The Sol Campbell big match extravaganza (Exeter vs Macclesfield)

[Moomin]

I wonder if the big man will be at SJP to cast an eye over his new team tonight? Possibly not if he’s only just been appointed...

Fuck knows what’s going to happen tonight. Will Macc turn in an impressive performance as so often happens when a new man comes in? Or will they scare him shitless with an awful showing?

We really need the win as we’re not firing like we were 6 weeks ago so I’m not fussed if we only scrape a 1-0. It’s going to be a case of the first goal being crucial. If we can get ahead during the first 20 mins I fancy a comfortable win but if we go behind I suspect it will be a horrible evening!

I will go for a slightly optimistic 3-0 win. Stockley, Abrahams and Lee Martin.

 

[The_Boss]

With some of our better players coming back to full fitness now, and coming through saturday unscathed, plus the addition of Nathan Cameron at the back, we put in a much improved display at the weekend. Blind optimism had me thinking we could pull off one of them silly results tonight and win again, maybe 2-1 or something.
















Then we appointed Sol Campbell as manager so anything could now happen.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

Doubt he's travelled, he'll probably have forked out a tenner to watch on iFollow though.

Too soon for the Campbell effect to have hit. Not sure if that's good or bad yet.

 

[shoddycollins]

And they mocked him for claiming to be the most intelligent man in football.

 

[denzel ecfc]

FFS.

 

[King Kev]

With some of our better players coming back to full fitness now, and coming through saturday unscathed, plus the addition of Nathan Cameron at the back, we put in a much improved display at the weekend. Blind optimism had me thinking we could pull off one of them silly results tonight and win again, maybe 2-1 or something.
















Then we appointed Sol Campbell as manager so anything could now happen.

So in his three games thus far, how has Nat Cam looked?
Injury ruined him at Bury but I gurantee he will get a warm reception when he returns with you later in the season. Absolute quality on his day.

 

[SF_]

I wonder if the big man will be at SJP to cast an eye over his new team tonight? Possibly not if he’s only just been appointed...

Fuck knows what’s going to happen tonight. Will Macc turn in an impressive performance as so often happens when a new man comes in? Or will they scare him shitless with an awful showing?

We really need the win as we’re not firing like we were 6 weeks ago so I’m not fussed if we only scrape a 1-0. It’s going to be a case of the first goal being crucial. If we can get ahead during the first 20 mins I fancy a comfortable win but if we go behind I suspect it will be a horrible evening!

I will go for a slightly optimistic 3-0 win. Stockley, Abrahams and Lee Martin.

Prepare for a big sell on for Jordan Storey, looks the real deal this guy.

 

[saltpie]

So in his three games thus far, how has Nat Cam looked?
Injury ruined him at Bury but I gurantee he will get a warm reception when he returns with you later in the season. Absolute quality on his day.

 

[saltpie]

Two clean sheets in three games answers that, looks a very good signing

 

[Moomin]

Prepare for a big sell on for Jordan Storey, looks the real deal this guy.

That’s really good to hear. I am not surprised he’s doing so well for you as he was classy when he made his league debut last season. It’s amazing to think he was on loan to Dorchester a year ago in the Conference South.

Has there been any rumours of clubs looking at him already? Hope he stays at PNE for a while longer. With him and Watkins likely to earn us a big wedge in sell ons we really should have enough to finally win promotion one day.

 

[Moomin]

Well done Macclesfield, a deserved win and we were utterly atrocious. No movement, flair, confidence on the ball. Nothing.

It’s remarkable how much we’ve worsened in around 6 weeks. It does coincide with Boateng being injured but there must be more to it as I am struggling to think of a worse performance.

Sweeney was so bad and kept passing to nobody. The only players I can give any credit to were Nicky Law who at least tried to get on the ball and also feel for Stockley as he’s so isolated despite having a strike partner.

Macc worked hard, we’re organised and Smith’s goal was well taken. Cameron looked solid at the back and I can imagine he will make them much stronger.

Durrell set up the goal I think but my days he’s carrying some timber isn’t he!? He still was much better than any of our players though tbf.

We now have a 10 day break till the next league game (Bury away....joy) and Taylor needs to sort this out pronto. 4-4-2 doesn’t work and some players need dropping.

 

[SF_]

That’s really good to hear. I am not surprised he’s doing so well for you as he was classy when he made his league debut last season. It’s amazing to think he was on loan to Dorchester a year ago in the Conference South.

Has there been any rumours of clubs looking at him already? Hope he stays at PNE for a while longer. With him and Watkins likely to earn us a big wedge in sell ons we really should have enough to finally win promotion one day.

No links, only played 4 league games but you can just see it, the guy will do very well for himself. Didn't bat an eyelid last night against Boro's hoofing, shithousing monsters.

 

[The_Boss]

Well done Macclesfield, a deserved win and we were utterly atrocious. No movement, flair, confidence on the ball. Nothing.

It’s remarkable how much we’ve worsened in around 6 weeks. It does coincide with Boateng being injured but there must be more to it as I am struggling to think of a worse performance.

Sweeney was so bad and kept passing to nobody. The only players I can give any credit to were Nicky Law who at least tried to get on the ball and also feel for Stockley as he’s so isolated despite having a strike partner.

Macc worked hard, we’re organised and Smith’s goal was well taken. Cameron looked solid at the back and I can imagine he will make them much stronger.

Durrell set up the goal I think but my days he’s carrying some timber isn’t he!? He still was much better than any of our players though tbf.

We now have a 10 day break till the next league game (Bury away....joy) and Taylor needs to sort this out pronto. 4-4-2 doesn’t work and some players need dropping.

Durrell's physique is a funny one, i can't decide if it's flab or just his body shape. He gets up and down for 90 minutes though so isn't a fitness issue. Being out injured for the last 8 months won't help either but we're a different team with him back in it. In fact, having him, Ryan Lloyd, Callum Evans & Danny Whitaker in there takes us up to a whole new level to what we had at the start of the season.

Cameron has helped at the back, but we're along way from being sound defensively still. And we're always going to be shy up front, unless we can get someone decent in in Jan - although Jordan Ponticelli isn't far away from returning so he could make a difference.

We'll still go down though.

 

[Moomin]

Durrell's physique is a funny one, i can't decide if it's flab or just his body shape. He gets up and down for 90 minutes though so isn't a fitness issue. Being out injured for the last 8 months won't help either but we're a different team with him back in it. In fact, having him, Ryan Lloyd, Callum Evans & Danny Whitaker in there takes us up to a whole new level to what we had at the start of the season.

Cameron has helped at the back, but we're along way from being sound defensively still. And we're always going to be shy up front, unless we can get someone decent in in Jan - although Jordan Ponticelli isn't far away from returning so he could make a difference.

We'll still go down though.

He reminds me of Andy Reid who used to play for Forest. It may be he’s naturally built that way and as you say fitness wise he seems good as he didn’t stop running last night.

Not sure you will definitely go down. Obviously a lot will depend on how Campbell acclimatises to L2 and whether he can bring in an experienced head with him.

 

[Dan_Macclad]

Durrell could be 600lbs and still be more dangerous than the others.

 

[Sydney Posse]

Utter Shite from us. Struggling to comprehend just how bad we were tactically in that game. We have a decent squad for this division, but are a shadow of what we were a few weeks ago. It's like we are afraid to play football.

 

[The_Boss]

Exeter lads - was the result mainly down to you lot being pants at the moment, or did we look half decent at all?

 

[Moomin]

Exeter lads - was the result mainly down to you lot being pants at the moment, or did we look half decent at all?

We were atrocious, which was the main reason we lost.

That said, Macclesfield worked really hard and hit us on the break a few times. The goal was well taken too. I’d say you have a chance of staying up and you reminded me of Newport a couple of seasons ago who looked dead but turned it around. They beat us 1-0 at SJP too in a very similar sort of game.

 

[Vanni]

We did beat Macc very recently, but I didn't think they were as poor as some other relegation threatened sides that I have watched over the years. They were really tough to break down, and well drilled too, but looked like they were clueless nearly every single time they ventured forward.

I'm not sure though if that was down to their forwards not being good enough for league football or if , and I think this is the more likely explanation, they are lacking a creative midfielder so to speak. Still, nowhere near as bad as quite a few struggling sides that came here in previous seasons, but they do have to add some quality in Jan.

 

[Dan_Macclad]

Without Durrell we have barely any service to the front men.
It's vital he stays fit and we bring in reinforcements in January.