Brief Synopsis

[Nobby]

I've seen a few home games this season and some i've been left frustrated despite positive results. Last night, this was not the case. We were fantastic from start to finish.

The most pleasing thing for me was the intensity of the midfield in terms of pressing and how well the fringe players played after getting the call to start. The players are fighting for their places and that's what will keep our momentum going this year.

McCormick - 7 - Solid as ever.

Mellor - 7 - Nothing spectacular.
Hartley - 7 - Very solid.
Nelson - 8 - Dealt with Nichols excellently in the second half.
Purrington - 8 - Given he hasn't played in a while, he was excellent, especially against a good player in Joel Grant.

Boateng - 8 - Can't believe he's 19. So composed on the ball. An excellent talent.
Simpson - 9 - MOTM. He was everywhere. Good in possession, good engine and broke play up well. Tired at the end.

Wylde - 6 - Utterly frustrating. So dangerous all game but end product was never there.
Tanner - 9 - On the walk to the ground I said "I don't really rate Tanner". Shut me up! Fantastic. Much better centrally than wide.
Jervis - 8 - Felt sorry for him. The amount of times he sped down the right hand side in space and wasn't picked out was painful.

Reid - 6 - Drifted in and out. Didn't look fully fit to me, but a lot of others seem to think he was very good. Would score loads more if his movement was a bit more intelligent in the box. Get across your man.

All in all, it was great to beat them and to do it in such fashion makes it even sweeter. A really controlled and dominant performance with three key players missing. You can see the differences from last year in abundance, even the little things. The front 4 slotting into each others positions to keep the structure when we were defending. The warm up when we came on after the floodlight failure. Exeter booted a few balls about, we had Wotton out there running us through our paces.

I've got a really good feeling about this squad. Let's hope we can keep it up on Sunday, Adams has some difficult decisions to make because nobody deserves to be left out after last night.

 

[tonsk]

Glimpses of my long sought 'comfortable possession', City held at arms length for large periods, especially the first half.

Second half was more frustrating. We made them look good at times when by rights they should've been kept at arms length again.

Second goal went to us this time which made the frustration less scary. Might have been missed but an assist for the second goal for Craig Brewster. Just beforehand he came out to point out to Hartley that there was an outlet ball to Wylde available rather than the hoof upfield he dispatched. Seconds later Hartley again won possession in the box and this time he looked up and put Tanner away, the rest is history. Good coaching that :clap:

All round it ended conformably, a good performance. The score would've been more comfortable too if some of our players showed the composure to pass rather than go for a showboat shot, chief culprit Greg Wylde who I thought was awful.

MOM for me was Reuben, absolutely immense.

While it would have been a better option to pass on occasion, I am happy to see players having the confidence to take it on. For the last few seasons, the ball would have been laid off but the receiver would then lay it off again...and again until the chance was gone. A totally different mindset to this set of players.


tonsk

Fair enough as a general point but when the same individual keeps doing it with zero results whilst other players have busted a gut to get into better positions than where he was shooting from?

We had a three on one at one stage. Wylde was left and in possession with the one City defender on his heels and their keeper facing him. Jake and (I think) Brunt were central, unmarked and looking at an open goal.

OK so tonight it didn't matter that we didn't score it. But in tighter games to come, selfish glory hunting over team objectives will cost us points.

I'm all for positivity but i'm MORE for good decision making.

No real argument to that really, but I guess that is why the player is in this league rather than the prem?


tonsk

 

[Deacster]

After their performances tonight it will be tough on Purrington, Simpson and Tanner to be dropped for the game against Notts County but Adams has to bring back Sawyer, McHugh and Carey, unless Carey has an injury.

After the result itself, this is the next best news. It proves that further into winter when the yellow cards or injuries start to bite, the strength of the squad players will ensure the changes will be seamless.

That was my view, strength in depth was a concern but last night reassures, especially as the three missing are such key men in particular Carey. Also with decent players on the bench to come on such as Brunt, Cox and Harvey.

 

[Cobi Budge.]

Ex*ter aren't that of a bad side. They are a lot better than Crawley & Barnet. They tried to be a bit too tippy tappy, felt like watching a Carl Fletcher side, a bit of pretty football with no real penetration or chance creation. However, it wouldn't surprise me to see them mount a play off push & sneak in at 7th or something. That's what made the win more pleasing, not just because it was a derby, but because we comfortably beat & outplayed one of the better sides in the league. & it was a consistent performance, we were good for 90 minutes, not just 45.

It was definitely more a case of us being very good than Exeter being poor.

 

[GreenArmy1984]

The Next Installment of The Devon Derby Vs Exeter City is Saturday 21st November

Sure To be a fantastic day !!!

Already Bought Our Tickets :thumbs:

#DevonIsGreen :scarf: