s somewhat frustrating 1-1 draw with Aveley brought a run of three consecutive wins to an end, but there were more positive signs to take into a midweek assignment against a team that some people fancy for a run at the play offs. 7 points from 9 also represents a fair return at home, as the home form is the bedrock of any successful team. With the FA Cup starting this month too, there are only three league games to move the points tally forward.

ANGLES OF ATTACK

One of the features of Saturday’s game was how we looked to attack the opposition. The move to a properly structured 3-5-2 this season under Paul Wotton has shown how wide wing backs can enhance your attack. Matty Carson already has two goals, but at times it has felt like he is the only avenue for attack. Moving the ball around at the back and trying to isolate the opposition’s right side and deliver crosses has delivered, but it has felt like we have lacked any other moves. It can also lead to collywobbles in central areas if you lose the ball. Teams will also figure that out as the season progresses. The wide areas are an important avenue of attack but shouldn’t be the only one.

MIDFIELD CREATIVITY

There is no doubt that the team is much, much more solid and is harder to break down this season. A lot of the players are more robust and the midfield is an area of interest. Oscar Threlkeld and Dan Hayfield are important cogs to the team, with Lirak Hassani tasked with the most advanced role. But against Aveley, we struggled to work out how to involve them as they were quite so direct. Attacks through central areas were limited as we looked to the flanks. I would like to see us trying to create playing through teams and sliding passes in around the side of opposition centre backs and inside full backs. It feels a bit one dimensional at times but we are very much a working progress early on in a new project.

MERCURIAL MUSSA

How we get new playmaker Omar Mussa into the team is a question on the lips of most Torquay fans at the moment. For a start, I don’t believe that he is currently fit enough to be starting games on a regular basis, given that he joined so late in pre-season. But when he has come on in games, he has magic in his boots. However, he isn’t playing far enough forward to hurt teams at the moment, and was trying to spray passes wide on Saturday. He has the quality to make things happen, but how he fits in and when must be taking up a bit of time in Wotton’s mind. But I have no doubts that it will happen for him.

THE OPPOSITION

Chippenham Town come to Torquay off the back of an inconsistent start to the season, winning 2 drawing 2 and losing 2 of their 6 matches so far. But they will be encouraged by Saturday’s late 3-2 win against Enfield. These are the games that we found tricky last season and we need to find a way to win. They should be games that we have a march on teams, being mainly full time and hopefully better fitness. There is something a bit special about midweek fixtures under the lights, so let’s hope that Tuesday is another night to remember.