Exeter Match Report

[August 64 0]

This game turned out to be pretty standard fare for the first friendly of a new season.

The sun was hot and the pitch in good shape.  For some reason the away standing area was closed off so all the Norwich fans were sat on the side of the pitch mixed in with Exeter fans.  The Norwich turnout was amazingly good with at least 200 and maybe even 300 of the 1500 crowd being Norwich fans.

Obvious absentees from the Norwich squad were Hucks, Etuhu, Lappin, Fotheringham, Ostemboor, Marshall, Gilks.

When you line up with Eagles at left back and a central midfield pairing of Doc and Spillane you know you are watching a friendly and with Chadwick wide on the left and Jamie and Dave the Striker up front most of the interest was in how we gelled going forward.  In reality we did not learn too much.  Dave looks to have an excellent touch but I thought that he looked bemused at times - but he needs these pre-season games.  Cureton looked as bright as a button and showed some good skills in beating men on the ground.  Problem was that in central midfield we were hopeless and Eagles is a terrible left-back.  Put Shacks alongside Eagles and it has disaster written all over it.  This fear came to pass as Exeter scored 2 very easy goals in quick succession against non existent defending and pretty ropey goalkeeping from Lewis.

Exeter could have added one or two more.  Dublin was working hard to try and organise those to his left.  By comparison Hughes at right back looked solid.

In the final 20 minutes of the half we managed to get more control and Chadwick got himself an equaliser. He and Croft caused some problems out wide and made up for the non-existant central midfield.

At half time the changes began.  Lewis off for Gallagher, Dublin off so that Doc could go into the back 4 and Eagles off to allow Drury on.  The defence looked far more comfortable then and Safri''s arrival meant that suddenly we were bossing the midfield instead of surrendering it.  Cureton only lasted the 45 minutes and Martin and Brown supplemented the front line where to my surprise Dave the S remained.

I would say that we had much the better of the second half without ever looking like scoring. Hughes hit the bar but that was a mishit cross!  Ryan Jarvis came on for Dave and even Halliday got a few minutes.  Meanwhile Smart gave us some interest on the right.

Overall it was a meaningless first friendly and a good session in hot conditions.  We learnt that the Doc is even worse in midfield than he is at the back, Spillane looked unfit to me, Eagles was slow and all at sea at left back, Shacks looks to have little confidence - has he advanced in the past 3 years? Cureton was the pick for me, Safs controlled the game, Martin looked sharp too, and as for Big Dave wll the jury will have to hold its verdict for a few weeks at least.  We may have a front line of a show pony and a shetland pony (albeit a quick goalscoring one).

Don''t read much into the team, formation, result or performance. It was holiday fare but pretty enjoyable all the same.

August 64

 

[Nick 0]

Hi patient fans. I was there too. Thought we were awful. I know it was the first game and maybe part of our responsibility to Flybe (they were there in force) but Doc in midfield?   I agree that Cureton did look interested; Dave too early to judge; the youngsters to a man were poor, even Martin, and given that again he was played out of position, I wonder whether if he is going to get a fair crack this term.   Grant and Duffy have their work cut out if we are to make a decent fist of the coming season!   Marks: Lewis - 6 (brave and stopped a couple of decent chances adding to our embarrassment) Hughes - 5 Hughes as usual Dublin - 6 Lots of voice, not much more Shackell - 6 Captain! but distribution still woeful Eagle - 3 Not a left back Croft - 6 Played a lot of minutes but remains unconvincing Doc - 1 -  first half in midfield; 5 in defence second half Spillane - 2 - anonymous Chadwick - 4 - scored but little else to note Cureton - 6 up for it but no end product Dave the Striker - 5 - tried hard but not in tune yet with team mates Second half Gal - 5 - nothing much to do except stop a needless punchup Hughes - see above Drury - 5 - not a lot to note Smart - 5 - fast but light weight Jarvis Junior - 5 - some good stuff but lots to learn Saf - 6 - made us look like we knew what we were doing but shooting and dead ball efforts were dire Martin - 6 - out of position but a class act is hidden therein Brown - 5 - looks good on the ball but also looks like a goal is a long way off  Jarvis Senior - 5 - tried but no end product   Halliday - too few minutes to comment on   the Fans - 10 - loads there and no moans (which would''ve been deserved in spades) I''m normally of the glass half full brigade but the levels of fitness and energy were very poor compared with non-league Exeter (especially in first 20 mins). Much better is expected!!

[Canarygeorge 0]

Excellent report 64.

The penultimate sentence cracked me up though. lol.

[Norwich R Us 59]

Experimenting with Doc in midfield...?Can''t help but feel that relates to the safri speculation....

[Pyro Pete 1,889]

[quote user="August 64"]

Overall it was a meaningless first friendly and a good session in hot conditions.  We learnt that the Doc is even worse in midfield than he is at the back

 

[/quote]Thanks for the report. I suppose it''s just a fitness exercise at this stage.We''ve had the misfortune of seeing Doc play in midfield in the league before now. I hope it''s not a contingency plan in case Safri leaves!

[Mark .Y. 351]

[quote user="Nick"]

Hi patient fans. I was there too. Thought we were awful. I know it was the first game and maybe part of our responsibility to Flybe (they were there in force) but Doc in midfield?   I agree that Cureton did look interested; Dave too early to judge; the youngsters to a man were poor, even Martin, and given that again he was played out of position, I wonder whether if he is going to get a fair crack this term.   Grant and Duffy have their work cut out if we are to make a decent fist of the coming season!   Marks: Lewis - 6 (brave and stopped a couple of decent chances adding to our embarrassment) Hughes - 5 Hughes as usual Dublin - 6 Lots of voice, not much more Shackell - 6 Captain! but distribution still woeful Eagle - 3 Not a left back Croft - 6 Played a lot of minutes but remains unconvincing Doc - 1 -  first half in midfield; 5 in defence second half Spillane - 2 - anonymous Chadwick - 4 - scored but little else to note Cureton - 6 up for it but no end product Dave the Striker - 5 - tried hard but not in tune yet with team mates Second half Gal - 5 - nothing much to do except stop a needless punchup Hughes - see above Drury - 5 - not a lot to note Smart - 5 - fast but light weight Jarvis Junior - 5 - some good stuff but lots to learn Saf - 6 - made us look like we knew what we were doing but shooting and dead ball efforts were dire Martin - 6 - out of position but a class act is hidden therein Brown - 5 - looks good on the ball but also looks like a goal is a long way off  Jarvis Senior - 5 - tried but no end product   Halliday - too few minutes to comment on   the Fans - 10 - loads there and no moans (which would''ve been deserved in spades) I''m normally of the glass half full brigade but the levels of fitness and energy were very poor compared with non-league Exeter (especially in first 20 mins). Much better is expected!!

[/quote]

Why is is that every season we get told how fit our team/squad are/will be and every season it seems to me that we are not as fit as others - evidenced by us often looking "tired" and conceding late goals. Something for PG to have a good look at I think.

Mark .Y.

 

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Nick"]

I know it was the first game and maybe part of our responsibility to Flybe (they were there in force) but Doc in midfield?

[/quote]

Doherty in midfield yet again?  Young Martin again played out of position to poor effect...

I mean, I am all up for giving Peter Grant a chance but I am not seeing much managerial ability in this particular scotsman.

 

[Canary in the Forest 0]

Excellent match report ,thank you.

Is glass half empty or half full or is it twice as large as it needs to be ?

Heard  Safri say on Thursday  "I haven''t left yet"[:D]