Your help needed for QPR match preview

[Northernr]

Hi guys, I'm hoping some of you may be able to take five minutes and answer the following questions on Exeter to form part of the match preview on QPR site loftforwords.co.uk

Usually able to grab an opposition fan off the Twitter but haven't had a lot of luck this week.

1 - What was your assessment of Exeter's 2012/13 campaign? It seemed to tail off rather with one win from the last 11 matches, why was that?
2 - Who has come and gone this summer? Is the team stronger this season? Where do weaknesses still exist?
3 - We've noticed QPR fan Sam Parkin has turned up at St James' Park this summer, he usually loves a goal against us. How's he settled and what do you think of the signing?
4 - Paul Tisdale is, I believe, the league's longest serving manager now, QPR have had 11 permanent managers during his spell at Exeter. How do you rate the job he's doing and has there been any hint of him being changed?
5 - Aims and predictions for Exeter this season...
6 - Players we should be watching out for....

Cheers guys, appreciate any help we get.

 

[FAN-TATIC]

Well, you'd better brace yourself then Northerner. We have a small minority of fans on here who are very hostile to Tisdale, his tactics, his team selections, the players he signs, and doesn't sign. They tend to post far more frequently than other posters. Beside them we have, what they refer to as the 'rose tinter brigade' who tend to back Tisdale to the hilt and refer to him as the "best manager we've ever had". Thus the answers to the questions above are going to be very different depending on which section of the fans they come from.

Have fun!

 

[richard_portland]

1. We had most of our midfield injured near the end of the season, and tried playing long ball with one small forward which failed spectacularly.
2. Main players to go we're Jamie Cureton to Cheltenham and Kevin amankwaah to Northampton. Apart from Parkin we have only signed David wheeler from Staines and Doug bergquivst from aldershot who has been loaned straight out to welling for six months. As it stands we would appear to be weaker. Goal scoring and right back may well be the main areas.
3. Parkin did very well in our win against Bristol rovers scoring the winner although it took a fair deflection. His signing wasn't greeted with great enthusiasm but first glance he may do better than we thought if he stays fit by linking up our attacking play.
4. After we peaked at eight in league one a few seasons back things have gone downhill after the break up of that team. We have definitely had our share of injuries to key players but the home form in last two seasons and type have football has been a lot worse leading to a split between those who still think he is right for the job and those who think it is time for a change. I fall in the second group but as he is on a two year rolling contract we can't afford to sack him. For me he has to target specifically home games,derbies and cup matches to increase revenue by providing better attacking performances to watch and stop our budget shrinking any further. He was linked with Swindon recently but doesn't seem to be any truth in that and in any case believe he will stay as it is the safer option.
5. My prediction is around mid table but the aims need to be better home record and a cup run.
6. Arron Davies and Scot Bennett.

 

[Darren Moxey]

1 - What was your assessment of Exeter's 2012/13 campaign? It seemed to tail off rather with one win from the last 11 matches, why was that?

We were great on the road and notched up a club record of eleven away wins. At home, it was an entirely different story and we were extremely frustrating to watch at times. I think we were found out towards the end of the season and, coupled with a few injuries to key players such as Matt Oakley, ran out of steam.

2 - Who has come and gone this summer? Is the team stronger this season? Where do weaknesses still exist?

Last season's top scorer Jamie Cureton has moved on to Cheltenham. Injury prone Spanish striker Guillem Bauza was also shown the door. We've brought in Sam Parkin and Doug Bergqvist, who has been loaned out to Welling. I think we are still too light up at the back.

3 - We've noticed QPR fan Sam Parkin has turned up at St James' Park this summer, he usually loves a goal against us. How's he settled and what do you think of the signing?

Well, he was impressive in the opening game of the season and scored the winner, so seems to have settled well.

4 - Paul Tisdale is, I believe, the league's longest serving manager now, QPR have had 11 permanent managers during his spell at Exeter. How do you rate the job he's doing and has there been any hint of him being changed?

On the whole, he has done a good job at Exeter. After back-to-back promotions and our joint highest ever finish in 10/11, his star has waned somewhat with a relegation and poor home form last season. I would rate his time at Exeter a solid 7. I don't think he will move on just yet.

5 - Aims and predictions for Exeter this season...

I think this season will be geared towards blooding the youth. I don't see us as either promotion or relegation candidates, so I'll go for a twelfth-place finish.

6 - Players we should be watching out for....

Jamie Reid looks promising.

 

[Northernr]

Well a range of views would be welcome. Such is the mainstream media attitude to the lower leagues the most cutting and well researched comment you get on Tisdale outside of Exeter is "wears nice clothes."

 

[Jason H]

1. I predicted 10th before the season started, we finished 10th. Of course, this doesn't tell the full story of a team battling for promotion only to fall away spectacularly - we had a tough run in and injuries to key players (particularly Matt Oakley and Kevin Amankwaah) didn't help, but confidence was lost too.

2. More out than in - the headline departure was obviously Jamie Cureton to Cheltenham, but another big loss was Kevin Amankwaah to Northampton, while popular long-serving full-back Steve Tully also departed. Other first team fringe players to leave were Guillem Bauza and Rhys Evans. In have come Sam Parkin, Doug Berqvist (immediately out on loan to Welling) and David Wheeler, who starred for Staines in the Blue Square South last term. Otherwise the squad looks very familiar, not really any stronger or weaker than last season.

3. Given his recent scoring record this signing was treated with some suspicion, but hey he's 1 for 1 so far so all good to date!

4. When he took over we had just finished in our lowest ever position. Five seasons later we finished in our equal highest since the league went to four tiers. Having been somewhat victims of our own success (losing several of our stars and being unable to replace them with players of equal quality) we have fallen back to more of our so-called "natural level". I still maintain he has to be up there as our greatest ever manager, but this season is probably his biggest test.

5. With funds tight, a season of consolidation awaits as some of our youngsters start to emerge. Mid-table.

6. Jamie Reid broke through at the end of last season with two stunning goals at AFC Wimbledon, earning him a Northern Ireland U21 call-up. He looks to have a bright future.

 

[andrew p long]

Until recently we have been the lower league version of Arsenal. Lomg serving thoughtful manager,play pretty football,don't win anything.

We're still looking for the next Jamie Mackie....

 

[FAN-TATIC]

1) We did far better than anyone expected with an almost brand new team that Tisdale put together in the close season. That is until we lost the 'engine' of the team when four of our most influential players Oakely, Sercombe, Doherty and Gow got injured at the start of the 'run in'. As a result we played absolute ****e in the last dozen or so games.

(2) Gone: Cureton, Bauza,(strikers)Tully, Amankwah, (right backs) Moseley (Midfield) Evans (goalkeeper). In: Parkin (S) Wheeler (M) Berqvist (CD) ( loaned out). The squad is slightly weaker IMO with youngsters having to come up to the plate. Definitely could do with a RB.

3) general opinion is that Parkin is a good signing. He's the target man we have been lacking. His performance so far has been encouraging.

4) IMO Tisdale has done a remarkable job given the resources that he has had available to him. Historically we have mainly been a bottom 10 League Two club struggling to avoid relegation or re-election. IMO Tisdale has changed that. He has also taken the club to it's highest ever position in the FL. However, he has shown himself to be overly cautious and not a risk taker. Exeter City has not sacked a manager for 10 years and given that Tisdale is highly thought of by the 'decision makers' it is unlikely that he will be sacked. Rumoured to enjoy a very lucrative 2 years 'rolling contract'.

5) Any team has to aim for promotion. However, I think we will probably be a mid table team when the season closes.

6) Parkin, Wheeler, Oakely, Gow. Sercombe, Doherty and Woodman, Reid(if he plays)

Stands back and waits for the flack....... duck!!!!

 

[Pete Martin (CTID)]

1 - What was your assessment of Exeter's 2012/13 campaign? It seemed to tail off rather with one win from the last 11 matches, why was that?

On a personal level, I was spoilt because I was at all but a couple of last year's away games in a season when we broke the club record for away league wins in one season. Our home form (and performance/entertainment) was generally dire. Impossible to explain something like that.

2 - Who has come and gone this summer? Is the team stronger this season? Where do weaknesses still exist?

Leavers: Kevin Amankwaah to Northamton Town, Jamie Cureton to Cheltenham Town and Guillem Bauza (no club yet as far as I know), Elliott Frear to Salisbury City.

Joiners: Sam Parkin (from St. Mirren), David Wheeler (from Staines Town), Doug Berqvist (from Aldershot Town)

Hard to know if the team is stronger. The defensive options are largely unchanged but, on the limited evidence so far, we are looking a bit more solid at the back. I think Artur Krysiak in goal is maturing and will be a big player for us this season, despite some random shaky moments on occasion.

3 - We've noticed QPR fan Sam Parkin has turned up at St James' Park this summer, he usually loves a goal against us. How's he settled and what do you think of the signing?

If he shows the same skills, energy and determination as he did in the opener against Bristol City, then he will also be a big player this season (in every sense!). Strong, powerful, holds the ball up well and a surprising turn of pace for a big man. I'm optimistic about him.

4 - Paul Tisdale is, I believe, the league's longest serving manager now, QPR have had 11 permanent managers during his spell at Exeter. How do you rate the job he's doing and has there been any hint of him being changed?

The Football League's longest serving manager, yes. if you include the Prem. then Wenger has been in charge longer. No doubt he has done well for us but he is not popular with some of the fans, largely owing to his failure to kick on past our 8th place finish in League One a couple of seasons ago and our painful fall from the dizzy heights in the latter part of last season in League Two. Personally, I doubt if anyone else could have done any better with the limited budget he has to work with. I just wish he could get us on a decent cup run (starting tomorrow evening!) as we've fallen at the first hurdle in most of the cup competitions too many times in his time here. For a club like ours, always struggling financially, the value of the money earned from a decent cup run cannot be over-emphasised. It was the money earned from our 0-0 at old Trafford in the 3rd round of the FA cup in 2005 and the replay here at St. James Park that probably saved our club from extinction in our darkest hour, but that was under Alex Inglethorpe.

5 - Aims and predictions for Exeter this season...

Highest possible finish, obviously and ideally automatic promotion, but I think it will be a season of consolidation whlst we blood a few of our own youngsters. I would take mid-table.

6 - Players we should be watching out for....

Like I said earlier, I think Artur Krysiak, our Polish keeper, will emerge as a talent this season. Some would disagree but, if he can control his apparent nervy moments and just crack on he could be the best in L2 this term. I also think David Wheeler will be a great acquisition once he beds into the higher level and our Northern Ireland Under 19/Under21 international, Jamie Reid, is also one to watch.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Until recently we have been the lower league version of Arsenal. Lomg serving thoughtful manager,play pretty football,don't win anything.

We're still looking for the next Jamie Mackie....

God knows why as we've had better players before and since.