TT PREVIEW

Dom Roman – @DomRoman

THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX

After some cup wins the Gulls are back in NLS action this weekend, and head to Essex to face Billericay Town, a trip of 258 miles, which will mean a very early alarm clock for the travelling Yellow Army! We are unbeaten in the last 3 league games, and that certainly gives us something to build on as we look to dig in during the Autumn months. If we harbour title ambitions these are the sort of games to win, the league looks wide open (again), and any level of consistency could take us a long way! But these away days bring their own challenges, as we know well. Let’s discuss some of the talking points!

DEFENSIVE CONCERNS

Jimmy Ball revealed that Jake Wannell will not be fit for the trip to Billericay, and that’s a big concern. Olufdare Olunfunwa will hopefully be available again along with new man Taylor Scarff, and it sounds like a new centre back will be revealed at some point, so defensively it could be all change, which is concerning against a team who have been dangerous this season in attack. Summer signings Toby Savin, Tyler Hill and Kian Jenkins are trying to settle into the squad, but all have question marks over their ability to be consistently good at this level. The Dyer/Dreyer/Foulston defensive unit was not always perfect, but there’s no doubt they’d all walk into this team at the moment.

ATTACK

Deon Moore will miss the game due to his international call-up (how dare he choose a trip to the Caribbean instead of Essex!), and it sounds like Cody Cooke is a big doubt, so Jimmy Ball has decisions to make in attack. Callum Morton had a good game against Stoneham, but this game will be more difficult and more physical, so perhaps the manager will give Isaac Westendorf a chance to lead the line. Otherwise the likes of Angelo Cappello and Sean Robertson could be brought in, the ability to counter attack with speed would no doubt help, and Robertson especially would give us that. Plenty of options for the manager and a hard selection to call!

SONNY THE KEY

It mystified me when Sonny Blu Lo-Everton wasn’t a first choice player at the start of the season, because in my opinion he’s the best player in the squad. The midfielder may lack size and strength, but he’s such an intelligent operator, clever at finding spaces, able to manipulate the ball and make incisive passes, and also able to score a goal, as emphasised by his hat trick last weekend at Plainmoor. The team should be built around his abilities, with the likes of Hayfield and Sundire asked to do the running and breaking up play, whilst Sonny helps us tick in attack. A key man in a team that is looking for continuity and consistency.

THE OPPOSITION

Someone on a Yellow Army Whatsapp group stated that this game was a potential banana skin for the Gulls, and whilst I understand why they would say this, the home team are also higher up than us in the league! What they do have is a savvy manager in the form of Danny Scopes, who did a great job at Aveley before taking on the Ricay reins last September and taking them up via the play-offs. They sit 5th, with 15th points from 9 games, and their form is mixed, losing to Enfield in the FA Cup in their last game. But they’ve also beaten Braintree & Chesham and drawn against Maidenhead and Dorking over the last month, scoring 18 goals in the league so far, which is the joint highest in the division (conceding 14). So with Torquay’s defensive difficulties, the signs do point to goals and a game that could go either way. Without Wannell and Moore, other players need to step up if the 3 points are to come back to Devon. Good luck to the lads!