Pre-Season Friendlies 23/24

Isn't he more of a wing back?

My main worry is, last season Hughes had plenty of options and didn't seem to really know how best to use them. I see the same again.

 

Fair summary. Right now, I wouldn't be surprised to see Hughes go at some point in the season. Jury is still out for me.

 

Well we don't really need time to gel.

For once, we've basically maintained a consistent team.

Well win easily a Crawley. It's the other games that matter more.

 

There is no doubt Hughes will be under pressure this season his good will has diminished somewhat. However I called for him to play more positively all last season and everything is pointing to us doing that. So I applaud him for that but in the end like all managers results are very important this club can’t afford a poor season

 

Relegation beckons, might as well throw in the towel now.

 

I’m already looking for train routes to Solihull and Bromley.

 

Hughes will go January latest, I doubt at this late stage he knows his best team or what formation we are going with
Forget the result today what is concerning is that the team that started today (surprise surprise included Smallwood and Gillead) is presumably the one we start the season with should have had 70/80 minutes together and the nucleus of the team the full 90 I doubt MH would be prepared to change last season's failed formation Stoke fans said the same
Same again this season am afraid squad just about good enough for play offs tactics 10th at best
Come on Sparky prove me wrong !!!!

 

He should have gone after Carlisle for a failed season. A season that represented progress but still resulted in failure.

the board seemingly back him and fans got STs in their numbers, but there is discontent waiting to be unleashed at home when teams park the bus, we create nothing, we fanny about at the back and chuck more points late when conceding late in games.

 

I love an optimist.

 

We should be aiming to win the first match and every match.

That's ultimately what got Orient promoted. They won 9 of their first 10 and drew the other. They got ahead of the pack and then just achieved the points everyone else did to stay ahead. We should be trying to do the same.

 

Mmmm. 3 5 2 deffo change of formation. Played 60 minutes with that team. Take it you weren't there today to 'see' it....

 

Stunning defending.

 

Very dull game today. Aside from his long throw, Taylor doesn’t bring much to the team at all. In fact he looks very clumsy and could give away a few penalties over the course of the season perhaps? Certainly at fault for their goal anyway

No 12 (Oyegoke from Brentford?) I thought was very impressive and most play came down the right side first half, also a few good runs through CM by Pattison. Odasina looked totally disinterested when he came on, and Lewis distribution was shite as usual

I don’t usually read too much into friendlies, but with only a week to go to the start of the new season, we play anything like that at Crawley and I’ll be fuming

 

Taylor has stuck out like a sore thumb this preseason and not in a good way.

 

While you are at predicting the future can you give us next weeks Lotto number? Cheers .

 

Generally last season, with a back 4 and along with an impressive Harry Lewis our back line did enough to see almost promoted. Platt and the departed Crichlow made a good partnership, Stubbs was an excellent mid season signing and Halliday was our most consistent player. From what i've seen pre season we look some way off that type of defensive unit.

 

Agreed. Stubbs and Platt had a great record when they played together last year and all the defensive unit needed was a new LB. Now we've got a new system where Halliday is not really effective, we have CBs who can't play in two of the three available positions and we still don't have a viable option at LWB/LB.

 

At the risk of you saying I'm being facetious, how can any of us name our best 11? None of us have been watching training every day and none of us know the formation we're going to play.

It's a pure guess based on received wisdom and prejudices about what prople believe about which formation works and which players are allegedly good and which are allegedly rubbish.

Hughes will be judged on his start to the season and we need to be winning at least 3 or 4 of the first 6 or the pressure will be on.

 

True but you also need to credit the efforts of Smallwood, Gilliead and Clayton in the middle who essentially shielded the back four and prevented teams getting near them.

Hughes has decided we need to attack more. That will mean the opposition have more threat and attacks on our goal.

While we criticise this season's set up, pattern of play and formation we should not be so short sighted to forget how we criticised the same defensive mindset last season. Many times many on here said "we need to stop playing with the handbrake on". When we attack more and have more shots, we should not be so quick to then say "why can't we defend".

 

Talk is cheap mate let's just wait and see what type of football Hughes gives us this coming season, especially at Valley Parade, it's said every season but we have to make Valley Parade far harder for opposition teams to come away with any points.