Exeter City vs Wycombe Wanderers Matchday Thread (Boxing Day 2023)

[Arthur Davey]

All I want for Christmas... https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/13037972/exeter-city-1-0-wycombe-wanderers-league-one-highlights

 

[Spanks]

Vil was very much the guilty party in the play that led to this particular altercation, and Aimson wasn’t nearly as aggressive or dismissive as other times this season. Vil was very much apologising, and rightly so.

Vil came for the ball and got it. He probably didn't need too but Aimson is like my wife. Can't move on and always has to turn round and have the last word. Get on with the game and stop waving your arms round.

To an extent. Vil wasn’t decisive, and eventually got the ball, taking Aimson with it. It was completely Vil’s mistake, and he acknowledged that.

 

[edwin_price]

Really don't like this picking on Aimson. Not seen anything to suggest he's less committed than anyone else. Not had the best season, but he's far from the bottom of the pile. Cut the guy some slack, he's a way from home, struggling with his game in a team that's struggling.

 

[Mid Devon Grecian]

Aimson/Vil also had spat when miscommunication happened over who was going for ball.

"Oops, sorry Vil" is that what you're expecting? I notice you're targeting boo boys favourite Aimson and mention nothing of Vil digging Chieck out when he sold him short with a backpass in the first half.
Of course it happens during a game but it hasn't been happening what I would call excessively which would in turn suggest the manager losing the dressing room.
[/QUOTE]
I’m not in the Aimson boo boys camp Ian. Rate him as a decent Lg1 centre back. Just pointing out there were a couple of times in the game that involved him which demonstrated a bit of discontent. Maybe just passion, who knows?

 

[arthur]

Just some observations.

The performance was very similar to the two previous home games against Shrewsbury and Port Vale. We had the better of the game but the crucial difference was we had a lad who knows his way around the penalty area in Sonny. He was unlucky in the first half with a near post run (Aitch actually made the same run) where the cross just cleared the both of them. For the goal, he was exactly where he needed to be after some positive play by Aitcheson and Cole. His all round play also pointed to the benefits of his loan spell. He still would be better with a lead the line striker (as would the rest of the team) but he occupied the two centre backs enough and showed more physicality which was needed from him. He got the reward his performance deserved.

Caldwell had a point when he got the yellow card. Rankine had been booked for clipping heels deep in their half stopping a counter (deliberate or not it's an automatic yellow). Jules was attacking towards their penalty area with plenty of support when he got chopped down, pretty cynically as it was nowhere near the ball, and no yellow card. It's not unreasonable to ask why. Normally a decent ref but showed some inconsistencies today. Our worst foul by Carroll escaped a yellow late on, and then the penalty decision . Thank goodness for Vil .

You know Wycombe can be a handful with balls into the box, and whilst they rarely threatened until the last 10 minutes, Cheick and Aimson defended the area well when they had to. Having Aimson on the right side today was a good choice. He came up with a few good far post headers with Vokes and, later, Lyle Taylor lurking behind him waiting to pounce. Yes we might have rode our luck late on when we inevitably became nervous. But they were kept in the game by two or three very good stops by their goalkeeper (can't be bothered to check the spelling ).

In my view the whole captain thing is overblown and more important to the fans than the players. The true leaders tend to lead with or without the armband. That certainly goes for Sweenz. Maybe it did relieve some of the pressure on Aimson though, although the booing when his name was announced probably put some back on again. Cole wore the armband well this afternoon. Interesting that GC name checked Cheick as well in this discussion.

The win is obviously big for the squad. It needs to be a springboard to bring more belief though and January is still going to be a big month in bringing in reinforcements to help, particularly in the final third. Especially with Trevitt now looking like he might be unavailable long term on top of what we needed anyway. We need those lead the line strikers to, not only make what we are trying to do work, but also to give us the ability to vary our tactics anyway. It is a bit of a chicken and egg thing. We all, including the coaching staff, want to see the ball delivered into the area (scoring zone) with quality and confidence. The players delivering the ball need to be able to look up and see that we have players in the area they believe are going to do something with it. Likewise, we need that lead the line player who gives everyone confidence that if it's knocked into him, he can hold it up, he can chase into the channels and bring others into play. Then the players have more confidence to go and support, go and run past him. Having that presence will make a positive difference. It won't solve all the problems overnight, but it will be a major step forward that will make us a better team.

Finally, it is just a relief to be able to celebrate a win again. It has been a far too long time. I don't think anyone thinks it hasn't been. I don't think anyone is getting carried away with it, least of all the players. But if you can't celebrate a 1-0 win with a last minute penalty save after not winning for ages, then when can you? Enjoy the moment, the players and especially Vil and Sonny deserved the moment today. And hopefully make sure we have more of those moments over the rest of the season. There is a lot of hard work to be done.

Excellent. I have only two things to add.

1. I thought Jules played well, and deserves mentions

2. There was a drum on the Big Bank

 

[larrywilkie]

Watch it all go tits up now Scott's on..

Did alright today I thought, apart from one incident when he got caught waiting for the ball on the half way line and allowed their player to nick it off him. Looked useful when he came on at Cambridge as well.

 

[manc grecian]

A couple of things that baffle me.

Short corners seemed to be all the rage with our defenders up yet long throws are allowed when there's nobody over 5ft in the box.

 

[milts]

I thought Scott did pretty well when he came on today. If I had a complaint, it would be that he was too ambitious and kept trying tricks, which risked conceding position, when we were already 1-0 up.

Really?

 

[Spanks]

A couple of things that baffle me.

Short corners seemed to be all the rage with our defenders up yet long throws are allowed when there's nobody over 5ft in the box.

Like the corner that has only two city players outside the Wycombe box… and one was Sonny…

And Jules was back for corners, but both Rankine and Niskanen were forward, Ilmari often at the back post. Wtf.

Some things we’re doing are just weirdly tin pot silly.

 

[manc grecian]

He was his usual brain dead self. Some nice touches, ridiculous attempt at keeping the ball in the corner and a couple of lazy fouls that didn't help us.

He's infuriating.