Match Day Thread versus Exeter

Well last weekend was a big deal and as it approaches this weekend is beginning to feel a bit of the same. I know we can beat Exeter but I also know they are going to go all out to derail the Argyle train. They are going to raise their game a notch or two. I have read somewhere that the Ref for this one is a bit of a fussy git and likes to brandish a few cards around as well. Not the best news for a derby I've ever heard.

On the plus side Adams has said he is seeking to extend the loan of Matt to the end of the season. I am a bit puzzled with Matt if I'm honest. He seems to put himself about a bit and has scored 2 in 2 so you can't argue with that. But, for a big fast bloke he does take a bit of time to get a head of steam up. He is a bit slow to react is what I mean by that and isn't the best at setting off and hoping the ball reaches him or goes where he's running. I like him though and hope he stays.

The other games for the contenders this weekend look winnable so it is a bit of finger crossing and hope the teams expected to fail buck the trend. As long as it isn't our opposition of course.

 

Anything can happen in local derbies and I'd settle for a point, no injuries and no suspensions right now I think, if it was on offer.

The next few could be easier: away at Portsmouth and Orient particularly and even at home to Wimbledon isn't a foregone conclusion. Fingers remain crossed.

 

I've been having discussions with other boards about run ins and supposed easy games and hard games. I don't think the game at Portsmouth for example will be any easier than the home game against Hartlepool. They are all can be lost or won with the same ease for me. I keep pointing out our prediction league and how often people end up with very few points in the season with their predictions. Reason being the results don't go according to the league positions. Portsmouth 0 - 3 Newport is one very good example. We could win them all or we could win none the same as all of the rest of the teams. One step at a time and 3 points tomorrow is the first step. Not interested in 1 point unless all the others lose.

 

Off to Sid James Park with No 2 and yes we are on the Black Pasty with the chairman and some people fairly close to the club. Best thing is we get a police escort all the way from Haldon Hill to the ground and out afterwards so far quicker than any other method of travel. Stood in the away end so bound to have a horrible afternoon-just hope we get a positive result. Feeling good, 2-1 to us with a brace from Reuben. That said, I would be more than happy with a point!

 

Bleddy name dropper................you won't get out faster if the pasty breaks down.

A point is defeatist talk. I watched an old film a week or so ago called "Oh what a lovely War" which was thought a bit of a spoofy comedy in it's day but was infact an anti war film at it's best. Statement from General Haig regarding losses in one day and answer to a question should we stop sending troops over the top. Quote "We have a greater population than Germany and they are losing men quicker than we are. When they have 5000 left we will have 10000 and therefore we will have won". That's the sort of spirit we want.

 

Germany's population is now bigger than ours.....does that mean they've been breeding like rabbits since WW1.....plus a million extra refugees recently as well.

 

Bottled it at Accrington ......and now at Exeter......goals win games and Argyle cannot score enough when on top.....down to 4th with a slipping goal difference.

Six lost points that would have made us comfortable in second......we where 2nd today until Exeter scored their first.......

 

I don't believe we are going to make it, which is astonishing given where we were at Christmas.

 

Just been reading some of the comment about this game......seems we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

 

I hate to say it but I can see a change of goalkeeper on the cards. Seems ECFC's first goal was savable . We haven't been secure at corners etc . We all wondered why Adams brought a 2ND keeper in. This may be the final straw.

 

Totally gutted. ...what the hell is going on!

 

Then why ìs Boeteng back and hardly plays...

 

That is down to poor tactics from the manager i imagine.

 

Bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox bollox.......10 minutes to go and we were winning and sitting pretty. Completely ruined my weekend now.

I still say we can make it. What a load of bottlers you all are. And you call the players that just read your own posts. When we win a couple like last weekend then it's all smiles and possibilities. Lose one and we are doomed I say. Have a bit of faith for christ sake at least for now.

 

So, an eyewitness view. Deliberately haven't visited the other sites yet but I can imagine it is all doom and gloom.

Same lineup as was victorious versus York, and in a scruffy first half Argyle were by far the better team - at least in terms of possession. Stood in the awful away end at St James park the ball was rarely in our half and fairly sure Luke didn't have a save to make. At the other end we had a few half chances but again we didn't seriously threaten the net although Reuben bullied their defense from start to finish. Second half more of the same to start with, and the game was starting to open up a little. Reuben out muscled their defense once again, and the ball broke to Matt who finished clinically, and gave a well deserved lead to the greens-much to the delight of the Green Army.
Sadly the same old frailties appeared again, Argyle sat further back and invited a pretty poor Exeter team back into the match. First goal came initially from a misplaced clearance from Gary Sawyer, but even so Luke should have done better, the shot was a long way out, on his near post and he must have seen it all the way from impact. Whatever, inexplicably it ended up in the net and Exeter suddenly had belief. As full time beckoned we dropped further back and decided not to challenge for the second goal and the ball flew past Luke - it was Accrington all over again.

Reuben had a rare good match and seems to have forged a decent partnership with Matt who is very much 'Johnny on the spot' at the moment.Reuben gets my MOTM. Jervis was absolutely abysmal from start to finish and it pains me to say that, but yet again his defensive play was non existent and when attacking he just falls over. No idea why he was on the park. The rest did okay.

However, for whatever reason we now seem incapable of defending a lead , had we not capitulated at Barnet, Accrington and now Exeter we would probably have been assured of automatic promotion, but now it is a scrap for the last six matches(I happen to think we will still finish 3rd!). Not sure what the reason is, but it seems to be more in the mind rather than player performances, tactics or formation.

I've seen DA's post match comments, but you only deserve to win football matches if you score more than the opposition. From memory they had 3 shots on target. Luke saved well for one but picked the others out of the net, that was enough to beat us. We were, by some distance, the better team-but that doesn't win matches.

Move on- reckon 4 wins from 6 should be okay!

 

Oh, and further to the above, I think Boateng should start next match if we play 4-4-2. Mchugh seemed a bit lost in that formation today. Yes Luke should have done better for the first and has had a few iffy moments in recent weeks but there is absolutely no way that he should be dropped. He has still saved us far more points than he has made mistakes. Am not even sure we bottled it, we just seem to 'lose our way' in the last quarter of matches. It's not to do with fitness either but for whatever reason we seem to stop doing all the good things we do for the first 3/4 of the match. Answers on a postcard.

 

4 wins from 6..... but then

 

We could still finish 2nd.. we do need to kill teams off when we are in front.. Some one will get a good beating soon i hope..

 

Agree Sensible. ...but lets get tonight's session over at least.

 

The answer to your last question is it's down to the Manager to sort out lyndhurst. That's what he's paid for.

And that would be 6 wins from 6 hp not 4.