2016/2017 Pre-Season Friendlies

[DarkSithLord]

No idea I'm afraid. Grimsby Town posted a pic on their Twitter account and the only players I could see were Beevers, Marriott, Howe and Arnold.

Looked like Town played a mix of kids and management (manager, assistant manager and goalkeeping coach), which seems a bit strange.

They played a similar XI against us.

 

[Imp in Branston]

No idea I'm afraid. Grimsby Town posted a pic on their Twitter account and the only players I could see were Beevers, Marriott, Howe and Arnold.

Looked like Town played a mix of kids and management (manager, assistant manager and goalkeeping coach), which seems a bit strange.

Yep am sure we had a stronger side out than Grimsby. Still it's always nice to beat them whatever the situation. Probably still get some on the fishy wanting to scale the dock tower with a 'Hurst out' banner.

I know Gowling, Doig and Browne played some part for them

 

[Chris FGR]

Swindon Supermarine 1-5 FGR (Doidge, Chemlal, Murphy, Tubbs x2)

Another good run out. Played a different xi in each half, first half looked like the team for Saturday.

 

[GodsGift]

Any idea of the team? Got the impression from DC that it'd just be players who need minutes i.e. Beevers, Habergham, Marriott, Howe and Arnold. Rest U18's?

City XI v GTFC: Walton; Thompson, Beevers, Howe, Fixter; Arnold, Miles, Falkingham, Hodge; McMenemy, Marriott

 

[Davidimp]

No Habergham, must be starting Saturday.

 

[Imp in Branston]

I could have sworn the guy on the Twitter pic was Habergham!? Good news though if Beevers was playing tonight, it means more likely he won't start on Sat and Habergham will (unless he is injured)

 

[Luke Imp]

Falkingham is a trialist apparently? CM who's just left Dunfermline.

 

[GuiseleySteve]

Falkingham is a trialist apparently? CM who's just left Dunfermline.

He played for us in our game v Leeds a couple of weeks ago but wasn't at the Curzon game

 

[Imp in Branston]

He played for us in our game v Leeds a couple of weeks ago but wasn't at the Curzon game

Think he was born in Leeds so being within you makes sense. How did he do in that game Steve?

 

[GuiseleySteve]

Think he was born in Leeds so being within you makes sense. How did he do in that game Steve?

He did ok but didn't stand out from the crowd to be honest. It's always difficult to judge when you are playing against far better opposition though.

 

[Chris FGR]

Goals from our game last night.

 

[The Jovial Forester]

Goals from our game last night.

Another beauty from Chemlal. Trying to get a seat on coach for Borehamwood but wrong person in office both times I rang.

 

[PaulHaddock]

The worst keeper ever?

 

[Chris FGR]

The worst keeper ever?

More like best attack ever. Merch is a decent keeper, was part of our treble winning academy side last season.

 

[Steve_Wafc]

More like best attack ever. Merch is a decent keeper, was part of our treble winning academy side last season.

Some good goals definitely, but horrific goalkeeping and defending, gave you way too much space to run into.

 

[EnglishRed]

Some good goals definitely, but horrific goalkeeping and defending, gave you way too much space to run into.

I'd also be worried about the goal they conceded. From a long throw? Oh dear.

 

[Steve_Wafc]

I'd also be worried about the goal they conceded. From a long throw? Oh dear.

I know.. Where's Geohaghon nowadays?

Slow keeping from Russell to get across also.

 

[Chris FGR]

Some good goals definitely, but horrific goalkeeping and defending, gave you way too much space to run into.

True, but I'm still pleased that we're looking clinical enough to punish teams if they give us space, obviously be tougher against better opposition but teams do make mistakes at this level too. If and when they do our attack will punish them a lot more then last season.

And our defence has been shaky all pre-season. We've conceded 20 goals in our 10 friendlies.

 

[GTFCfish]

Another beauty from Chemlal. Trying to get a seat on coach for Borehamwood but wrong person in office both times I rang.

That will be because you are ringing up a coach company but you will only be taking a minibus.

 

[Harrier94]

I know.. Where's Geohaghon nowadays?.

Wherever he is I pity them.

 

[Steve_Wafc]

True, but I'm still pleased that we're looking clinical enough to punish teams if they give us space, obviously be tougher against better opposition but teams do make mistakes at this level too. If and when they do our attack will punish them a lot more then last season.

And our defence has been shaky all pre-season. We've conceded 20 goals in our 10 friendlies.

Definitely clinical, but some of them were like you walking the ball in because the defence had stopped or the keeper had committed himself too early.

Your defence is a worry for you. Who was the last team to go up with high numbers both in the goals For and Against charts? (If there has ever been one)

 

[Steve_Wafc]

Wherever he is I pity them.

That long throw though can make him go from completely useless to slightly useful. He was frightening back in his Kettering days.

 

[Chris FGR]

Your defence is a worry for you. Who was the last team to go up with high numbers both in the goals For and Against charts? (If there has ever been one)

Mansfield scored 92 and conceded 52, and Fleetwood scored 102 and conceded 48. They seem to be the only teams to score 2 or more and concede more then a goal a game on average and win the league in recent years.

We've obviously got to tighten up a bit, as if we carry on averaging conceding 2 goals a game (which would be 92 over a season!) it isn't likely to be good enough to win the league.

 

[EnglishRed]

Mansfield scored 92 and conceded 52, and Fleetwood scored 102 and conceded 48. They seem to be the only teams to concede more then a goal a game and win the league in recent years.

We've obviously got to tighten up a bit, as if we carry on averaging conceding 2 goals a game (which would be 92 over a season!) it isn't likely to be good enough to win the league.

According to Eastleigh there is still time to buy a whole new defence.

 

[Steve_Wafc]

Mansfield scored 92 and conceded 52, and Fleetwood scored 102 and conceded 48. They seem to be the only teams to score 2 or more and concede more then a goal a game on average and win the league in recent years.

We've obviously got to tighten up a bit, as if we carry on averaging conceding 2 goals a game (which would be 92 over a season!) it isn't likely to be good enough to win the league.

I've always thought Mansfield were pretty tight defensively and were quite negative and then just relied on Matt Green. Saying that though 52 and 48 is not crazy high in the conceding charts is it? Crazy would be well over 60, which if you continue the way you are going, that could be you.

That's why I think you could get hammered early season by a team that catches you out. Could be the best thing for you though, it will make Cooper reassess.

 

[Harrier94]

That long throw though can make him go from completely useless to slightly useful. He was frightening back in his Kettering days.

Unless you had tall strikers it didn't work, so he was just useless for us.

 

[StanLee]

No extra game for us tomorrow so thats us done.

Sheffield Wednesday (H) 1-1 D
Grimsby Town (H) 0-1 L
Notts County (H) 0-0 D
Mansfield Town (H) 1-1 D
Nottingham Forest XI (H) 3-3 D

Difficult to judge us from pre season. We have generally held our own against decent opposition. But we have spent a lot of time chasing the ball and had no opportunity to dictate a match at our terms which is a concern and a sign of poor planning. We need a right back and some sort of competition for Calamity Fabian Spiess.

You're going to need a good one before Saturday.........we'll have Danny Lloyd playing left wing and he's fookin awesome!

 

[Steve_Wafc]

Unless you had tall strikers it didn't work, so he was just useless for us.

That's the same as saying it would have been pointless to play head height balls to Michael Owen, you play that way because you have the players who are perfect for it. Should have chucked a centre half or two up, be adventurous..

 

[Chris FGR]

According to Eastleigh there is still time to buy a whole new defence.

Don't need a whole new defence, just need some of them to be back there defending.

That's why I think you could get hammered early season by a team that catches you out. Could be the best thing for you though, it will make Cooper reassess.

Could do, although the last team he managed over a whole season, Swindon in league 1 14/15 conceded 57 goals In the league and then another 10 in 3 play-off games. On that basis can see him sticking to his attacking principles even if we get a beating or two, although obviously the expectation being higher here might make him tighten us up a bit if we keep conceding. We'll outscore most teams though I reckon.

 

[DarkSithLord]

You're going to need a good one before Saturday.........we'll have Danny Lloyd playing left wing and he's fookin awesome!

Haha! To be honest absolutely no idea what to expect Saturday! Anything could happen! Think.a heavy county win is most likely. We havent even scored a goal at EP yet!