Most liked posts in thread: Pre-Season Friendlies 23/24

Unfortunately I’ve seen absolutely nothing this pre-season to make me feel optimistic.
It’s the same lethargic build ups where a backwards pass is first choice and eventually a piss poor delivery into the box from defenders pretending to be wingers.
I was bored watching most games last season and was hoping things would be different but so far no evidence of it.
Taylor is the new Kelleher.

 

I was livid Serge, that league was ripe for the taking. To have the league’s top scorer, one of a top two keepers after Vigoroux (sic) and loan talent like Crichlow, Wright, Banks, and well paid talent like Walker and Smallwood (both on excellent money for L2) and still feck promotion up (too three would have done), takes quite a bit of doing.

still, the board kept faith. The league looks much tougher now but we’ll have to put up with him for another year.

As you can tell, I’m buzzing for another season of football at Valley Parade after our pulsating pre-season.

 

there were several times on the promotion run in when the top three looked in our grasp, but, when the chips were down, we disappointed. We played some good stuff at times, which made it frustrating we couldn’t see more of it.

Losing Wright in January was a blow and maybe the signings we made limited our options to mix things up.

he’s had another pre-season now though so if we don’t go up i’ll be glad to see him walk.

he’s spent his whole managerial career at clubs who never contested titles but a different mindset is needed now. Safety first and survival mode (just happy to be out of action at either end) isn’t needed here - we need some ambition and a bit more willingness to finish teams off.

 

Agree, some need to give their head a shake.

Just an attention seeking little boy. First thing you notice …never engages in a debate and discussion? Just says something ridiculous, seldom stringing two or three sentences together and then disappears waiting for his next rusk.

 

Quite right Park, I can't do with this negativity over one result being the reason to dredge this bile up. Speaking as a fan many on here like me and Broncs plus others have been around long enough to have seen great pre seasons followed by abject fails and vice versa, it means little or nothing which is one reason I don't go to games although I did do Bury, out of solidarity and Boro out of curiosity.
For me the biggest issue is to play on the front foot as we did in both games I've seen, plus Hull I'm told. We have pace and we have some good players, better than last season in my view.
The one big issue for me is for MH to get rid of the mindset we seemed to have last time and what seems to have been an issue yesterday. That is 'we only have to turn up to win or at least draw', not so and despite what some on here say it was that which cost us auto promotion last time. Points dropped in the last 10 minutes or even added time against Barrow, Colchester, Crewe (thanks to our moronic fans), Swindon home and away, Gillingham and possibly others. The abject Cup loss to Harrogate are all symptoms of a state of mind which had it been eliminated would have us in L1 next Saturday.
High press will, as MH said, see off a lot of opponents and perhaps another two loan signings, please no Billy Sharp, from PL or Championship, ala Cullen, Burke, Pickford, Staunton qulity to name a few in whatever position we need will do me fine.
On Saturday we play a Club in chaos with fan demos planned, 3 wins in the first week will calm everyone, 3 wins with goals we are capable of scoring in my view will be better.

 

You must have slept through last season when Stevenage and Carlisle got promoted with a favoured 5-3-2/3-5-2.

Forest Green, Exeter and Port Vale the year before.

 

Can't believe it's 22 years ago since we played Middlesbrough in a competitive fixture.. There was a time in the 80's and maybe 90's when we always seemed to be playing them

 

That’s impressive for a preseason game. A large part of me hopes that’s a function of welcoming back a “proper” club. A couple of pints in the wmc over the road and then the game. Fantastic that Bury are back and we’re headed over. Excellent stuff.

 

On another post on this thread there was a complaint about poor home fixtures. We now have Boro and Tigers, I call those proper matches. The game at Rochdale will be a workout, less so Bury and the rest usefull for squad and youth fitness I saw Harrogate fixtures so far which are Hartlepool Gateshead Darlo and South Shields all away.

 

Enjoyed the trips to Bury over the seasons. Yeah great backing, part of the reason I wanted to go was to support them as I was disappointed when they were kicked out.

 

Could be a blessing in disguise that. Hughes is looking at various combinations and leaking 8 goals in two games will have given him food for thought. Were the defence exposed by a poorly set up midfield? Were the defence too slow at closing down? Did the wing back set up leave us too open to pace? Has Harry Lewis had his concentration knocked by transfer speculation? Lots of questions hopefully Hughes has the answers.

 

Told the Bolton game was 2-2 before we made a load of changes.

 

Except one was in 40 degree heat and the other was on a wet Tuesday afternoon on a training ground two days after getting back from an intense week. Also both against a higher calibre of opposition. I’m not reading too much into the results!

 

No it’s not!!
Stop looking at fake Twitter sites

 

Same as Hull then

 

I think we need to remember....

A) this isnt a full strength side. Its a mix in both halves
B) the opposition are an established Championship side.

 

Not seen any of today's game, but I was impressed with his other performances at Bury and in Spain.

Very early days, but hopefully we have a good local young gem on our hands there