Match Thread Away V Exeter City Saturday 6th February 1.00pm (with Poll)

Agreed, I’m sure the players and management will be critical of the performance and look to improve and learn for Tuesday. People need to not make excuses accept it was poor and move on, there’s no shame in losing to Exeter but we need to be better on the ball and cut out stupid mistakes.

 

We lost because they were better than us on the day. The loss of strikers didn't help but our inability to manage the game when twice in front and the worst performance of our defence since Trueman and Sellars took over was the defining factor of our defeat. Quite why the defence kept hoofing it forward I don't know, just meant the attacks kept coming back.

 

He isn’t no, but he’s a hell of a lot better going forward.

we learned yesterday though we can only play a rookie RB with Clarke or an Evans with them.

Crankshaw or Stevens aren’t experienced enough or know the system well enough yet to provide adequate protection to the full back.

 

No coincidence with Clarke and Evans out the defence was its shakiest in 9 games. FCD was poor yesterday but then the rest of that defence wasn't much better. Watt in front of then didn't help either, his form is off at the moment.

 

They played long because the midfield areas were a quagmire which made it impossible to play the quick short passing we have been doing. The loss of a centre forward meant there was no one to hold the ball up and allow the midfield to push forward. All this on top of the fact Exeter are a good attacking side who played well

 

I thought crankshaw tackled back well on the left

 

I thought he was better than Stevens of the two.

The interim bosses comment in the post match report on T n A though that new players are still learning the system and how they want them to play.

Wood needs a rocket up his arse IMO. Offer him a new deal to sign and commit, or bench him.

 

That's two penalties in two games now. I hope Hornby is doing his homework on the penalty takers and is getting some coaching on his approach to stopping them - to date albeit only 2 he has failed to stand up or gone the wrong way.

 

The midfield areas were a quagmire for us, but not them?

 

Agree entirely Briggus. I was thinking, prior to the penalty, that Hornby was having a good game and that O'Donnell would have a job on regaining his place.
Then the penalty, he seemed to be reckless coming out and for me it was a pen. (Got lucky v. Port Vale!) Then the worst bit was his 'attempt' to save it!
Deary me, apart from Clarke's feeble attempt at Bolton, that was one of the poorest penalties that I've seen for quite a while and Hornby should have saved it with ease
It simply rolled down the middle and in, while Hornby committed himself by diving to his left before the ball was kicked!
How many times do we see "keepers committing themselves when by waiting just a few seconds would see more penalties saved?

 

I'm gonna point out the obvious here to you. Go watch the highlights and see our first goal, then watch Exeters second goal. Then tell me what part the pitch played in two goals that were neat passing moves that went from one half to another. The pitch was no where near as bad as you make out, otherwise the two examples I've just pointed out for you would not have been possible.
Let's stop for excuses when werw just second best on the day. We are allowed to have an off day you know.

 

Crankshaw, Vernham and Cooke had no problem running with the ball when our defence actually decided to use the ball to feet. Unfortunately this wasnt utilised enough.

 

Let's hope its rectified through training. Rowe, flanked by Vernham and Crankshaw, with Cooke just behind, is as good as anything in the league, if its used correctly. I am concerned that in the last 2 games, we've had no real control of the game. T&S have shown they can set teams up to be solid and organised, but I think we need to see whether they can add to that by deploying a side that can control games in the way Exeter did yesterday. I don't think they have better midfielders and forwards than us. They had better full backs though - and that can make a real difference as full backs are often the spare man.

 

Most of their danger came from long ball down the sides. Our play until the last couple of matches has been built on quick passing interchanges in midfield. I realise you have to be adapt but with no one holding the ball up like Boden it was difficult

 

If you are to save penalties you have to guess he wasn’t to know he was going to pass it down the middle which he nearly saved with his legs

 

As Roger says - the first goal of ours came through a quick counter which involved running with the ball and passing it on the deck. The pitch wasn't ideal, but was the same for both sides. Exeter controlled possession throughout. Yes they hit a few balls over FCD especially, but they weren't aimless, they clearly targeted him as a weak link.

 

As I pointed out our game has been built recently on quick one two passing in midfield. When like yesterday that’s not possible because of conditions then it makes sense to play long we were missing the three players who make that possible

 

I think our two central midfield players haven’t had good games in the last couple of games and if you don’t control that area you get overrun like we did in the second half yesterday.

In saying that,most of the team yesterday had a off day.

 

I noticed our defenders gave the ball back to Exeter in or just outside our penalty area yesterday which didn’t help.

The conditions were the same for both sides and Exeter didn’t play it long,let’s just say we had a off day to a very good league two side.

 

That makes no sense at all. So it's alright to go long but we were missing 3 players who could necessitate that strategy. Well you don't go long then do you? I've already pointed out to you that there were two very good team goals scored on that pitch, Exeters went through over half dozen players. Please don't tell me you couldn't play passing football when I clearly saw you could. For once our game management wasn't up to scratch, Trueman said so after the game. We didn't respect possession by simply giving them the ball back far too often. The tactics didn't work, we won't win every game, just make sure we win the next two or three.