Exeter City v Bolton Wanderers Matchday Thread

[Grecian in Guzz]

As others have already said the Cheltenham match next month is likely to be a big one, but before that comes around we have Shrewsbury, Burton and Charlton to play first.
I’m hoping (and expecting) that we’ll have a few more points in the bag before we go to Gloucestershire.

3 wins before Chelts could make it a party there !

 

[east_mid]

Two completely different matches in two halves today.Thought we were set up correctly ,but we didn't take advantage of it.Something kicked off at half time because suddenly we realised that 10 seconds into the second half we should be bypassing our 2 man midfield.A perfect demonstration for the players that you are still in it at 1-0.They have carry that with them into the remaining matches that should all be treated like Cup Final.Caldwell should also take note of that.

Cox,Aimson and Woods left everything out on the pitch,so they had to be replaced.Carroll went down holding his knee after the first goal,so I hope its nothing that will be him out of the busy fixture schedule over the next few weeks.Kite was injured?Just read he had a hamstring problem?We are too short of centre mids.None on the bench for a match where he knew we would be under a lot of defensive pressure. Woods could have been rested earlier than he was and we might have taken away all 3 points.Another crucial moment was when Cox had to go off.It was clear to anyone that pace through Boltons defence was tearing them to pieces,but the quickest player in the squad (Harper) wasn't brought on to stretch the righthand side of Bolton.Obvious missed opportunity that could have prevented that late pressure our defence had to deal with.Alli and Eisa got involved but had the ball caught under their feet too often.Lack of match practice.

Caldwell has to be brave with his tactics from now on.All the communication with the players during the match shows that what goes on are his ideas. We need more than 40 minutes a match.It's Cup Final time!

 

[Grecian in Guzz]

Bolton where awful second half. It's 2 points dropped for Whites, thread bear squad but that's not an excuse.

City deserved to win that to be honest. Sonny Cox deserves every penny of that new deal and the club deserve every penny of what ever silly money he is sold for.

City all but safe now.... Wanderers probably the play off's.

Got soaking wet in the away end but seeing the big bank going nuts when the second went in was an odd feeling but boy did it look good.

Travelled back to that place 40 mileish W of the Fairer City of Exeter with quite a few Trotters - they described their 2nd half performance as "dog sh1te".
Just wanted to thank the travelling Trotters for fully joining in with applause for our departed Grecian on 52 mins - even their goalie did.
Makes you proud to be a part of the fan football family.

 

[BigBanker]

But not today. "We didn't change tactics at all second half" i.e. the players played better

It seems that most agree that the 2nd half performance was fantastic in its attacking intent, and a departure from Caldwell's usual plan.

If what he's saying is true, and I've no reason to believe otherwise, and he'd set the team up to play like that in the first half, surely their failure to do so is down to the fact that they've been drilled to play his ponderous possession football for the vast majority of his 18 months in charge. Imagine being instructed to play patient possession football at home to 2nd bottom Fleetwood a couple of weeks earlier, then suddenly being set up to play with attacking flair against 3rd in the League who'd dicked you 7-0 a few months ago....can't blame the players for taking a half to adjust IMO.

 

[Exehausted]

Glad to get the point, but let's be honest here, the first half was a joke. The bolton fans i was with today said they hadnt seen a worse team than us all season at half time. Then, two magic moments by one player saved us the game.

Yes we chased shadows in the first half and they hit the bar and opened us up easily for the goal, but apart from that they did very little because we defended bravely. After we went in front we were all over them and they did even less and looked very poor. We should have killed the game off easily and I'm bitterly disappointed we only got a point, it's certainly two dropped after we dominated the second half and created so many good chances. Very exciting second 55minutes undoubtedly, but after the way we cut them open time and time again it is a game we should have won. Finally a big up to Sweenz for his brilliant balls down the line for Ilmari in the second half. The pace on them was superb, allowing Ilmari to run past their defender but always getting to the ball. A very difficult skill to perfect, particularly in poor conditions on a wet pitch.

 

[Billy The Fish]

Lots of Sweeney love today. Rightly so too, a real leader. Loved the way he decked their bloke from behind as he broke away late on but he was lucky to escape with a yellow. Must be close to a ban now I would of thought.

 

[Markbb87]

Is Kite injured then?

Yes Caldwell said he was in the pre match interview

 

[Grecian Max]

Such a game of two halves, sort of similar to Peterborough in a way but instead of a red card changing the game it was an immediate long ball and then a Sonny double.

We are such a strange side; I’ve seen this quite a few times this season where there are pockets of excellence. Barnsley away for a half. Reading home for a half. Rovers away for a half. Peterborough for a half. Today.

The squad is good. That I do believe. I think over the two windows, although still missing perhaps that big no.9 we needed it’s well balanced elsewhere.

With Caldwell I just cannot figure out what the ultimate masterplan is. Not the game to game plan but where this is going. The second half today was very unlike how we play under him for 80% of the time - similar to the occasions I’ve listed above. The first half was everything that’s annoyed me this season, repeated again for posterity.

I appreciate you can’t play gung ho all the time and understand there’s a need for pragmatism. I get it. But those moments of genuine excitement need to happen more often - we look a better side for it?

Second half today made it a good performance and result overall although we are now five games without a win so need to sort that out sharpish.

A spluttering engine of a season which should hopefully just about get us home… smoother ride please in 24/25…

 

[geoffwp]

Great point, credit to SGC.

SAFE. AS. HOUSES.

Glass ones.

 

[Grecian Max]

Well, to be honest, I thought Bolton were outstanding in the first half. They did not give us a sniff.
After Bolton went to sleep at half time (their manager must be fuming!) we got back in it and all credit to the players and staff, I'd have taken a point against a team like that all day long.

Bolton were very good first half I agree and totally pegged us back. But it’s two teams out there and that wasn’t a good first half from us, regardless of oppo quality.

Second half showed what we CAN do and why it can be so frustrating to watch us. It’s not one game, these patterns have repeated throughout the season.