EXETER CITY V NORTHAMPTON TOWN MDT

[grecIAN Harris]

Nobody mentioned Laws tackle for their first goal?
I'm sure Ryan Harley would've been crucified for that challenge!

Both The Chimp and myself said that he was at fault for the first. I even suggested he bottled the challenge.

 

[antman]

I agree with most of that apart from the bit about Williams. The goal and setting up the second (which, incidently, came from the left) he was his usual predictable self. Jink, jink, jink, cut back on to left and get smothered. He gives Sweeney very little movement to pass to (probably because he doesn't trust his own control on his right foot enough).

Ha ha you never give up do you? Last week you were saying that he shouldn't be playing on the right because he doesn't cut inside and score enough. Which he did yesterday. Has it occurred to you that the defence wasn't expecting him to pop up on the left yesterday and therefore he got the space to cross for the second goal? He was free for the first time in the game because the defence on the other side spent their whole match preparation worrying about him and the right side weren't prepared. He was our match winning player yesterday and you're calling him "predictable"?? Brilliant, I predict he's the best player next week as well.

 

[IndoMike]

It's only dangerous if the defenders are still chasing back towards their goal but 99.9% of the time they're back facing the correct way (as far as they're concerned) because the ball in has been so slow in coming (mainly caused by Randall having to sort his feet out first). As for the goal, it's the first time he's scored from cutting in from the right. If you wish to read back, I gave him his dues for the way he took it by not going for the obvious curler into the far corner but chopping it back into the near post where it was harder for the keeper to change direction against the flow of the movement and get down. You manage to completely bypass the fact the goal he set up came from the left (where I've been banging on for ages he should be playing) as did his influence (I wouldn't exactly call it heavily involved as SEA reckons. It was a completely overhit nutmeg that he'd lost control of, and he'd done exactly the same from the other side earlier in the half), ) on the third goal . But the biggest factor you still don't get is that his burst of speed driving past the defenders on his left foot getting him behind the defence is what is causing the biggest headache. It's far more difficult to set up and defend against than anything he is ever likely to do from the right.

I think you're expectations are too high. At the moment he"s a Div 2 player who's doing very well at this level. He's inciting yellow cards from the oppisition,. sometimes demoralising the opposing left back, and has more assists than any other of our players IINM. It's not a one - man team.
I get it 100% about that split second lost by stopping and switching feet, but let's face it : if he played on the left, raced past their right back and crossed with his left , the only person who could keep up with him would be Bowman !and that's not guaranteed .
And we keep repeating - would you drop Sparkes to make way for Williams? And who would you play on the right?
I think with the players we have it"s fine to play Williams on the right. The problem is not Williams

 

[Rosencrantz]

Ha ha you never give up do you? Last week you were saying that he shouldn't be playing on the right because he doesn't cut inside and score enough. Which he did yesterday. Has it occurred to you that the defence wasn't expecting him to pop up on the left yesterday and therefore he got the space to cross for the second goal? He was free for the first time in the game because the defence on the other side spent their whole match preparation worrying about him and the right side weren't prepared. He was our match winning player yesterday and you're calling him "predictable"?? Brilliant, I predict he's the best player next week as well.

To be fair for the second goal, their defence wouldn't have been surprised he was on the left as it was a corner which Sparkes and Williams were taking together from both sides all game. They (and in particular Chris Lines) were asleep because they were still moaning at the ref for giving the corner after originally pointing for a goal kick. We did this corner three or four times and on all the others (including the third goal) Lines tackled Williams after he beat the first defender.

 

[John William]

Indeed...The attendance on Saturday was very near to the one predicted by the Gate Committee( only 16 out !)

Expect a similar attendance at home to Walsall.

Afraid that's not correct. Read our report in the Walsall programme for the actual figure.

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

Afraid that's not correct. Read our report in the Walsall programme for the actual figure.

Yep..I was looking at the home only figure not combined..Still fairly close though. 5% which is a good margin.

 

[exeter-loyal]

Big win. If we can be in the Autos through December going into the New Year I will be very happy.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

Ha ha you never give up do you? Last week you were saying that he shouldn't be playing on the right because he doesn't cut inside and score enough. Which he did yesterday. Has it occurred to you that the defence wasn't expecting him to pop up on the left yesterday and therefore he got the space to cross for the second goal? He was free for the first time in the game because the defence on the other side spent their whole match preparation worrying about him and the right side weren't prepared. He was our match winning player yesterday and you're calling him "predictable"?? Brilliant, I predict he's the best player next week as well.

For somebody who, I presume, was at the game you really don't watch much. He was on the left for a corner for both of the goals in the second half he was 'involved' in. It's not like he's swapped wings during open play (I wish he would occasionally even if he is prodominately to stay on the right). He's score twice this season. One from a very well timed run down the middle of the pitch against Argiggle and yesterday. It's hardly prolific. How many times does he work the keeper (and by work, I'm mean work not just pat a powder puff shot down)? Very rarely. How many times does he get past his full back towards the byline and get the ball in the box from the right? Hardly ever. Opponents have done their homework on him and know how to smother him when he checks back on to his left foot when he's going down the right. You'll point to his goal yesterday. That came about from a quickly taken free kick and he had the space to drive in because they had retreated for the expected cross. Good play, yes. But in open play it doesn't happen. I can tell you of three occasions in the past month when he has gone over for the short corner routine and caused problems because he is driving down the line, past their last line of defence onto his stronger left foot. It's the only times he's driven at them like it because we usually end up tip tapping around with ball and trying to work it out to the edge of the box before crossing if we don't knock it straight in but it is effective because the defence don't know which way is up, they're chasing back towards their own goal and they're panicking. Yes, I criticised him for overrunning the nutmeg for the third but it caused a panicky clearance to Sparksey
all the same.

 

[John William]

As regards the actual game, it was IMO the most entertaining of the season so far. Actually a better game of football than the Argyle one, as the Cornish were so disappointing. Beating the Cobblers, a better team and tougher opposition, was more satisfying.

The only jarring note yesterday was the inept first half display by a weak referee, who allowed a lot of cynical Lincoln-style head clutching, standing over free kicks, etc. to go by and booked Fish and Bowman but not their player for very similar challenges. Also their #16 Wharton might have had two yellows from a more consistent ref. Not to mention his and Turnbull's constant attempts to influence him (though Bowman was also in his ear all the time). TBF the ref got more of a grip second half, which helped us impose our play on the game.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

I think you're expectations are too high. At the moment he"s a Div 2 player who's doing very well at this level. He's inciting yellow cards from the oppisition,. sometimes demoralising the opposing left back, and has more assists than any other of our players IINM. It's not a one - man team.
I get it 100% about that split second lost by stopping and switching feet, but let's face it : if he played on the left, raced past their right back and crossed with his left , the only person who could keep up with him would be Bowman !and that's not guaranteed .
And we keep repeating - would you drop Sparkes to make way for Williams? And who would you play on the right?
I think with the players we have it"s fine to play Williams on the right. The problem is not Williams

Do Watford think he's a League 2 player? I doubt they would have inserted the sell on clause if they believed that.
As for the other question, I've answered previously and if you can't be bothered to read or remember that's for you to sort out.