Defining moments

[MJP_Exeter]

Agreed, but if we're talking about defining moments the replacement of Ray with Stubbs and Diabate led to a dramatic improvement in our defence. He also had to be substituted off in the game against Tranmere before he got a red card which may have led to Matt Taylor to have concerns about his temperament - it's hard to imagine any of our other centre-halves losing their cool in the same way.
Having seen how well Diabate has continued to play, the decision to back him and loan out Ray seems an obvious one but it is was still a brave decision and one of the many big calls Matt Taylor has got right this season.

I also think Ray going allowed for Phillip's and Zanzala to come in which again was huge in the context of our promotion push.

 

[flackys_gunna_get_ya]

A few less obvious ones to add to the mix.



The Walsall away game was a big one. Diabate scoring showed an extra dimension to his game that genuinely started to show he was actually improving us and adding an extra dimensions not just coping with the step up. It was also a game where we scored two set pieces (corners) for what must haven been the first time since Matt Taylor and Danny Seaborne were banging them in the conference (only mild exaggeration). Both corners from Archie and the work he did on his set piece deliveries while out injured has been instrumental to our run in but has gone a bit under the radar.

Grounds-dini’s telling contributions in the runs ins.

Settling us down against Forest Green at home and Hartlepool when we needed it.

Goal against Harrogate and all round performance

Big performance against Northampton including setting up the play for the goal

We have a young side and when needed he and to a lesser extent Amond (assist for Dieng early on against Mansfield, goal at Carlisle)have popped up with the know how we’ve needed in ways that I don’t think our younger players would have been able to.

 

[SEA Grecian]

A few less obvious ones to add to the mix.



The Walsall away game was a big one. Diabate scoring showed an extra dimension to his game that genuinely started to show he was actually improving us and adding an extra dimensions not just coping with the step up. It was also a game where we scored two set pieces (corners) for what must haven been the first time since Matt Taylor and Danny Seaborne were banging them in the conference (only mild exaggeration). Both corners from Archie and the work he did on his set piece deliveries while out injured has been instrumental to our run in but has gone a bit under the radar.

I also think Wayne Carlisle deserves a huge amount of credit. He clearly likes to keep a low profile which means it's easy to overlook his contribution. However, I get the impression he's the man doing the nuts and bolts stuff on the training ground, the one spending hours and hours with the players improving their skills and practicing set piece after set piece.

 

[flackys_gunna_get_ya]

I also think Wayne Carlisle deserves a huge amount of credit. He clearly likes to keep a low profile which means it's easy to overlook his contribution. However, I get the impression he's the man doing the nuts and bolts stuff on the training ground, the one spending hours and hours with the players improving their skills and practicing set piece after set piece.

Taylor has said a few times that all credit goes to Wayne and Dan Green for the set pieces. A massive contribution especially second half of the season. Not always a fan of the short ones but the diversity and effectiveness of set pieces has been fantastic. Full credit as you say to Wayne and the coaching team.

 

[SEA Grecian]

Taylor has said a few times that all credit goes to Wayne and Dan Green for the set pieces. A massive contribution especially second half of the season. Not always a fan of the short ones but the diversity and effectiveness of set pieces has been fantastic. Full credit as you say to Wayne and the coaching team.

A lot of the players have praised Wayne as well!

 

[MJP_Exeter]

Key Points in the season for me.

The 3 nil away defeat to Leyton Orient. This seemed to spark a resilience in the side which only really slipped in December / Early Jan due to injuries / Covid issues.

The injury / Covid issue's in Dec / Jan seemed to give us a much needed rest and allow some player's some breathing space to get back and be available for important matches later in the season.

The Forest Green nil nil draw away in January.

Diabate's emergence and Ray being loaned out to allow the purchases of Zanzala and Phillip's.

Sparkes winner against Harrogate.

Cameron Dawson throughout season.

 

[andrew p long]

Taylor has said a few times that all credit goes to Wayne and Dan Green for the set pieces. A massive contribution especially second half of the season. Not always a fan of the short ones but the diversity and effectiveness of set pieces has been fantastic. Full credit as you say to Wayne and the coaching team.

I think (open to correction) that Scott Brown has been heavily involved in set pieces too.

One important moment also was (as Dieng mentioned in an early season interview) 'the manager has told me he thinks I can score more goals and wants me attacking the opposition goal more..'

 

[Red Bill]

I think the season was defined for me in 3 consecutive Tuesday evening games.

The bore fest that was the Orient game. Where despite a dreadful game with little quality on show, we found a way to grind out a win in a game that didn't really deserve a goal.

The Harrogate game, where it looked liked it just wasn't going to be our night we showed the character and belief to come back from twice being 2 goals down to get a win.

The destruction of Swindon when we showed we have the quality to outplay the top sides.

 

[GhostofAlanGow]

Not sure if this really counts as part of this season, but for me the decision of Jake Taylor to move on has had a big influence on our season.

I think he was stuck in a rut during his last two seasons with us and, to a certain extent, we were stuck there with him.

He was a reasonably effective player, but rarely able to change a game and certainly not able to influence a season. The fact that he was captain meant his limitations had a bigger impact on the side than they should have done. We often seemed to fit others around him (eg Nicky Law playing on the left of midfield, rather than in the centre where he belonged).

Is this harsh? I was certainly not Jake Taylor's biggest footballing fan, and I can appreciate that he was a good guy and a great 'clubman', but his decision to move freed up a berth in our midfield which Dieng and his goals have been able to fill. That has proved pivotal - a season changing event.

 

[Moomin Grecian]

For me it was Dawsons penalty save against Carlisle and a brilliant top corner save just after that.

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