Exeter City (H)

[Johnnyrotten]

10 minutes ago, TM Trotter said:

Bench doesn't necessarily mean "back up" or "reserve" like it used to though. 

With 5 subs in the modern game, there's valid reasons to have someone like Gale on the bench, coming on against a full back who has had to defend Cissoko's stepovers (who won't, like we do, necessarily know that his final ball is poor!)

Would Gale have looked as fantastic yesterday if he had had to run at his man for 90 minutes? 

He looked pretty good v Wigan for an hour!  And Plymouth to name two (away games a different topic, as with most attackers).  If SS said he played Sissoko because he wanted a tricky winger as opposed to a fast, direct one, well I'll just say I'm surprised.  If we're in a play off final let's hope SS doesn't think its a game that will benefit from a tricky winger.

[burnden]

1 hour ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I'm going with Randall to Blackpool or Peterborough, McAtee to Barnsley or Wycombe 

 

Two i heard at the match yesterday mentioned as leaving in January were Morley to a Saudi team and that Preston had enquired again about George Johnston.

[Winchester White]

I used to have my doubts about Johnston but he's had a very good season so far so Preston can bugger off!

[JimmyRiddle]

2 hours ago, frank_spencer said:

Seeing it on the highlights it was a proper fuck up, when I saw it live I thought he had less time and space than he did. He just got it all wrong and perhaps a more experienced keeper would've dealt with it better. As a keeper a mistake is much more likely to lead to a goal than any other player. 

Can't see SS changing the set up of the side due to one mistake, if it was happening regularly then yes 

My thoughts too, maybe the ones he just has to come and clear remove any doubt? He had that much time he just seemed to get caught in two minds. 

Big up that the team got their teammate out of the shit, is how it should be for good teams. A goal against the run of play shouldn't detail the process as much as it has in the past, so maybe we're making progress with this too??

[Zog1]

1 hour ago, Winchester White said:

I used to have my doubts about Johnston but he's had a very good season so far so Preston can bugger off!

Heard something similar just before he got that bad injury the other year.

Was always clear to me atleast that the reason our centre backs looked so poor in the 12 months prior to Mr Ego leaving, was due to teams recognising explots in Ego's tactics, not really down to the centre back. Prime Cannavaro, Nesta, and Puyol would have looked bang average in that team. 

 

[batton carrier]

2 hours ago, JimmyRiddle said:

My thoughts too, maybe the ones he just has to come and clear remove any doubt? He had that much time he just seemed to get caught in two minds. 

Big up that the team got their teammate out of the shit, is how it should be for good teams. A goal against the run of play shouldn't detail the process as much as it has in the past, so maybe we're making progress with this too??

Spot on pal.

Keeper has had a brain fart but difference in this team and the one under evatt is we dont all stand around finger pointing and we get stuck in ,do our bit and sort it out. This team is a fucking team that are playing for each other this is a team that can pull a victory from the jaws of defeat this is a team that will get promoted.

 

Edited December 14, 2025 by batton carrier
Typo

[Whitesince63]

14 hours ago, burnden said:

 

Two i heard at the match yesterday mentioned as leaving in January were Morley to a Saudi team and that Preston had enquired again about George Johnston.

Johnston will deffo be on a few hit lists and I believe it was only his injury that prevented his move at that time. I’d hate to lose him he’s class at this level but a good offer will always be listened to at the moment. I think Forrester will go but more because he wants first team regular football than SS wanting to lose him. Like Johnno I’d be disappointed to see him leave because he’s our best Right Central Defender for me.

[Manchester_whites]

6 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

Johnston will deffo be on a few hit lists and I believe it was only his injury that prevented his move at that time. I’d hate to lose him he’s class at this level but a good offer will always be listened to at the moment. I think Forrester will go but more because he wants first team regular football than SS wanting to lose him. Like Johnno I’d be disappointed to see him leave because he’s our best Right Central Defender for me.

He’s a left Central Defender 

[Rival Son]

1 hour ago, Manchester_whites said:

He’s a left Central Defender 

That final comment related to Forrester, not Johnston.

[masi 51]

17 hours ago, TM Trotter said:

Bench doesn't necessarily mean "back up" or "reserve" like it used to though. 

With 5 subs in the modern game, there's valid reasons to have someone like Gale on the bench, coming on against a full back who has had to defend Cissoko's stepovers (who won't, like we do, necessarily know that his final ball is poor!)

Would Gale have looked as fantastic yesterday if he had had to run at his man for 90 minutes? 

Yes!!!!

[gonzo]

25 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Yes!!!!

He's not gonna shag you mate

[Lostock Whites]

13 hours ago, batton carrier said:

Spot on pal.

Keeper has had a brain fart but difference in this team and the one under evatt is we dont all stand around finger pointing and we get stuck in ,do our bit and sort it out. This team is a fucking team that are playing for each other this is a team that can pull a victory from the jaws of defeat this is a team that will get promoted.

 

Yeah and I know it's cliche and sometimes falls on deaf ears but as fans we really gotta get behind the team. And I'm not speaking about when we are winning and it's all rosey.

There's going to be times, even at home when somebody makes a mistake, we're losing and then you can hear everybody grumbling, moaning and putting pressure on our own players ie "GET IT FORWARD" shouts in the 30th minute.

Teddy's our number 1 goalkeeper and got player of the month. Makes one mistake and I see loads of comments questioning if he's the right man and or that he's not good enough. Just unbelievably fickle.

Schumacher has shown, even in his first few games last season that he's not like Evatt. We don't usually go behind, heads drop and then look hopeless at bringing a goal back or just end up getting battered (Swindon aside), although we are going to lose games of football, it happens.

He's shown he can change the majority of games with his substitutions just like on Saturday. 

Even before the equaliser the team came out 2nd half bang up for it, we were playing with such pace and intensity. I don't get the same feeling as I did under Evatt where we looked hopeless. 

Look what happened at Huddersfield. Probably the best support we've seen from our amazing away fans who didn't stop singing all 2nd half and gave the players extra energy to turn 0 points into 3.

I genuinely believe that we can look back at that game at the end of the season as a turning point. And that all happened when the positivity from the fans was being well heard. 

We have the biggest support in the league, gotta make the likes of Mansfield, Stevenage, Burton etc or whoever when they come to our place feel that they are under immense pressure from 20,000 home fans.

And that goes the same for the horrible referees in this league too. They are unreliable and have zero bottle about them. If/when we put pressure on them they are more likely to fold in our favour.

The referee on Saturday finally realised he had cards in his pockets especially after us fans were pressuring him more.

I guess like they say, we are in it together. 

Edited December 15, 2025 by Lostock Whites

[Whitesince63]

2 hours ago, Manchester_whites said:

He’s a left Central Defender 

Read it again, I was referring to Will Forrester but I agree I could have made it clearer! 🥴

[Manchester_whites]

5 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

Read it again, I was referring to Will Forrester but I agree I could have made it clearer! 🥴

Hands up, I read it wrong 🤦‍♂️

[Wanderlust]

53 minutes ago, Lostock Whites said:

Yeah and I know it's cliche and sometimes falls on deaf ears but as fans we really gotta get behind the team. And I'm not speaking about when we are winning and it's all rosey.

There's going to be times, even at home when somebody makes a mistake, we're losing and then you can hear everybody grumbling, moaning and putting pressure on our own players ie "GET IT FORWARD" shouts in the 30th minute.

Teddy's our number 1 goalkeeper and got player of the month. Makes one mistake and I see loads of comments questioning if he's the right man and or that he's not good enough. Just unbelievably fickle.

Schumacher has shown, even in his first few games last season that he's not like Evatt. We don't usually go behind, heads drop and then look hopeless at bringing a goal back or just end up getting battered (Swindon aside), although we are going to lose games of football, it happens.

He's shown he can change the majority of games with his substitutions just like on Saturday. 

Even before the equaliser the team came out 2nd half bang up for it, we were playing with such pace and intensity. I don't get the same feeling as I did under Evatt where we looked hopeless. 

Look what happened at Huddersfield. Probably the best support we've seen from our amazing away fans who didn't stop singing all 2nd half and gave the players extra energy to turn 0 points into 3.

I genuinely believe that we can look back at that game at the end of the season as a turning point. And that all happened when the positivity from the fans was being well heard. 

We have the biggest support in the league, gotta make the likes of Mansfield, Stevenage, Burton etc or whoever when they come to our place feel that they are under immense pressure from 20,000 home fans.

And that goes the same for the horrible referees in this league too. They are unreliable and have zero bottle about them. If/when we put pressure on them they are more likely to fold in our favour.

The referee on Saturday finally realised he had cards in his pockets especially after us fans were pressuring him more.

I guess like they say, we are in it together. 

Some of our fans are incredibly fickle and will turn on players/manager/board at the drop of a hat. Sometimes players are the best one week and the worst the next week. But I wouldn’t worry about it - seems like every club has people like that - and they tend to be the ones who don’t understand how fine the margins are between success and failure especially when the game is played at the pace of a professional league and under the pressure of professional opponents. I try not to think about it although it does irritate me when folk misread the game and make daft comments e.g. when a cross is marginally too high and the forward can’t quite reach it and some idiot says the forward should have done better - what’s he supposed to do? Bring his stepladders? 
You’re absolutely right that whatever happens we should back the team and encourage them even when they’re playing shit or make a gaffe - and the idiots who turn up to slag the team off should be silenced by the majority - we are SUPPORTERS and the clue is in the name.

Detractors are Ipswich fans.
 

[Johnnyrotten]

If anyone's on here that didn't go to the game they'll think the players were getting proper stick on Saturday.  That's miles from the truth.  If there was any booing at H-T I'm sure it was for the ref, obviously I can't be certain, but there was a negative reaction as soon as the board went up as 1 minute, and a minute later fans are obviously still angry about that and the H-T whistle was a natural trigger to show the officials what they thought.  I know a Bolton crowd when its angry at H-T and I'm absolutely certain that wasn't anywhere near one.  We can't vouch for individuals being idiots but that will happen in 100% of home league games we're losing at H-T.

And there seems to be an impression that TSL was getting some stick for his error.  Again, not true.

The atmosphere was fairly flat for the majority of the game as expected, it was Exeter!  But the general feel in the crowd was supportive, its nonsense if anyone thinks there was general or sustained negativity.

[auckland_bwfc]

Enjoyed Saturday, a toughed out win. Exeter defended like warriors up to our goal,  so many tackles and flying blocks that we should give ourselves credit for finally getting through. 

What stood out to me was the amount of crosses we put in... on the ground we where dragging it back too much / or our forwards where too far forward , the aerial crosses never seemed to be a threat until Dalby came on, we're lacking aerial power up top. 

I reckon Masons heat map would be interesting,  he seemed to be all over the pitch searching for the ball, like to see him stay central and .futher forward a bit more. 

Still 3 points. And on to Wycombe away / Duff team, a double nemissis of years gone by. Time to set that record straight. Up the wheets

[gonzo]

Wonder if Burstow and Dalby up top could work together?

Burstow was never a number 9 at Hull, he could maybe play Forss role?

Just a thought like 

[Big E]

48 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Wonder if Burstow and Dalby up top could work together?

Burstow was never a number 9 at Hull, he could maybe play Forss role?

Just a thought like 

I think the floor in that is Dalby struggles to hold the ball up 

[masi 51]

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

Wonder if Burstow and Dalby up top could work together?

Burstow was never a number 9 at Hull, he could maybe play Forss role?

Just a thought like 

Think McAtee is the Answer he needs to play off Someone like Burstow.......McAtee has never played alongside a Forward who can win the headers which McAtee never could

[gonzo]

38 minutes ago, masi 51 said:

Think McAtee is the Answer he needs to play off Someone like Burstow.......McAtee has never played alongside a Forward who can win the headers which McAtee never could

Not sure he'll still be with us come January....

[Eagle85]

+ Solid defence again, was Toal and Johnstons biggest critic early this season but both been fantastic.

+ Gale, can dribble, cross and finish. Particularly like his quality of delivery which compliments ACDs running ability, giving us multiple avenues to attack.

+ Forss work rate

+ Yes Exteter are shite, but breaking down that low block twice was far from easy.

+ Subs from SS, was frustrated no JDC especially when we needed the extra attacking threat going one down but having the option of Tutu there was a great alternative.

+ Sheehan again, knows when to pass backwards, knows when to spread it wide, knows when to do a little burst forward into space. 

- Burstow, he looks really lazy recently, lots of walking about sulking. Forss had to do much more running to cover for him. He worked really hard his first few games, theres no excuse for such a big drop in effort.

- Cissoko. Surely our 4th choice wide man now. We work so hard to get the ball to our wingers with enough space to cause damage, but when it comes to him he just stops then starts with the multiple unnecessary stepovers.

 

[jmjhb]

32 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Not sure he'll still be with us come January....

Can't see us loaning him out when we still owe on him. Same with Randall

[Traf]

1 hour ago, jmjhb said:

Can't see us loaning him out when we still owe on him. Same with Randall

Loaning them out reduces the wage bill slightly and frees up two squad places.

Works for me.

[Ani]

Did anyone notice that for large parts of the game Forss was the 9 and Burstow the 10 ?