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Exeter City AFC v Swindon Town AFC Official Match Day Thread. LD2 17/8/19

GJW

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I like this.

 

exeter-loyal

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I like this.

Be promoted by Easter if that the case!!
 

GJW

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Good to see the away end full and noisy. Proper football match.
1086
 

Rosencrantz

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A good game with the right result on balance. Just a shame we conceded late on when we finally had control of the game and Swindon looked to have run out of ideas. They could have been ahead in the first half as they had the best of the game with good counter attacks and the freedom of our left hand side. Woody was very isolated and any ball out to the left side was easy possession for them with us playing 3 centre mids, 2 centre forwards and a right winger.

No surprise that we had much more control when we shifted to 4-3-3 with Lee Martin coming on. MJ also made a difference with better and quicker link up play through midfield with Law. It's a tricky decision for Matt to make as it is clear he wants Ajose with Bowman up front and Law has to play centrally. Really this means 3 at the back (probably leaving out Williams and bringing Sparkes in for Woody) or playing a diamond midfield, again with Williams left out.

Thought our defending was generally solid around the box but can we please stop defending the opposite goal line as well! A second for MJ would have wrapped up the win and twice in two home games!
 

grecIAN Harris

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I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the performance of Lewis Ward. I think he looks very assured and he had another very good game today. He certainly had a lot more to do than their keeper. I think he gives us a lot more than Chrysty, because of his height.
I actually thought he didn't look quite so assured as he did against Macclesfield. There were a couple of times he came out to punch that looked a little poorly timed with his actual punch. I'm not sure what happened last week for people to be critical about his kicking though at Satanage as today, regardless of whether it was with or against the wind, his kicking was of a better standard than McCormicks.
 

Red Devon

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Two seriously good sides with the City performance going up a level today...much better game from Sweeney with good close control and only about one missed place pass all afternoon, Collins and Taylor also involved a lot more with really positive games, Moxey and Arron Martin were strong all afternoon including several goal mouth clearances....MoM for me was Lewis Ward just like against Macclesfield two or three high quality saves as well as controlling his penalty area with great awareness and anticipation...special mention for Matt Jay who did more in twenty minutes than Ajose in three games....anyone that finishes above Swindon this season will probably end up getting promoted!
 

hillview red

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A few quick thoughts...
Swindon were a very impressive side. Quick on the break with a couple of excellent central midfielders as well. Think they will be pushing for automatics come next April.
I thought we were much improved from the Macclesfield game.

Ward - Excellent. Calm presence in goal.
Sweeney - Better performance in general but still giving away possession a little cheaply. Would like to see the goal again to see if he could have closed down their player and attempt to stop the cross... Their player had a lot of time and space.
Moxey - Excellent. He is so much more assured and accomplished at centre half and generally good in possession.
Aaron Martin - Played well. I’m not his biggest fan as I don’t think that he wins enough collisions and headers for a big 6ft+ league 2 centre half but he was assured as always today and won his fair share of duels to boot.
Woodman - Tidy in possession as always and a calming presence at the back. However I lost count of the times that Law lifted his head to look for an outlet on the left hand side to see that Woody was still in his own half. Bringing in Sparkes may bring more attacking edge but fear that defensively he could be exposed unlike the wise and reliable Woody.
Williams - Frustrating day. It seemed that early on he didn’t think he could out pace their left back and as a result his contribution was minimal. Think Taylor might have been preparing to replace him for Sparkes until they scored late on.
Taylor - Usual industry. Tidier in possession than Macclesfield but subbed early due to dead leg.
Collins - Played well against 2 excellent ball playing centre midfielders.
Law - Much better more centrally. Industrious, creative and always sniffing out openings and opportunities. Our best player by a distance. Just wish we had more players on his wavelength for him to link up with.
Ajose - Sadly anonymous and lightweight. I feel for him as he is not playing as a straight no.9 up top but is pushed off the ball far too easily and is not contributing anything at present. A real worry at the moment and a conundrum for Matty T to solve.
Bowman - Not quite his usual battering ram of a performance but worked hard as always.

Subs - Matt Jay and Lee Martin brought a little more structure to our play and we were generally better for them being on the pitch. If Moxey could have got out the way we’d have been celebrating a victory tonight and a Matt Jay double.

Final random thought... Good luck to the person cleaning the Swindon technical area... Richie Wellens (dressed in shirt & tie complete with horrendous white shoes) was spitting literally every 20 seconds for the whole 90 minutes. Unnecessary and not a good look in my opinion.
 

Grecian_Matt

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I like this.

Loved that site, Brighton are predicted to win the Premier League.

On todays game, Swindon were better first half and we were better second.

I was disappointed that we decided to sit on it when we scored, and can we please drop Sweeney there must be a kid or a brick lying around better than him.
Least the brick might have better positioning and stop the odd cross.
 

Sexton Blake

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I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the performance of Lewis Ward. I think he looks very assured and he had another very good game today. He certainly had a lot more to do than their keeper. I think he gives us a lot more than Chrysty, because of his height.
Agreed Lewis was again excellent today (my MOM) and made a couple of exceptional saves in both halves. Second half one a powerful shot from the edge of the area which he tipped over the bar.....how he saw it let alone save it. The other when he saved Aaron Martin’s blushes tipping the latter’s back header over the bar.

I have more confidence in him as a keeper than I have had in any of our recent keepers. He is agile and with his height and build commands his area. He is also capable of turning defence into attack being able to throw the ball both accurately and for a significant distance. An excellent signing and someone whom in my view will definitely go on to play at a higher level.
 

Sexton Blake

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Be promoted by Easter if that the case!!
Interesting but they are also predicting Brighton to win the PL !!
 
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