Evenin' all. Just back from the game. Given our performances against ten men last season I feared the worst when Nardiello got himself sent off ( will cost him a few weeks' wages I bet). We had to be very patient and at least we didn't resort to the long ball. Our build up play caused some around me to go ballistic that we weren't getting the ball forward quick enough. I was pretty happy with it, although perhaps we overplayed a tad at times. Anyway, a result that sees us back to joint top of the table...surely that's something to be pleased about. Regarding the perfomance of individuals: Hamer looked sound enough. Morrison and Taylor in the middle did their job tidily and without fuss again. Both tried to play the ball out or bring it forward. Wiggins still worries me. He make elementary mistakes. Solly was man of the match. Could have had a couple of goals but is looking so solid. Midfield - Stephens and Hollands probing, putting their foot in. Nice finish from Stephens after Monday's miss. Jackson fairly average. Wagstaff. A concern that when he gets the ball the move seems to break down. Outmuscled and still disappoints with his final ball. Hayes, despite an integral role in our first goal was off the mark today. Had an opportunity for a one on one but overhit his touch. Disappointing. BWP. Scored, linked play, chased and harried. Would still like a different option up front to come off the bench.
i thought hayes had a 'mare. solly again was brilliant, i really do think arsenal bought the wrong right back. he can shoot too. glad the fans gave him his own song. something today wasnt quite right. the whole stadium seemed subdued, maybe because we werent excited to be playing exeter. but our game needs to be upped 'cos we really struggled against a team at the bottom who only had ten men. we do need another option up front, me personally, i'd like to see pritchard come on for hayes. the euell sub is becoming predictable and it offers nothing. i hope the loan rumours of paynter is true, hayes needs a rocket up the arsenal.
Really pleased for Stephens to score a good goal which will put that miss out of mind. Thought Hollands could have got forward a bit more considering we were a man up. And it WASN'T a goal their no. 10 is an idiot. MOM for me I'd split between Solly and BWP. Hope Danny Green gets better soon, Waggy is not a winger and looked better in the last few minutes when he moved inside.
More than happy I thought Hayes did well first half faded in the second but he works hard and his partnership with BWP will flourish. Solly excellent today as he`s been all season. The atmosphere in the north upper was good. Wiggins struggles at times cos jackson plays inside rather than wide . Exeter play neat passing football hope they stay up. Joint top so i`m happy. I saw MK lost to sheff wednesday who according to some on here were a very poor side,best MK fansaint slashing their wrists and moaning after just 1 defeat in 7 games. Charlton by the way are still undefeated...U N D E F E A T E D .
nardello is a player i like goes in hard what we are lacking a bit up front me thinks very experienced striker been around a bit like cureton
i did say on my previous thread hayes looks out of sorts theirs no one up front to help poor bwp ,who in my view is carrying most of the work himself.Cp certanly needs a striker i stick by what i said some one of pittman ilk at bristol city could do a fine job for us what about clinton morrisson not getting games regually at sheff wed come on guys think of some strikers we could take a serious look at???
I'm still not sure about Hayes he seems to know what to do and always looks for the little flick or killer pass but it doesn't seem to be coming off for him lately whether thats just his lack of ability or not being on the same wavelength as others I still don't know. Solly was brilliant again and at this stage of the season he is already making a claim for player of the season, lets hope he can keep it up and prove the doubters wrong! Waggy was poor again for me, his inability to beat his full back and deliver a good final ball frustrates me and had it not been for his early goals he probably would of been dropped by now. I love the interchange of passing between Stephens, Hollands and Jackson they all look so composed on the ball its great to final have ball playing midfielders. What did people think of the Exeter chance? over the line or not? From where i was i thought it was in but ohhhh well thats the luck of champions!!
The Exeter 'goal' looked more over the line than not, but not sure whether it was 100% over the line. I would love to know what Nardiello said to the assistant though, the people at the front of the East stand would have heard everything! I thought our midfield lookoed a bit pedestrian today, both Hollands and Stephens seemed to drift around the centre, with neither driving forward enough. Prithchard should have come on for one of them earlier (IMHO) Hayes had a poor second half, while I'm still unsure about whether Euell carries enough goal threat as a 3rd or 4th striker.
Agreed Sir John. good post Very Pleased that we stuck to plan A and were patient. Maybe the fact that Exeter liked to play helped us in that respect. Waggy is too one dimensional to play on the right and is better suited to an impact role in my opinion. His movement off the ball is so ineffectual. Hayes is a frustrating player - he's clearly got something, but to me it seems his mind doesn't match his ability (a bit like Mooney...) As for the bench, Benno should come back in when he's fit - and with the new 5 sub limit I really think Chrissy should be brave and not take a spare keeper. Honourable mention to Paul Tisdale and Steve Perryman's Style Council!
Apparently Nardiello said something along the lines of 'Oi, Lino you stupid pr**k. That was over the fu***ng line, you cheating c**t. Allegedly.
According to the official twitter feed there goal was over the line, but only after watching stop motion replays. They also found that sollys goal also crossed the line.
Great performance today, I felt fine just with the ball passing it around. How some of the fans complained when we passed it back to the keeper in the first half I'll never know, if we keep the ball they cannot score, Brighton did it last year, why can't we? Midfield looked solid today, I was fuming all match about Jackson to go wide rather then inside as he had been all first half, luckily I think Powell told him and in the 2nd half he was wide a lot more. Defence looked pretty solid in my opinion, the odd chance for them but nothing major, first clean sheet for Hamer. Hayes I thought was decent today, he likes his fancy flicks and he may get stick when they don't come off but when they do they work a treat, i.e first goal and a few chances as well. Agree the sooner Green back the better, should make Waggy a striker now. BWP good as always. Oh and the goal? From my seat in the north west stand looked like Hamer stopped it on the line quite clearly, no way all of it crossed the line, Nardiello is a ****** for doing that, referee won't change his mind will he? So why then give the lino abuse? Stupid idot but anyway, looks like we're coming together WE ARE GOING UP!
I'm not convinced the ball was completely over the line I think CP may have been sympathising with Exeter suggesting the ball had crossed the line fully Whether it was a hard earned 3 points or not it's a fixture we lost last season we've won this time around
Nice birthday present (for tomorrow) - we played a lot of attractive football today, but for me too much of it was lateral and we lacked forward momentum, or else we would have buried them. I felt for Hayes today, much of his shielding/laying off was top class, but the first touch stuff just wasn't there. Nardiello just defies belief. From where I was sitting, the ball clearly crossed the line, but you make your protest and move on, you don't keep verbally abusing the linesman until you get a straight red - very silly. I agree with Solly as MoM, with BWP not far behind, he's really getting through some work this season. Worries/concerns about Wiggins whose form seems to be patchy and Wagstaff who ran out of ideas too many times today. Biggest worry though is Hamer, who scares the life out of me. Can't believe we paid money for him. Also would have liked to see more of Pritchard. Exeter had method and work rate on their side but precious little else - unrecognisable from the team that took us apart last season, but then again so are we. Unbeaten and as close to the top as makes no difference - excellent.
My moot points are - Solly was fantastic - again! Hayes seems to have an aversion to shooting. A few times it opened up for him and he should have had a crack, but bottled it. Hamer was very good. Composed and better kicking. Stephens' best game since Notts Co. Wish he would good forward more. Jackson is a good player but is wasted out on the wing. Exeter could well have beaten us with eleven players. Pleased with our patient, probing play. The bench needs jazzing up. It does not excite me. Happy tonight.
waggy and jackson where very poor today anyone else think that and would u shuffle the pack next game?
Forgot to mention - Preston must be taking us seriously for Tuesday - Phil Brown was at the match today, saw him round the back of the West Stand with an equally perma-tanned sidekick. Bring 'em on. Bring 'em all on...
