Exeter City v Bolton Wanderers Matchday Thread

[PeteUSA]

I just somehow wish Sinisalo had done a bit more with their equaliser. Not necessarily a mistake, but he seemed to have done the hard part.

 

[kuznetsov]

 

[Grecian Max]

"When he’s played this year it’s clear the instructions are to look backwards for a pass instead of following his natural instincts and attacking the box at speed. "

"Now let's be clear Dion. When you approach the scoring zone, on no account are you to follow your natural instincts and run into the box or put a telling cross in. You must at all times play the ball backwards to Pierce Sweeney as he is a far better player than you. He will probably do the sensible thing and play the ball to Chieck/Will who will in turn pass it to Vil. That way we retain possession you see and won't concede a goal. You got that?"

"Yes boss. But why is Ilmari allowed to run down the line and put crap crosses in and I'm not allowed to put good ones in."

"Listen son, I'm the manager and I know what I'm doing"

Honestly, I've read some sh!te spouted on Exeweb, but the idea that Rankine is not allowed to cross the ball or run into the box must take the biscuit. Talk about scraping the barrel - there are plenty of real life criticisms that can be levelled at Caldwell without the need to imagine ridiculous ones.

You’ve also misrepresented what happens when it goes back to the likes of Sweeney - he is trusted to put the ball in instead. Which is fine as he’s a great deliverer of the ball, but not every time. It completely cuts the momentum.

Yesterdays second half was much more like it.

Poor post, and not rooted in reality. Specsavers trip required!

 

[STURTZ]

That was Purrington wasn't it?

Really?
What the he'll was he doing that far forward so early in the half?
Disgusted!

 

[arthur]

You’ve also misrepresented what happens when it goes back to the likes of Sweeney - he is trusted to put the ball in instead. Which is fine as he’s a great deliverer of the ball, but not every time. It completely cuts the momentum.

Yesterdays second half was much more like it.

Poor post, and not rooted in reality. Specsavers trip required!

Look, what I'm saying is there are a number of possible reasons why Rankine doesn't cross the ball and run into the box as often as you and I would like him to. That he's been told not to just doesn't seem a credible one, that's all

 

[edwin_price]

Look, what I'm saying is there are a number of possible reasons why Rankine doesn't cross the ball and run into the box as often as you and I would like him to. That he's been told not to just doesn't seem a credible one, that's all

I don't think he's been told not to. But I think the team as a whole are instructed to play in a way that puts an arguably excessively high value on not losing the ball. Therefore Rankine gets the ball to him quickly enough to exploit gaps less often than he might... When he gets the ball, it's more often against a well set defence... And from that point, he's also more cautious with the ball than might be optimal... So you get a lot of the shape down the line, cut it back stuff.

I'm not actually sure this is how Caldwell wants to play. To my eyes, the issue is more than Caldwell struggles to implement his vision, which would actually be quite an exciting watch if he could actually deliver it.

 

[JGrecian23]

Really?
What the he'll was he doing that far forward so early in the half?
Disgusted!

Ignoring the manager's stifling tactics and creating a goal I imagine

 

[geoffwp]

I don't think he's been told not to. But I think the team as a whole are instructed to play in a way that puts an arguably excessively high value on not losing the ball. Therefore Rankine gets the ball to him quickly enough to exploit gaps less often than he might... When he gets the ball, it's more often against a well set defence... And from that point, he's also more cautious with the ball than might be optimal... So you get a lot of the shape down the line, cut it back stuff.

I'm not actually sure this is how Caldwell wants to play. To my eyes, the issue is more than Caldwell struggles to implement his vision, which would actually be quite an exciting watch if he could actually deliver it.

I think you are pretty much on the mark with that statement. He likely has a vision but doesn't have the players with the ability to implement it which again raises the question of why he doesn't seem able to modify his approach to where those players CAN implement it.

 

[Grecian Max]

Look, what I'm saying is there are a number of possible reasons why Rankine doesn't cross the ball and run into the box as often as you and I would like him to. That he's been told not to just doesn't seem a credible one, that's all

It doesn't seem credible that Caldwell wants to pressure certain areas of the pitch and deliver the ball in a certain way? That players follow instructions to keep shape? That work on the training ground means anything?

On the one hand you're pushing this narrative of Caldwell being a good coach - well, if that's the case then his players will be listening and following his gameplan.

I think it should be clear to most who watch football that we are particularly "drilled". This is not a freeform side with mavericks, and has been assembled as such. The creativity that odes exist isn't being made the most of going forward, in the majority of games this season.

What's f*cked me off is that you ask for detailed reasons, I give you them but you take none of it one board and take the p!ss, so what's the the point

 

[SEA Grecian]

I think you are pretty much on the mark with that statement. He likely has a vision but doesn't have the players with the ability to implement it which again raises the question of why he doesn't seem able to modify his approach to where those players CAN implement it.

Others have described the team as a work in progress and I think that is fair, especially when you compare the two games against Bolton. The away game was embarrassingly bad whereas for the second half of the home game we more than matched one of the best teams in the league. This was arguably the first time you could really see the impact of the players signed in January; Purrington and Harris played the full game and set up a goal each and Woods also played well while Eisa and Alli contributed off the bench. It was also a game where you could clearly see the impact the manager has had on improving players, most notably, of course, the goalscorer. Yes, it's frustrating we don't play like this more often but I do think there are signs of improvement and that the manager is starting to implement his vision.