Exeter City V Brighton Matchday Thread

[Antony Moxey]

And you do the match reports? Jones' kicking was absolutely woeful, probably the worst it's been all season. At one point the Big bank were laughing at how shocking it was.

Yes I do, no it wasn't and no it wasn't. He messed up ONE kick. One. As in less than two. I don't know what else you expect from his kicking - it went down the pitch and ended up with one of our players challenging one of theirs to win it, unless you expect every kick of his to only land at the feet of a City player on the edge of the box each time.

 

[wemissmoxey]

Matt T - 8 (good, worrying sign he went off at half time, had glen murrey figured out.)

I presume you are taking the ****, from where I was stood Murray was taking Taylor apart.

 

[Jim in the west]

Don't beat yourselves up too much, guys! From the away end I thought Exeter played some fantastic stuff. A draw would almost certainly have been the fairer result. Harley was fantastic, and your keeper was pretty good too. I've seen us against the likes of Saints, Bournemouth, Charlton (twice), Peterborough, Hartlepool, Plymouth, Swindon, etc, etc, and your performance is just about the best I've seen this season (with the possible exception of Southampton, first half).
Altogether an exhilarating game, especially the last 20 mins or so.

 

[Red Monster]

Wouldn't disagree, but the poster I was replying to was moaning that Jones was at fault and that we're sh*t at set pieces. Well it wasn't Jones' fault and neither was it a set piece.

As for Sercombe, he had two open players to his right he could easily have passed to instead of trying to run through three or four opposition players.

There first goal wasn't Jones fault but Jimmy Giles suggesting on Radio Devon that
it was makes some people think it was down to PJ not sprinting off his line at 70mph
and catching the ball.

There two goals were down to slight mistakes from Sercombe and Dunne .

 

[John William]

I know most of you won't agree with any of this and I'm likely to get some hostile comments for daring to say this but sometime you just have to call it as you see it:-

City played OK today (and light years better than 2nd half @ Sotn). But I always felt Brighton had more aces than us and wasn't surpised that we lost, I'm afraid to say.

BUT (and it's a huge but) I have now come to the firm conclusion, based on the whole season, that the problem is playing a back 3. I always had reservations about its flexibility, but observe that other teams have completely sussed this out now, so that what worked in L2 and the 1st half of last season is now a liability.

Our goals against total is now horrendous (worst goals against total and worst away goals in the league including ALL the relegation place teams) and the GD of -7 speaks for itself.

We leave so much space for ball into the defence with both Tully and Golborne often too far forward. In the absence on a defensive, ball-winning midfielder we had holes torn in our defence again, not helped by two schoolboy errors by Sercombe and Dunne for their goals.

I know Matt Taylor has been injured and is still clearly not right (awful both at Soton and until subbed today). Troy seems to have lost confidence, and often looks clumsy, though at least he does get rid rather than d*cking around in his own area. Billy J is not a centreback, weak in the air and positionally supect, better at left back. Tully is not quite good enough at this level, also positionally suspect. Golborne plays 5 yards too far forward and distribution a bit wayward, not sure if he's an attacker, midfielder, or defender. Only bright spot Duffy - man of the season so far, if I was an opposition scout he'd be the player I'd come in for...

Time for a new defensive strategy or we'll get d*cked again and again, especially away.

I'm sure Tisdale won't do this but to stop the rot I'd try:

Jones or Krysiack in goal, both about equal as far as I can see, have strengths and weaknesses.

Back 4 of Duffy, Taylor (if fit) / Troy, Edwards, Billy J (maybe Heath if he comes back from loan a better player with more match practice)

Diamond midfield of Dunne or Bertie defensive, Sercs right, Harley, Golborne left.

Nardiello and Cureton up front.

Bench either GK, Tully, Troy, Bertie or Dunne, Noble, Logan and Flynn.

(retires and waits for the vitriol...)

 

[dommers]

I think that pretty much sums it up although I think against lesser teams we will be fine and win more than our fair share. The problems against the better who have much more of an attacking threat.

 

[Poultice]

I have now come to the firm conclusion, based on the whole season, that the problem is playing a back 3.

Hallelujah, is the penny finally starting to drop ?

 

[John William]

Sorry one factual - Posh have let in 2 more goals than us (though they have scored 10 more)

 

[Brizzle_Red]

Sitting near the away dugout is always entertaining and today Gus Poyet was fantastic. He looked like he really enjoyed the game despite the frustrations that he obviously felt. He got involved in some very friendly banter (mainly stuff which he initiated about his own players mistakes) and was smiling away even when they were losing. Top man who I am sure will go on to be a top manager.

I too was near the away dugout with my lad today, and echo your comments about Gus - top bloke.

However, the funniest bit was right at the start of the game when their reserve keeper came out late from the dressing room, and ended up on the Doble touchline looking for the dugout and his mates. He'd obviously been at SJP last season when they were positioned there. The Brighton lot were in stitches, waving and trying to get his attention to come over to the OG!

 

[exeterry]

I think that pretty much sums it up although I think against lesser teams we will be fine and win more than our fair share. The problems against the better who have much more of an attacking threat.

Agree with this, but we have beaten 'the better' this season on occasions - viz. Charlton, Huddersfield, Sheffield Weds. Thought we played well today and a draw would have been the fairer result - if only Harley had scored instead of hitting the post!!