Countdown to Daggers: Team Selection and Tactics

There is an old adage in football of never change a winning a team. Exeter City fans learnt mid-season that this could also mean don’t change a losing team. Rochdale away and after 4 defeats in a row just the 2 changes were made (Gow and O’Flynn in for the youngsters Grimes and Jay) as if the team was okay and just minor tinkering was needed. Unsurprisingly the Grecians lost with a scoreline of 3-1.

It took until December before we won again. Tom Nichols providing the inspiration on a very wet Saturday in Accrington.

We then entered a phase of being caught out by our zonal marking. After much tinkering and practising at the Cat & Fiddle the defence still remains vulnerable at set pieces. The  headed goal from a corner being a regular occurrence.

No team has really taken us to the cleaners. Most of the defeats have been by a 1 goal margin. Many of those games have seen a more than adequate performance from the Grecians, but a stupid mistake or a lack of concentration has cost us the points. Errors from different players, no one individual inadequate team member, nor is age a factor in that young and old have been culpable.

Paul Tisdale has been known to frustrate the opposition by being fluid in the formation of the team and changing as need must, swapping from a 4-5-1 to a 3-5-2 as the situation demanded. But this hasn’t produced the desired change during the games. This could simply being put down to not converting the chances, but that there is a lack of clear-cut chances in the first place.

The cautious starts hinder not just the entertainment for the paying customer but also any rhythm for the team. It also relies on being able to hold the defensive line, a problem that has not been resolved this season. A fluid 3-5-2 and 4-4-2 has strengths when used with the right players. Arron Davies is a far better layer away from home, and Wheeler always provides some stirring moments. At under 21 level an unshackled Jimmy Keohane can boss the attacking element in midfield. 

For Dagenham and Redbridge we need to have two strikers starting (O’Flynn and Nichols or Richards and Nichols) and fed from Wheeler or Davies on the flanks. The midfield needs to recognise its defensive duties and responsibilities. The defence needs a vocal presence, one that is positionally aware and able to marshal his people.

The Daggers have only 3 wins on the road. Surely Exeter, even with its abysmal home record, can capitalise this Saturday?