Chris Wilder's Reaction after Exeter
Chris Wilder was honest in his appraisal as his side lost at home for the first time this season, slipping to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Exeter City on Saturday. United came back from 3-0 to make it 3-2 and look good for a comeback, but the manager was not hiding behind the defensive frailty that cost his side the match.
“It was a ridiculous display defensively” he told Yellow Player after the game.” I have never seen us defend like that. We played a top side on Wednesday night and looked rock solid but today perhaps there was a bit of naivety on our part. I think what will happen this year is if we give away silly goals teams will come and camp on the edge of their box and then we have got another plan to go to which involved getting the ball a little bit wider, getting overlaps and getting players across defenders in the box, but we never did that.
“The first goal was a gift because it was a forced pass. When sides are sitting deep you have to get it wide. We had two or three opportunities to get it out there but we tried to force it through the middle of the park and they broke on us with purpose and it was a quality finish.
“We had been in total control until then but when you give away a daft goal you are always chasing the game. Exeter have good players on the break, and Cureton has had two chances and taken them both.
“I always thought there was life left in us at half time and I always fancied us to get something out of the game. We had two or three great chances when we got it back to 3-2, and even at 4-2 I still fancied our chances and there was something still in it.
“ We have to decide whether we want to be a nice pretty side and keep possession and keep hold of it, we have to get the balance and mix right. Today nobody wanted to push themselves, nobody wanted to get beyond people, nobody wanted to get in the box and get smashed, and everyone was waiting for it to happen.”
See the whole interview plus Damian Batt’s reaction and highlights of the game, all in Yellow Player right now.