2016-17 Pre-Season friendlies

[dedwardp]

I don't normally bother with any friendlies but popped over to Chelmsford today for something to do in the sun. Won 4-1 but seemed to be trying out a bit of a 3-5-2 formation, so it will be interesting to see if we deviate much from the standard 4-1-3-2 we have stuck fairly rigidly to for the past three or four seasons at any point this year.

 

[hellogregory]

We lost 1-0 at Barrow.

And boy did we deserve it. First decent test for us this preseason and we came off well short.

There are some worrying signs. Not relegation worrying signs, but worrying signs that this talk of promotion will be pissed away in the wind by Xmas.

 

[Baz]

Lost 2-0 against Coventry. More trialists played and yeah, maybe you lot predicting a relegation battle may end up being spot on afterall.

 

[cufc17]

And boy did we deserve it. First decent test for us this preseason and we came off well short.

There are some worrying signs. Not relegation worrying signs, but worrying signs that this talk of promotion will be pissed away in the wind by Xmas.

I don't think you can take too much from these games, I bet most teams in this division have looked underwhelming in at least one friendly. We'll probably put in a solid performance next week at Bradford.

Do you really think we'll finish lower than we did last season? We've addressed the lack of creativity we had towards the end of the season, and improved other positions.

 

[Youpies]

It's football tho innit, not like a recipe where you add a winger here, and a striker there and you have a masterpiece. At the end of the day it's not always the best team that wins, sometimes it's the team that shithouses you off the pitch

 

[hellogregory]

I don't think you can take too much from these games, I bet most teams in this division have looked underwhelming in at least one friendly. We'll probably put in a solid performance next week at Bradford.

Do you really think we'll finish lower than we did last season? We've addressed the lack of creativity we had towards the end of the season, and improved other positions.

I just don't think there's a balance to the team. Devitt, Lambe and Adams are similar, good players but similar types. We don't have a Gilliead to give us that width and I don't think Ibehre will score as many. Defence still concerns me as well.

I think we'll be similar to the second half of last season, inconsistent, average midtable form.

 

[The Terminator]

0-0 at home to Charlton, we played well enough first half, second half Charlton looked good for the first fifteen minutes but tailed off. Crowd was 1,432 with 326 away fans.

Dagenham away on Tuesday for us, followed by Gillingham at home next Saturday to round things off.

 

[Youpies]

That's a really low turnout given how close the two clubs are. But surprised even if it is a friendly

 

[The Terminator]

That's a really low turnout given how close the two clubs are. But surprised even if it is a friendly

Home friendlies are always low for us, 2 years ago Ipswich brought around 700 though to us for a friendly which I thought was quite impressive.

 

[daviejones]

I just don't think there's a balance to the team. Devitt, Lambe and Adams are similar, good players but similar types. We don't have a Gilliead to give us that width and I don't think Ibehre will score as many. Defence still concerns me as well.

I think we'll be similar to the second half of last season, inconsistent, average midtable form.

I saw Adams at Warrington and he seemed to be running down the line every time, similair to what Gilliead used to do. Devitt will hopefully be used mainly behind the strikers rather than on the wings; I gather this is where he's most effective and he's one of our best player so we should be prioritising maximising his effectiveness.

I do get what you mean though, hopefully when Curle is thinking about formation and how to play against certain teams, rather than considering giving people a certain amount of game time or testing systems, the balance will be more apparent.

 

[E10rifle]

That's a really low turnout given how close the two clubs are. But surprised even if it is a friendly

The fact that Charlton and ourselves couldn't give a flying fuck about each other notwithstanding, friendlies are for people who have not yet had the sexytime in that particular calendar year.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

We lost 1-0 at Barrow.

It means absolutely nothing ....... just an exercise routine .....

 

[Crewelad87]

Noticed a lot of clubs only have one or two mac games left we've got 4 to squeeze in I think. All away at Altrincham, Lincoln, Hednesford and Kirby Muxloe.

 

[mowgli]

Aldershot away tonight and we still haven't signed a keeper.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Playing York tonight, 15mins in and we lose another player to injury so that's 6 since the start of pre season. At this rate we won't have eleven fit for Accrington.

 

[Urban]

Playing York tonight, 15mins in and we lose another player to injury so that's 6 since the start of pre season. At this rate we won't have eleven fit for Accrington.

You'll have 11,000 fit fans packing out that Accy away end though won't you?

 

[hellogregory]

We lost in a behind closed doors game at Bury today. Not sure what team we put out, but it's another testing game that we've failed in.

So far this preseason we've beaten 3 part time teams in Warrington, Kendal and Workington, but have lost to 3 full time teams in Queen of the South, Barrow and Bury. We have one more to come away at Bradford.

I know people say preseason form means nothing, but I am becoming a little concerned by the fact that we've failed miserably in each testing preseason match so far. Unless I see some seriously positive signs at Bradford on Saturday I'm going to be trailing down to Portsmouth expecting a heavy defeat.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

You'll have 11,000 fit fans packing out that Accy away end though won't you?

Only that few :giphy:

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Won 2-1 but more importantly we didn't lose any more players

 

[cufc17]

We lost in a behind closed doors game at Bury today. Not sure what team we put out, but it's another testing game that we've failed in.

So far this preseason we've beaten 3 part time teams in Warrington, Kendal and Workington, but have lost to 3 full time teams in Queen of the South, Barrow and Bury. We have one more to come away at Bradford.

I know people say preseason form means nothing, but I am becoming a little concerned by the fact that we've failed miserably in each testing preseason match so far. Unless I see some seriously positive signs at Bradford on Saturday I'm going to be trailing down to Portsmouth expecting a heavy defeat.

Has it actually been confirmed anywhere?

I think that's a bit over-the-top, you say we 'failed miserably' yet we don't even know what sort of team either side fielded. It's hardly a terrible result considering they're a league above us. I wouldn't be overly concerned with defeat at Portsmouth, I'd say it's the toughest game in the division.

Accrington are losing 2-0 at Barrow, I guess they'll be joining us in the Conference in 2017/18...

 

[hellogregory]

Has it actually been confirmed anywhere?

I think that's a bit over-the-top, you say we 'failed miserably' yet we don't even know what sort of team either side fielded. It's hardly a terrible result considering they're a league above us. I wouldn't be overly concerned with defeat at Portsmouth, I'd say it's the toughest game in the division.

Accrington are losing 2-0 at Barrow, I guess they'll be joining us in the Conference in 2017/18...

I'm basing my concern purely on performances I've seen. We were shit against Workington and were absolutely SHITE against Barrow. The results are failure, but it's the performances and lack of ideas that is cause for concern.

Our attack is too predictable, plodding and slow. We're lacking width, we play through the middle and around the box but don't have a clue what to do in the final third. We wouldn't have scored at Barrow if we were still playing now. Our full backs not being the quickest doesn't give us width in attack either.

I too won't be overly concerned by defeat at Pompey, however I would be concerned if we got a hammering which I think is a possibility. But I am more concerned about the season as a whole, not about going down or anything, but that our playoff/promotion hopes will be over by Christmas.

 

[GloverGing]

Just beat Salisbury 3-2 (Hedges x2, Eaves).

 

[RavenBish]

We were beating Walsall 3-0 and then Sheridan made 9 subs and it's now 3-2.

The bloke hasn't got a clue #SheridanOut

Looks like he's playing Aborah as an attacking midfielder this season which is going to be tremendous fun.

Nathan Tyson is in the Pavis too.

 

[Grecian O'Grecian]

Just won 2-1 at Taunton with a team of young/fringe players.

David Wheeler & Connor Riley-Lowe scoring either side of half time.

 

[Baz]

Beat Weston Super Mare 8-1, suppose it's some confidence there for the forward players. We'll still get relegated as the worst team ever right?

 

[SVH]

Lost 3-0 to Villa. Could and should have got a goal ourselves but a real pleasure watching Villa pop the ball about. Especially Jack Grealish. A great talent.

 

[antn1.b]

Lost 3-0 to Villa. Could and should have got a goal ourselves but a real pleasure watching Villa pop the ball about. Especially Jack Grealish. A great talent.

poor old McGurk

 

[Richard Cranium]

Lost 1-0 to Mickleover. 7 first teamers playing but all 7 who will mostly feature on the bench at best. Worrying to see them just shouting at each other and watching Chapman tell the youngsters off all game was hilarious considering he didn't pick out a single pass to a Mansfield shirt all game. None of them will be in the starting 11 V Newport that's for sure.

I know it's only Pre Season but the amount of squabbling they were doing on the pitch does not look a good sign.

 

[BeesKnees]

Second string lost 3-2 to Eastleigh. We looked poor and despite creating plenty never really tested their keeper.

 

[hellogregory]

Lost 3-0 to Villa. Could and should have got a goal ourselves but a real pleasure watching Villa pop the ball about. Especially Jack Grealish. A great talent.

Not something you hear/read every day