TT PREVIEW

Thom discusses his team

SEASON SO FAR

Overwhelmingly positive. Off the back of a summer where the manager and all bar four of the playing staff departed, and our budget was publicly cut, the club – and particularly new manager Alan Julian – have emerged with enormous credit. We were widely tipped to be whipping boys, rumours of a playing budget of £2k per week circulated on the forums, and we were signing players from Step Four and Five. But those players have thrived at the level. Well coached, well organised and playing the best football I’ve seen at the Bev in five years. We’re mid-table, and the team is young and still developing week on week, but it’s hugely positive first six months for ‘Jules’ and his team.

RECENT FORM

I think I read that our defeat to Boreham Wood on Tuesday was only our second loss in thirteen matches in the league – so pretty good. We’ve had a fair few draws in there, and have probably left a few points on the board with a lack of ruthlessness in the final third, but even that is much improved since the start of the season (and the arrival of Mauro Vilhete!).

HIGHLIGHTS

The style of football mostly. A youthful side playing vibrant attacking football. Some of the goals we’ve scored have been breathtaking – Vilhete’s header against Tonbridge on Saturday was a four touch, ten second move from goalkeeper to goalscorer. Jake Gray’s goal at home to Eastbourne was a carbon copy of Brazil’s “greatest goal” in the 1970 World Cup. Win, lose or draw, we have a style of football which is really easy on the eye.

KEY PLAYERS

Mauro Vilhete stands out at the moment, he’s scoring or assisting pretty much every game, and his ability is sensational. Genuinely one of those players who just looks like it’s all so easy for him. Jake Gray and James Roberts have also contributed a large number of our goal involvements, and Dom Revan is the lynchpin at the back. The players who I would say have earned the most plaudits from fans this season though are Josh Keeya and Mike Atkinson in central midfield – neither of whom had played a minute of football above Step Three before this season.

MANAGER’S SET-UP

I’d say the most common set up has been a back four, with a three man midfield, two wide forwards, and a focal point. But even when the formation changes, the ethos is consistent. High energy, brave football, with an ability to be patient in possession or move quickly up the pitch.

POSSIBLE LINE-UP

As I said last time I wrote something for TORQUAYTALK, the manager selects his team for each game (I imagine they all do to be fair), so it’s always hard to predict. I’m not sure what our injury status is, and I think James Roberts is back from suspension, so if I had to guess, I’d say: Max Merrick in goal, back four of Archy Taylor, Dom Revan, Jerry Wiltshire and Kris Campbell, with Mike Atkinson, Josh Keeya and Mauro Vilhete in midfield, then a front three of James Roberts, Jake Gray and Ibrahim Jalloh. But I’m prepared to be quite wrong!

BEST OPPOSITION

Boreham Wood. If you’d asked me this a few weeks ago, I’d have had a different answer. When we played them earlier in the season we drew, and I wasn’t massively impressed. I couldn’t make the game on Tuesday as I was photographing for Fulham, but what I’ve seen and heard they were very, very impressive. Aside from them, Truro impressed me when we went down there in September.

AWAY SUPPORT

We tend to travel relatively well for weekend matches on the coast. I’d be disappointed if there’s fewer than forty. If I’m honest though – and I know we’re not cheap by any means – I think the £20 ticket prices might put some off. Speaking personally, my wife loves football and we’re travelling down for the weekend as a family, but her and my son won’t come to the match because it’s too expensive. Babbacombe Model Village for them I expect.

PREDICTION

Hard to call really. I think we’ll definitely give a good showing of ourselves, but I think Torquay are a really strong side now – a lot of the deficiencies of the start of the season seem to have been ironed out. I’d snap your hand off for a score draw. As the photographer, I’d take some decent goal celebrations and a point back to London quite happily.