Exeter 1-1 Saints - Reaction

[JustMike]

Look at our place in the table, and add 10 points.

 

I'll be generous - add another 3 points for an earlier win than Yeovil.

 

We would still not be in a playoff position...

 

but to be fair if we didnt have the -10 to start with i think we would be on more points anyway. If you see what i mean

[positivepete]

We were awesome at Walsall & I think we have gone backwards since then.

 

Its not the results - its the performances. We were poor at Brantford, Millwall & against Stockport. I believe we were better second half against Ipswich, but TBH I was away for the weekend so missed it.

 

 

Connoly does seem missed, .

 

The two are linked! But then he is one or classes above this division.

 

Poor today but still not the depths of Swindon away

[RonManager]

Blimey, didn't realise they hit the post in stoppage time.

 

Excellent fingertip save by KD to push it onto the post.

[RedAndWhite91]

Excellent fingertip save by KD to push it onto the post.

 

Wicked, all it said on BBC was:

 

The Grecians equalised with their first effort at goal as Matt Taylor headed in a corner, while substitute Bertie Cozic hit a post in stoppage time.

 

Credit to KD then.

[Clifford Nelson]

At this level of football and with the players we've got I would expect us to dominate the game, but we're not.

 

I would also have expected that since we keep on losing the lead, we would have figured out why, but we have not.

 

I would also expect that the manager had some conviction about his tactics, but he has not. His changes of formations and player positions in the midst of games seem to bewilder the players. With our new scouting network we should be very clear about how we should approach every team. We won't always win, but we should set the pace and rhytm of the game, but we do not.

 

(Smaller niggle is that Waigo grabbed hold of the game against Stockport, playing alongside Lambert, so why was he wide right today? Another one that Puncheon has made a name as a pacy left winger, so what was he doing in the middle? Has AP now decided that Lallana is our most talented left winger, after having tried to play him repeatedly in the middle?)

 

We have now managed to play wonderful attacking, passing football, and we have also huffed and puffed, played head tennis, and knocked it long for Lambert. We seems to have settled on the latter method in spite of it's obvious shortcomings in bringing us down to the level of the opposition. Why?

 

Something is not right with what is going on at the moment, but I'm not sure that returning to the managerial merry-go-round is the answer, at least not at this point. This club needs some tactical re-think about what kind of football we should be playing, which is desperately missing. This is why I rather see a technically gifted Director to instil some fundamental spine to what this club is about football wise, regardless whatever manager is appointed to do the job. That person is not at the club yet. It is not NC, who has never claimed to understand football on that level, nor is it AP, who increasingly looks like he needs some stearing. As he once said about the arrangement: Managers comes and goes, but the club remains.

Edited 6 February, 2010 by Clifford Nelson

[Goalie66]

My fear is that we do have quality but no tactical brains on or off the pitch to adapt to the opposition. Simply put we are not doing our homework and imposing that supposed superority. Against both Brentford and Stockport there was a lack of hunger to dominate and it sounds the same today.

 

We all know that it is a team game and that the engine room or midfield will be where we will dominate a game. Lallana and Sneiderlein are not robust enough to adapt their game to the conditions yet because they are still learning. We still need a midfield general to fight and distribute aka Div 1 equivalent of Ball or Case to gel together these talents.

 

the MK Dons game is a bigger game than Saturday IMO as we need to play well ,build confidence as wellas have a purpose until the end of March if the play offs are a steo to far this season. Alo I dont think PCFC will be around come Wednesday !!

[shurlock]

Just got back - and the fact is that the performance was characteristic of plenty of performances this season - even many during our supposed purple patch. General observations are largely covered elsewhere but here are my two pennies.

 

1. We play hoofball - fullstop. Yes the pitch made paschendale look like a lawn bowling green but its not as if we're Arsenal and our favoured passing game was somehow disrupted. We should have coped. Fact is that if Lambert isn't winning his headers, we have no plan B.

 

2. Our central midfield is not up for the scrap - by contrast, our central defense was fairly comfortable. Hammond will improve things when he returns but we need another box-to-box terrier. We can perhaps get away with one of James or Schneiderlin in the middle but not both - persevering with them recalls the demented days of the dutch duo. Indeed, with the likes of Mills, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Antonio, Seaborne, James, Puncheon it was an extremely young, and unintimidating team.

 

3. The most encouraging thing today was Puncheon's debut. Unlike the rest of the team, was happy to take responsibility and control of the ball. Was my Saints MOTM, though that's not saying much.

 

4. Either play Papa down the middle in a 4-4-2 or possibly behind Lambert in a 4-5-1 or not at all. He's a striker not a RM. AP labours under the assumption that Antonio and Papa are mutually exclusive options - they're not. Why not play both?

[Forester]

I am a big supporter of Pardew, and will remain so for another couple of years come hell or high water. But he needs to reflect on some issues obvious today:

 

1. As mentioned by others, Papa Waigo is totally ineffective as a wide midfielder, but has done brilliantly when upfront. Today, as was the case at Leeds, he is just wasted where he played. And then hauled off without having a chance to cause real problems to Exeter.

 

2. We lacked the workrate of Exter in the second half. Pardew says he cannot fault the work rate - well he is wrong and most people there today would agree that Exeter chased and harried us out of the game 2nd half.

 

3. On a poor surface, Papa Waigo, Puncheon and Lallana are at least one too many flair players in the same team. For all of the stick that he gets, Wotton makes a real difference to our midfield, particularly without Hammond fit. We will not get out of this division on technical ability alone, particularly at places like this

[Ponty]

I find it hard to rationalise anyone suggesting, however indirectly, that we need a managerial change. Have we learned nothing from the last 6 years? Pardew needs to stabilise the squad and define the best 11 for the job in hand but I reckon a clearout in the summer and a proper preseason will sort that and we could be an unstoppable force next year.

[Clifford Nelson]

Just got back - and the fact is that the performance was characteristic of plenty of performances this season - even many during our supposed purple patch. General observations are largely covered elsewhere but here are my two pennies.

 

1. We play hoofball - fullstop. Yes the pitch made paschendale look like a lawn bowling green but its not as if we're Arsenal and our favoured passing game was somehow disrupted. We should have coped. Fact is that if Lambert isn't winning his headers, we have no plan B.

 

2. Our central midfield is not up for the scrap - by contrast, our central defense was fairly comfortable. Hammond will improve things when he returns but we need another box-to-box terrier. We can perhaps get away with one of James or Schneiderlin in the middle but not both - persevering with them recalls the demented days of the dutch duo. Indeed, with the likes of Mills, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Antonio, Seaborne, James, Puncheon it was an extremely young, and unintimidating team.

 

3. The most encouraging thing today was Puncheon's debut. Unlike the rest of the team, was happy to take responsibility and control of the ball. Was my Saints MOTM, though that's not saying much.

 

4. Either play Papa down the middle in a 4-4-2 or possibly behind Lambert in a 4-5-1 or not at all. He's a striker not a RM. AP labours under the assumption that Antonio and Papa are mutually exclusive options - they're not. Why not play both?

 

That looks like an intelligent analysis, not only because I agree with it.

[Clifford Nelson]

I find it hard to rationalise anyone suggesting, however indirectly, that we need a managerial change. Have we learned nothing from the last 6 years? Pardew needs to stabilise the squad and define the best 11 for the job in hand but I reckon a clearout in the summer and a proper preseason will sort that and we could be an unstoppable force next year.

 

I'm also concerned about only changing manager and hoping for the best, but it's more than just selecting the best 11. You select players to do something specific as a team. Current problem is that AP doesn't know what that "something" is, so we end up playing poor football and fail to assert ourselved. Just changing AP for another manager who equally doesn't know what it is he is trying to create won't help at all.

[Legod Third Coming]

People complain about Wotton, but funny how we cannot win without him or Hammond in the team...

[saint63]

I am a big supporter of Pardew, and will remain so for another couple of years come hell or high water. But he needs to reflect on some issues obvious today:

 

1. As mentioned by others, Papa Waigo is totally ineffective as a wide midfielder, but has done brilliantly when upfront. Today, as was the case at Leeds, he is just wasted where he played. And then hauled off without having a chance to cause real problems to Exeter.

 

2. We lacked the workrate of Exter in the second half. Pardew says he cannot fault the work rate - well he is wrong and most people there today would agree that Exeter chased and harried us out of the game 2nd half.

 

3. On a poor surface, Papa Waigo, Puncheon and Lallana are at least one too many flair players in the same team. For all of the stick that he gets, Wotton makes a real difference to our midfield, particularly without Hammond fit. We will not get out of this division on technical ability alone, particularly at places like this

 

We really do need to work much harder when we haven't got the ball, particularly in getting tackles very early and with more determination. We were outfought too often in 50/50's. Wotton would certainly had a positive influence especialliy motivating and organising others around him. Schneiderlin needs to impose himself on the defensive side of his game. It was not a game to pass and pose.

 

However, when I think back to the mess we were a year ago, I know where I would much rather be. We may not get promoted this year, but we will be back up where we need to be sooner rather than later. For this I'm verygrateful to the present regime.

[The boy done well]

Just got back - and the fact is that the performance was characteristic of plenty of performances this season - even many during our supposed purple patch. General observations are largely covered elsewhere but here are my two pennies.

 

1. We play hoofball - fullstop. Yes the pitch made paschendale look like a lawn bowling green but its not as if we're Arsenal and our favoured passing game was somehow disrupted. We should have coped. Fact is that if Lambert isn't winning his headers, we have no plan B.

 

2. Our central midfield is not up for the scrap - by contrast, our central defense was fairly comfortable. Hammond will improve things when he returns but we need another box-to-box terrier. We can perhaps get away with one of James or Schneiderlin in the middle but not both - persevering with them recalls the demented days of the dutch duo. Indeed, with the likes of Mills, Lallana, Schneiderlin, Antonio, Seaborne, James, Puncheon it was an extremely young, and unintimidating team.

 

3. The most encouraging thing today was Puncheon's debut. Unlike the rest of the team, was happy to take responsibility and control of the ball. Was my Saints MOTM, though that's not saying much.

 

4. Either play Papa down the middle in a 4-4-2 or possibly behind Lambert in a 4-5-1 or not at all. He's a striker not a RM. AP labours under the assumption that Antonio and Papa are mutually exclusive options - they're not. Why not play both?

 

Don't disagree with this. Put in context I, though, think I can live with going to away games and getting a draw as opposed to losing. Wasn't it Brian Clough who said win your home games and draw away. Well, since I felt that we might be turning the corner when we won away at Southend in early October, haven't we more or less done that ie averaged around 4 points every 2 games.

[Mr_Red]

Being a local I was sat in the 'big bank' today (not in the corner claimed by a few nobbers) and was pretty disappointed as with everyone else.

 

Thought puncheon was the only saints player with any real quality on the day. Barnard should have come on earlier too. Fonte looked solid not sure about otsemebor tho, seemed to get caught out a bit. Lambert although undoubtedly good, didn't do much for me today.

 

Bad days happen and the pitch was terrible. Waigo and lamberts branding of (Exeter) fans cracked me up and the Exeter keepers pirourettes (sp?) were pretty funny too.

 

People really need to remember what things have been like the past few years before getting so upset. There's no doubt we're building as a team, I like guinness, good things will come.

[Genk]

Haven't gone through the 5 pages of reaction yet but here is my opinion.

 

Thought we looked quite good first half and settled. However we didn't turn up in the second half and a draw was probably a fair result in the end. They looked dangerous in the second half but had nothing in the first half.

 

Weak links in our team today:

Otsemebor, I really don't rate him. Poor touch, his passing isn't great and neither is his movement. I said it after Stockport and I will say it again...I would rather have Lloyd James at RB and I honestly would feel much more comfortable and I believe we would create more going forward.

 

Mills didn't have a great game today either. Fair play he did well defensively but going forward there was nothing. His set pieces are dire and doesn't really offer much. I am expecting to see Harding back in for the next games.

 

Positives:

Puncheon, thought he was our best player today. Looked dangerous going forward and linked well with others. Certainly looks like he will be a good signing for us.

 

CB's, solid as ever in my opinion. Would still rather see Jaidi play instead of Seaborne at the moment. Was he injured today or being saved for next week?

 

Morgan and James didn't really offer much attacking wise. How long is Hammond out for?? Hopefully he's back for Pompey.

 

Overall, went there expecting three points, but they aren't a bad side in all honesty. However our quality should have come through but not for the first time, it didn't

[alpine_saint]

I find it hard to rationalise anyone suggesting, however indirectly, that we need a managerial change. Have we learned nothing from the last 6 years? Pardew needs to stabilise the squad and define the best 11 for the job in hand but I reckon a clearout in the summer and a proper preseason will sort that and we could be an unstoppable force next year.

 

Well I think it eminently easy to rationalise the proposal to change manager, though I am not calling for it yet.

 

Its simply a question of whether the incumbent has the tactical nous to come to places like Exeter with a ploughed field of a pitch in mid-winter, and places like Colchester where even the bally-boys are in on the dirty tactics, and nevertheless motivate and direct the team to grind out a win.

[Legod Third Coming]

Well I think it eminently easy to rationalise the proposal to change manager, though I am not calling for it yet.

 

Its simply a question of whether the incumbent has the tactical nous to come to places like Exeter with a ploughed field of a pitch in mid-winter, and places like Colchester where even the bally-boys are in on the dirty tactics, and nevertheless motivate and direct the team to grind out a win.

 

Do you know what Billy Davies first 27 results were? Considerably worse than ours.

 

27 games is no basis on which to judge a manager.

 

A full season is.

[shurlock]

Don't disagree with this. Put in context I, though, think I can live with going to away games and getting a draw as opposed to losing. Wasn't it Brian Clough who said win your home games and draw away. Well, since I felt that we might be turning the corner when we won away at Southend in early October, haven't we more or less done that ie averaged around 4 points every 2 games.

 

True - a point away from home is never a bad return. But its not as if we really threatened to get more (we have't won away from home in the league since the beginning of December).

 

If we were creating chances or making the keeper work, I wouldn't mind as much. But we're not - just as important, we seem unable to kick on in the second half - that's where the hoofball becomes a real liability. We lose/back possession far too easily and are just asking for trouble. We never finish the game the stronger team and the issue is not whether we're going to get the 1 point; its whether we're going to get anyhing at all.

Edited 6 February, 2010 by shurlock

[corky morris]

To be fair you cant blame AP for the shocking delivery at set pieces today. Corners & free kicks were absolutely shocking.

[Legod Third Coming]

To be fair you cant blame AP for the shocking delivery at set pieces today. Corners & free kicks were absolutely shocking.

 

Who took them though? Because for most of the season James' delivery from them has been excellent. So if he wasn't taking them wtf not? And if he was, maybe he's not fully fit...

[corky morris]

Mills & James!!!

 

Just checked BBC site - we had 45% possession. I know stats can be mis-leading & we had more chances, but Exeter were the one trying to play football today.

[Legod Third Coming]

Mills & James!!!

 

Just checked BBC site - we had 45% possession. I know stats can be mis-leading & we had more chances, but Exeter were the one trying to play football today.

 

One thing that has cheesed me off all season is that we go direct too often, from front to back and totally bypass our midfield.

[Genk]

Mills & James!!!

 

Just checked BBC site - we had 45% possession. I know stats can be mis-leading & we had more chances, but Exeter were the one trying to play football today.

 

Thought it was just Mills today for the Corners and FreeKicks except AL had one corner in the second half. Surprised James isn't taking them, Mills' quality isn't great.

[Toomer]

We have not been playing well of late, Stockport home we won, Exeter away we drew, but that makes things look better than they are. The last couple of weeks we have had the Pompey factor which IMO has effected things. The next two games will go a long way give us something to build on for next season as play offs and promotion has always been a big ask. If we play like we have been of late we could miss a day out at Wembley and dare I say it get stuffed by the Skates.

[jasoneuelllfanclub]

2 defeats in 26 games is very solid. just need to turn these draws on the road into wins then we will be flying. we do look solid at the moment which is maybe why we are not creating so much. the days of 3-1 wins away are a distant memory now but we were very flimsy in defense then. once we get hammond back and the team start to gel then I am high hopes whether that be this season or most likely next.

[alehouseboys]

Having followed this club away throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s...when most trips we'd get stuffed, brutally, this season is (particularly after the past few years) a breath of fresh air.

[corky morris]

Just looking at the programme with my nipper & noticed that Taylor who scored yesterday scored exactly the same goal at St Mary's earlier this season. That worries me as we have made the same mistake again & that in a professional sence is unacceptable.

[benjii]

Shame we conceded from a set piece.

 

We didn't play particularly well but caused them some problems in the first half and scored a decent goal. Fonte and Seabourne continue to impress. Time for Harding to come back in though.

 

I would defy any team, any team, to dominate possession on a pitch as bad as that though. It was probably the worst pitch I've ever seen in person in professional football. The whole thing had a kind of surreal feel as though we were playing a team from several divisions below in the cup.

 

Play-offs are massively unlikely this year. Let's win a cup, beat the skates and deveop for next year.

[Under Weststand]

I was busy yesterday, so I've just read up on reports, & glanced through this thread. So it seems to me pretty much the same type of Saints performance of late not a bad result away from home, but not what we'd all hoped for. The worrying thing is we don't seem to be producing a cohesive 90-mins yet.

From the start of the season I've said its all about producing a team, playing good solid productive football to give us a good platform for an automatic promotion push next year. I don't see that happening quite yet, but a god run last 10 games to lay down our credentials JPT Final & an FA cup 6th round tie would be a good season. Most of the pieces are there now it just needs AP to put those pieces in the right place to complete the jigsaw.

[edprice1984]

I was one of the 'nobbers' who claimed the small part of the Big Bank. Fair play to the stewards and Exeter who didn't have to do that! In terms of the game, the pitch was really awful but we lacked drive from midfield. Once Morgan got booked the edge and bite that was needed was not there. I agree that Pardew should look to be more attacking sometimes, but it was a difficult balancing act as Exeter are a good side at home. I got the sense that the players were looking ahead to the next week, but if you look at the bulk of the threads on this messageboard so have the supporters!

[alpine_saint]

I got the sense that the players were looking ahead to the next week, but if you look at the bulk of the threads on this messageboard so have the supporters!

 

Yep, but the fact of the matter is that the League is a million times more important than a p*ss-pot trophy and a p*ssing contest against a local rival that is 2 leagues above us and will hammer us if they manage to get going.

 

The fans have got it all wrong, and if the manager cannot get the players to focus one match at a time, he really is lacking some of the basics to do the job.

[scotty]

Yep, but the fact of the matter is that the League is a million times more important than a p*ss-pot trophy and a p*ssing contest against a local rival that is 2 leagues above us and will hammer us if they manage to get going.

 

The fans have got it all wrong, and if the manager cannot get the players to focus one match at a time, he really is lacking some of the basics to do the job.

 

We were never likely to get promoted in the league this season after starting with a 10 point deficit and half a team, but I'd say we are on course to avoid another relegation, and well on course for a promotion push next season. I imagine you're in the minority if you think the JP trophy and a derby against the skates are unimportant games

[alpine_saint]

We were never likely to get promoted in the league this season after starting with a 10 point deficit and half a team, but I'd say we are on course to avoid another relegation, and well on course for a promotion push next season. I imagine you're in the minority if you think the JP trophy and a derby against the skates are unimportant games

 

Didnt say they are unimportant.

 

I said they pale into comparison with the League.

[benjii]

Well they don't.

 

Not this season.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

5 points off the trapdoor. It was 7 last week. Not good enough.

[derry]

People on here that advocate not changing a manager because we have done it too often are wrong. Clearly if the manager doesn't demonstrate by the end of the season, that we have a collection of talented players playing as a team, capable of winning this league next year, he should be changed.

 

Nicola Cortese has left the banking sector with it's attendant bonuses to manage the club. It is highly probable that he is on a lottery win size bonus to deliver success.

 

He is not going to have a lot of patience with a lack of obvious success. I think if Pardew's team isn't clearly the equal of the best teams in this league and providing performances that will win this league next year I think he will be gone.

 

It won't be lost on Cortese that Norwich, and Colchester changed their managers and Leeds were nowhere until they got Grayson from Blackpool.

[alpine_saint]

Well they don't.

 

Not this season.

 

Yep, same old lack of ambition, take the scraps off the master's table we've become used to from Saints fans....

[Thedelldays]

It won't be lost on Cortese that Norwich, and Colchester changed their managers and Leeds were nowhere until they got Grayson from Blackpool.

 

 

thing is Derry...no one wants to entertain it...people gloss over that NC is not a football man anc comes from a sector where people demand instant success..

 

he only has to look up the league at teams with manager who have had LESS time and far less money than pardew and are doing the real business..

[benjii]

Yep, same old lack of ambition, take the scraps off the master's table we've become used to from Saints fans....

 

God, you're boring.

 

Do you think play-offs are realistic now? Well they're not IMO. Therefore the cups are more important.

 

You of all people, Mr Glass-half-empty, Mr Misanthropy, Mr Monotone, Mr Greyskies, Mr Blah,blah,blah have the temerity to chastise people for "lack of ambition". PMSL.

[derry]

thing is Derry...no one wants to entertain it...people gloss over that NC is not a football man anc comes from a sector where people demand instant success..

 

he only has to look up the league at teams with manager who have had LESS time and far less money than pardew and are doing the real business..

 

Lambert has done it, as far as I am concerned the unbalanced narrow crap being served up by this expensive squad is down to the manager. It doesn't cut it for me and we are going backwards not only against the top teams, but the likes of Swindon, Millwall and Huddersfield in terms of results.

[benjii]

Narrow?

 

I take it you didn't go yesterday or are you determined to talk about width after every match come what may.

[View From The Top]

FFS. Can't believe we haven't got Wenger in yet. FFS.

 

C*cks are the only people who want a change of manager now, have they learnt nowt from the last 6 years or so?

[View From The Top]

Lambert has done it, as far as I am concerned the unbalanced narrow crap being served up by this expensive squad is down to the manager.

 

 

Forgive me, but I thought we had two wide players yesterday or at least that's what I saw.

[shurlock]

Narrow?

 

I take it you didn't go yesterday or are you determined to talk about width after every match come what may.

 

.

[Andy_Porter]

I don't really remember much at all from game but getting a wave from Thommo was a person highlight.

 

He's a bit of a hero since he banged in that goal.

[derry]

Forgive me, but I thought we had two wide players yesterday or at least that's what I saw.

 

Two square pegs out of position. Lallana right footed, Waigo isn't a wide player.

 

Puncheon is a natural left sided pacy attacker, needs to play there. Waigo was brilliant last week up front not wide right. Antonio, Puncheon, Waigo and Lambert should have been the front four attackers. Making a place for Lallana and James is compromising the balance. Until we play pace on the touchlines we won't move the ball around. It is the lack of this that is the cause of lumping the ball up front.

[derry]

Narrow?

 

I take it you didn't go yesterday or are you determined to talk about width after every match come what may.

 

I've been to 20 matches this year and yes, they are mostly narrow. Until we use the full width of the pitch, which we don't, we will continue to play this way and it will cost the manager his job.

[markr27]

Seaborne was shouting at Mills throughout the first half to get close to his man, as he got caught out on a few occasions.

Puncheon looked good, though he sometimes seemed to get himself one step ahead of the ball, thus losing it.

Midfield yet again went missing, or was bypassed.

[THEVMAN]

I really do think the centre midfield partnership isnt doing their job at the moment,they aren`t supplying the wide men and forwards with any decent ball thus they have to come looking for it narrowing all attacking options.