Bristol Rovers v Exeter City Matchday Thread

[Memphis09]

Great video but after the Dieng goal i think it was there is a very clear swear word said which can be heard very easily.

Whom would i notify to request that is sounded out, as not really ideal for my 8 year old or other youngsters to hear when he wants to watch it later. Not a a complaint but something that maybe worth just editing.

A fantastic result and forward play performance last night and agree with many the comments on here. I do think we got a little tactically outdone first 20-25 mins of the 2nd half, but also at the same time created chances which would have made life easier, but this also i think was in part coursed by the ref whom after 30 minutes went from doing a very good job to an exceptionally poor one in which almost all decisions went the way of Bristol and lots of really weird yellow cards thrown around at our players.

Nombe starting was a no brainer before last night, but last night just enforces it for those whom feel passionately about it. Him Stanno, Jay and Brown all together over the course of the match combined brilliantly and All 4 certainly showed why they are capable and able to play up top which is nice for that Headache to exist.

Its been a while since a win and Caldwell still have to prove himself to me over the coming 3-5 months as we need to be safe by 31st March because of the run in, but the 4 points i wanted from the Christmas and New year fixtures are already here with one game to spare which is great and also great for Caldwell to come out of that on the right side and hopefully we can exact a little revenge on Oxford on Sunday. If we had lost that 3-2 etc. I think the disgruntlement would have been well beyond me and a few others.

Totally agree but with run of fixtures we have had I am pleased where we are
Only Ipswich the best side we have played and Bolton the worst we have played
So would be any higher under MT we will never know
I am hoping we have enough points on the board by Mid March so we can sit back and relax but hayho this is Exeter UTC

 

[tonykellowfan]

I think Caldwell has done some things that I would consider to be mistakes.

However, it would be a bit daft to assume that any manager doesn't make mistakes.

Nombe may well be one of those players who does his training at 80% and therefore hasn't impressed GC.

While we have been watching the team closely for years and know many of the players inside out, GC may well have only seen us play a small number of times.

For me our best team is:

Blackman
Sparkes Key
Hartridge Sweeney +1
Collins Kite
Brown
Nombe Stansfield

If Jay and Dieng are getting back into form that gives us depth.

We desparately need at least one new CB.

 

[MJP_Exeter]

Totally agree but with run of fixtures we have had I am pleased where we are
Only Ipswich the best side we have played and Bolton the worst we have played
So would be any higher under MT we will never know
I am hoping we have enough points on the board by Mid March so we can sit back and relax but hayho this is Exeter UTC

I am not unsatisfied with where we are at this moment, but Caldwell hasn't had a great start to his tenure, irrespective of opposition which i agree has been tough, his start has been marred by weird / bizarre selections and not fielding his most effective forward line / Nombe enough which means bar last night under his tenure we have been nowhere near the threat up top as we where prior whilst still conceding goals. Thursday night this was addressed by Purely starting Nombe and our attack looked so much more potent for it. Jay / Brown and our midfield had an outlet and space of which to play in, which has been missing ever since Nombe was decided to be a from the bench player. At least Caldwell seems to have picked this up and hopefully will realise how foolish he has been in this regard. It is the first time under Caldwell's tenure that our strikerforce looked as good as we know it is. This has been held back purely because of Caldwell's team selections / Tactics.

If he has learnt his lesson in this regard then brilliant and I can be much more supportive / patient

IF we had a decent defence then I would seriously back to be in the hunt for the last playoff space. Lets hope this can be addressed in January.

 

[Memphis09]

I am not unsatisfied with where we are at this moment, but Caldwell hasn't had a great start to his tenure, irrespective of opposition which i agree has been tough, his start has been marred by weird / bizarre selections and not fielding his most effective forward line / Nombe enough which means bar last night under his tenure we have been nowhere near the threat up top as we where prior whilst still conceding goals. Thursday night this was addressed by Purely starting Nombe and our attack looked so much more potent for it. Jay / Brown and our midfield had an outlet which has been missing ever since Nombe was decided to be a from the bench player. At least Caldwell seems to have picked this up and hopefully will realise how foolish he has been in this regard. It is the first time under Caldwell's tenure that our strikerforce looked as good as we know it is. This has been held back purely because of Caldwell's team selections / Tactics.

If he has learnt his lesson in this regard then brilliant and I can be much more supportive / patient.

IF we had a decent defence then I would seriously back to be in the hunt for the last playoff space. Lets hope this can be addressed in January.

Yes I could not understand why Nombe hasn’t started more
Only thing GC has said he has been ill recently wether that has had a impact I don’t know
Definitely good to see him back in my opinion should start every game

 

[MJP_Exeter]

Yes I could not understand why Nombe hasn’t started more
Only thing GC has said he has been ill recently wether that has had a impact I don’t know
Definitely good to see him back in my opinion should start every game

If it was due to unwellness against Pompey then that is what it is, but Nombe hasn't been unwell for over a month.

As said lets see if Caldwell has learnt his lesson in this regard and see what results we get in the next for games / signings that come into the club.

Whilst I still do not think he is the right choice and thus far Thursday's win won't be the point I change my opinion, Caldwell won't be going anywhere anytime soon so therefore I want us to win games and I want him to be successful, but I still have concerns about him which one game won't readdress.

 

[MJP_Exeter]

I think Caldwell has done some things that I would consider to be mistakes.

However, it would be a bit daft to assume that any manager doesn't make mistakes.

Nombe may well be one of those players who does his training at 80% and therefore hasn't impressed GC.

While we have been watching the team closely for years and know many of the players inside out, GC may well have only seen us play a small number of times.

For me our best team is:

Blackman
Sparkes Key
Hartridge Sweeney +1
Collins Kite
Brown
Nombe Stansfield

If Jay and Dieng are getting back into form that gives us depth.

We desparately need at least one new CB.

No person or football manager is perfect. But our side was a pretty basic side. Really strong in attack and really weak in defence. You don't need to be genius to work that out and without being able to readdress til January it is pretty basic to try and play to your strengths. Caldwell hasn't done this until Thursday evening and benched Nombe for no reason which seems fathomable.

Lets hope this is the point when he's realised the basic mistakes with selection / tactics he has been making.

 

[StroudGrecian]

Just as an aside, and I know the current table is just a snapshot in time, but thinking about the step up from League 2 to League 1, the only 3 teams in the top 17 that have conceded more than 30 goals so far are those that were promoted - us, the Gas and Vale. And the other promoted team (who they ?) have conceded more than anyone else.

As reflected in our games against the other promoted sides, we're not the only ones struggling to adjust to League 1 standard defending.

 

[Grecian Max]

Never forget

The bookies list is very uninspiring.

Oakley or Taylor. But my choice would be David Hopkins. But doubt he would join us.

Then again shall we just have Tisdale back. Although I hope I'm wrong obviously I think we will look back on this with massive regret

 

[Grecian Max]

No person or football manager is perfect. But our side was a pretty basic side. Really strong in attack and really weak in defence. You don't need to be genius to work that out and without being able to readdress til January it is pretty basic to try and play to your strengths. /QUOTE]

It's not FIFA or Football Manager you can't put a club on auto-play, choices need to be made and if you're in a leadership position you need to have conviction in your solutions. Particularly so in football management where very quickly people can jump on you. He has a vision, we have to back it - if it fails over a certain period then at that point you make the decision to switch it up but your posts don't make any sense as it's so early - and the facts are clear. It was a tough run, we have been reasonably good in most games bar Bolton and the cup game.

 

[MJP_Exeter]

Never forget

Football is a funny game.

Although my comments / Judgements are based on Caldwell's actual games in charge along with my concerns at appointment. That was a hunch as I was worried with going with inexperience following 12 years. I didn't understand or realise the work that was going on behind the scenes in preparing Taylor for the role at the time and misjudged my assessment of him at that time.