The Monkey Hangers V The Grecians Saturday 25 Kick Off 3.00 p.m. BST Discussion and Prediction thread (Hartlepool vs Exeter)

[grecian-near-hell]

Saturday sees us make the long trip to the North East to visit Hartlepool who returned to the EFL this season after a penalty shootout against our bird friends down the road. This visit will mean that within our first nine matches we will have played all the promoted teams from the last two seasons, unlike last season we are yet to taste defeat against any of them.

Last time we played Hartlepool was in the second round of the F A Cup where we blew a two goal lead at home to be knocked out by the monkey hangers in the replay. Managers at that time are still the same in Dave Challinor and KMT.

Hartlepool have made a solid start to their return to the EFL, relying on their home form to garner the majority of their 13 points and a 0-0 draw away at Oldham on saturday, breaking up their run of away defeats. They are below us on goal difference lying in 6th place having kept 4 clean sheets in their 8 matches to date, and scoring six goals at the same time. Hartlepool are the only side left in league 2 with a 100% home record, beating Crawley Town 1-0, Walsall 2-0, Carlisle 2-1 and Brizzle Rovers 1-0. Hartlepool are struggling to score goals at the moment a problem which has been identified by their manager. The match has 0-0 written all over it or it did have before we played Scunthorpe on our last outing in the North East.

I can see this 100% record falling as our rise to challenge the Vegans for top spot continues. There is no match midweek for either the U23's or first team, so no game time for Archie who I expect to be named on the bench with Harry Kite unfortunately giving way and Kyle Taylor starting. Now Nombe has scored I anticipate another contribution from him and possibly Jevani Brown with us running out 2-0 winners and starting with our 5-2-2 formation.

Dawson
Key Sweeney Ray Hartridge Daniel
Taylor Dieng
Jay Nombe Brown

Subs
Lee Caprice Atangana Collins Amond Edwards Grounds
Attendance 4987 with 238 hardy Grecians in attendance celebratiing breaking into the Autozone

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

It should be a interesting encounter & a good test.
Unchanged again from Saturday.

 

[John William]

We are now looking much stronger and with more options now Taylor has settled in; he made a difference when he came on on Saturday and with Dieng or Atangana in central midfield we have better shape IMO.

So I wonder if to mix things up MT might try starting with a back 4 and play Key further forward. Sweeney would be the one to lose out:

Dawson
Caprice Ray Hartridge Daniel
Key Taylor Dieng Brown
Jay
Nombe

 

[andrew p long]

KMT seems to be in a 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mode for team selection. So I reckon he'll go for very few changes, probably only Taylor for Kite.

really tricky decision for the bench; if Archie is fit for the bench leaving out any of the five midfielders (Dieng,Taylor,Atangana, Collins, Kite) from the 18 would be rough, and look quite bad if Kite dropped from starting on Saturday to the 19th man role he had so often last season.

 

[denzel]

I find it a bit odd at this stage of the season not having midweek matches, I would have thought quite a few fringe players would welcome some extra games.
Still, at least we can't complain about not being rested before our 800 mile round trip.

 

[John William]

KMT seems to be in a 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mode for team selection. So I reckon he'll go for very few changes, probably only Taylor for Kite.

really tricky decision for the bench; if Archie is fit for the bench leaving out any of the five midfielders (Dieng,Taylor,Atangana, Collins, Kite) from the 18 would be rough, and look quite bad if Kite dropped from starting on Saturday to the 19th man role he had so often last season.

You are probably right. But sticking with the same lets the opposition suss you out too easily. Keep 'em guessing until the moment you announce your team.

We weren't at the races on Saturday until we changed, as Sutton knew exactly what we would do and set up accordingly.

They were helped by several poor performances first half, of course, but still...

 

[Rosencrantz]

You are probably right. But sticking with the same lets the opposition suss you out too easily. Keep 'em guessing until the moment you announce your team.

We weren't at the races on Saturday until we changed, as Sutton knew exactly what we would do and set up accordingly.

They were helped by several poor performances first half, of course, but still...

It sounded like Sutton set up exactly as they normally do. They played the way Matt (and Malcs!) said they would.

It is always a brave decision to change a side and formation that are doing well, five unbeaten in the league and just coming off a 4-0 away win. A certain previous manager used to get quite a bit of stick when he used to do it . Hindsight is always 20/20 vision.

It's a strong position to be in at the moment with the competition for places and variety we have. But tinkering after a dodgy 60 minutes and going away from what you have been doing well is always risky.

 

[Boyo]

Personally, I'd bring Nige in for Kite. Nige has been superb so far this season when he's been on the pitch. He really protects the back three and would give Dieng a license to roam.

 

[Hants_red]

I find it a bit odd at this stage of the season not having midweek matches, I would have thought quite a few fringe players would welcome some extra games.
Still, at least we can't complain about not being rested before our 800 mile round trip.

Yep, weather's good as well.

 

[denzel]

Yep, weather's good as well.

You just know we'll be playing eight games in February!