Exeter City vs Portsmouth Matchday Thread (Friday 29th December)

[CREDYGRECIAN]

It's not the way they're set up, it's the requirements of the modern game........ maintaing possession at all costs. If the pass/cross isn't on you recycle and go back the other way. If you haven't got a striker to feed, what do you think is going to happen? The ball is going to get recycled more often than not.Back in the day the game was played on percentages, you put the ball into an area and if whoever was playing furthest forward didn't get there well you'd done your job by putting the ball in the right area.

it’s the requirements of the modern game since when has it become a requirement, it’s fashionable to play like that buts it’s not a requirement it never has been and never will be.

league 1 football played by exeter city isn’t premier league football played by man city.

did Pompey play to requirements ? nah they launched it more often than not and there top of the division.

Maintaining possession of the ball is great if you have moved the opposition out of sync in terms of shape or played through the lines but we don’t do either of those as the passing isn’t quick.

we play safe 5-10 yard passes from keeper to centre half to centre midfield to full back before eventually kicking it long once the strikers have pressed closed the space down so we don’t actually maintain possession at all.

we had 37% of the ball tonight that seems low based on it being a requirement.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

it’s the requirements of the modern game since when has it become a requirement, it’s fashionable to play like that buts it’s not a requirement it never has been and never will be.

league 1 football played by exeter city isn’t premier league football played by man city.

did Pompey play to requirements ? nah they launched it more often than not and there top of the division.

Maintaining possession of the ball is great if you have moved the opposition out of sync in terms of shape or played through the lines but we don’t do either of those as the passing isn’t quick.

we play safe 5-10 yard passes from keeper to centre half to centre midfield to full back before eventually kicking it long once the strikers have pressed closed the space down so we don’t actually maintain possession at all.

we had 37% of the ball tonight that seems low based on it being a requirement.

Your first paragraph is what I meant rather than requirement. As for the rest of it, did you watch us pre Nombe's departure. We were quite adept at playing quickly through the lines and that was because we had a focal point going forward, something we both know we don't have at the moment.

 

[STURTZ]

Reading back I note that many people seem a bit disapointed we didn't lose. As someone who has lived through our terrible doom laden run I thought tonight was fantastic, players working hard for each other and the manager, maintaining shape and building some promising attacks, full house, window open, Argyle lost !

That's entertainment, can't see why people are being so miserable

 

[Grecian Max]

Just back and got to say that those supporters that chose to stay away as part of their Caldwell out protests missed a very good match.

It was a sell out, what are you on about

 

[CREDYGRECIAN]

Reading back I note that many people seem a bit disapointed we didn't lose. As someone who has lived through our terrible doom laden run I thought tonight was fantastic, players working hard for each other and the manager, maintaining shape and building some promising attacks, full house, window open, Argyle lost !

That's entertainment, can't see why people are being so miserable

who’s seemed disappointed we didn’t lose? as i’ve not seen or sensed that.

There are a few who didn’t enjoy the spectacle or thought it was as entertaining as others but the general feeling is it’s a good result.

 

[Grecian Max]

With regards to our attacking play, it is ponderous and frustrating to watch. Relatively dull stuff. I like lower league football and have seen City play much worse - I have also seen us play much better.

I think it was a good, battling point and in the circumstances a welcome one. Was it fun? I wouldn’t say massively so, but then that’s how we play under Caldwell. We pass, we pass and we pass until 7-11 opposition players are behind the ball and then we usually have a shot that hits a player and we wait a while for another.

It’s not the type of football I particularly enjoy; Matt Taylor vs Tisdale I would choose Taylor football every time. I prefer that simpler, counter attacking approach and ramping up sustained pressure. Caldwell likes to dominate the possession and when it works we can win by a goal or draw 0-0. When it doesn’t and the defence has too much pressure applied we have crumbled.

With the defence starting to find their feet, I’m hoping that January additions can add to our attritional play and stick in in the net in those moments - certainly there were chances tonight with Niskanen and Cox where an experienced forward would have buried them and we may have got all 3 points.

I don’t expect a more cavalier approach from GC and unfortunately have to wait some time to see this again. But it’s my club so I obviously keep watching.

In short - yes some good chances. No, it’s not that exciting to watch. Perhaps others like that approach play more than me and that’s cool. I don’t think Credy is being miserable about the match at all - there’s no need to get defensive about a performance like that. It was ok. Vanilla. Jake Taylor.

 

[STURTZ]

It was a sell out, what are you on about

There's a return your season ticket option which I assume our Caldwell Out chums would utilise. Funny that there were excatly 8100 there tonight no one turned away, bit lucky that!

 

[Grecian Max]

There's a return your season ticket option which I assume our Caldwell Out chums would utilise. Funny that there were excatly 8100 there tonight no one turned away, bit lucky that!

You’ve lost me mate, there was 8322 there tonight

 

[Djg123]

Diabate was the best player on that pitch tonight by some margin. Almost laughable that he was frozen out and played upfront previously this season. If we loose him in Jan then we have no chance of survival.

 

[CREDYGRECIAN]

Great post Max and i think that’s a really fair reflection on why some people are happy with what they saw and others are not.

There is no right or wrong way to play there is also no reason why people can’t have a preference on the type of football they enjoy watching either.

I personally don’t enjoy possession based football unless it’s quick pass & move possession football which opens up teams or moves them out of their shape and that’s not what i watched earlier.

Keeping the ball is great when your in front but you’ve got to score a goal first and if you haven’t taken the lead which we rarely do it actually then makes you way easier to defend against as the game goes on as you can get men behind the ball and limit the space City then have to play through you which then sees it very difficult to win the game (Man City apart)

I personally prefer counter attacking football, press high win the ball back off the centre half’s or full backs and spring forwards into the space they have emptied.

each go there own.