Exeter v Carlisle

[cufc17]

Thought I'd start a fresh thread for discussion considering the recent threads have been lost.

Huge game for us, you'd think only a win will be enough for a playoff place. It's not as important as it could've been for Exeter now they're confirmed in the playoffs, but they'll still want to finish the regular season with a win. Hopefully they'll rest a couple of key players to reduce the risk of injury.

We have to go for it, performances have improved lately but mostly against weak opposition. If we get in the playoffs it's almost certain we'll be up against Exeter again. Very big if.

Been looking forward to this for the majority of the season, flying down on the Friday morning and returning Sunday evening. We'd sold 300 or so before the Newport match, should be 700+ despite the distance.

 

[hellogregory]

That Crawley fuck up looks so costly now. If we'd seen that out we'd be going to Exeter knowing a point would guarantee us a place and even a loss would most probably still be enough. It's crazy that we're still in contention after our disastrous run of form but I can't see us winning here. Exeter are in fine form and will want to keep momentum going into the playoffs whilst being able to play with freedom.

Exeter 3-1 Carlisle

 

[hellogregory]

Apparently our Chief Executive and Keith Curle are trying to reach an agreement with Tisdale and Exeter City. If you let us win, we won't put any tackles in that could injure your players ahead of the playoffs. We would also let you use the home changing room in the playoff first leg.

Hopefully they accept then everyone's happy.

 

[cumberland sausage hotdog]

Well at the reverse fixture at BP I thought Exeter were unlucky to lose against us, this game is simple for us its win or bust!! A draw wont do

 

[Moomin]

Should be a weird game from our fans' point of view as we know we're pretty much guaranteed 5th place bar some odd results. Hope you do sell at least 700 tickets, to make a decent atmosphere.

We will most likely make some changes but we've got some depth at present. Lee Holmes is now fit so will probably start and he was last season's POTY, plus I expect Liam McAlinden to play and he's got 8 goals from no more than 15 starts. I'd certainly rest Reuben Reid and probably Ollie Watkins.

I have a feeling it will be an open game, especially if we go a goal up as Carlisle will have to go for it.

3-2 to Carlisle

 

[Grecian O'Grecian]

Nice to be going into this game without needing a result. Suspect we will rest Reid, Watkins and Wheeler and give some minutes to the likes of Holmes, Ampadu, McAlinden, etc. No point in risking injuries to our match winners when it's pretty obvious we're finishing 5th.

1-2 Carlisle, who we then meet in the playoffs.

 

[hellogregory]

Surely Tisdale would rather face Carlisle over 2 legs than blackpool.

Blackpool are a far better team than Carlisle and may actually pose a threat to exeter's Wembley chance.

Throwing this match to ensure carlisle get in the playoffs is effectively buying themselves a bye to Wembley. Come on Tisdale, start Troy and the youngsters.

 

[Vanni]

Hey Exeter fans, any more of this silly Tisdale resting players talk and you'll be no 1 on my most hated clubs list. And the fact that it doesn't really concern us since we won't win at Wycombe will not have any influence at all on my decision. This would mean that you'd be above the Pish and Man ure on my list, and that's not a good thing.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Its interesting, but mentally i think it is better for us the face we have an awful GD because we 'have' to win.......we cannot go into this game assuming a draw is enough or assuming other results may scrape a top 7 place, anything but a win and its a cert we'll drop out. So at least we won't go into the game thinking of other situations, that helps.

On the negative side i can read how this game will unfold from miles away...........we play well, we take the lead, Curle goes for a horrendous negative, defensive based sub/tactical change on about 70 minutes, then we have 20 minutes of massed Exeter pressure before conceeding at the death to miss out. Our defence has been sh*te for years....it cannot hold onto leads, it cannot defend leads, it cannot rely on defending leads....so i'll only hope if we take lead we go for a killer second and not try and hold onto the 1 goal.

 

[hellogregory]

Its interesting, but mentally i think it is better for us the face we have an awful GD because we 'have' to win.......we cannot go into this game assuming a draw is enough or assuming other results may scrape a top 7 place, anything but a win and its a cert we'll drop out. So at least we won't go into the game thinking of other situations, that helps.

On the negative side i can read how this game will unfold from miles away...........we play well, we take the lead, Curle goes for a horrendous negative, defensive based sub/tactical change on about 70 minutes, then we have 20 minutes of massed Exeter pressure before conceeding at the death to miss out. Our defence has been sh*te for years....it cannot hold onto leads, it cannot defend leads, it cannot rely on defending leads....so i'll only hope if we take lead we go for a killer second and not try and hold onto the 1 goal.

I really can't see us surviving until the 90th minute against an inform Exeter team without buckling.

 

[cufc17]

Just under 500 tickets sold so far. Shame it's such a trek for the final game with something to play for, it was Notts County away last season which would've been ideal, but we had nothing to play for. Might reach 650-700 with southern based fans buying on the day.

 

[Trapdoor]

I think Cheesedale will rest some players in advance of the playoffs. 0-3 to Carlisle as our youth team get a taste of League 2.

 

[les.gtfc]

Stupid EFL fixture computer and no thought for the traveling fans. As bad as giving Plymouth fans the mammoth trek up to us for the title decider. I realise these games have to be played at some stage of the season but you'd have thought for the last game the EFL would schedule some fixtures which are a lot closer as it's pretty obvious there's going to be something at stake.

 

[shoddycollins]

Surely Tisdale would rather face Carlisle over 2 legs than blackpool.

Blackpool are a far better team than Carlisle and may actually pose a threat to exeter's Wembley chance.

Throwing this match to ensure carlisle get in the playoffs is effectively buying themselves a bye to Wembley. Come on Tisdale, start Troy and the youngsters.

Your customary pessimism about how we would fare in a playoff tie against Exeter aside, resting players specifically to let us win (and not so they're fit for the playoffs) is just the kind of thing to backfire. Basically we're either going to Wembley or we're going nowhere.

 

[hellogregory]

We are one of the worst teams in this league.

This article sums it up perfectly and I agree with it, it would be in Exeter's best interest to let Carlisle win on Saturday. Ultra relegation form they describe our form as - they are right.
http://m.devonlive.com/why-a-loss-t...0309719-detail/story.html#3Y8pvLTiDavasWYD.99

 

[shoddycollins]

form doesn't matter at this stage of the season. Every game is a cup final.

 

[shoddycollins]

since hope is the only thing that keeps us lower league fans going, I do wonder how HG keeps going at all.

 

[Trapdoor]

since hope is the only thing that keeps us lower league fans going, I do wonder how HG keeps going at all.

He doesn't. He's a ghost left to wander the earth. Cursed to forever follow Carlisle until they finally perform his last rites.

 

[shoddycollins]

I'm curious to know why being fourth bottom of the form table is 'ultra' relegation form... surely ultra-relegation form requires you to be bottom of the form table by some distance. I.e. a class below normal relegation form. Fourth bottom can't exactly be that seeing as you wouldn't even get relegated if that was across the whole season.

 

[hellogregory]

I don't know, maybe ultra relegation battle form is more accurate.

 

[shoddycollins]

I'll just put it down to ultra-pessimism

 

[hellogregory]

After 1 narrow win over third bottom Newport, there seems to be an air of expectation from a lot of our fans. They actually expect us to beat Exeter. Despite the fact our away record is dreadful. We've failed in recent weeks at Hartlepool and Crawley. Why on earth are we expected to beat Exeter? I susprct there are going to be plenty of very angry CUFC fans tomorrow night.

I'm more in faint hope than anything. Absolutely no expectation whatsoever and if we don't make it then it's totally deserved after our dismal run. I'd put our chances of winning at next to nothing, but while it's possible I still have that very faint glimmer of hope.

But let's get serious here... Exeter have been excellent over the last 4-5 months, where as we've been dreadful. Tisdale says they'll take it seriously. It's one of the worst teams in the league having to go away to one of the best teams in the league and win. Everything is pointing towards us failing. Can we defy the odds? I think it's too much too late unfortunately.

 

[shoddycollins]

After 1 narrow win over third bottom Newport, there seems to be an air of expectation from a lot of our fans. They actually expect us to beat Exeter. Despite the fact our away record is dreadful. We've failed in recent weeks at Hartlepool and Crawley. Why on earth are we expected to beat Exeter? I susprct there are going to be plenty of very angry CUFC fans tomorrow night.

I'm more in faint hope than anything. Absolutely no expectation whatsoever and if we don't make it then it's totally deserved after our dismal run. I'd put our chances of winning at next to nothing, but while it's possible I still have that very faint glimmer of hope.

But let's get serious here... Exeter have been excellent over the last 4-5 months, where as we've been dreadful. Tisdale says they'll take it seriously. It's one of the worst teams in the league having to go away to one of the best teams in the league and win. Everything is pointing towards us failing. Can we defy the odds? I think it's too much too late unfortunately.

For God's sake put a sock in it... there's a difference between thinking Exeter are beatable and expecting to just roll them over. You always seem to take that black and white view of other fans' assessments of an upcoming game, if someone thinks that a win is possible they're accused of expecting to win.

I think we have a decent chance. If we take the lead, Exeter aren't going to bust a gut trying to get back into the game, and if we make it a physical encounter, Exeter are likely to shy away from the 50/50 challenges.

 

[hellogregory]

I hope to god you're right. I think sneaking into the playoffs would be massive for us in terms of morale heading into next season as well as attracting better players for next season.

I don't think we have a decent chance. Of course we have a chance, but more a slim chance is how I'd put it. We'll have to put in our performance of the year so far. Probably a bigger performance than the Doncaster win.

 

[shoddycollins]

I think the worst things we can do, and I think we're fully capable of doing them, are to pussyfoot around looking to grow into the game, and give the ball away cheaply in our defensive third. We're likely to give the ball away anyway so another terrible thing would be to attempt to defend a one goal lead. But if we can somehow get it right psychologically and get back the Carlisle of the first half of the season I think we can avoid this mistakes. I think the do or die nature of the game will help us psychologically.

 

[hellogregory]

A few meaty 50/50 crunching challenges early doors might be good. See if they really fancy it. They'll be wanting a nice game of passing football to keep them ticking over ahead of the playoffs. The last thing they'll want is a physical intense encounter with big tackles flying in left right and centre that could potentially give them knocks.

Having watched this team over the last 5 months, I just can't see us getting the result regardless of how seriously Exeter take it.

 

[hellogregory]

Oh well, Exeter have gone full strength.

I put our chances of winning at about 1 in 100.

 

[shoddycollins]

Oh well, Exeter have gone full strength.

I put our chances of winning at about 1 in 100.

It's like Matlock town v Germany

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

With the non league season over i shall be listening in today and hoping for the best, we have nothing to lose but to just go for it and even if fail do it with actually having a go.

 

[hellogregory]

It's like Matlock town v Germany

It's not the gulf in quality, although they do have better quality than us there's no doubt about that. It's more because this team is gutless imo, if somehow we lead we will definitely buckle under the pressure of the situation.

I'm expecting an Exeter win, however if they aren't quite at it and we somehow take the lead, we will shit our pants and blow it.