Exeter City (A) League 1 Saturday 21/4/12.

[OldPenkSaddler]

Let's look in the bright side.

MK Dongs and 'Uddersfield are in the play offs so with a bit of look might pay their kids against to avoid injuries.

Clutching and straws come to mind.

[SaddlerSteve]

I have to say I think it'll be a miracle (albeit a welcome one) if we get any points from the last 2 games!

What do we need now to be guaranteed safety, either a win or 2 draws would do!

If we get nothing from the last 2 games though what do the others need and who are they playing?
Rochdale are relegated, Chesterfield & Exeter HAVE to win both of their games and Wycombe HAVE to win at least 1 and get a draw. Don't know why but thinking of it like that makes me more optimistic.

[longdogs]

If we get nothing from the last 2 games though what do the others need and who are they playing?
Rochdale are relegated, Chesterfield & Exeter HAVE to win both of their games and Wycombe HAVE to win at least 1 and get a draw. Don't know why but thinking of it like that makes me more optimistic.

You shouldn't be optimistic. We're down if *any* of those thing happen.

[boringteacher]

I have to say I think it'll be a miracle (albeit a welcome one) if we get any points from the last 2 games!

What do we need now to be guaranteed safety, either a win or 2 draws would do!

If we get nothing from the last 2 games though what do the others need and who are they playing?
Rochdale are relegated, Chesterfield & Exeter HAVE to win both of their games and Wycombe HAVE to win at least 1 and get a draw. Don't know why but thinking of it like that makes me more optimistic.

Odds are on that you're right, but the last two games have been cringeworthy. I think we'll stay up, but we dont deserve to.

[ShyTallKnight]

I am feeling a trifle upset this evening.

[m&m]

We deserve to go down. Last year we stayed up by default and for the second season running will not make 50 points.

Pathetic!

If by some miracle or rather other teams ineptitude we do survive what will next season bring? More of the same i'd say.

Smith Out!

[bangsection]

Let's look in the bright side.

MK Dongs and 'Uddersfield are in the play offs so with a bit of look might pay their kids against to avoid injuries.

Clutching and straws come to mind.

Clutching at further straws - we've done quite well against top 6 teams this season!

[honest_john]

The only thing that will keep us up is....Wycombe are away to Wednesday last game

[Cully]

One win our last ten matches, despite having some real quality players in the form of Ledesma, Curvelier and Mantom. Who on earth wants Smith in charge next season?

I have absolutely no idea why anyone thinks that, after his first full season in charge, with his squad of carefully selected players, his repeated selection of dross players, his awful tactics, he should still be in charge next season. :evil:

I've tried to stay off the whole Smith Out debate but I am now getting sick of it all. I think he's made us harder to beat in some ways (see the draws and goal difference) but we also have no idea how to win. The few genuinely good players (Flo/Ledesma/Sadler) are supported by absolute dross of the highest order. Macken's legs went long ago, Hurst is plain rubbish, Nicholls has blown his thousand chances, Butler and Smith for all they're loved seem not to be able to stop goals going in, Beevers is a park player and Taundry/Westlake/Grigg etc have not improved one bit.

This is a spinless team with no idea how to close games when they go into the lead. The manager needs to take the blame for that.

I'm sick of watching us fall apart, the away games are so predictable. Get a goal against the run of play, suddenly start to play like champions, score another, mess about a bit, lose the ball/give it away casually, withdraw to our penalty area, get bombarded by opposition, concede goals until home team is either level or leading, send Butler upfront in amazing tactical move, rain balls from great height for the last 3 minutes, bemoan poor luck/refereeing/no money/Bonsers mullet/small squad/Nicholls needs more games up front he's really a striker/ Taundrey he's one of our own/ Deano's still learning etc etc .
Home games, repeat but with extra Walsall dominance until away team suss out our one tactic, realise that our manager hasn't got a clue and then batter us.

We thoroughly deserve to be where we are, if it hadn't been for the Ledesma and Cuvelier signings we would have already been relegated.

[geoffwhiting]

I have to say I think it'll be a miracle (albeit a welcome one) if we get any points from the last 2 games!

What do we need now to be guaranteed safety, either a win or 2 draws would do!

If we get nothing from the last 2 games though what do the others need and who are they playing?
Rochdale are relegated, Chesterfield & Exeter HAVE to win both of their games and Wycombe HAVE to win at least 1 and get a draw. Don't know why but thinking of it like that makes me more optimistic.

I think you're right Steve, we should still be OK by the skin of our teeth because no team can touch our goal difference no matter what they do now, but I am still absolutely fuming right now after this unforgiveable collapse today.

The only words I can find, apart from very bad swear words - and I've used plenty of those this afternoon - are "totally unprofessional". We are a joke and I feel embarrassed this evening, and I bet many other Saddlers' fans do too, to be associated with this shower of ***** !!!

Smith surely should walk now - I don't think Bonser will fire him. I've stayed away from this argument so far, but the last three vital games have given us proof that he has no idea of how to organise or motivate a team to achieve results, even against poor sides like Tranmere and Exeter. According to reports we should have won easily today from the chances we had and chucked away, I know first hand that we should have won last week against Tranmere but for the many missed chances, yet we have taken NO points at all, and that is just completely unacceptable.

Smith out - it has to happen after today's debacle!!

[chestersaddler]

I cannot believe we have just lost that game.

Big decision re: Smith. If it was a foul then be is an IDIOT. if it wasn't then the ref is an IDIOT. just asked a Grecian in the pub how he saw it from their end and he said it was not a foul.

Even so, we fell apart after that, having looked so comfortable up to their equaliser and again when we went in front.

Ledesmas miss at 1-0 was also a key point in the match.

Not looking forward to the drive home :(

Good turnout though.

[Cully]

Dean Smith now complaining about refereeing decisions on the radio BUT we are not unlucky, it's the same every game Dean, for every decision that has gone against us we've had exactly the same for us. Season after season after season and stop crying about the ref and saying 'we should have had a RESULT and we had plenty of chances to put the game out of sight'.

We don't finish teams off, ever, and why is that? Because of your input or lack of it.

[Ancient Moaner]

Sorry to have to be proved right (despite being written off as a moanin git), that we would lose at Exeter and MK dongs, and that our survival will go down to how 'other' teams results go on the last day of the season, I also thought that the home match against Huddersfield was the 'must win' game of the season, however, even that thought seems to have a hollow 'no hope' look to it now. How could we have got hammered by Exeter, it is sooo embarrassing...think I might join a few others with a little bit too much to drink tonight, anything to numb the disapointment. :(

[longdogs]

Dean Smith now complaining about refereeing decisions on the radio

Well that's ok then. It's not our fault we lost. It's someone else's. Thank goodness for that.

[bangsection]

Smith surely should walk now

We had this debate with Hutchings. Why would he walk when he's got a year left on his contract? To cheer you up? Pride's a great thing but if you didn't make millions as a player it's not going to feed your family is it?

[Jorge14]

Disgusting result. I have been saying all week "if we don't win on Saturday, we will go down" and I stand by it. We haven't got another win in us this season. Absolutely gutted - but if you haven't got the killer instinct to turn those draws into wins, you pay. How many of us said last summer that we needed a midfielder with a touch of class and someone up front with either a bit of pace or the ability to do something different? It has been startling obvious for SEASONS now. I am disgusted by this result.

[MILO5]

People talking about Wycombe still but surely our main worry now is chesterfield ?

Yeovil away and brentford at home to play .... They need to beat both , but with both having nothing to play for all of a sudden..... And the pressure is off as outsiders. If they did, a draw from our last 2 wouldn't save us .

Wycombe v notts county and Sheffield wed ...if they get 4 points from that they deserve to stay up. But I can't see it , especially with Sheffield wed making up ground today.

Pathetic that it's really looking like us relying on other results after 3 golden opportunities ( Tranmere at home and Rochdale and Exeter away) to sew safety up has brought 1 point .

Disgruntled

[longdogs]

People talking about Wycombe still but surely our main worry now is chesterfield ?

Yeovil away and brentford at home to play .... They need to beat both , but with both having nothing to play for all of a sudden..... And the pressure is off as outsiders. If they did, a draw from our last 2 wouldn't save us .

Indeed. If next Saturday's results go against us, the league table going into the final game could look like this:

19. Orient 50
20. Walsall 46
------------------------
21. Wycombe 46
22. Chesterfield 45
23. Exeter 44
24. Rochdale 38

Does anyone feel confident that we would stay up if it did?

[geoffwhiting]

Smith surely should walk now

We had this debate with Hutchings. Why would he walk when he's got a year left on his contract? To cheer you up? Pride's a great thing but if you didn't make millions as a player it's not going to feed your family is it?

I agree, he won't, I'm just saying he should, because he's proved himself incapable, time and time again, of steering his players to wins that have been there for the taking. All season we've thrown away leads to take draws or even get nothing at all, like today. In fact today was probably THE most embarrassing league result of the season, losing the lead twice to a relegated club (they are, as good as, despite today's result) and then totally capitulating to lose 4-2. As Cully says, that isn't bad luck. Bad luck is when it happens from time to time, but when it happens time and time again, it is ineptitude, nothing less.

If he stays, we'll have the same problem next season, and sadly that is almost certainly what will happen, but I am now firmly in the "Smith out" camp, for the first time.

[geoffwhiting]

People talking about Wycombe still but surely our main worry now is chesterfield ?

Yeovil away and brentford at home to play .... They need to beat both , but with both having nothing to play for all of a sudden..... And the pressure is off as outsiders. If they did, a draw from our last 2 wouldn't save us .

Indeed. If next Saturday's results go against us, the league table going into the final game could look like this:

19. Orient 50
20. Walsall 46
------------------------
21. Wycombe 46
22. Chesterfield 45
23. Exeter 44
24. Rochdale 38

Does anyone feel confident that we would stay up if it did?

No, but it won't! :?

[longdogs]

People talking about Wycombe still but surely our main worry now is chesterfield ?

Yeovil away and brentford at home to play .... They need to beat both , but with both having nothing to play for all of a sudden..... And the pressure is off as outsiders. If they did, a draw from our last 2 wouldn't save us .

Indeed. If next Saturday's results go against us, the league table going into the final game could look like this:

19. Orient 50
20. Walsall 46
------------------------
21. Wycombe 46
22. Chesterfield 45
23. Exeter 44
24. Rochdale 38

Does anyone feel confident that we would stay up if it did?

No, but it won't! :?

Why not? Wycombe were unlucky to lose at Charlton, and Chesterfield & Exeter both came from behind to win today. They're all fighting for survival.

[Ancient Moaner]

People talking about Wycombe still but surely our main worry now is chesterfield ?

Yeovil away and brentford at home to play .... They need to beat both , but with both having nothing to play for all of a sudden..... And the pressure is off as outsiders. If they did, a draw from our last 2 wouldn't save us .

Indeed. If next Saturday's results go against us, the league table going into the final game could look like this:

19. Orient 50
20. Walsall 46
------------------------
21. Wycombe 46
22. Chesterfield 45
23. Exeter 44
24. Rochdale 38

Does anyone feel confident that we would stay up if it did?

No, but it won't! :?

Why not? Wycombe were unlucky to lose at Charlton, and Chesterfield & Exeter both came from behind to win today. They're all fighting for survival.

Unlike us it would appear.........

[Registered Saddler]

A lot of what Dean Smith said on the radio was correct. Manny Smith should never have been sent off - if anyone thought Beevers' second booking last week was harsh, then this was ten times worse. The referee was over officious and couldn't wait to send him off (Roger East is one of those perennially useless refs who is, like all refs, immune from the sack). I have no idea about the 'over the line' goal - it was at the other end and I couldn't see it.

However, the reason we lost the game was Dean Smith. Does anyone want to tot up how many times we have been pegged back from winning positions this season? Does anyone want to count the number of times he has made a baffling substitution and we've conceded soon after? He had two in-game decisions to make: how to react to Smith's first booking, and how to react to his second. The first was early on, we were up against a side that would play the ball into their strikers' feet and we were looking comfortable at 1-0 and 2-1. More than that, we were dominating. Why not bring Lancashire on then? Leaving Smith out there, knowing that one more foul would see him off, was asking for trouble. Then when the inevitable happened, we went into freefall.

Tactic 1: 4-4-1, with Macken up front by himself, Nicholls on the left, Hurst on the bench and Ledesma moved to the right. Sort of. But really he just hung around up front. This left Taundry (who up to that point had been impeccable) horribly exposed and outnumbered, leading to the next two goals. -- As an aside, if you want a man for a battle, don't ask Ledesma to put his hand up. He missed two sitters of the sort that if Jarvis had committed them, then UTS would be left seething with rage and was generally lightweight and ineffective, bar the lovely set-up for the second goal. But apparently he's some kind of genius :roll:

Tactic 2: 4-2-2-1, with Ledesma up front by himself, Westlake in at right-back, Nicholls back on the right wing, Taundry (!) on the left wing and Macken on the bench. Well, at least Smith realised that we needed to shore up our right-hand side. About 10 minutes too late though. I'm not sure Taundry will play as an attacking left-sided forward again.

Tactic 3: 4-1-2-2, with Grigg on up front for Taundry, supported by Cuvelier and Nicholls out wide, while Mantom is basically our only midfielder. At this point, no one knew what the blazes was going on and Exeter were running riot. They scored three after Smith was sent off but it could have been 7 or 8.

Of course, we knew that Exeter needed to win the game so were going to throw the kitchen sink at us. But 2-1 up away from home with 25 minutes left is not a hopeless situation. It is if you leave so many attacking players on the pitch and surrender. Credit to Cuvelier, who at least tried to show some fight when we went behind, even if his eagerness was misplaced in holding on to the ball for too long most of the time. The rest of them just hid.

I'm not in the Smith out camp per se, but he sure does need an experienced head alongside him to tell him what to do during the game. If not, he will go on making incorrect calls that end up costing us points like today. His interfering not only failed to solve the problems of Smith's dismissal, they actively hindered us. I'm hopeful that the other results will go our way and we'll stop up, but something needs to change before next season...Smith just is not learning the ropes. Three away wins in his tenure is evidence enough.

[bangsection]

Interesting interview with Dean Smith on the OS. Describes the sending off as "laughable", says we'd definitely have won the game 11 v 11, claims we had an effort not given that was "two yards" over the line and refuses to blame the players for the defeat.

Be interesting to see what those who went make of his comments. Were we as hard done by as he claims? Given that many of the incidents seem to have occurred at the "wrong end" we might not find out until the highlights go up online. What I'm interested in is whether people think Dean Smith was tactically culpable in any way today.

[bangsection]

That answers that then. Cheers, Reg.

[Registered Saddler]

That answers that then. Cheers, Reg.

The short answer was 'yes'.

[Bernie]

Have just seen the goals on Sky.

Cuvelier (not Macken as the Sky commentator said) scored an excellent opening goal with a shot from 20 yards that hit the back of the net hard and low near the middle of the goal and bounced out gently towards one of the posts. Incredibly it was not given - this was one of the worst decisions I have ever seen involving any club. On the Sad World commentary they said that it was Nicholls and he hit both posts but you do not need a replay to see that it hit the back of the net.

It is also very hard to see any foul at all by Manny Smith before he was sent off.

[Louise]

I have long supported Smith but after today I really think he has lost the plot.

1. Tactically totally unaware - beginning to look Mersonesque!
2. I have rarely seen him make an effective substitution.
3. Why oh why can we not hold on to a lead ???

I think the last 2 games we could get nothing from and then we are dependent on other results - Tranmere and Exeter were winnable games and now we are on a losing streak at the worst possible time.
To be fair the rubbish I have watched for most of this season has been of League Two standards so I cant realy complain if we end up there but I will!!!!

[Sound_out]

Have just seen the goals on Sky.

Cuvelier (not Macken as the Sky commentator said) scored an excellent opening goal with a shot from 20 yards that hit the back of the net hard and low near the middle of the goal and bounced out gently towards one of the posts. Incredibly it was not given - this was one of the worst decisions I have ever seen involving any club. On the Sad World commentary they said that it was Nicholls and he hit both posts but you do not need a replay to see that it hit the back of the net.

It is also very hard to see any foul at all by Manny Smith before he was sent off.

Unfounded cynicism on my part, borne out by such a frustrating result! My apologies young Manny.

[King Crimson]

Have just seen the goals on Sky.

Cuvelier (not Macken as the Sky commentator said) scored an excellent opening goal with a shot from 20 yards that hit the back of the net hard and low near the middle of the goal and bounced out gently towards one of the posts. Incredibly it was not given - this was one of the worst decisions I have ever seen involving any club. On the Sad World commentary they said that it was Nicholls and he hit both posts but you do not need a replay to see that it hit the back of the net.

It is also very hard to see any foul at all by Manny Smith before he was sent off.

Unfounded cynicism on my part, borne out by such a frustrating result! My apologies young Manny.

I've been a critic too - but that second yellow looked harsh to say the least.