Why we should stop assuming Peterborough United will hammer anyone any time soon, a baffling decision, cool heads required and time to buck a trend in Bucks

We’ve all said it. The manager certainly has and the chairman even said it in today’s edition of his ‘Hard Truth’ podcast, one recorded before Tuesday night’s awful result at Exeter City.

It’s a confident theory based on the number of scoring chances created in a game which go unconverted, but it ignores the reality of no win by more than a single goal against League One opponents for two months.

This is a team that has promised so much and has delivered some wonderful performances and results, but those narrow wins have now started to turn into close defeats and last night’s was so shocking alarm bells at London Road should be ringing loudly.

The Wigan team that beat Posh on Saturday had some excellent individual players and a playing style that was tricky to combat. Exeter had none of the above. They were a poor side playing poorly with barely a tenth of the attacking threat Posh possess. Yet they won 2-1 without creating a single scoring chance in open play through their own ability.

And unless a centre-forward who, although capable of running defences ragged as he did at St James’ Park, rarely scores, is transformed into Gerd Muller and a centre-back playing at right-back turns into, well Peter Kioso, and until Kwame Poku returns to action, results like this are as likely to arrive as one-sided wins.

TALKING POINTS FROM EXETER 2, POSH 1…

1) There seemed little likelihood of on-loan teenage winger Michael Olakigbe appearing for the second-half. For 45 minutes he barely retained possession and picked up a soft, but absolutely correct, yellow card. David Ajiboye was sent out for a vigorous warm-up just before the break. Most around me were convinced a justifiable change was imminent. But no, Olakigbe stayed on, fluffed a glorious chance to score after some brilliance from Archie Collins and then picked up another soft, but absolutely correct, yellow card to leave Posh playing with 10 men for over half an hour. It was a baffling managerial decision, but it was also wrong to pin the entire blame for defeat on Ferguson and Olakigbe, a man who picked up the first yellow cards of his career last night. Posh should have been 3-0 up by the time of the red card, but the top scoring team in the division have also turned into the most wasteful team.

2) Those who believe Posh have launched a promotion push despite a lack of squad depth only have to look at the right side of the team, now Kioso and Poku are absent, for confirmation. Right-back Jadel Katongo struggled with his passing at Exeter, but defended okay until a horror own goal. Poku could be back on February 17 and sightings of him wearing a protective boot shouldn’t be treated with alarm as that’s precautionary rather than a sign of permanent damage.

3) It’s easy to call for team changes, but would they prompt any improvements? Ajiboye will presumably be a direct replacement for the suspended Olakigbe this weekend and Malik Mothersille could be seen as a straight swap for Ricky-Jade Jones at centre forward, but he wasn’t even sent on to try and save the game last night. Call for Jonson-Clarke-Harris to be re-instated would surely only be heeded alongside a formation chance to wing-backs and playing two up top which would at least have the element of surprise. The current back four is picking itself although Katongo might be more comfortable as a centre-back in a back three, a formation that could also bring Romoney Crichlow into the picture. Hector Kyprianou is currently off his best form, but his partnership with Collins remains key. Jeando Fuchs or Ryan De Havilland will only get their chance when the Cypriot picks up his inevitable suspension. He has has to survive the next seven games without a caution. It’s more likely Ferguson will stick with a formation and personnel that finds it easy to create chances in the hope more will be converted.

4) Is it because Posh are much weaker on the right than on the left that Ephron Mason-Clark now seems to be getting some rough treatment? Or has a £5 million price tag made him more of a target? His attitude has remained spot on since his transfer to Coventry City at the end of the season was confirmed, but he has started to stay down after challenges now which is a concern for Posh, and possibly for the Sky Blues. Mason-Clark did win Posh a penalty last night, just the second they’ve been awarded all season.

5) It’s a time for cool heads rather than head loss. Ferguson’s experience should come in useful. He should certainly have a word with Josh Knight for a crude lunge in the latter stages last night, one that could easily have been punished by a red card and a three-game ban. It was a moment of naivety as well as it took 90 seconds off a clock that was against Posh anyway. Knight’s frustration at watching the headline-makers at the other end of the Posh side mess up regularly was understandable though.

6) Reports on social media emerged last night of players copping personal abuse from fans at the game. I must have missed the study which proved that hurling insults at young players makes them play better.

7) And next up for Posh a trip to Wycombe Wanderers, a place which holds only bad memories over the last 20 years or so. It would be the perfect time to buck a trend in Bucks.