Carabao Cup 22/23

[YEO YEO YEO]

First three games against League 1 opponents (2 of them away)
W2 D1 L0 GF 12 GA 1

So much for all the Billy big bollox talk about how hard this league was. Bunch of numpties.

Tbh you've only played us, Cheltenham and Port Vale so far (although very good scores vs the latter two). When have you got your first games against the better sides?

 

[Si Robin]

First three games against League 1 opponents (2 of them away)
W2 D1 L0 GF 12 GA 1

So much for all the Billy big bollox talk about how hard this league was. Bunch of numpties.

None of those starting in red shirts tonight will be League 1 players next season. Very few may even make it past January with any luck.

 

[thewwfc]

I knew we weren't taking it seriously when I saw the starting lineup, but I didn't expect the players playing to not give a shit.

If it was an opportunity for the fringe players to stake a claim, then all they've done is push themselves closer to the exit.

There are no positives from tonight, absolutely none.

Well, no bad thing to find out if your stiffs aren’t worth it, ship ‘em out on loan and be done with it.

I don’t expect anyone to be arsed enough to do this in real life, but I’d be genuinely interested to see how many teams are taking this cup seriously, i.e. how many first teamers per club featured in this round.

Both ourselves and the Cobblers put out heavily rotated sides tonight - Ainsworth showed last season how much this cup means to him by playing our stiffs v Man City ( ) so I can’t imagine a full first WW XI is going to grace this competition in the near future.

Genuinely pleased that the fringe players get a shot at first team football though, and apparently a few of ours acquitted themselves well tonight - good to have some reassurance of strength in depth and also stop any first teamers getting complacent.

 

[Moomin]

Wow. Been supporting ECFC since 1989 and never known us to score 7. Considering we had a number of ‘fringe’ players playing its even more impressive. So proud of this club at the moment.

 

[91SPP]

A tough game against Mansfield, which I was able to listen to via TalkSPORT, sounded like they came out swinging in the second but Mendez-Laing and Barkhuizen came off the bench to get us the win.

A couple of promising performances, namely: Jake Rooney, who we just signed from Burnley, Louie Sibley and Lewis Dobbin. Rooney has been playing CB for our U21 whilst on trial and was even named captain at one point. He played DM tonight and was the best player on the pitch in the first half by all accounts.

Glad to get the win. Fingers crossed that we've picked up no injuries and will be in good shape for Saturday.

 

[masi51]

None of those starting in red shirts tonight will be League 1 players next season. Very few may even make it past January with any luck.

Agree massive gulf in the top 10 in this league. We made 8 changes tonight from Saturdays team.
Our first three goalscorers have not started a league game yet. One has over 60 caps for Iceland another has played in both the premier league and Bunderslega and Sadlier would get in most teams in lge1.
Add that to Charles,Sheehan,Toal and Isgrove all injured and you can see the depth of our squad.
Derby, Shef wed have better squads than us on paper.

 

[Si Robin]

Wow. Been supporting ECFC since 1989 and never known us to score 7. Considering we had a number of ‘fringe’ players playing its even more impressive. So proud of this club at the moment.

According to SSN, it's the first time you've ever scored 7 away from home.

Good old Cheltenham, helping teams to break records since 1887.

 

[masi51]

Wow. Been supporting ECFC since 1989 and never known us to score 7. Considering we had a number of ‘fringe’ players playing its even more impressive. So proud of this club at the moment.

Enjoy it even if you beat Cheltenham reserves it is a great result for your club.....The fact that it was not your first 11 makes it sweeter.

 

[Bartonyellow]

Good news. We lost. Meaning another step closer to this clown getting out of our club.
Sack him now for gods sake. He is clueless.

 

[codaplenty]

Scott Brown is certainly making his mark at Fleetwood. A dominant display all over the park, Wigan were poor only because Fleetwood were on top particularly in mid field. Here's hoping for home tie against some local north west club

 

[91SPP]

Every Championship side that played against a lower league team lost tonight, I'm pretty sure that's never happened before.

9 in total - Reading, Swansea, Stoke, Luton, Wigan, QPR, Cardiff, Hull & Blackpool!

 

[ShrimpsMeltdown]

Yeah tomorrows even more meh for us now as we don’t even have that carrot to pluck out in round 2!

Sorry about that

 

[Super_horns]

Every Championship side that played against a lower league team lost tonight, I'm pretty sure that's never happened before.

9 in total - Reading, Swansea, Stoke, Luton, Wigan, QPR, Cardiff, Hull & Blackpool!

Probably all playing weaken teams too which sums the attitude by some to the competition up in a way?

 

[SMH]

Probably all playing weaken teams too which sums the attitude by some to the competition up in a way?

Yep, 11 changes from us tonight. A team exclusively of reserves and kids with more kids on the bench.

 

[Super_horns]

Yep, 11 changes from us tonight. A team exclusively of reserves and kids with more kids on the bench.

Not surprised- least you will get a mid week off now as there are loads coming up to fit games in.

 

[Devon_Lad]

.

 

[masi51]

.

best post you have ever put on !!!

 

[SVH]

Can someone explain what lolz is?

 

[denzel ecfc]

Tbh you've only played us, Cheltenham and Port Vale so far (although very good scores vs the latter two). When have you got your first games against the better sides?

Cambridge will be harder on Saturday. Hopefully there won't be any dodgy offside goals this time. Then Wycombe and then, oh, Cheltenham again..

 

[Si Robin]

Will be a very different Cheltenham team at St James Park.

 

[Stroud]

I knew we weren't taking it seriously when I saw the starting lineup, but I didn't expect the players playing to not give a shit.

If it was an opportunity for the fringe players to stake a claim, then all they've done is push themselves closer to the exit.

There are no positives from tonight, absolutely none.

One positive would be that the team have had early warning that they must pick up their game.
Sometimes these defeats actually work to the long-term benefit of club.

 

[LeonTheGreen]

Will be a very different Cheltenham team at St James Park.

Don’t get me wrong you made changes but looking at the team you put out, there’s plenty of recognisable names, most of them have played a decent amount of EFL games before! I expected it to be a team of kids when I saw the score line.

 

[White horse]

This cup never had the magic of the FA Cup but it was a good competition right up to the noughties. now it is treated as an inconvenience,

The FA Cup was absolutely massive when I was growing up usually giving clubs their biggest crowds of the season, You can't believe how big it was compared to now. The strongest teams were fielded as it was the biggest competition. and the interest and crowds were huge.

It was all ruined by Ferguson putting out wakened teams and then the sheep followed. as clubs decided they would rather sacrifice the domestic cups to finish fourth bottom of the premiership or try and make the play offs rather than them win a Cup. Just like in Italy or Spain were the domestic cups never mattered. They have lost their prestige unfortunately

Now even L2 clubs play their reserves and kids and the crowds are pitiful.

What's the point of them now, you don't get any respect for winning them, , especially the Pizza one., that is actually embarrassing to win

 

[Si Robin]

Don’t get me wrong you made changes but looking at the team you put out, there’s plenty of recognisable names, most of them have played a decent amount of EFL games before! I expected it to be a team of kids when I saw the score line.

Whilst they might be experienced, they're certainly not good enough. Of the 11, Southwood, Raglan and Bonds are the only ones I'd consider starters for a league game. Raglan is not good enough, but better than the backups. Arguably, Ferry will become one as well, but he only signed yesterday.

Of the rest:
James Taylor - young loanee from Bristol City making his debut, will be lucky to make the bench again
Grant Horton - reserve player who will probably make the bench again but won't start
Tom Bradbury - big summer signing from Halifax, hasn't made the bench in the League yet
Dan Adshead - I thought he would be a first team player, but was his full debut last night
Ellis Chapman - Seems to think he's made it because he signed a new deal in the summer, has only been a sub in the League
Charlie Brown - A waste of money, MK Dons saw us coming. Don't think he'll ever score a goal for us.
George Lloyd - Been on the periphery for years now and doesn't look like he's going to break through - certainly not a player to lead the line.

All of these should be replaced on Saturday. Our first 11 is ok for League One, what's concerning is the backups are so far off the pace that a few injuries could be devastating to us.

 

[bigfatron]

We (Cambridge) beat Cheltenham 5-0 away last season. So what?
Cheltenham still had some cracking results against the bigger teams, stayed up comfortably and finishing only two points and one place below us. They had an off day against us, and we had a good day against them, that's all.

Exeter have had a decent start but have so far only had two - undoubtedly good - results against a fellow promotee and one of the weaker club's reserves (no offence Cheltenham fans, but you guys appear a bit weaker this season than last); you haven't played any of the teams expected to finish top half yet and won't until next Tuesday. I didn't have you down for relegation but I still don't see you likely to trouble the top half of the table.

Wycombe will give you a feel for where you really are; win that and you may have some genuine bragging opportunities...

 

[denzel ecfc]

Will be a very different Cheltenham team at St James Park.

And a very different Exeter team!

 

[DippyDon]

Charlie Brown - A waste of money, MK Dons saw us coming. Don't think he'll ever score a goal for us.

I still can't believe we got a fee for him. Perhaps our standard practice of 'hype a bang average player up until other teams take notice' worked here, he had one good moment getting a late winner against Northampton and that was it.

Mind you, the same happened with Nombe for Exeter and he's actually looking like he's pushed on.

 

[valefan16]

I wouldn't judge too much on slapping us at the moment as the side we had to put out Saturday was far weaker than any we played with in League Two last season with injuries/players coming back to fitness and still having to recruit a strike force.

We are just pretty much writing off August to ensure we have the right players for the other 8 months of the season rather than rushing and panic buying.

 

[Si Robin]

I still can't believe we got a fee for him. Perhaps our standard practice of 'hype a bang average player up until other teams take notice' worked here, he had one good moment getting a late winner against Northampton and that was it.

Mind you, the same happened with Nombe for Exeter and he's actually looking like he's pushed on.

He's been injured for the majority of his time here - I honestly don't recall a single thing he's done in a Cheltenham shirt.

 

[kieran_vale]

Whilst they might be experienced, they're certainly not good enough. Of the 11, Southwood, Raglan and Bonds are the only ones I'd consider starters for a league game. Raglan is not good enough, but better than the backups. Arguably, Ferry will become one as well, but he only signed yesterday.

Of the rest:
James Taylor - young loanee from Bristol City making his debut, will be lucky to make the bench again
Grant Horton - reserve player who will probably make the bench again but won't start
Tom Bradbury - big summer signing from Halifax, hasn't made the bench in the League yet
Dan Adshead - I thought he would be a first team player, but was his full debut last night
Ellis Chapman - Seems to think he's made it because he signed a new deal in the summer, has only been a sub in the League
Charlie Brown - A waste of money, MK Dons saw us coming. Don't think he'll ever score a goal for us.
George Lloyd - Been on the periphery for years now and doesn't look like he's going to break through - certainly not a player to lead the line.

All of these should be replaced on Saturday. Our first 11 is ok for League One, what's concerning is the backups are so far off the pace that a few injuries could be devastating to us.

Yeah from his albeit short loan spell with us from what I saw was somebody who works hard and has a great attitude but I’m not convinced he’s a starting player in L2 never mind L1. Just not enough of a goal threat really.