Pre season friendlies

It's a fair point and ultimately only time will tell. As I said, a couple of quality additions will hopefully provide that. I would also say that we created enough today to win that game and scored 3 against Donny last week - I think we will get goals.

Ultimately having a style of play is great but getting results is another thing and we will have to wait and see but for me its a big positive to be able to see it in pre-season.

 

Thats a fair comment but you also have to report and comment on what you see - first half was encouraging, second half was far more worrying. I sometimes feel your comments could have been written before the event has taken place but good on you for always seeing the positives

 

I honestly dont think any of Guthrie and Novak, Guthrie and Donaldson or Novak and Donaldson is going to work - all big units but no pace, little awareness and I would guess not enough goals - particularly as I dont think there are many goals from elsewhere in this team as it currently stands.
One standout today in the 2nd half, perhaps the brightest of them was Guthrie but when Wood was obviously going to deliver from the left flank he was on his heels and not anticipating the ball. If he had gone earlier he would have had a tap in as he was across the defenders

 

I only caught second half and it's been mentioned to death already but we looked way off the pace, i know they were fresh legs and trying to prove a point so probably gave them some motivation. I can't see many goals from us this season if we don't strengthen the attacking line ASAP.

 

I haven’t been impressed at all with Novak I personally think Donaldson is a better bet. But we do need a striker who gets behind defenders instead of playing in front. DMH gave us some pace first half. Second half was crying out for someone to play off Donaldson but there was no one.

 

Managed to catch the last 20 mins.

Some good movement and one passage of play where we made 3 forward passes, went straight through them and were on the edge of their box. Sadly no end product but I can see how SM wants us to play.

Players looked leggy BUT didn't give in and kept their shape. Udders scored and had a few half chances but that was it.

Thought AOC did OK at RB.

Connor Woods again producing some good crosses.

Would like to think Stuart was asking after at least 2 of their players.

 

@Park bantam don't know what game you watched today but Donaldson got out muscled by kids on nearly every occasion he got near the ball. He was also blowing after 5 mins of coming on.

 

We lack pace big time DMH never once took his player on and Ismail was no better when he came on. If stu thinks we require only 2 more players in then it's going to long season.

 

[QUO

Agree, Novak looked very average and didnt hold the ball up particularly well (which you would presume is one of his so called strengths). Interestingly I thought DMH did ok but not because of his pace, he made sure he was showing for the ball whilst keeping the width we needed but his awareness and distribution was also good. I cant remember him beating his defender for pace or skill but he was the pick of the 2 right sided wide men today

 

What I saw of Novak was a player who didn't look interested. For such a big lad he is muscled off the ball far to easily. Clayton needs more minutes, lot's more.
Didn't see much of Guthrie so can't comment.

 

It's a good point on DMH, I've always previously seen him as just another player who is very fast but limited footballing ability. Teams need pace, but I'm convinced it is the most overrated attribute in football so its really encouraging to see DMH show other attributes.
He also pulled up slightly straight after his goal and was taken off at HT so I reckon he wasn't firing on all cylinders.

 

Guthrie looks like a player with plenty of ability but needs someone in his face all the time to keep him going

 

Now I don't know how many of you have played the game, or what level you've played, but in my experience, when you come up against a team of kids, you get this extra confidence, decide to show them "whats what", and generally play about with them a bit, until pride kicks in, then you go up a few gears. Ummm...I guess our players didn't get this feeling in the second half. It was basically our first team, versus the terriers reserve/youth team. 18 year olds reading our experienced midfielders passes. Read that back again. Yet it's ok that Paudie gets undone by a seventeen year old, because he's an inexperienced player himself? At the moment, he's our first choice centre back (because our first choice centre back is playing full back).

Watched the full 90 mins. Thought we played ok in the first half - but now it turns out that those we were playing against, didnt really need to put a shift in. Second half, against players who were up for it, totally dominated us.

Only plus point in this game, is that maybe we can get some of their kids in our first team.

 

It has been reported earlier that the team had a double training session earlier in the day. Is that right @Park bantam?

If true would account for the later fatigue in the game.

 

Please don't encourage him

 

haha, genius. That's like me going on a 10km run the morning I'm about to run the London marathon. What's that all about then? Stupid if that's the case. Do we want pre season injuries?

 

People slated Connolly for no end product but aside from playing through the middle which usually involved Cooke/Watt passing to Guthrie and a neat lay off to someone there wasn't a lot of forward momentum particularly after about 30 minutes.

We no longer seem to have a player who is able or willing or told (not sure which) to stretch the game and get us up the field quickly unfortunately. We will end up one dimensional I fear.

 

Evening @Fordy117

 

Not today

 

Evening Park