“I think it was the one game this season where we really let ourselves down,”
When considering Exeter City’s season thus far, it is difficult to deny that their 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Bolton Wanderers back in November represented a very low moment.
After City’s cowardly surrender that day, the supporters were never so furious, and Exeter’s defeat was their ninth in ten games during that extremely trying time. Because of how poorly the Grecians played, some were even demanding for manager Gary Caldwell’s head. However, Caldwell is a resilient man who weathered the storm and is still here to tell the story.
The Grecians will have their chance to right some of those wrongs today as they take on Bolton, who hasn’t played up to par lately based on their high expectations from earlier in the season. Even though they have only triumphed in three of their previous nine league games, they are still a dangerous foe.
In retrospect, Caldwell remarked, “I believe it was the one game this season where we really let ourselves down.” “It hurts that we couldn’t handle anything in the second half of the game and that goals were coming in way too easily.” Since I have experienced it numerous times myself, I believe that every football player has had it. In order to overcome it, you must exhibit resilience, and I believe we have done so.
“Hopefully, we can get back at them and use that really trying, tough day as motivation for the next ten games of the season.”
They have been together for at least four years and are an excellent team. We must respect the manager’s squad and playing style, as they have a clear idea of how they want to play and win games.
“We need to use the away game as motivation. The players responded strongly to what happened that day, and we really came together to turn the season around. Now, we need to take that feeling and make sure that 1) we never experience it again and 2) we try to turn the performance into a positive outcome and three points.”
The days for Caldwell and company became even darker as the Grecians drew their next game, 0-0, at home against Shrewsbury Town, then lost all four of their subsequent games. The Grecians’ campaign began on Boxing Day with a 1-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers.
After that post-Christmas comeback, Exeter has lost their previous four games, with the disappointment coming from strong showings that have not been rewarded with points, like the 2-1 loss to high-flying Peterborough United last week.
“We obviously know from the away game this year how good they can be, so it’s another really difficult game against a promotion-chasing team, but after Saturday, I think the spirits are high, the confidence is high, and I thought it was as good as we have played against a promotion-chasing team in this league,” Caldwell stated.
“We matched them player for player and pressured them really hard; we definitely ought to have taken the lead before we let them a goal after four minutes, and the most encouraging thing was our attitude after that.
We persisted in carrying out the game plan and, in my opinion, did so all the way to the finish. We were in the game and had two excellent opportunities in the final ten minutes, and I believe that we would have succeeded on another day.Although there are many positives to be gained from the performance, we now need to convert it into points.
Jack Aitchison, who has been sidelined for the past two games due to injury, will make his return to the Grecians, and Millenic Alli is vying for a starting role following his strong cameo last week at London Road.
Leave a Reply