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Pre Season 2024

I think everyone is being overly harsh here. The weather has been absolutely brutal for the past two weeks. It’s no exaggeration to say that I was sweating just sitting watching the game. These guys have been doing double sessions, they’ve been all over town doing different PR events, signing sessions and GHod knows what else. They’ve been living in hotels away from family and restricted in what they can do. This was them after training yesterday:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1819205688171577831

And that’s not to mention we’re still missing Udgoie, Romero, VDV and Richarlison. Players have been playing out of position, water breaks and substitutions constantly interrupting the flow of play (particularly the second half, which definitely helped us against Bayern yesterday, creating the illusion that “the kids are better.”)

I think the trip will have a hugely positive effect on fitness and the team bond but these games were never really about performances and results. Pre-season never is.
 
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tommysvr said:
I think everyone is being overly harsh here. The weather has been absolutely brutal for the past two weeks. It’s no exaggeration to say that I was sweating just sitting watching the game. These guys have been doing double sessions, they’ve been all over town doing different PR events, signing sessions and GHod knows what else. They’ve been living in hotels away from family and restricted in what they can do. This was them after training yesterday:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1819205688171577831

And that’s not to mention we’re still missing Udgoie, Romero, VDV and Richarlison. Players have been playing out of position, water breaks and substitutions constantly interrupting the flow of play (particularly the second half, which definitely helped us against Bayern yesterday, creating the illusion that “the kids are better.”)

I think the trip will have a hugely positive effect on fitness and the team bond but these games were never really about performances and results. Pre-season never is.
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Agree with your main point, but there worrying signs still, given that all in the game would have received the same living andvtraining conditions. Such as:
- the young ones doing better
- maddison looking really off
- structure and formation on the move, in transitions still look messy (compared to Bayern who are pretty much training at a similar level and timeline)

Still a couple of weeks to go and yeah it's just worrying observations, we won't know for sure until we play our first game.
 
metalgear said:
Agree with your main point, but there worrying signs still, given that all in the game would have received the same living andvtraining conditions. Such as:
- the young ones doing better
- maddison looking really off
- structure and formation on the move, in transitions still look messy (compared to Bayern who are pretty much training at a similar level and timeline)

Still a couple of weeks to go and yeah it's just worrying observations, we won't know for sure until we play our first game.
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I’m certainly not arguing that everything is perfect, but we’re not playing Bayern Munich with half of our first team every week.

We also carved them open a number of times in the second half. Bergvall and Spence I remember just running straight through the middle of the pitch, thanks to space opened up by the wide players stretching Bayern.
 
Great friendly and a nice chance for Ange to try a few things out. The result is not so bad once one understands that players are missing and that we need a specialist striker. Looks like Lankshear may be called in to do that role. They are a few players that need to do better i.e., be more aggressive and intentional in their game.
 
Mikey10 said:
Does make you wonder why those who have spent most time with him look the least likely to be able to carry out his instructions.
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You mean some of those. Those that don't look so good (having spent so much time) may have reached their intellectual capacity. At times we overrate our players' ability.
 
tommysvr said:
I think everyone is being overly harsh here. The weather has been absolutely brutal for the past two weeks. It’s no exaggeration to say that I was sweating just sitting watching the game. These guys have been doing double sessions, they’ve been all over town doing different PR events, signing sessions and GHod knows what else. They’ve been living in hotels away from family and restricted in what they can do. This was them after training yesterday:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1819205688171577831

And that’s not to mention we’re still missing Udgoie, Romero, VDV and Richarlison. Players have been playing out of position, water breaks and substitutions constantly interrupting the flow of play (particularly the second half, which definitely helped us against Bayern yesterday, creating the illusion that “the kids are better.”)

I think the trip will have a hugely positive effect on fitness and the team bond but these games were never really about performances and results. Pre-season never is.
Click to expand...
Bayern are in the exact same position. Missing some players and training hard. The weather would also be the same for Bayern. Actually, they've been there for a shorter time, so should be less acclimatised.
They were diffent class. That's it. Must be allowed to say that without people getting their knickers in a twist and make all kind of excuses.
Bayern are class, we're not there (yet), but that's the kind of level we must get to.
 
Kandi1977 said:
Bayern are in the exact same position. Missing some players and training hard. The weather would also be the same for Bayern. Actually, they've been there for a shorter time, so should be less acclimatised.
They were diffent class. That's it. Must be allowed to say that without people getting their knickers in a twist and make all kind of excuses.
Bayern are class, we're not there (yet), but that's the kind of level we must get to.
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Bayern didn’t play mid week either
So maybe that had some impact
 
Blimey, I remember the days when pre season meant absolutely nothing except fitness benefits. Now all of a sudden most of our established stars aren't good enough and our youth players are ten times better and ready to take the PL by storm.

Looking forward to the U20s team Ange is going to put out on the opening day. Modern day football eh....
 
harr1984 said:
Blimey, I remember the days when pre season meant absolutely nothing except fitness benefits. Now all of a sudden most of our established stars aren't good enough and our youth players are ten times better and ready to take the PL by storm.

Looking forward to the U20s team Ange is going to put out on the opening day. Modern day football eh....
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Preseason games being widely available to stream has probably helped shift perception of their importance.

Of course, it's encouraging when you see positives but ultimately they mean very little (in regards to performance)
 
billyiddo said:
Preseason games being widely available to stream has probably helped shift perception of their importance.

Of course, it's encouraging when you see positives but ultimately they mean very little (in regards to performance)
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Didn't ramos win every preseason game? Spanking roma and others on the way.

It does mean little. But it's only natural people don't like bad displays/results. At least nobody is predicting we might get relegated like last summer.
 
tommysvr said:
I’m certainly not arguing that everything is perfect, but we’re not playing Bayern Munich with half of our first team every week.

We also carved them open a number of times in the second half. Bergvall and Spence I remember just running straight through the middle of the pitch, thanks to space opened up by the wide players stretching Bayern.
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bayern wasn't at full strength either but it didn't matter to me if we lost to them without our regular CBs and Udogie out
however i was really hoping to see maddison improving from how he ended last season and angeball fulfil its goals of quick attacking football with lots of shots on goal.
 
Bedfordspurs said:
It is
That’s the game
But son isn’t a really a winger is he
He is wing forward
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so either ange adapts or we should sell son and find a player that suits?
i am ok either way but I think its better if ange learns to adapt and have a plan b and plan c. Many others last season, and now Bayern, have shown how the high press or deep defending can unsettle us.
 
metalgear said:
so either ange adapts or we should sell son and find a player that suits?
i am ok either way but I think its better if ange learns to adapt and have a plan b and plan c. Many others last season, and now Bayern, have shown how the high press or deep defending can unsettle us.
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The high press against that defence is an issue
But against better CBS it may not be
I’ll judge than next weekend
When Bayern will have played more games and we won’t have … and the heat is less of an issue
And of course we will likely have our first choices back
I agree decisions should be made on son. But they won’t because of who he is
 
One cause for concern for me is perhaps not new or strange. We will be in at least 4 completions; the PL, FA Cup, League Cup, and the Europa Cup. These players will also be playing for their nations. I hope the squad is capable of giving a good showing consistently during the season.
 
afsoc4life said:
One cause for concern for me is perhaps not new or strange. We will be in at least 4 completions; the PL, FA Cup, League Cup, and the Europa Cup. These players will also be playing for their nations. I hope the squad is capable of giving a good showing consistently during the season.
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We need to be willing to play the youngsters more
The talent is there
We saw pool do it last season and with the right mix it can work well
 
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