Match Thread - Exeter City v Port Vale

[Heatwave]

We technically can't make the play-offs now. The dream is over.

 

Just waiting until we make official mid table mediocrity. That'll do me this season.

[JohnJames]

That first call from Jim was amazing!!

 

He’s like that every time he rings in. I like the woman who said the Coates family didn’t care about the club.

[philpvfc]

Thought we played OK but didn’t test their keeper once. Showed no attackive threat until Pope came on and even then it was hopeful long balls in to the box.

[Jacko51]

Thought we played OK but didn’t test their keeper once. Showed no attackive threat until Pope came on and even then it was hopeful long balls in to the box.

 

What about the Conlon free kick? They were the better side but had an astonishing capacity to fall over in an attempt to get Vale players sent off. Hannant became a particular target for this after he'd been rightly booked. The "foul" for the penalty was a joke - the sort of thing that is done on Tom Pope ten times a game without any sanction by the ref.

[blackdog]

What about the Conlon free kick? They were the better side but had an astonishing capacity to fall over in an attempt to get Vale players sent off. Hannant became a particular target for this after he'd been rightly booked. The "foul" for the penalty was a joke - the sort of thing that is done on Tom Pope ten times a game without any sanction by the ref.

 

Apparently the Ref was coming back from a 6 month injury lay off,that explains his ring rust and poor decision making.

[Conrad]

Apparently the Ref was coming back from a 6 month injury lay off,that explains his ring rust and poor decision making.

 

Was it a brain injury.?

[melv]

Was it a brain injury.?

. A brain injury to a ref???

[Erniemossrules]

. A brain injury to a ref???

 

No he was suffering from stress because people keep calling him a w@nker every week and questioning his parentage.

[Upfromnowhere]

Safety is all that matters and considering where we were a couple of months ago little else matters, so am not moaning in the slightest.

However without knowing why, we have definitely changed tactics these past few weeks. Prior to that we were pressing from the front, and offensively had a genuine front three. We were all then discussing how hard it would be for Pope to play in side where energy and fitness were prerequisites. However recently we haven't been doing that, and for the last 2,3 matches, that three has returned to a 'one' and Miller, like Popey before him, has had no-one anywhere near him, has received little support and certainly has had no chances created for him, and if the rest of the season is going to follow suit, the skipper is surely better suited to that role?

Worryingly, esterday (coincidentally without Manny?) there was no creation full stop, which, on the assumption he is given or indeed wants the job, is the one area Askey has to surely resolve for next season, because even Pope was similarly starved of service when he came on.

Did we deserve to win, no not really. In fact it was Exeter, especially in the first half, who did all the pressing, and as we were previously doing did so much higher up the pitch and in fairness looked a very decent team.

The penalty looked beyond soft which didn't help, but one free kick apart, we never looked like getting anything from the game, and as for the second OMG, just stand back and applaud.

Personally didn't think Howkins or Crooke covered themselves in glory, but tis surely nitpicking I guess as we're safe, and that's the first objective confirmed.

Now we can only sit back and keep everything crossed that ownership, management confirmation and summer recruitment can all be equally and as positively confirmed

[philpvfc]

What about the Conlon free kick? They were the better side but had an astonishing capacity to fall over in an attempt to get Vale players sent off. Hannant became a particular target for this after he'd been rightly booked. The "foul" for the penalty was a joke - the sort of thing that is done on Tom Pope ten times a game without any sanction by the ref.

 

Forgot about the freekick but tbf it was one the keeper should be saving.

They had the ref in their pocket, they were the biggest cheats I’ve seen for a long time, faking injury and going down all the time. I heard a steward say they have had the ref before and he was hopeless then, they did their research and knew how to play him.

[Jacob_123]

Safety is all that matters and considering where we were a couple of months ago little else matters, so am not moaning in the slightest.

However without knowing why, we have definitely changed tactics these past few weeks. Prior to that we were pressing from the front, and offensively had a genuine front three. We were all then discussing how hard it would be for Pope to play in side where energy and fitness were prerequisites. However recently we haven't been doing that, and for the last 2,3 matches, that three has returned to a 'one' and Miller, like Popey before him, has had no-one anywhere near him, has received little support and certainly has had no chances created for him, and if the rest of the season is going to follow suit, the skipper is surely better suited to that role?

Worryingly, esterday (coincidentally without Manny?) there was no creation full stop, which, on the assumption he is given or indeed wants the job, is the one area Askey has to surely resolve for next season, because even Pope was similarly starved of service when he came on.

Did we deserve to win, no not really. In fact it was Exeter, especially in the first half, who did all the pressing, and as we were previously doing did so much higher up the pitch and in fairness looked a very decent team.

The penalty looked beyond soft which didn't help, but one free kick apart, we never looked like getting anything from the game, and as for the second OMG, just stand back and applaud.

Personally didn't think Howkins or Crooke covered themselves in glory, but tis surely nitpicking I guess as we're safe, and that's the first objective confirmed.

Now we can only sit back and keep everything crossed that ownership, management confirmation and summer recruitment can all be equally and as positively confirmed

 

Completely disagree. Exeter is the only one where we played differently... watch the Pope interview when he talks about people saying exactly what you’ve just said I believe his line was “oh shut up”....

[valefan16]

Askey explained why the high press didn’t happen today in his interview post match, essentially because Exeter’s back line go direct so don’t hold onto the ball long enough to press it.

 

Good exercise in learning now ahead of next season that we need to find other ways against teams like that of being effective.

[Fosse69]

Askey explained why the high press didn’t happen today in his interview post match, essentially because Exeter’s back line go direct so don’t hold onto the ball long enough to press it.

 

Good exercise in learning now ahead of next season that we need to find other ways against teams like that of being effective.

 

Not always possible to dictate play, so variety and adaptability have to be built in, takes time and having players who can cope. There will always be bogie or difficult teams to play against at our level, just reduce the number of such teams by adapting formation.

[Upfromnowhere]

Completely disagree. Exeter is the only one where we played differently... watch the Pope interview when he talks about people saying exactly what you’ve just said I believe his line was “oh shut up”....

 

That makes it right then does it?

 

I disagree. I am of the opinion that we have been playing one up front, by design or forced to by the different tactics used by the opposition for the last three matches and yesterday was no different to the first half against Northampton and certainly 90 minutes of the Crewe game, and I was simply trying to point out.

Once again and only IMO, if we are to continue doing that Popey should most certainly be starting instead of Miller...no big deal is there?

 

I am also of the opinion, that at least two possibly three players, one of them (along with their left back I think it was) was Hanno, should, could have easily been sent off yesterday as well, but that it doesn't make me right or wrong, just what my eyes tell me

[Warren]

Kay in midfield again. What is the point in going to the game.