Exeter v Barrow - Discussion

[SEA Grecian]

I’m not sure two teams who are in the top three in league playing
at home would change there way of playing because they
think they will get beaten by us if they don’t.

More fool them then; as Malcom says they paid the price by losing. By contrast Tranmere and Cheltenham set up very defensively against us and ran out winners.

 

[SEA Grecian]

The problem is easily defined. It depends what game Barrow want to play as we are spectacularly unsuccessful at adapting our game to a team that wants to fllood midfield, mess us about, slow things down and generally make things difficult. It may be that Barrow will be 'on the beach' but I'm not sure they can play any other way. To be a side that challenges, we have to find solutions to the way that other teams play rather than hope they open up and give us space. There must be an email circulating on how to play and frustrate ECFC..Cambridge and Bolton chose not to read that and played 'our game' which gave us the opportunity to dominate. They key is what game Barrow choose to bring.

While City deserve huge credit for never giving up and scoring three late goals, it must also be admitted that the opposition also gave us a huge helping hand. Hopefully Barrow can do the same either by having a player sent off or leaving two players on the half-line when defending a set-piece in their own box.

 

[tonykellowfan]

The most important thing for me from the recent games is to play good football. Teams that have sucked us into playing long ball have beaten us. When we came out for the second half versus Bolton that was probably the best football we can play, keeping possession and building attacks from the back through midfield and then into attack. It is so frustrating to see players boot the ball long, it is such a low perctentage play for us.

 

[John William]

L2 teams are inevitably not as well prepared for adjusting their playing style to the opposition as those higher up the pyramid.

Presumably they don't have the resources (people, money, time) to do the research, or the players to adapt.

We certainly fall into that category, witness our string of 0-0 draws against teams that set out to frustrate us.

I know I go on and on about this, but caution leading to draws is what makes the difference - Cheltenham are the obvious marker, I imagine they have similar resources to us and along with us have lost fewest matches (12) - but they have turned 5 more draws than us into wins which puts them 10 points ahead and promoted already.

And they have not done that by kicking the opposition - they are also top of the fair play table with no red cards and one more yellow (we are third because of our three reds).

League Two - Fair play table 20/21 | Transfermarkt

 

[Red Devon]

The performance doesn’t matter this Saturday we have just got to win...with Oldham being the top scorers in League Two this season there’s a possibility FGR could need three or four goals to win that match...I also don’t think Colchester will be a walkover for Tranmere either as Col U have won three of their last five games, the pressure will all be on Rovers there.

 

[Exehausted]

I would like to see us play 3 5 2. Jokul, Sweeney, Hartridge, McCardle or Parkes, Williams, Taylor, Nige, Collins Sparkes, Jay, Bowman. It would look more like 3-1-4-1-1 of course, with Nige the holding midfielder and Matt behind Ryan. It could be, if we don't make the play-offs, the last time we see 6 of that team. Jokul might or might not come back ( I think it's unlikely unless we go up), Piers is hoping to get a contract from what he said, but nothing yet. I'm only guessing, but I would imagine Rory has another year but Parkes hasn't. We are told Randell, Jake and Ryan are going ( although I hope that we can keep at least two of the three, in no particular order). It's rumoured that Nige has been offered a deal but we don't know. So it's either up to three more games for this group, or thank you and goodbye to quite a few of them.

 

[tonykellowfan]

I'd go with the same team as the Bolton game but start with Sparkes rather than Willmott.

 

[Exehausted]

The performance doesn’t matter this Saturday we have just got to win...with Oldham being the top scorers in League Two this season there’s a possibility FGR could need three or four goals to win that match...I also don’t think Colchester will be a walkover for Tranmere either as Col U have won three of their last five games, the pressure will all be on Rovers there.

Agreed and it will help Tis rebuild his reputation within the game after two failures. He's already been credited with helping to turn things around and although I would think it's unlikely he will move his family to Essex, it could open up other chances in the game closer to home. Come on Tis, a bit of magic please!

 

[IndoMike]

I would like to see us play 3 5 2. Jokul, Sweeney, Hartridge, McCardle or Parkes, Williams, Taylor, Nige, Collins Sparkes, Jay, Bowman. It would look more like 3-1-4-1-1 of course, with Nige the holding midfielder and Matt behind Ryan. It could be, if we don't make the play-offs, the last time we see 6 of that team. Jokul might or might not come back ( I think it's unlikely unless we go up), Piers is hoping to get a contract from what he said, but nothing yet. I'm only guessing, but I would imagine Rory has another year but Parkes hasn't. We are told Randell, Jake and Ryan are going ( although I hope that we can keep at least two of the three, in no particular order). It's rumoured that Nige has been offered a deal but we don't know. So it's either up to three more games for this group, or thank you and goodbye to quite a few of them.

Three centre backs and a holding midfielder against a team that has problems scoring? Don"t agree with you with that one. Too negative 4-4-2 for me:
Iceman
Key
Sweeney
Hartridge or Parkes
Page
Williams
Jake
Collins
Sparkes
Jay
Bowman

One last push to get into playoffs.

 

[Moomin Grecian]

We cannot afford Stockley's wages in the salary cap.

You’re right, we can’t but hasn’t the salary cap been scrapped anyway?