The Play-Off Thead 2....The Sequel...

[Laker]

I'm quite surprised by Cullen. I never rated him when he was at Luton but I watched the semi final second leg and the final, and he's been involved in just about every goal.

 

[Davidimp]

Good game so far.

 

[Davidimp]

Only 500k extra for playing in league one?!?!

 

[hellogregory]

Are you sure we didn't just make Blackpool look good?

Home and away I'm talking about.

I know how shit we were in the home game.

 

[hellogregory]

We're bloody better than both of these teams. Really, really frustrating.

The league table doesn't lie, so fair enough if you think you're a bettebetter team. But Blackpool have better players than anyone outside the top 3 imo.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Only 500k extra for playing in league one?!?!

The additional wage bill would probably exceed the £500,000.

 

[Kenneth E End]

The league table doesn't lie, so fair enough. But Blackpool have better players than anyone outside the top 3.

Well they only just snuck into the top 7 and we didn't concede a goal against them in the regular season.

 

[Leo]

2-1 Blackpool.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I'm quite surprised by Cullen. I never rated him when he was at Luton but I watched the semi final second leg and the final, and he's been involved in just about every goal.

He always had potential... but got a sulk about being outside of the North. He was just unlucky to be behind Gray and Benson in that season, who scored nearly 50 goals between them.

Despite the fact he's dragged Blackpool to promotion nearly, I'd still take the £180,000 we got for him at the time.

 

[hellogregory]

Well they only just snuck into the top 7 and we didn't concede a goal against them in the regular season.

We beat Exeter home and away in the regular season. That means nothing when it gets to the playoffs.

I actually thought you'd beat blackpool over 2 legs because I thought they have some sort of mental weakness that I thought you'd exploit. They have too many off days for the standard of squad they gave, hence their 7th placed finish. But player for player I'd prefer their players to yours, and ours, and Exeter's and most other teams in this league.

 

[Super_horns]

Some good goals in the game.

Been a decent final.

 

[BelizeHatter]

C'mon Exeter step it up. Brad Potts looked great in the last three games. Would love him for us but imagine Pool will lose him higher up even if they do go up.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We beat Exeter home and away in the regular season. That means nothing when it gets to the playoffs.

I actually thought you'd beat blackpool over 2 legs because I thought they have some sort of mental weakness that I thought you'd exploit. They have too many off days for the standard of squad they gave, hence their 7th placed finish. But player for player I'd prefer their players to yours, and ours, and Exeter's and most other teams in this league.

Still don't really agree with that. If everyone was fit and available, McGeehan would've been playing, who's easily in the top 3 players in League 2. We also should've had Christian Walton who at the time, was the best GK in the division and will go onto play for England.

We had the best defence in the division and lost the fewest games, yet that defence had a brain fart that week. Can't really explain how.

That's the play offs for you!

 

[hellogregory]

Still don't really agree with that. If everyone was fit and available, McGeehan would've been playing, who's easily in the top 3 players in League 2. We also should've had Christian Walton who at the time, was the best GK in the division and will go onto play for England.

We had the best defence in the division and lost the fewest games, yet that defence had a brain fart that week. Can't really explain how.

That's the play offs for you!

Have to wonder why Luton aren't playing UEFA Champions League football, the way you hype up your players.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Have to wonder why Luton aren't playing UEFA Champions League football, the way you hype up your players.

... as I said yesterday, Liam Hearn was always better than Andre Gray.

And to be a pedant, only one of those players is actually ours. We should've had Walton for the whole season, but the club were foolish enough to allow a recall clause with no other senior keeper at the club.

And McGeehan is a 1 in 3 midfielder - he is in the top 3 players in League 2.

 

[hellogregory]

C'mon Exeter step it up. Brad Potts looked great in the last three games. Would love him for us but imagine Pool will lose him higher up even if they do go up.

Brad won't be playing League 2 next season, regardless of the outcome of this match.

He left us to play at a higher level, was surprised he stayed at Blackpool following their relegation, but apparently Ipswich and other championship clubs are now interested.

 

[hellogregory]

Hard luck Exeter.

It's been a superb run from 24th to this.

The League 2 playoffs have wiped the floor with the other divisions. All 4 teams have produced 5 really entertaining matches with good goals and crap defending.

It seems to happen quite a lot in this league, the team finishing 7th winning the playoffs.

 

[Jockney]

I mean there are four promotion spots for what must statically be the easiest professional league in the country to get promoted out of. Making arguments about fine margins of quality and ability between sides seems like a bit of an underwhelming argument.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I mean there are four promotion spots for what must statically be the easiest professional league in the country to get promoted out of. Making arguments about fine margins of quality and ability between sides seems like a bit of an underwhelming argument.

Agreed. Its a redundant argument. But its still bloody frustrating nonetheless.

Any team with a modicum of consistency around that top 7 would've got promoted automatically.

 

[Davidimp]

Have to wonder why Luton aren't playing UEFA Champions League football, the way you hype up your players.

We got that from the Tranmere lot all season that they were better than everyone else, in fact one of their fans said consistently ALL of their players were better ours and would have none of our players in their side.
We did the double over them and won the league....

 

[Kenneth E End]

Mark Cullen - 5 goals and 2 assists(?) in the 3 play off games. Bravo Sir.

If there was ever a man of the series for these play offs, he wins hands down.

 

[Redfox]

It was an alright final but the atmosphere was absolutely awful, thanks to Blackpool.

 

[hellogregory]

... as I said yesterday, Liam Hearn was always better than Andre Gray.

And to be a pedant, only one of those players is actually ours. We should've had Walton for the whole season, but the club were foolish enough to allow a recall clause with no other senior keeper at the club.

And McGeehan is a 1 in 3 midfielder - he is in the top 3 players in League 2.

 

[hellogregory]

Tom Aldred's just done a Cesc Fabregas

 

[cufc17]

Shame, another northern team down next season.

It was an okay game, hopefully Potts gets a big money move so we get some extra money. Blackpool have probably been underwhelming in the regular season when you look at their squad, but fair play today.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Not sure why but I dont really like Blackpool. Could be partly Cullen and the damage he did to us in the semis and the shitty way he left us although nobody cared he left. Could be I'm not sure what the club have as a reason to moan and want owners out compared to many many other worse off clubs. Could be I'm just a jealouus old git.

Better for Luton maybe they've gone up but then who knows. Good luck to them showed great mental strength to make it so deserve credit. Great season Exeter despite your low now esp considering position half way through season.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Only 23,000 at Wembley. Not even a great payday as a consolation for Exeter. They would've only made just over £100,000 during this game.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Not sure why but I dont really like Blackpool. Could be partly Cullen and the damage he did to us in the semis and the shitty way he left us although nobody cared he left. Could be I'm not sure what the club have as a reason to moan and want owners out compared to many many other worse off clubs. Could be I'm just a jealouus old git.

Better for Luton maybe they've gone up but then who knows. Good luck to them showed great mental strength to make it so deserve credit. Great season Exeter despite your low now esp considering position half way through season.

Think Blackpool would've been the bigger threat next season, so slightly glad to get them out of the way.

I'd happily have our clubs, owners and foundations rather than Blackpool's, but that sounds obvious.

As I said before, if I had the choice of £180,000 or keeping Cullen, I would've had the former. He seems to have suddenly turned up for Blackpool in these play offs, because he's not even hit double figures in league games in the last two seasons.

 

[The Terminator]

Blackpool, run by a bad owner - Who at least appointed a competent manager. They're so, so lucky Gary Bowyer needed a job.

 

[Vanni]

Yep, I'm with Kenny as I think Blackpool are a bigger threat than Exeter, so on one hand I'm happy they've gone up. Still, I was actually rooting for Exeter throughout the match., but if I'm being honest, they were second best today and Blackpool deserved the win.