Exeter City v Bolton Wanderers Matchday Thread

[Exehausted]

I said yesterday about the brilliantly weighted passes by Sweenz down the line to Ilmari and also Jack. At 7.20 on the 360 there is a brilliant example of this. It looks even better than it did from my seat, because you see how much the ball bends in flight. It also shows Ilmari's strength and how he's improving. It just shows that if you give a player the chance to improve by sticking with him it can really pay off.

 

[tea stand]

I cant really add much to what most have said about the match.
I'm just glad I necked my pint and chicken balti pie quick enough to get to my seat before Sonny's first goal! As for the second goal, the linesman right in front of the me in the Stanno turned around to the city fans who were still cheering and mouthed 'wow'!

 

[The 3 United's]

First half they pressed us and we didn't reciprocate, hence their defenders were affecting play just inside our half. Second half we didn't sit so deep and started pressing their defenders, who on the whole didn't get close to the half way line again.
We got two excellent goals and played far higher up the pitch, hence allowing Tom Carroll to hit that worldy of a pass. We need to do more of this, as we have pacey players that can take advantage of this.
I really do think Jack Aitchison is underrated and always puts in a real shift, especially in the second half yesterday. We're poorer when he isn't playing.

 

[TotnesGrecian]

Wing play

I get the best look of our wing play from the side up close. Rankine for example knows how to beat a man, and is tricky & unpredictable. 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.

Harper is another player who has shown glimpses but looks like he’s in a straight jacket most of the time. Look up vids of him at Eastleigh - marauding runs down the left and into the box, not afraid to have a good shot on goal once there. Spent over half a season getting told similar to Rankine, beat a man, turn around and look for Sweeney or Jules to be the creative.

The 10s

Aitchison is a very direct attacking midfielder who wants to drive into the box. Would be particularly effective on the counter with his tireless running. Ponderous play at the back and in the middle means by the time it gets to him his path is blocked by the oppo having most of their players back. When he does pick up the ball he wants to move forward but again you can see he’s being told to move it sideways for the “perfect” chance that never comes. He cuts a very frustrated figure on match days at SJP and is often seen rolling his eyes and arguing when shouting for the ball in an advanced position, only for someone to ignore his incisive runs and pass sideways or back to our CBs. Watch out for this next time. We aren’t getting the best out of him.

Harris came with excellent pedigree from Fulham youth and you can see in the vids from his parent club he likes to arrives into the box late to score most of his goals. Lampard-esque. We don’t moved the ball quick enough to stretch the defence and allow this pocket to open up in the box. There’s already 6/7 players back at this point and his route is blocked. Again, not getting the best out of him.

Up top

Sonny did great from a couple of well placed (not aimless hoofs) direct balls yesterday. He’s not a speed merchant but a very clever player who can perform the 9 duty well but would be more suited IMO to a role than allows him more flexibility in movement. He’s great inside and outside the box and has a creative streak too that I’ve seen in the youth games but not in the Men’s. Took a lot of criticism and is building well but I don’t think we’re seeing the best of what he could offer and won’t with our setup.

Great Post, well done

 

[STURTZ]

I really do think Jack Aitchison is underrated and always puts in a real shift, especially in the second half yesterday. We're poorer when he isn't playing.

Loved Jack Aitchison's header to put Sonny Cox away for his first goal.

 

[arthur]

Great Post, well done

"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.

 

[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.

Alright mate, it’s only what I’ve been watching for the past season

You’re allowed to put your view across and argue that we’re somehow brilliant each week

You can have your job as DOF

 

[arthur]

Alright mate, it’s only what I’ve been watching for the past season

You’re allowed to put your view across and argue that we’re somehow brilliant each week

You can have your job as DOF

I went to Lincoln. That was along way to go to watch 90 minutes of unadulterated non brilliance

 

[Grecian Max]

I have to accept the verdict of the elite as the view from your seat is, and I mean this, better than that of us peasants on the big bank. But I'm not sure I agree with your reasoning. Rankine's reluctance to produce a telling cross is equally likely to be down to there being no-one in a position to receive one, rather than Caldwell telling him to play it back to Sweeney. In evidence I would cite Caldwell's repeated frustration that our players don't "attack the scoring zone" enough and his preference for Niskanen who does produce lots of crosses, 90% of which, up until yesterday, have been entirely useless.

And I'll think you'll find that it is a lot easier to make "marauding runs into the box" if you're up against Conference defenders rather than league 1 ones. Given the choice between a marauding run into a brick wall and keeping the ball while searching for another option, the latter seems a sensible one, if not all that exciting...

Niskanen is so direct and has such little football ability attached that I’m not sure he can do anything other than run forward and kick forward.

Look, you need to be sensible about how you read my view. Obviously Rankine has put crosses in (bad ones usually other than at Stevenage away), and gets into the box - but the general pattern of play on the wings for a lot of this season is to move the ball either back towards one of the back three or cross to the middle to find a 10.

I’ve seen this with my own eyes over and over. I’ve seen it repeated with different players too. It’s happened so often logically I would say it’s instructions. Why would it keep happening? This is also why there are numbers attacking the box, including the previously mentioned Aichinson shouting for the ball. I could honestly repeat this scene 100s of times from my viewpoint. Usually with a “f*ck sake” from JA

You ask me to go into detail, I did. You then do a little skit about it being laughable, ok boss

 

[JGrecian23]

Loved Jack Aitchison's header to put Sonny Cox away for his first goal.

That was Purrington wasn't it?