Back from the Exeter game

[Jim Smith 2,314]

I thought it was an utterly demoralising game as we looked very ordinary against a team that worked hard and deserved their point but who are so much smaller than us that it felt like a pre-season friendly against Wroxham at times. Real dose of hard reality of what life in this division is going to be like. Nice place though Exeter!

First half they didn''t really cause us any problems but we weren;t exactly threatening either other than Cody failing to score having gone round the keeper and a header from the Dc he should have done better with. Once we got the goal i thought we would push on and win comfortably but we didn''t and were hanging ona  bit at the end. Midfield was non existent all game. Adeyemi barely touched the ball and should have been replaced much earlier but Butterworth showned no inclination to change anything or try and win the game at all. He has clearly been told he''s not in the running for the job as he didn''t appear to give a sh*t about winning that match.

We need a new manager by Tuesday because if its the same again then its not really worth us all turning up!

Askou was good. Thats about it.

[Mr. Bump 0]

[quote user="Jim Smith"]

I thought it was an utterly demoralising game as we looked very ordinary against a team that worked hard and deserved their point but who are so much smaller than us that it felt like a pre-season friendly against Wroxham at times. Real dose of hard reality of what life in this division is going to be like. Nice place though Exeter!

First half they didn''t really cause us any problems but we weren;t exactly threatening either other than Cody failing to score having gone round the keeper and a header from the Dc he should have done better with. Once we got the goal i thought we would push on and win comfortably but we didn''t and were hanging ona  bit at the end. Midfield was non existent all game. Adeyemi barely touched the ball and should have been replaced much earlier but Butterworth showned no inclination to change anything or try and win the game at all. He has clearly been told he''s not in the running for the job as he didn''t appear to give a sh*t about winning that match.

We need a new manager by Tuesday because if its the same again then its not really worth us all turning up!

Askou was good. Thats about it.

[/quote]Agree about the new manager. We''re playing all the so called ''lesser'' teams at the moment so we can''t afford to keep dropping points. Butterworth in charge on Tuesday would be very uninspiring.

[Jim Smith 2,314]

[quote user="Mr. Bump"][quote user="Jim Smith"]

I thought it was an utterly demoralising game as we looked very ordinary against a team that worked hard and deserved their point but who are so much smaller than us that it felt like a pre-season friendly against Wroxham at times. Real dose of hard reality of what life in this division is going to be like. Nice place though Exeter!

First half they didn''t really cause us any problems but we weren;t exactly threatening either other than Cody failing to score having gone round the keeper and a header from the Dc he should have done better with. Once we got the goal i thought we would push on and win comfortably but we didn''t and were hanging ona  bit at the end. Midfield was non existent all game. Adeyemi barely touched the ball and should have been replaced much earlier but Butterworth showned no inclination to change anything or try and win the game at all. He has clearly been told he''s not in the running for the job as he didn''t appear to give a sh*t about winning that match.

We need a new manager by Tuesday because if its the same again then its not really worth us all turning up!

Askou was good. Thats about it.

[/quote]
Agree about the new manager. We''re playing all the so called ''lesser'' teams at the moment so we can''t afford to keep dropping points. Butterworth in charge on Tuesday would be very uninspiring.
[/quote]

 

He and the team were not up for it at all yesterday which i guess is understandable if he doesn''t think he will keep his job. The subs said it all!

Further to my previous comments I would just add that Whaley was pathetic and I can''t believe the comments above praising Drury as I thought he was awful and got doen time and time again as well as slicing every pass into touch.

[gazzathegreat 0]

Your report is much appreciated Heffers. Thanks for posting it. I was at work during the match but managed to half listen on R Norfolk and wasn''t overwhelmed (I trust Adams and Goreham were pretty accurate then in their thoughts as they seemed to echo yours).

Your comments re fans and the ''infighting'' shouldn''t surprise anyone. I think we can all say that we know several supporters who don''t hold the same opinion as ourselves, but most of the time things are kept at a fairly civil level. Delia really needs to wake up if she believes all fans are together as one, they are not and haven''t been since coming down from the Premiership. I have had the dubious pleasure of sitting behind Delia in the Barclay (in my old seat) and she did indeed surround herself with her hangers on on that occasion. They frowned on any booing, or shouting at the players. When anyone surrounds themselves in a bubble, it is difficult to grasp reality.

Like you, I am finding it difficult to find much enthusiasm, I expect that''s the case for most of us. It''s turning into yet another rollercoaster season with little prospect of change for the better on the field. We have to hope that the new board members have serious intent and the skills and leadership needed to take us to a level that most of us would find acceptable.

[Fuglestad 0]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]Did the way the team play change at all from Tuesday/Saturday (not that its much to go one..) or for more comparison last season... i really believe that Norwich is run by Delia and not the manager, because since Worthy (even during his time) we have played the exact same type of game (not every game, but mostly)...[/quote]

Yes we have played the exact same type of game, it''s called football (not every game).

Yes Delia picks the team and tactics, of course she does...what do you think her evil plan is exactly? Could it not be that Mr and Mrs Wynn Jones tried to help their football club, and it''s all gone tits up. They don''t have a clue what to do, and have thereby given "the power" to our new chief executioner?

[paul moy 235]

[quote user="Gingerpele"]Did the way the team play change at all from Tuesday/Saturday (not that its much to go one..) or for more comparison last season... i really believe that Norwich is run by Delia and not the manager, because since Worthy (even during his time) we have played the exact same type of game (not every game, but mostly)...[/quote]

 

My view was that on Tuesday and Saturday, both first-halfs were similar in that we contained the opposition and produced a few good chances. The difference was on the second-halfs which may be due to the fact that one was a cup game and the other, league. Thus we attacked much more on Tuesday and played down the wings very effectively with Hoolahan and Whaley both having good games.

I was hoping that we would do this yesterday but it certainly appeared that Whaley was under orders to deliver the ball early into Holt rather than run with it. It was also a noticeable tactic and a good ploy that Drury and Whaley stayed back when we had won corners in order to allow the taller backs to go forward. Bearing in mind that we had a such a dreadful result last week, I am not really surprised that the side appeared to settle for a point away. This will build confidence, and I hope, will augur well for Tuesday, and I for one am definitely looking forward to the match.   

[nutty nigel 7,513]

It just took me ages to find a thread about the game [:O][;)]

Great points from Jim and Paul. I was at both games and there were similarities in the first halves. The difference for me was the introduction of Hughes for Gill at Yeovil which I thought was the catalyst for our great second half showing. I was waiting for Butterworth to make the change yesterday and am still waiting! We should have been ahead in the first half but Cody and The Doc contrived to miss two sitters. After we finally went ahead they made substitutions and we didn''t react quickly enough and left one of them unmarked. After that we were never going to win the game and I''m surprised we didn''t lose it.

A lot of players seemed jaded, particularly Cody Mac and young Adeyemi. I should imagine these two more than any were upset by Gunns departure the day before. I was disappointed because I felt we had something to build on after Tuesdays second half. However the events of Friday took that momentum away. Don''t get me wrong though, I don''t believe Gunny was the man to manage Norwich City and after yesterday I''m sure Butterworth isn''t either. He did nothing to stake a claim and the team didn''t do it for him. We need a new man to lift the players before Tuesday''s game at Brentford.

As for the fans - I didn''t see any falling out but I was on the terracing at the side of the pitch. If Delia said it would never happen she obviously wasn''t in the Barclay the day we beat QPR 3-2 where the opposition goals were cheered more than our comeback. Some of those divisions still exist to this day.

 

 

[Spartan 0]

Got back from the game today as me and some mates stayed in Exeter last night so just thought I''d some points and ratings...

Alnwick - 7 - Solid display... needs to be kept for the season I believe... great kicking and claimed the ball well.

Spillane - 6 - A reasonable game and did little wrong, perhaps we missed the pace of Semi in attacking situations but did well and deserves to keep his place.

Doc - 7 - Did well... should have scored in the first half with a header. Still has his hands all over the player he marks when attempting to head the ball and gives away needless freekicks in dangerous positions but nothing new there!

Askou - 8 - Looks a class act, a good goal and won the ball consistantly... looks like he could play at a higher level.

Drury - 6 - Did nothing wrong... some good tackles, distribution poor at times, little attacking threat but not helped with Hoolahan''s ''drifting'' all over the place!

Whaley - 6 - Not really sure about this guy so far... cracking shot that came off the bar but did little else... Does this guy have any ''genuine pace as Hanson would call it? Because I would love him to take on the full back a few times in the game!

Adeyemi - 6 - Worked hard, I agree he did look a bit jaded but the potential is clear to see... needs helping through the game at the moment by whoever plays in the middle with him.

Gill - 5 - This guy I am the least impressed with out of all the new signings. He never seems to want the ball, could have had it several times of Alnwick in the 2nd half quickly but just ran away from the goal... Floats around the pitch, doesn''t get stuck in, passes only sideways or backwards. Not even a poor man''s David Batty... more like a tramps!

Hoolahan - 7 - Very creative but held on to the ball for too long at times.

Holt - 7 - Worked hard... was feeding on scraps for most of the game and had to go hunting for the ball a lot which meant he wasn''t where he needed to be at times.

McDonald - 5 - Did very little but like Holt didn''t have much to work with!

Subs - Not long enough to fully assess... Things needed to be freshened up much earlier!

Some general thoughts:

1) City looked good until Exeter scored... then there was only one team in it... On this performance look forward to another trip to the Grecians next year!

2) No one in the team gets ''stuck in'' I thought the same against Colchester, this is League One remember boys?!

3) Central midfield needs sorting, Adeyemi is a real prospect but Gill shouldn''t have made the journey back up the M4 and 5.

4) Exeter is a good night out... but a hell of a long trip![S]

 

[terry summers 2]

I was at the game yesterday and was totally disappointed with the performance,no creativity in midfield and resorted to hoofing it upfield in which Holt failed to win anything,if this is how we are going to play it looks like a long hard season and no promotion im afraid,didn''t think much of Whaley impressed with Askou we looked quite solid at the back apart from the goal.In the end I would say we were hanging on a bit .