Matchday mega thread,Barnsley v Exeter City

Don't quote him twice, I'm sure he heard you the first time!.

 

Imagine an outbreak of the happy virus on this board. Everyone loving life. Sadly too many are vaccinated.

 

Can't help but be pleased with that result. Low expectations before the game with Roberts and Earl absent at the back. Half-time score suggested the low expectations were justified but we more than stepped up in the second half. Hopefully Nwakali has given DC a selection headache going forward.

 

It wasn’t the best first half, but I didn’t think there was anything in the game. They scored a fluke free kick and we spurned a one-on-one. We looked the better side in my opinion but needed to use the width better.

Second half we came out with the answers early doors. Much more width, attacked the spaces. I think the back line were always going to look iffy early on but second half they were more settled.

That’s a pleasing win, big three points and needs backing up a week from today. Let’s hang on in there and get to January up and around it.

Seriously impressed by Kelechi again. I’m a big Phillips fan so it’s Connell out for me.

 

I thought he did very well considering he was dropped into a defence which has had to be significantly reshuffled due to injury. Stayed composed despite being on a booking for most of the game, and looked pretty handy with the ball at his feet going forwards.

 

I said that he looks a cut above based upon their first half performances. That’s all. I hadn’t checked the stats

 

Agreed.

 

I haven’t checked so please forgive me if I’ve got this wrong, but isn’t that our first victory from behind too?

We had a habit of that under Neill. I’m not kidding, it does wonders for players’ confidence.

 

Phillips needs to pull his socks up. Other than getting sent off I can’t think of anything he’s contributed for quite some time. I suspect he’s off in January.

 

It may be a bit cold for that. I'd wrap-up, personally.

 

Thought McCarthy did OK today.

Phillips should be back next week. Of the three midfielders on show today it would be Connell I'd be leaving our for him. Might give Connell a bit of a wake up call. He'd be brought on second half like as Russell tires after 60 minutes.

Good to see Watters back but he didn't properly put on the afterburners in the couple of breakaways he had, probably protecting his hamstring. Hope it holds up, we need a forward.

Anyway, good win, for 25 minutes in the second half it's the best we've played. Just need to be able to do that for longer periods.

 

Happy for McCarthy too. He's had to wait ages for a league start and soon as he gets one we win.

 

That's what i thought, booked early in 1st half

 

First half was quite entertaining but too many players were below par.

Why were we so awful for the last 25 minutes ? We'd shown after the break that we could outplay Exeter and were all over them, and then we couldn't string 2 passes together for just about the last half hour. Ended up having to constantly defend.

A win's a win though.

 

Very poor first half. Very good 20 ish minutes in the second half.

Nwakali has to start every game now. Class.

 

According to Flashscore Pines and Lofthouse were booked late on.

 

Klass

 

Well done to reds today, Nwakali needs to play regular now and we’ll done to the Frenchman, I’ve not been his biggest fan but great through ball to help set up winning goal, nice one MDG.

 

That's exactly the game I saw. Had Keillor-Dunn scored his one on one, nobody would have been bairning. But it's hardly surprising we looked disjointed - we've just lost two of our best performers this season due to injury, both defenders. Second half we looked a lot more cohesive and got our rewards. But in my opinion we've generally played pretty well while on this dodgy run we've been on. Only the first half of the Wigan game were we poor in any way. Reading and Cambridge we were the better side by miles in both games and on another day would have won both comfortably. Wrexham and Birmingham we were worth a point at least. Football is a game of fine margins, and things don't always go your way - primarily because there's another team on the field, also trying to win the game.

I genuinely don't think we're far off, and am backing us to finish top six again.