Most Torquay United fans would be more than happy at the start of the season if they were told that, at this stage of the season, the Gulls would possess one of the best defensive records in League Two and star striker Rene Howe was amongst the division's most prolific strikers.
Whilst Torquay have the joint second best defensive record in League Two, which they share with Football League new boys Fleetwood Town, and Howe shares fourth place in the divsion's top scorer, after finding the back of the net six times in nine appearances, Martin Ling's side find themselves in mid-table.
In their nine league games thus far, the Gulls have won only once and have found the back of the net only ten times, which includes Howe's six strikes.
This is in stark contrast to last season when every regular starter found the back of the net apart from Joe Oastler and Damon Lathrope as Torquay found the back of the net 63 times in 46 league games.
Nearly half of that figure were scored by midfielders with skipper Lee Mansell scoring 13 times, Danny Stevens found the target ten times, the departed Eunan O'Kane scored five whilst Ian Morris hit the back of the net twice.
So far in the current campaign, Mansell and Stevens are both yet to get off the mark, whilst Morris has managed just the one goal.
It is also worth noting that the midfield area is one department where Ling has been forced to chop and change on a regular basis due to injuries.
Anchorman Lathrope, who was an influential for the Gulls when deployed as a holding midfielder in front of the back four, is yet to make an appearance so far this season due to injury.
As well as having to make do without Lathrope, Ling went into the Gulls' last game with Chesterfield without Nathan Craig, the former Everton starlet who has impressed since being given an extended run in the side, and Ian Morris, who is set to be out for several months with an achilles tendon injury sustained on the Friday before the game.
He then lost Craig Easton, a player who he knows well from his Leyton Orient days, to a hamstring injury within the first half hour and was forced to play Tom Cruise, who is primarily a defender, in central midfield.
With a settled midfield in place, there is no reason why Torquay can't improve on their current form, which has seen them emerge as a side who is tough to beat.
Once again, just like last season, the challenge of finding a winning formula is once again facing Martin Ling and his coaching staff.
