Matchday Thread: Exeter v Derby

[Andy_Faber]

Great result, good performance. Highlight Adams, lowlight Blacket Taylor

[Ramshank72]

They are on a run. We end others' runs. It's the Derby Way. 0-2

The analyst was closest, well done Amster!
Shame Pompey turned it around, but a brilliant 3 points for the Rams.

[swaledale]

Great result, good performance. Highlight Adams, lowlight Blacket Taylor

That's the problem with CBT, gets too chilled! In fairness I don't think the lad is fully fit.

[SithHappens]

I hope so, hes certainly not looked good so far

[Andy_Faber]

I hope so, hes certainly not looked good so far

The unintended consequence of his poor showing was that Barkeusen had an excellent second half

Fingers crossed about Blackett Taylor, he didn't even seem that interested. Shades of Bobby Campbell (you may be fortunate enough not to recall him)

[MadAmster]

Set the side up to surrender possession and hit them on the break. Worked a treat. My word for the display is competent. Nothing flash, not commanding, simply competent all round. Bird and NML a goal and an assist each plus a goal from Barks was sufficient for all 3 points. Clean sheet is always welcome. The stats show Exeter had 2 shots on target. Both were from long range free kicks and straight into JW's hand. Having said that, they created 3 or 4 chances where they shot wide/over that they will be kicking themselves for being so wasteful. 1st half they tried to get the ball over our back line at speed, their 2 best chances saw poor control stifle their best one and the other time they beat the back line, their player was offside. A more ruthless opponent may well have scored.

0-3 away win from 30% possession, a thoroughly competent and professional performance but we shouldn't forget that they did have chances, chances another opponent would put away. Feet on the ground, we're not there yet.

CBT. Not worrying yet about the lad although he has shown little in his appearances thus far. Totally unsuccessful in anything he did last night and replaced at HT, apparently suffering from a tight hamstring. I really hope he started the game (or picked it up very early) with an iffy hammy as that would explain, in part, the poor play. He has a good game in him. Maybe he needs a couple of weeks of relative rest to get fit? Too early to write him off, way too early.

The ref? What had to happen for us to get a free kick? He refused to give us a shedload of serious fouls yet, later on, gave us a couple that, to me, weren't fouls. A case in point, Adams ushers the ball out, 2nd half and he's already on a yellow, and he gets pulled over by an Exeter player. ref calls both players over for a "chat". He had been so inconsistent all game I feared he was going to card both players which would have seen Adams off. I am still at a loss as to why he felt the need to have a chat with either player. Nothing untoward happened other than a foul which deserved to be given as such and no more. The foul wasn't given. Quite possibly the worst ref we've had this season. IMO.

Both Bolton and Pompey won last night and it's starting to look like the top 3 might be slowly pulling away and making it a 3 horse race. We play both the Trotters and Pompey, win both games and we're a step closer to the promised land. 14 games to go and we play 4 of the top 7, starting with Stevenage on Saturday. I'll be there with 'er indoors. COYR!!

[macstheman]

The stats were balanced in our favour, the iffy stat only 30% possession but the key one we scored 3 more goals them and bring the 3 pts home.
Great win which put my 2-0 defeat prediction right up the spout! Onto Stevenage, let's hope for another win. 🤞

[Ramshank72]

I still have 1 eye on 7th place, and so putting Stevenage out of reach would settle my nerves somewhat.

[MadAmster]

That's the problem with CBT, gets too chilled! In fairness I don't think the lad is fully fit.

That's my take on him too. Left out against Charlton with a "tight" hamstring. Never seemed to get into the game from the off at Exeter and taken off at HT with hamstring issues. He has definitely failed to impress in his 3 appearances thus far but I'm going on the premise that he isn't 100% or even near it due to this hamstring issue. Let's take him out of the firing line, get him properly fit and light the blue touchpaper...

IMO, it's nowhere near time to dismiss him as a Blackman/Claude lack of overdrive type.

[Andy_Faber]

IMO, it's nowhere near time to dismiss him as a Blackman/Claude lack of overdrive type.

...although you have sort of put it in our minds...

I'm more bothered that we manage to keep hold of Adams, we appear to have the bruiser we've been craving