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Thread: Player ratings vs Exeter

  1. #1
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    Player ratings vs Exeter

    Thought I'd start this as no one else has.

    Quite a strange game really. We looked like a totally different side, with three new signings and an unfamiliar shape. Really hard to rate some of the players, particularly the new midfielders, as they didn't really do anything wrong. But collectively they lost the battle in the midfield - something that hasn't happened all season.

    Fitzsimmoms 6 - didn't have much change with either of the goals. Anyone notice that he's basically two-footed?
    Hunt 6 - some decent touches, but generally off the pace and unable to offer the dynamism that Tootle provides. No idea why he was MotM
    Hewitt 6 - he's not a CB, so can't really blame him for getting turned inside for their second goal. Coped fairly well sweeping up aside from that. Really missed him in midfield today.
    Brisley 6 - typical battling performance. If he's out for Tuesday, we're screwed.
    Jones 8 - some great crosses and link-up play with Grant. Good to see him take on his man and get to the byline. My MotM
    Allesandra 5.5 - flatters to deceive. Lots of running but very little end product. A lack of awareness derailed a couple of attacks, and he should have scored in the second half.
    Noor 6 - looked comfortable on the ball, always made himself available, but the short-passing approach yielded bugger all. Hoping there's more to come from him, but doesn't look naturally suited to a 4-4-2, which makes it a strange one.
    Virtue 6 - quite simply, he looks like a downgrade on Yates. But then pretty much any new signing would be. Again, I hope there's more to come from him.
    Noble 7.5 - Used the ball really intelligently and showed great awareness. Pleased he's back, but again not sure he fits into the type of dynamic, direcet 4-4-2 that has been so successful up until now. Good player at this level though.
    Grant 6.5 - poor first half but more involved in the second. A couple of half chances.
    Stead 6 - battled away, but totally isolated up front in the 4-5-1 system. Took his penalty well.

    Ameobi 7 - changed the game when he came on. Needs to start on Tuesday.
    Walker 5.5 - seemed to over complicate it on a few occasions, looking for the defence-splitting pass. Offers nothing when the opposition have the ball.
    Dicko - not enough time on the pitch really

    The 4-5-1 simply didn't work and left Stead totally isolated. We need to revert back to the 4-4-2, but with Hewitt having to cover at CB, we're left with a bunch of midfielders who can't really fit into a four-man midfield. The deficiencies in the squad are there for all to see now.

    Unless we get a striker and a centre back, I can see us slipping out of the promotion race. As I said on another thread, with the current squad I think we're more likely to slip out of the playoffs than we are to get automatic. We always said January would be key, and as things stand we are left weaker.

    Must win on Tuesday.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by slack_pie View Post

    Quite a strange game really. We looked like a totally different side, with three new signings and an unfamiliar shape. Really hard to rate some of the players, particularly the new midfielders, as they didn't really do anything wrong. But collectively they lost the battle in the midfield - something that hasn't happened all season.
    Well explained ratings. The only comment I have about these and others views saying the new shape and players held us back is that surely the warning signs have been there for a while. We were 3 down to Cambridge at home recently and got outplayed by Oxford City (which I saw for myself). The problems relate to the failure to have a commanding CB and a striker who can be relied upon to score. Nearly all our goals come from Grant or from Stead's penalties. Maybe KN felt he needed to change because teams had worked out how to deal with us.

    He's talking about a lack of cutting edge now, so maybe he's frustrated about the failure to bring in a forward too. But AH says we are in 'no rush'. I would say there is a rush.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bohinen View Post
    Well explained ratings. The only comment I have about these and others views saying the new shape and players held us back is that surely the warning signs have been there for a while. We were 3 down to Cambridge at home recently and got outplayed by Oxford City (which I saw for myself). The problems relate to the failure to have a commanding CB and a striker who can be relied upon to score. Nearly all our goals come from Grant or from Stead's penalties. Maybe KN felt he needed to change because teams had worked out how to deal with us.

    He's talking about a lack of cutting edge now, so maybe he's frustrated about the failure to bring in a forward too. But AH says we are in 'no rush'. I would say there is a rush.
    I agree, we've been unconvincing for a while now. The Oxford and Cambridge games are good examples, and we only beat that Port Vale thanks to a penalty. I just don't think this is how promotion-winning teams play.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by slack_pie View Post
    I agree, we've been unconvincing for a while now. The Oxford and Cambridge games are good examples, and we only beat that Port Vale thanks to a penalty. I just don't think this is how promotion-winning teams play.
    Promotion winning teams dig draws and wins when they are playing not so well, keep the faith

  5. #5
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    The OP's ratings and analysis are spot on in my opinion. We've built our success in the past year on a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 system and Nolan's tactical gamble yesterday was an abject failure. Exeter basically got a free hit, and the only time we posed a threat was when Shola came on and we switched back to our normal system, but sadly we couldn't sneak the equaliser. One of our plethora of midfielders needs to step up and show they can fill Ryan Yates' shoes in a two-man central midfield, otherwise you have to conclude that the wages being spent on the likes of Walker, Noor and Noble have been wasted.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by keldsyke View Post
    Promotion winning teams dig draws and wins when they are playing not so well, keep the faith
    What he said! ^

  7. #7
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    We basically chucked away yesterday’s game against one of our closest promotion rivals. Nolan has barely ever deviated from 4-4-2, so to go to what looked like 4-1-4-1 to me, with Noor playing the Anchor role, was baffling. The players seemed to have no idea where they should be and we ended up with no width, no ability to get the ball under control in the final third and with no cover for the back 4. Noor looked totally lost playing the deep role and doesn’t have the strength, mobility, positional awareness or desire to do it. Virtue looked like a boy lost in a man’s game, and Noble for the first hour was hardly in the game. Quite why he didn’t change it at half time baffled me.

    Walker, who has been a waste of a wage this season, looked a class above Noor and Virtue, which has to be worrying for them. In hindsight we should have played Dickinson at centre half, with Hewitt and Noble in midfield.

    At the start of this window it looked like another forward was what we needed, now it looks like a centre half and a first choice central midfielder are required as well. Let’s hope we go back to plan A against Crawley, and stop trying to get clever.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nigel_M View Post
    In hindsight we should have played Dickinson at centre half, with Hewitt and Noble in midfield.
    Good shout that

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nigel_M View Post
    We basically chucked away yesterday’s game against one of our closest promotion rivals. Nolan has barely ever deviated from 4-4-2, so to go to what looked like 4-1-4-1 to me, with Noor playing the Anchor role, was baffling. The players seemed to have no idea where they should be and we ended up with no width, no ability to get the ball under control in the final third and with no cover for the back 4. Noor looked totally lost playing the deep role and doesn’t have the strength, mobility, positional awareness or desire to do it. Virtue looked like a boy lost in a man’s game, and Noble for the first hour was hardly in the game. Quite why he didn’t change it at half time baffled me.
    Sums it up!

    I think the various views on what our formation actually was tell the story. The players were all over the shop for the first hour and Nolo should definitely have corrected things before he did. At times it looked like 4-2-3-1 and sometimes 4-1-4-1, but fundamentally it was a five man midfield with one up front and it's incredibly frustrating and dissatisfying to watch, because you know in your gut that no matter how many pretty triangles are played in midfield, you'll have absolutely no punch up front. You're basically asking midfielders to be supplemental strikers, but of course they don't have the positional insincts and finishing skills of strikers (apart from Jorge Grant). Invariably you end up with too many players holding back and not attacking the box, and even if they do get forward, their ability to convert chances is not as great as genuine striker. If we want to see our newly boosted attendances fall away very quickly, keep playing like that!
    Last edited by jackal2; 21-01-2018 at 01:43 PM.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by slack_pie View Post
    Thought I'd start this as no one else has.

    Quite a strange game really. We looked like a totally different side, with three new signings and an unfamiliar shape. Really hard to rate some of the players, particularly the new midfielders, as they didn't really do anything wrong. But collectively they lost the battle in the midfield - something that hasn't happened all season.

    Fitzsimmoms 6 - didn't have much change with either of the goals. Anyone notice that he's basically two-footed?
    Hunt 6 - some decent touches, but generally off the pace and unable to offer the dynamism that Tootle provides. No idea why he was MotM
    Hewitt 6 - he's not a CB, so can't really blame him for getting turned inside for their second goal. Coped fairly well sweeping up aside from that. Really missed him in midfield today.
    Brisley 6 - typical battling performance. If he's out for Tuesday, we're screwed.
    Jones 8 - some great crosses and link-up play with Grant. Good to see him take on his man and get to the byline. My MotM
    Allesandra 5.5 - flatters to deceive. Lots of running but very little end product. A lack of awareness derailed a couple of attacks, and he should have scored in the second half.
    Noor 6 - looked comfortable on the ball, always made himself available, but the short-passing approach yielded bugger all. Hoping there's more to come from him, but doesn't look naturally suited to a 4-4-2, which makes it a strange one.
    Virtue 6 - quite simply, he looks like a downgrade on Yates. But then pretty much any new signing would be. Again, I hope there's more to come from him.
    Noble 7.5 - Used the ball really intelligently and showed great awareness. Pleased he's back, but again not sure he fits into the type of dynamic, direcet 4-4-2 that has been so successful up until now. Good player at this level though.
    Grant 6.5 - poor first half but more involved in the second. A couple of half chances.
    Stead 6 - battled away, but totally isolated up front in the 4-5-1 system. Took his penalty well.

    Ameobi 7 - changed the game when he came on. Needs to start on Tuesday.
    Walker 5.5 - seemed to over complicate it on a few occasions, looking for the defence-splitting pass. Offers nothing when the opposition have the ball.
    Dicko - not enough time on the pitch really

    The 4-5-1 simply didn't work and left Stead totally isolated. We need to revert back to the 4-4-2, but with Hewitt having to cover at CB, we're left with a bunch of midfielders who can't really fit into a four-man midfield. The deficiencies in the squad are there for all to see now.

    Unless we get a striker and a centre back, I can see us slipping out of the promotion race. As I said on another thread, with the current squad I think we're more likely to slip out of the playoffs than we are to get automatic. We always said January would be key, and as things stand we are left weaker.

    Must win on Tuesday.
    Wow! I'm surprised you have time to enjoy the match with all the analysing you've done

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