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Post by spagbol74 on Aug 19, 2008 11:00:17 GMT
Had 3 choices last night: 1: Listen to it in BBC Radio Devon 2: Go down the Devonport & watch it (Would probably never set foot in that place, a bit of a hole) 3: Watch University Challenge & New Tricks Glad I chose number 3 by all accounts....  |
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Post by chesneygull on Aug 19, 2008 12:19:33 GMT
Hodges at Left back instead of Nicho will substantially reduce this tactic. Particularly with a left footer in front of him making space for the pass along the line or Hargreaves dropping back (from midfield) to collect. Rob, couldn't agree more. This change would instantly change things. How did Nico play when he came on against Woking? |
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Post by bitemebryn on Aug 19, 2008 12:35:06 GMT
Well after spending 6 hours trying to get out of a muddy field at V yesterday I eventually got home in time to watch the second half last night. Shocking is all I can say. I completely agree that CH should be moved back into Midfield, I also am waiting to see when this different approach will be used as all I am seeing is hoof ball again.
Off days happen and I'm not about to start panicking over that performance. BUT we have a decent squad there now and it's about time we saw it being used. Big changes for Saturday needed because otherwise those who aren't currently getting a start will be seriously wondering when they'll get a chance after seeing the starting 11 last night put in an absolute stinker of a nights work.
As for the crowd, well 2300 is what I'd have predicted for that game with the weather and TV. Booing at half time...no. Have a moan and voicing your opinion on the final whistle, YES defiantly. Supporting is one thing, being made a mug of is another.
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Post by crooky on Aug 19, 2008 13:02:50 GMT
Hodges at Left back instead of Nicho will substantially reduce this tactic. Particularly with a left footer in front of him making space for the pass along the line or Hargreaves dropping back (from midfield) to collect. Rob, couldn't agree more. This change would instantly change things. How did Nico play when he came on against Woking? Hodges started the season at Histon in the left back position and if my memory serves me correctly of that match we still lacked width but were not so blatantly long ball. Think it's wrong just to point the finger solely at Nicholson for this tactic. I focused on him earlier in this thread because for me he was the most prominent user of this tactic last night. The fact of the matter is that basically the whole side seem to treat the ball as if it's a bloody hot potato. I liken our situation to that of when Capello took over at the England job. The first thing he highlighted was the sides lack of ability to retain the ball. People then slagged him off when he stated the 1-0 defeat in Paris against France was a big step forward. Yes, he may well have lost, but his side dominated possession against a very good side away from home. Possession breeds confidence, not to mention the considerable contribution it makes into to wearing the opposition down. I have no doubts that in time the results will follow for Capello. Mr Buckle...Please take note. |
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Post by harrogategull on Aug 19, 2008 14:46:33 GMT
To change the subject to what Dave R mentioned earlier about, if the site is really worth the bothering with due to the low number of postings, I would rather read 2 quality postings per day, than read posts from the 100 obnoxious kids on the other site. Keep up the great work Dave and this site will grow. Totally agree it is the quality not quantity that is important. I rarely post but am often logged in as it is easier to keep track of what has recently been posted. If i am able to contribute i will but will not make pointless or worthless posts. Keep up the good work Dave, this is an excellent site with excellent contributions but do not take it to heart if you see me logged in but not posting. |
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Post by capitalgull on Aug 19, 2008 14:46:54 GMT
Crooky is spot on about that - at the end of the day, Nicholson can't go short to a midfielder if there isn't one to hand to take the ball. It's not as if Mansell doesn't do exactly the same thing from right-back and Todd doesn't do exactly the same thing from centre-back.
If they are told what to do by the manager what else can we expect them to do? It's not as if Buckle is on the sidelines calling out his players for hitting the ball long, and Shaun North seems to like that very tactic based on listening to him closely at Newton Abbot - in fact it was about all he seemed to add to the equation which makes us, as for the second half of last season, very predictable.
If I had been forced to name a MOTM last night, I'd have actually gone for Nicholson. I thought he kept Ricky Shakes fairly quiet, and although he was one of the guilty parties for not closing down Luke Moore for the first goal, he did little else wrong defensively. But a MOTM award for last night was more of a LCMOTM (least crap being the first two words of course!!)
He also impressed me with his distribution against Woking, although I prefer to have Hodges there when fit. No sleight against Nicholson after the stalwart like efforts he put in in nearly 60 games last season - Hodges just brings more quality. But I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to see Hodges playing centre-back when fit since PB now seems to have this thing for having a left-sided centre-back in his back-four.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Aug 19, 2008 15:03:00 GMT
geddingtongull & harrogategull, welcome to both of you to the forum and thanks for your kind words, don't worry Dave R is normally of sound mind. I did not just take over the forum as you know, I set it up with real objectives into how it would run and the type of environment I wanted to create for the members. It is very important to me, so you can understand why I really want it to work. I know some will only be readers, but I do worry if there are too few posts, some will just stop coming to the forum.
I would hope there will come a time, when I can sit back and post a little less than I do now, I do so only to try and knit everything together. The forum is still only a baby and I really am so pleased with the members it has and the quality of posts that are made and for that I really should be grateful. So sorry for my little outburst yesterday.
Dave
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Aug 19, 2008 15:07:14 GMT
I'm not sleighting Nicholson for it. As a big fan of Sills also, it seems that with both of them in the side, this tactic is employed with regular predictability and limited effect.
I agree he had nobody wanting it inside and nobody on the left making runs for the pass either.
Little wonder it happens, really.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Aug 19, 2008 15:24:15 GMT
tufcwewillbeback, I think not sorting out a decent right back to start this season, was one very big mistake, I have to agree about how Mansell, played so well in midfield for us. A real box to box player, something Thompson or Wroe won't give us.
I could understand last season having to play him as the right back, as it had become the problem position, but why keep him there? It has been said by many how we seem to have brought to many new midfield players into the club. I think we really only needed two, we should have stuck with Hargreaves and Mansell, plus also having Hodges and maybe Thompson.
We would then have been able to sign a center back and a right back, to have much better cover in defense. Thinking about the right back spot, does anyone think that maybe Carlisile could do a good job there, just a thought, if he could and get Mansell adding more bite to the midfield, might be a way to go.
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Post by crooky on Aug 19, 2008 16:21:23 GMT
Maybe it was just down to players losing form etc the 2nd half of last season, but you could certainly state a case that we were by far a better attacking force when Mansell was in the midfield? Think we could well see him in midfield on Saturday personally. Also slightly alarming was I recently viewed the career stats of all midfielders at the club and I can say is that if the strikers don't perform I it's hard to see where many other goals are going to come from.
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merse
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Post by merse on Aug 19, 2008 16:47:34 GMT
 What is the opinion of those who saw him playing right back in pre-season, of Thompson playing there and Mansell being returned to the midfield box to box role he is so good at? I'm sure Hodges (if fit) could do a job at left central defender on Saturday alongside Ellis and to me that would be a balanced defence with Nico at left back. We've got to get rid of the notion that we can get away with playing TWO weaklings in a BSP side so Stevens has to go - he's hopeless playing on the left, no way can he hold the ball up and to me he's just a pint sized novelty act. Ditto Benyon, until he gets down to building himself up he'll continue to cost us possession in three out of four games. This is a tough old league and he just doesn't cut it. The only way to maximise Sills is to play the ball to his feet, he has the "pace" of a tortoise and what with having to carry Benyon his task looked hopeless last night, but he does have obvious strengths and as with all strikers we can only maximise them them if we play to them and likewise we need to accommodate his weaknesses i.e. with his lack of pace DON'T put the ball five yards in front of him! You can be as fit as you like, but constant losing of possession will render the fittest of sides puffing and blowing as they constantly have to chase the ball. Likewise if the ruddy thing keeps coming back because of the ineptitude of Stevens and Benyon in attempting to hold it up the same applies.
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Post by tufcwewillbeback on Aug 19, 2008 16:50:47 GMT
Maybe it was just down to players losing form etc the 2nd half of last season, but you could certainly state a case that we were by far a better attacking force when Mansell was in the midfield? Think we could well see him in midfield on Saturday personally. Also slightly alarming was I recently viewed the career stats of all midfielders at the club and I can say is that if the strikers don't perform I it's hard to see where many other goals are going to come from. When Mansell was in midfield he constantly pressured teams off the ball and, although he is not a technically sensational player his work allowed Hargreaves to assert his authority and control games from the midfield. I have to say that Buckle has seroiusly limited his options this season. Last season we could get away with Long Ball tactics because we had a strong, hard working forward in Phillips and a forward thinking winger in Zebs. Sills will always win the ball in the air but now there is no one to run onto his long ball flick ons. Therefore if we play long ball then we are very unlikely to score goals this season. We have to, therefore, play football. Personally I am worried about how talented some of our players are. If we are going to play good football then we need players who are competent enough to do so. Is anyone now thinking that selling Phillips was a mistake? |
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Post by bhamgull on Aug 19, 2008 17:15:01 GMT
have to agree we were really poor last night. agree with merse entirely that stevens and benyon shouldn't be starting. both, sadly, are just too weak for this league. For me, Carayol and Dsane should take there places. From previous records Sills and Dsane appear to have an excellent scoring partnership (and Green hasn't really impressed as of yet), and Carayol frightens defenders (something Stevens lacks due to his stature).
I was confined to the TV screen to watch the game, and found myself agreeing with Paul Parker, one of our central midfielders needs to get forward more, Mansell (although rarely a scorer) was frequently right up the pitch trying to create chances, whereas Wroe and Thompson (much like Hargreaves and Adams/Hockley were last season) are trying to create from much further back. I don't think the answer is to return Mansell to midfield, rather just encourage Wroe to get forward more as I believe he has the qualities to be a good attacking midfielder.
On the subject of Mansell, he showed his frailties last night, as soon as Ebbsfleet first goalscorer picked up the ball I knew we were in trouble. He simply can't deal with someone running at him with pace. RB is for sure the position that needs to be sorted.
Other than RB though i feel we have a pretty good squad, I only hope Buckle can field the best team and soon. There are hints on .com which suggests some players will come in and get their chance, it will be very interesting to see who, if anyone, does indeed come in.
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Post by crooky on Aug 19, 2008 17:25:21 GMT
How about leaving Sills out. That ought to change the way we play football?
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Aug 19, 2008 18:29:58 GMT
tufcwewillbeback
You asked was selling Phillips was a mistake?
I think the answer after our first three games is a very big yes.
What I found very strange at the time, was the way fans just seemed to accept the news, he was leaving. Very few questions asked as to why and nothing really said by the club. Here we had a player who signed a three year contract, I don't think, if he just wanted to leave Exeter and just find a club for one year, while he looked for a better move he would sign for three years.
Sure it was Merse, who seemed to suggest that Buckle was not happy, that Phillips did not carry out, his instructions for the Exeter play off games.
So the question is was there a bust up? did Buckle some how blame some of the players for not getting the result that we should have. What about Phillips, did he just not bother to carry out those instructions, or simply could he not change his game to suit the requirements asked of him.
I did read on here one members views, who felt Sills and Phillips ran around for half an hour, not knowing what they were really supposed to be doing. So If that was true , who really was to blame for making changes that the players could not adapt too.
This brings me on to my next point, does a manager, decide what style of play we wants his team to play, then go and find the players who could play that way? Or does he get the best players he is able to, then play the style best suited to those players.
You take Steve Cooper, he often had long high balls pumped up to him, but you always knew he would win the ball and he would head it out on to the left wing. Even Kevin Hill at his best, was found out wide on the left, long high balls played to him, once again winning the header and directing the ball toward the box.
Look at A Williams, how many goals did he score for Barry. Came here got a hat trick on his first game and not a great deal after that why? Well because we never played the game suited to his style and what he really was best at. There was one game, sure someone will tell me the game it was, when he came on around the 91min, he had two balls played to him, that were the sort of balls he never got all season. He scored both of them, as I think we had about four Min's of injury time added on.
So the real question I ask is, should the manager, really start to look at what our players really are best at and style our game around their best ability's.
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What is the opinion of those who saw him playing right back in pre-season, of Thompson playing there and Mansell being returned to the midfield box to box role he is so good at?