Exeter City vs. Notts County

[jacobncfc]

Clash of the titans! 1st vs. 2nd going in and will still be the top two whatever happens.

I'm viewing this as a bit of a bonus game after beating Lincoln but am fully expecting a defeat. Nolan has already hinted that he'll be making changes - he made five for our last Tuesday night game and doesn't seem to like playing the same team all the way through if we have three games in a week. Having the derby at lunchtime on Saturday just makes that even more likely.

Jones and Forte both went off injured yesterday, so they're probably prime candidates. Can cope with Dicko coming in as he seems to have shed half of his body weight over the summer and can now run, but Forte would be a massive loss. We don't really have anyone else who can do what he can and it makes it far more likely that we'll be pinned back against a good side. If I had to guess i'd go for:-

Collin
Hunt - Brisley - Duffy - Dickinson
Alessandra - Hewitt - Yates - Hawkridge
Stead - Forte

But there's not really any telling. 2-1 Exeter.

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Would to attend this game but sadly it's the wrong side of Bristol to make after a 4.30 finish!

Always had a soft spot for Exeter had some great visits there in the past thankfully all in decent weather! Whenever we've bumped into their fans on pub stops train stations etc always been a good bunch. They deserve success for their model and sticking with Tisdale.

 

[Moomin]

Gutted I can't make this one. Notts have really impressed this season and this will be our toughest test yet at fortress SJP.

Grant is their main man so we have to be very wary of him but there's also plenty of good experienced players to worry about too....Nolan is a good young manager and will go far I expect.

As for us, we were awful yesterday so we have to forget about it and move on. I suspect we will see some changes. Captain, Moore-Taylor went off injured at half time so hope he's going to make it. I'd like to see Boateng and Stockley both start too.

Think this may be a 1-1 draw.

 

[Optipez]

Taking the day off for this.
I'm expecting us to lose, we've got a few injuries and are due a defeat. That said, this team have a proper fighting spirit and have to be beaten rather than just roll over like teams of the past couple of seasons.
Looking at the tables, Exeter have only scored six at home so if we keep our defensive record going , one goal may well get us a point at least.

 

[RavenBish]

Rest players (Jones, Grant, Forte), stick 10 men behind the ball and play for a draw seems to be the order of the day.

 

[jacobncfc]

Rest players (Jones, Grant, Forte), stick 10 men behind the ball and play for a draw seems to be the order of the day.

Yup. There was a shocking outbreak of creative, passing football in the second half yesterday but I can't see that being the plan here.

 

[william death]

Forte will be ok I reckon, just looked winded to me, feared he had dislocated his shoulder at first.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him up top on his own for this one, worked well at Plymouth last season and surely Stead can't play on Tuesday and next Saturday? Although it sounds like Shola is close to coming back. Wouldn't even be shocked to see Alan Smith get a start!

Grant will, IMO, almost certainly start on the bench to come on after an hour or so if the game is tight. But like Jacob says, v hard to predict what Nolan will do.

Is Moore-Taylor likely to be fit? Sounds like he'd be a big loss?

 

[Moomin]

Re Moore-Taylor, he took a bad challenge so it's just a case as to whether he's able to strap it up and play through any pain. Personally, I expect he will miss the game.

But yes, he's a big loss as the CB pairing of him and Brown will be key to any success. If he's out we will probably put Sweeney in at CB and then give Kane Wilson a place at RB who we have on loan from West Brom.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Need to bounce back after Saturday. Having kept faith with the same side for 6 games I still don't expect too many changes. If JMT is injured I'd see Croll back in the centre and maybe Stockley in.
Fully expect a tough game, it was last season with Fonte and Stead up front. I predict a 1-1 draw

 

[Grecian O'Grecian]

Moore-Taylor would be a really big loss for Tuesday. I think he's been brilliant this season and our record with him and Brown at centre back is significantly better than when one of them is missing. Also expect that we'd see Croll come in as a straight swap if JMT doesn't recover in time.

Think we'll finally see changes for Tuesday. Boateng is bound to come in and McAlinden despite playing well, hasn't scored since the Swindon match so he could drop out for Stockley.

It will be a really hard game. It sounded a poor performance from us at Coventry on the radio and Tisdale said as much in his post match interview. Notts have had a really good start to the season but we are yet to drop points or even concede at home so I'm hopeful we can keep that run going.

 

[LongEatonPie]

Just shows with the lack of posts on this thread that neither sides support is confident in sticking there neck out stating a win.

Both sides have enough to get the 3 points but, even at this early stage, I guess neither management will be unhappy with a point.
That is unless someone takes the lead!

 

[RavenBish]

think we've rested a couple too many there and Nolan's got a bit too cute - changing 3 out of our first choice back 4 seems a risky endeavour - interested to see how Alessandra gets on as he is our only Forte insurance between now and January (unless you count Saunders) and we reaaallllyyyy don't want to go back to Stead/Ameobi

 

[RavenBish]

nah there's no way we're resting half our side and still beating Exeter away from home. I can't allow this - this isn't what Notts County do

 

[denzel ecfc]

Entertaining first half. Notts had better of the first twenty, then it was all us. Disappointed not to be level here.

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Have notts played anyone decent yet?

 

[GodsGift]

Impressive stuff Notts.

 

[RavenBish]

Has Jorge Grant scored against anyone decent yet?

yay we've thrown Alan Smith on for a laugh again, the human final whistle. Should start him up-front with Crossley in goal on Saturday to give that fat mess and his galacticos a chance.

 

[Moomin]

Ahhh now I remember why I hate football.

Not good enough City and County seem like they’ve strolled to success here.

 

[william death]

Ok...

 

[denzel ecfc]

I'd say 3-0 flattered Notts but if you can't take your chances and defend like that you deserve nothing. Missed JMT at the back.
We will sort it out.

 

[jacobncfc]

Have Notts played anyone good yet?

Does 3-0 away at the only team who can keep up with you whilst resting five of your best players count, or?

In all seriousness, snuck on the old ifollow for that and looked absolutely comprehensive. Clinical in front of goal and restricted Exeter to pretty much nothing.

 

[Droo]

I say again... have Notts played anyone decent yet?

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

But have we played anyone good yet ?

It's the "quote" of the season no doubt about it lol

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

I say again... have Notts played anyone decent yet?

Apart from Jodi Jones claiming 3 points and a draw with Accrington no.

Wins have come at home vs Morecambe Chesterfield Lincoln Swindon and away at Port Vale Crawley Exeter Swindon.

We've only dropped 5 points so far this season. I said we would have a better indication of where we are after this week so far we have taken 6 points from two tough fixtures. The cherry on the cake is Mansfield and getting Cooper sacked against Forest Green.

 

[Grecian O'Grecian]

Bang. Fully back down to earth after the past 2 matches.

In all seriousness, Notts really did a job on us tonight and took their chances when they came. Our defending for the 2nd and 3rd goals was beyond woeful but we really deserved nothing out of the game and looked devoid of ideas.

Really got to be looking to win on Saturday at home to Morecambe.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Not sure about comprehensive. We missed a host of chances and Notts took theirs . I didn't get the stats up but if you think that was a tonking you don't watch much football.

 

[jacobncfc]

Not sure about comprehensive. We missed a host of chances and Notts took theirs . I didn't get the stats up but if you think that was a tonking you don't watch much football.

It wasn't a tonking, we don't really do them, but from the moment that we took the lead I was never concerned that we might concede. You had plenty of shots from distance but i'm struggling to remember a single genuine chance (with the slight caveat that my stream cut out a few times in the first half so may well have missed some stuff). The second half was very, very comfortable.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Reid headed over first half. Holmes shot wide when in on goal. Edwards missed one from the six yard box. Stockley headed over near the end. I thought all of those were good chances.

 

[AdamStag]

Now just who expected that.

Fuck me. Great result

 

[jacobncfc]

Reid headed over first half. Holmes shot wide when in on goal. Edwards missed one from the six yard box. Stockley headed over near the end. I thought all of those were good chances.

I think you get a completely different perspective on screen tbf - I can only remember the Holmes and Stockley ones of those but both would have done very, very well to score from the positions that they were in.