Forest Green Rovers vs Exeter City match day thread

[SaintJames]

Funny how we havent heard from Trampus about Matt Taylor's shortcomings today Despite that loss at Shrewbury with largely the same starting 11 Matt didnt panic and decided that after two years of playing a wingback system it was better to perservere with Josh Key at right centre half. The benefit of this coupled with Groundsy's injury was that Hartridge was able to go back to his favoured left side and this allowed Sweenz to be the more dominant central defender. A couple of weeks on the training ground and a couple of starts sees a more confident Jay Stansfield becoming a part of this team. His contribution today was indicative of his increased confidence and the assist will have done him the world of good. He also played a part in the first goal by his movement drawing one of the FGR players away enabling Jev to find Sam. This formation enabling Stanno to play alongside Sam with Jevani behind could well bring the best out of all three players. I would like to reserve my praise however for Archie. Another excellent performance showing that he can easily play at the higher L1 level something that 12 months ago there were a few doubting he could. He is the fulcrum of our team and when Harper gets up to full fitness and touch they will be a terific combination in the middle

 

[STURTZ]

Nor taking anything for granted following a win at at team clearly in a worse state than us. Our defence is still fragile and league 2 performances from Sweeny and Key were good enough on the day. We all know we're good going forward and the usual strike force looked impressive against a lack lustre defence (still think we were a bit lucky when McAlistair went off after Sparkes charged into him). I was most pleased to see Nombe getting back to his physical best.

 

[Bridgy 81]

Just back from the family wedding (we gave the evening do a swerve).
Lovely day celebrating the young couple getting hitched with family and others on a sunny blackcurrant farm in Somerset.
Several furtive glances at my mobile earlier gave me the ever increasing good news from Gloucestershire which I was able to relay to my ECFC supporting brother-in-law and father of the bride on the top table through a series of signs, smiles and thumbs up.
Perfect football addition to a thoroughly enjoyable day all round.
Well done to everyone concerned.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Funny how we havent heard from Trampus about Matt Taylor's shortcomings today Despite that loss at Shrewbury with largely the same starting 11 Matt didnt panic and decided that after two years of playing a wingback system it was better to perservere with Josh Key at right centre half. The benefit of this coupled with Groundsy's injury was that Hartridge was able to go back to his favoured left side and this allowed Sweenz to be the more dominant central defender. A couple of weeks on the training ground and a couple of starts sees a more confident Jay Stansfield becoming a part of this team. His contribution today was indicative of his increased confidence and the assist will have done him the world of good. He also played a part in the first goal by his movement drawing one of the FGR players away enabling Jev to find Sam. This formation enabling Stanno to play alongside Sam with Jevani behind could well bring the best out of all three players. I would like to reserve my praise however for Archie. Another excellent performance showing that he can easily play at the higher L1 level something that 12 months ago there were a few doubting he could. He is the fulcrum of our team and when Harper gets up to full fitness and touch they will be a terific combination in the middle

As one of those who maybe didn't quite coming into doubting whether he could play at League 1 but certainly had my doubts about the way he would develop with the way he was playing and being asked to play, I'd ask you to look at the difference in the way he is being asked to play this season and note the very big difference compared to last season. Last season he was being asked to play as the holding midfielder and this, imo, impeded and restricted his game. This season he playing in his proper role, a real box to box midfielder, and subsequently we are now seeing the real Archie Collins. He is dominating games in the way I was also was moaning that he wasn't last season and he is revelling in it.

 

[STURTZ]

Anybody else think Jamal Blackman could lose a few pounds?

 

[Fareham Grecian]

Anybody else think Jamal Blackman could lose a few pounds?

I don’t care as long as he puts in displays like that every week. Nothing to do for the vast majority of the game but sharp enough to make that superb double save

 

[GhostofAlanGow]

Anybody else think Jamal Blackman could lose a few pounds?

You gonna tell him?

 

[fred binneys head]

Anybody else think Jamal Blackman could lose a few pounds?

I agree he's got the 'look of Sweenz' about him (ABC's less successful follow up single) but I love Sweenz and would also love Jamal if he changed his hair, so I won't tell them.

 

[Ashford Grecian]

Not for me. Archie, Sweenz and Hartridge would have been more likely than him. However it was always going to be Jevani.

Agreed thought Rakeem was no more than OK nowhere near MOM

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Anybody else think Jamal Blackman could lose a few pounds?

Maybe but he needs to lose that green hair.