Exeter City v Tranmere Rovers Official Matchday Thread

[denzel]

How did the Hartridge injury look?
It won't be good if we lose another key player.
The only positive is that we don't have a midweek game, but I am fearing a bleak December haul

 

[STURTZ]

Jevanl Brown may not be a goalscorer but I admit I'm impressed by his work rate and control of the ball. He's essentially a midfielder and His build up play actually deserves a more effective strike force in front of him.

 

[Rosencrantz]

First half we made too many simple errors with passing and clearing our lines and caused our own problems leading to the soft goal. We really are more comfortable playing the ball out with a back three and Key and Caprice pushed forward able to link up with MJ and JB with the midfield in support.

Second half we huffed and puffed but it was too frantic around the penalty area and any shots were more snatched at than hit with much conviction. We did actually get some decent service into the box at times and this is where we miss Dieng more than anyone. His ability to be effective in both boxes is missed as is Big Nige's physicality as an option to call on.

Otherwise it was the Bobby Madley Show as he refereed with an arrogance and arbitrary manner. The red card was the only thing he could produce for that "tackle". Taylor was lucky to escape without serious injury. Little else went our way from him. And no, six minutes added on isn't good enough for the time wasting. Teams are happy with that as long as they are allowed to break up the play with no consequence.

 

[Rosencrantz]

How did the Hartridge injury look?
It won't be good if we lose another key player.
The only positive is that we don't have a midweek game, but I am fearing a bleak December haul

Both Hartridge and Sweeney's injuries looked like they will be doubtful at least. I think Alex came down awkwardly after being hit in the air (no free kick given obvs) whilst Sweenz looks more like a contact injury after a 50/50 tackle.

 

[Red Devon]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1469731418855165957

The usual honest interview from MT.

Or is it? Sounds like an excuse to me. An honest assessment would be that we were bereft of ideas in the final third for much of the match.

A rare poor interview from MT, nothing to do with a lack of confidence and more to do with weakening the team with the changes to his starting lineup and formation change....deserved MoM for Harry Kite though.

 

[Moomin Grecian]

So frustrating today. Don’t think we had a shot on target till the last few minutes? Credit to Tranmere, they defended well and looked a threat. But then, playing Brown as a central striker will never work. Got to improve quickly

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Not very good today. Matt Taylor made the first error before a ball was kicked by not playing Podge from the start. Whatever Jevani Brown is, he isn't a loan striker. That much was already proven against Bradford but just in case anybody wasn't sure it conclusively proven today. He made a second before a ball was kicked by playing with a flat back four. Every time we play with a flat back four we look uncomfortable as a whole unit. Then he made a third by playing 4-4-2 instead of 4-3-3, which to me was the obvious set up with the players chosen, and playing Kyle Taylor wide on the right. The lad is a central midfielder and looked so, so much better when he came inside when MT made some tactical changes during the second half. From there on in the first half was poor apart from the very odd occasion when we actually got the ball down and moved it quickly. The only problem at the end of that was there was nobody in the box to finish it off. Our leading scorer was usually nearer to the half way line than he was the back of the net and central striker was anywhere but the middle of the box.
The second half was a lot better when Taylor changed the shape of the side initially to the 4-3-3 that the line up screamed and then to the more preferred 3-5-2. The introduction of Jake Caprice gave us a much needed boost and resorting to 3-5-2 got more out of Josh Key. Kyle Taylor gave us more drive in the middle of the park but sadly Podge's introduction was left far too late to make an impact.
Then there was the side show that was Bobby 'look at me' Madley. From the first whistle to the last the bloke was a joke. How many decisions did he get wrong? And they weren't just little decisions like the free kick for the most overacted dive I've seen for a very long time after two minutes, they were not booking the number twelve for the rugby tackle on Josh Key which ultimately, with the yellow he did get later, would have seen him sent off. Doing nothing about the fore arm smash that left Kyle Taylor in a heap, a straight red. Or the push to the back of George Ray's head which he only booked the player (twelve again iirc) instead of sending him off. The late challenge, at least that's what it looked like to me, that left Alex Hartridge ankle in such a crumpled mess that he was forced off injured. What the f**k is going on in the referee's appointments department at the FA? First the Bradford farce, then the clown at Cambridge and now Madley!!!! Have they just decided to send every Grade A muppet our way? At this rate we're sure to get Fat Fuxtable for the Swindon game.

 

[Billy The Fish]

Although I'm not blaming the defeat on the ref he had a shocker. He got the big decisions wrong - the aforementioned shove in the back that flattened Taylor was nothing but a straight red. Again it was Taylor who received a boot to the head in our box - a foul anywhere on the pitch for a foot that high.

In the top flight contentious issues are dealt with by the telly ref so why do the best officials need this backup ? The poor quality referees should get the Premier League games as VAR makes the big calls and the best refs should get the matches without the support of the cameras.

Yeah I know it'll never happen.

 

[iscalad]

Although I'm not blaming the defeat on the ref he had a shocker. He got the big decisions wrong - the aforementioned shove in the back that flattened Taylor was nothing but a straight red. Again it was Taylor who received a boot to the head in our box - a foul anywhere on the pitch for a foot that high.

In the top flight contentious issues are dealt with by the telly ref so why do the best officials need this backup ? The poor quality referees should get the Premier League games as VAR makes the big calls and the best refs should get the matches without the support of the cameras.

Yeah I know it'll never happen.

Ex PL ref. He wasn't very good.

 

[Grecian in Guzz]

I thought we played bloody well second half. Shame we had to wait until then to start. This pattern is becoming far too regular it seems, no inspiration, no creative ideas, no energy first half and then the same but totally different team walk out for the second half and start to play some exciting football. How we didnt score I just do not know but i dont think we could have pummeled Tranny any more than we did. Credit to them for their last ditch defending. Pie was good. Oh, and i found a £10 note when I was heading to the game so all in all not a bad afternoon.

I'm at least a tenner down (and a few half backs as well) ....... please send in an unmarked envelope to Matt Taylor C/O ECFC otherwise we're relegated !
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