Just before euphoria takes over........

I'm not denying that it was an extremely satisfying win yesterday, but I think it's worth putting several things into perspective.
Like it not, other than on the break Bournemouth were a pretty unimpressive outfit on yesterday's showing, and failed to gel as a team. They created several chances, but didn't manage to put them away, after a largely inept performance in front of goal.
I'm already concerned (notice NOT worried) about the way that we are playing up front, and would be reassured if one of the 'forwards' could convert chances into goals.Far too many times yesterday Stansfield was left marooned on his own up front, too far from other players supposed to be playing up front.
I'm still concerned about the tendency for the communication between Jones and the other defenders to go AWOL at times, and faced with a more able and speedy set of forwards opposition teams could well take advantage of this apparent lack of understanding.
Finally, and though he's developing into an excellent prospect it sometimes worries me that George Friend is so 'one footed' with a tendency, having done a lot of hard work to miscue or waste the chances that he's created.
Lest this seems like me carping, it's not meant to sound like that, just a salutory warning that three games played, one won, one drawn and one lost isn't really the time to shout "Here we go!". There are a lot of improvements still to be made before we should become euphoric.

I'm euphoric and unashamedly so David.
When I left SJP last Saturday, I relected I'd never before left a home league game which we'd lost on such a high. The fact that we'd lost was overshadowed by the fact that we'd played such an attractive, slick brand of football, and had actually moved on since last season. I felt really proud of our team.
Yesterday, there was such a contrast in the psyche of the two sets of supporters. Their support seemed tired and lack lustre. Ours was one of passion and a real appreciation of the fact that again we were playing league football and looking to kick on again.
The euphoria which was so apparent with our supporters at Dean Court yesterday reflected the sort of optimism and confidence for the future that I haven't witnessed in forty odd years of supporting City.

flakey pasty said:

I'm euphoric and unashamedly so David.
The euphoria which was so apparent with our supporters at Dean Court yesterday reflected the sort of optimism and confidence for the future that I haven't witnessed in forty odd years of supporting City.

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I agree with the points that you've made in your reply, however I'd much rather have this discussion, say, ten games into the season, than to think that we have a team that is going to storm the league immediately. There are issues that need to be addressed and I've no doubt that the management are well aware of the ones that I mentioned and others.
I would agree with you about the otimism of the Supporters, there were people at Dean Court yesterday that I doubted I would ever see at away games (albeit that this is our nearest game this season). So perhaps we can also agree to have a 'euphoria' check when we reach our away game on October 18th to see if it's been sustained. Going to Grimsby will certainly test the 'optimism and confidence' in our fans,and we should have a much better idea of where we really fit into this league.

Obviously I have to go on what I hear and the stats themselves, but I think if you look at our end-of-season form coupled with the start of this one, there are some very good defensive displays. Strikers go through runs of form where their luck/confidence can change in front of goal. Defenders, on the other hand are generally either solid or not due to their awareness and the way they are organised together, though they can have off days. We seem to be defending very well as a team from the midfield backwards. We've just played three decent or good teams and conceded twice, and it hasn't sounded on the radio that we were in danger of conceding many more. We could have, on the other hand, scored enough to win the other two league games. Sounds to me like we may very well be play off contenders, but I'll be very happy with to half. But we have a right to get a bit carried away after yesterday, and remember the main thing is staying in the league, which we have already proved we will do IMO. So I don't know Larry, but I'm definitely as happy as him.

David Treharne said:

So perhaps we can also agree to have a 'euphoria' check when we reach our away game on October 18th to see if it's been sustained. Going to Grimsby will certainly test the 'optimism and confidence' in our fans,and we should have a much better idea of where we really fit into this league.

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Enjoy your trip to Grimbsy on 18th October David, but I'm going to Exeter for a match and the Trust AGM!

All the fans I spoke yesterday, thoroughly enjoyed a win on the road, but fully aware that we are not the finished article yet.

Can certainly understand some of your concerns, Dave. Stansfield ran relentlessly (again) and was probably our only real striking outlet for much of the game yesterday. However, for all his endeavour and effort, his finishing needs to improve (he's failed to convert some quite scorable efforts in pretty much all four of our games this season). He has, at times, looked as if he panics when one on one with the keeper. He's certainly capable at this level, I just think he needs to find some confidence in front of goal - I'm sure this will happen sooner or later. Speaking of strikers, I was very impressed by Stewart yesterday, he seemed much more willing to support players and covered a lot of the pitch doing so.

As for Friend, he can be very one-footed, but I don't see why this is much of a problem. He was in command of their right side yesterday and looked at ease both defensively and whenever he roamed up front. Bradbury struggled with him all afternoon (and understandably so).

We did play well against an average at best Bournemouth side, but I don't think we ever looked at threat. There might have been the occassional scare at the back, but I can only recall them creating one decent effort. The thing that really encourages me about City is that we'll rarely revert to route one tactics. Bournemouth, and Shrewsbury too at times, started hoofing the ball in the air when they ran out of ideas. I'm not going to get carried away, but the last two weeks have proved to me that we are capable of holding our own in this League while playing some pretty football at the same time. As a City fan of some 15 years this a thoroughly fresh and enjoyable thing to behold. So, I think I'll make the most of it while I can

I'm going to allow the euphoria to take over for a few days and then get realistic for the next game. There have been too many times in the last 18 years when there was little enough euphoria to be had. Got to grab the chance whilst it's there...

we jst have to party,party,party while we can because when our sugar daddy pulls the plug with all the financial support were going to be in trouble with no cash to splash on any new players.
David Bournemoth might hve been poor but they had to be beaten ,and thery were well beaten even if it was 1.0. we will play a lot worse as we have before nd win by a bigger margin.
ive been watch the boys for 40 years and have never seen such great football ,if we could start finishing a bit more consistantly we will be knocking very loadly on that big door.
By the way i must have been asleep as my ticket yesterday said league one did we get a doule promotion?

DaveE said:

I'm going to allow the euphoria to take over for a few days and then get realistic for the next game. There have been too many times in the last 18 years when there was little enough euphoria to be had. Got to grab the chance whilst it's there...

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I'll second that DaveE.
The glass is more than half full as I see it.
We've had so many lows in our long history.
Things are now going well.
Let's enjoy it.

the dog2 said:

we jst have to party,party,party while we can because when our sugar daddy pulls the plug with all the financial support were going to be in trouble with no cash to splash on any new players.
David Bournemoth might hve been poor but they had to be beaten ,and thery were well beaten even if it was 1.0. we will play a lot worse as we have before nd win by a bigger margin.
ive been watch the boys for 40 years and have never seen such great football ,if we could start finishing a bit more consistantly we will be knocking very loadly on that big door.
By the way i must have been asleep as my ticket yesterday said league one did we get a doule promotion?

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I have to agree with all this Dave. If anyone needs a euphoria check here it is: Exeter City beat Bournemouth AWAY, EASILY. Regardless of how the home team played and they didnt play particularly well, we made them look bad too. They had players the calibre of Anderton, Bartley, Igoe, Hollands, Guyett, very decent players. We made them look average. They had ONE shot on target all game.

I get really angry I'm afraid when we smash a team all over the place, close them down, destroy their football, play passing football that renders them bystanders, and some people just say that it was only because 'they played badly'. Rubbish. If we let them get into their stride, let them have a bit more possession they'd have mudered us, we didnt and yet somehow this is more a reflection of our oppopsition than our players work effort