Torquay Utd versus the Exeter City Pre Season Friendly Saturday 22nd July 3.00 p.m. Kickoff

[manc grecian]

PSFs are the time to try things out, see what works and what doesn't, who plays well with who etc. IIRC GC did this in the middle of last season, to much consternation (MJP said it cost us 8 - 10 points), but after the disaster of Port Vale, things came together.
The technical ability of our squad is the highest its ever been - only Collins, Key and perhaps Blackman are significant losses - and I'm confident that by the end of August this team will have gelled as a unit...

We've lost Brown who even half ****** was better than Scott. Stansfield as well

Replaced Blackman with some kid who specialises in the ball going over his head.

Key and Collins with kids who've never played proper football.

We've not strengthened in defence.

And we're complaining because Torquay are too physical for us.

Caldwell mentioned our naivety at the end of last season and has done little to address it.

 

[andrew p long]

It was good to bring on Pedro Borges to help bolster the experience in midfield. Pedro of course has two League starts behind him, which is more than Rankine, Trevitt and Harper put together, who have none!

 

[Granville Gull]

I didn’t see the game as I was in London to see Morrissey but as a Torquay fan, I know the result was meaningless and I wouldn’t be carried away (we’ll probably lose to Chippenham or someone now) and Exeter shouldn’t get despondent as you’ll probably go and beat someone like Derby. To be honest, I’m almost slightly embarrassed if our players went full throttle in a friendly and of any Torquay fans thinking it mattered.

As a non-Exeter fan, however, I don’t really rate your manager and it sounds like he’s done what kind of happened to us - our successful squad was broken up and replaced with what seemed like good prospects but their inexperience got us relegated.

League 1 is slightly above Exeter’s natural level anyway so at some point relegation is likely but my gut feeling is that Exeter will struggle this season and that’s nothing to do with yesterday’s result and not even from any jaundiced position of anti-bias.

 

[tavyred]

And we're complaining because Torquay are too physical for us.

That argument is way more nuanced than that. One of the reasons I shy away from PSF’s is the lack of blood and thunder you see in league games.
There is I suspect a tacit understanding between the two teams in a PSF to forego the dark side of the game because it serves no real purpose whatsoever for one pro to seriously injure another pro before the season proper starts. Although GC couldn’t say it directly yesterday, it was clear to me he was annoyed at the over the top challenges from Torquay but couldn’t say it because he would’ve been accused of whining like a baby.
Time to consign this particular friendly to the dustbin of history IMO and hope we play them in a proper game if and when TUFC get there sh1t together and get out of that farmers league they currently play in.

 

[SaintJames]

Well it's the morning after the night before as they say and having reflected on yesterday's match it was still ***** However, for me whilst a hugely negative result the experience will hopefully battle harden many of our newbies and the likes of Rankine who to date has played in training type game environments. It will enable the Manager to get his message over now far easier about the importance of shape, how and where he wants to press and work off the ball etc etc. He has two weeks of solid hard work on those drills. My main concern is that however good the message is you are only as good as the tools you have and our defense as a unit has more holes than a colander. I think Aimson is excellent but has to spend too much time and energy having to look left and right for potential mistakes positioning and otherwise to concentrate on his own role at the detriment of his own game. If we brought in an experienced centre half to play alongside him we would all see the improvement in Aimson's game. As for the GK well it was his first run out so I'm not getting on his back but it has done the job of people realising that Woods may be the answer So for me we need one (at least) experienced centre half, another striker even if Stanno returns and cover on the right of midfield. At that point I'm happy we will be comfortably mid table

 

[arthur]

I agree we shouldn’t read too much into it, but do you not think stanno and brown are significant losses too?

Yes to Stanno - loanee so I forgot him. We'd already effectively lost Brown though

 

[grecIAN Harris]

It was good to bring on Pedro Borges to help bolster the experience in midfield. Pedro of course has two League starts behind him, which is more than Rankine, Trevitt and Harper put together, who have none!

Don't worry about Trevitt, the boy can play. Rankine however looks so out of his depth he would drown in a puddle. Harper will be alright but he is playing second fiddle to Demi anyway.

 

[Red red]

Not read all the comments but just seen City highlights. How was the Torquay allowed to stay on the pitch after that challenge. No wonder Sweeney reacted .Awful challenge totally agree with GC.
Saying that defending was poor

 

[Moomin Grecian]

I’d be interested to hear people’s opinions of who in the back three we should potentially sacrifice if (hopefully when) we bring in an experienced CB?

It may not be a popular shout, but I wonder if Sweeney should be taken out and we move Aimson to the right? Then we bring in a more dominant type CB for the middle of the three?

 

[Hants_red]

Summary including interviews and highlights

Summary: Torquay United vs Exeter City Friendy – Exeweb

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