Exeter City v Bristol Rovers match day thread

[edwin_price]

And this is the thing - that description could be used for at least half our games this season

Perhaps he’s building something that will suddenly click - the last two games were good performances but this really was reverting to type today.

I’m still waiting for the moment where it all makes sense - we were actually very laboured in our run to the top of table in the very early days of this season.

It’s not a style to my liking. Neither was Inglehthorpes percentage football or the middle years when Tisdale lost himself far up his own rectum.

Eventually we’ll be fun again, not convinced it’ll be under the current incumbent though.

The new signings will hopefully give us that something extra but this shape we play isn’t dynamic enough.

It's the same shape as away at Barnsley and that first half there was superb in terms of effectiveness and entertainment. Maybe the issue is it only works when the players are right on top of their game and doesn't work at 80% if they're all at 80%. I guess time will tell whether it's a case of him getting the system regularly working or were just going to see a handful of games across the season and then a lot of stodge, forever. Still happy it's got a lot lot better and we've seen some excellent displays over recent weeks. Wasn't there today though.

 

[Mid Devon Grecian]

Sinisalo - Very good. Could do nothing with the goal and made an unbelievable 1st half save from a header to stop us going 2 down.
Sweeney and Jules - Ok but nothing to write home about. The latter often looks lost when taking the ball into the middle or final third.
Diabate - Did well against Martin from a physical point of view but Rovers clearly knew he was the weak link from a distribution perspective and were more than happy to let him have the ball. His distribution in the first half was particularly poor.
Harper - Good run and shot that hit the bar but... Apart from that, no idea what he really does.
Niskanen - really poor. His fitness and physicality are good and he wouldn't look out of place as a contender on Gladiators or at Lympstone Commando but as for passing, dribbling and crossing... Not so sure.
Carroll - probably marmite to most people but I fall on the side of love rather than hate. People will call him Mr Sideways but he's always looking for the forward pass but a lack of intelligent movement ahead of him was an issue today. Brilliant "no look" pass in the second half that ultimately led to Sonny's one on one miss. Also played a sharp pass to Aitchson at the start of the second half which he pulled just wide.
Cole - great shot in the second half, brilliant turn and pass for Harper in the first half but wasn't involved enough for my liking.
Rankine - Not sure he has enough football intelligence to play as a 10. Needs to be wide. Fairly ineffective and struggles to make a meaningful impact.
Aitchson - Bright again. Shame he pulled his shot wide at the start of the second half.
Cox - Huffed and puffed but couldn't get the better of his opponent. Also didn't feel he was going to bury his one on one but others may feel differently.

Subs
Harris - Bright. Hope he's back in the starting line up on Tuesday.
Eisa - No service and barely touched the ball.
Wildschut - Ran at the full back but not particularly convincing.

Overall - I felt we played well but we were a bit slow at times and reverted to sideways and backwards. Still feeling upbeat after a good window and recent results.

PS Just seen the obstruction on Cole for the goal from the ref. Not sure of the rule but it felt unfair to me.

I find Carroll so frustrating. Think he and Cole together don’t offer enough bite in midfield. They’re also both wanting to take corners/free kicks. Too similar. Hope Woods can offer something a bit different when he’s ready to start.

Thought Harris changed things up a bit when he came on but too late with subs IMO

 

[spodman]

I think you’re trying to say we’re predictable and boring with no cutting edge

I was trying to stay positive but I guess sometimes you just have to call a spade a spade!

 

[JamieEcfc]

Their keeper well worthy of the clean sheet today.

Aitchison has been excellent recently, happy to see Harper back, would be interested to know how many players have been booked tackling him this season alone, draws so many fouls

Ref only adding on 5 minutes today when there was clearly more than that should have been added, Caldwell was right in one of his recent interviews, if the opposition are winning it’s 8 minutes (see Port Vale at home as an example). Baffling decisions all the time.

 

[JGrecian23]

One more small thing. Tom Carroll really needs to remember he has a right foot as well. So many decent counter chances were never executed as we had to wait for Tom to shift it onto his left.

It's so frustrating. Not asking him to be pinging 60 yard passes with his weak foot, just when it's a simple 10 yard pass.

He had some decent moments in the game and was good to see him get stuck in a bit as well, just use your right foot once in a while.

 

[manc grecian]

It's the same shape as away at Barnsley and that first half there was superb in terms of effectiveness and entertainment. Maybe the issue is it only works when the players are right on top of their game and doesn't work at 80% if they're all at 80%. I guess time will tell whether it's a case of him getting the system regularly working or were just going to see a handful of games across the season and then a lot of stodge, forever. Still happy it's got a lot lot better and we've seen some excellent displays over recent weeks. Wasn't there today though.

It works when we're away from home because teams push on and leave space for our counter attack.

At home teams sit off push on Carroll and Cole and watch us run out of patience when we lose it.

It's been happening for months but there's still no change.

 

[edwin_price]

Too similar. Hope Woods can offer something a bit different when he’s ready to start.

Woods looks like a decent player, but in quite a similar mould to Carroll. Seems to give us more depth there, but not much variety in terms of types of player. "The ginger Pirlo".

 

[edwin_price]

It works when we're away from home because teams push on and leave space for our counter attack.

At home teams sit off push on Carroll and Cole and watch us run out of patience when we lose it.

It's been happening for months but there's still no change.

This would be a reasonable analysis if we'd had loads of away performances like that. It's the last two, plus Wycombe on day 1, I think.

 

[ECFC-GC]

He’s a kid scoring goals in League One

Not sure why we persist with a boy centre forward who today did not earn his keep especially the one-on-one clear through which should be 'meat and drink' to a decent finisher.
( Memories of Kellow, Banks, Curtis, Beer etc)
City were hugely frustrating as usual in a game they should have won, but with all our chances and once again lady luck deserting us, plus a refs interception giving Rovers their goal, the overall outcome is back to pre Xmas.
Rovers did not deserve to win that game, very fortunate, but typical City!

 

[Mid Devon Grecian]

It's the same shape as away at Barnsley and that first half there was superb in terms of effectiveness and entertainment. Maybe the issue is it only works when the players are right on top of their game and doesn't work at 80% if they're all at 80%. I guess time will tell whether it's a case of him getting the system regularly working or were just going to see a handful of games across the season and then a lot of stodge, forever. Still happy it's got a lot lot better and we've seen some excellent displays over recent weeks. Wasn't there today though.

This is why I’m still erring on the GC out side of the fence. Still not convinced he has the nouse to build a consistent side.