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* Official Pre-Season Games Thread *

ArcspacE said:
I saw the second half - woke up early this morning and caught most of it. Few comment below

We didn't look great at all - defence was shaky and often pushed too far up. When BAE came on that marginally improved although he was also sloppy towards the end - did his vintage 'brick, who am I supposed to be marking again, boss?' impersonation at least once.

Going forward things were marginally better but we always pushed it out wide to the wings and lacked a focal point upfront - the shortcomings were rather obvious. Our passing was average at best and often rushed. I sincerely hope we are working on something in the transfer cauldron, be it Ade or someone comparable else we're completely and utterly fudged.

Lennon was one of our best players, Bentley tried really hard but his delivery often let him down. Kane looked dire

Overall half performance - 6/10
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You missed the first half where Robbie Keane and co. made us look perilously close to resembling a quivering blancmange.

The second half was a vast improvement, mainly because LA took most of their stars off and because Benny came in for Bassong, giving us a more comfortable back four.
 
DubaiSpur said:
You missed the first half where Robbie Keane and co. made us look perilously close to resembling a quivering blancmange.

The second half was a vast improvement, mainly because LA took most of their stars off and because Benny came in for Bassong, giving us a more comfortable back four.
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Thanks - I gathered something similar reading back on the last few pages. That's considerably worrying although I will (falsely?) comfort myself for now with the presumption of lower fitness levels, missing key players in midfield, no real striker options, jet-lag, teething problems with the Boaz, pre-season means fudge all, etc.
 
rosenthal said:
Was a huge improvement on Defoe, and at least he has some qualities you'd expect from someone playing lone role up front.
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Never saw Defoe but if what you're saying is true - then I hope as fudge Daniel was watching and had his cheque book nearby. We need 'a' striker, sir
 
thfcsteff said:
My take...

OVERALL, a decent enough outing for pre-season after double sessions in the blazing heat the last few days...but some obersvations...


In a 4-3-3, our midfield is going to have to be a lot stronger and we will desperately need two quality strikers (one world-beater, one able tandem/rotation player)...the pressing HAS to happen for our defense not to be left holding the can...

I am hopeful that Sig will improve, but he frankly did NOT maintain possession well, and if he plays should be the furthest/advance midfielder...I fear for VdV in this system, as frankly, it will require a level of consistent fitness which I am not entirely sure he's up to. Bale was on another level to anyone on the pitch IMHO, Verts played well, Bassong is not en emergency left-back and Lennon looked very rusty but he usually takes a few games to click in.

I thought Kane was actually pretty impressive. He held the ball up pretty well, and knew exactly how to play the position. He did himself a lot of favors. I also thought Townshend showed that with some top coaching, he could really be a very, very useful member of the squad. I love the look of Carroll and hope he gets brought on this season; he was dropping in and looking for the ball much like Luka does...quakity player, one excellent little ball out to Bentley

Second-half changed when Benny and Bale teamed up on the left, much more assured, and I was a bit alarmed at the Hudd as he looked like the LA hood rat version of Cameron Jerome and was moving even slower than usual...still, match-fitness to be found I'm sure...

We made enough chances to win, and yeah, stonewall pen not given, but a very very useful workout which must show how important it is the club decide whether they're selling Modric or not. That way we will know what we're spending. I would think the whole Ade situation just became a little clearer though? Unless AVB has a Portugese rabbit to pull from the hat...[/QUOTE

I think AVB tried playing Sigg in the modric role and he failed miserably. Not his fault as i think he's used to playing a more advanced role. He looked more comfortable when VdV went off and he was moved further up. I really wonder if the non existent pressing was due to specific tactical instructions or just a lack of fitness because i don't see the high line working without the pressing unless we have a keeper like reina to read the game and sweep up the balls in behind.
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I have to qualify this post by saying I have only just got into work so haven't seen any of the match, but just reading some of the posts above, i think its time to sit back and take a chill pill. Re: lack of communication at the back between the defence and the keeper, I would actually be surprised if this wasn't the case given it wasn't our first-chioce line-up and it appears AVB is afterall implementing his new defensive tactics. The tactic will only work if we play as a team (i.e. pressing in midfield all over and defence communicating (i.e. pushing up at once not leaving someone onside behind the defence)) - but thats surely the purpose of pre-season.

We all know our striker options are crap - did we really expect Kane and Defoe to do the business? AVB has mentioned this as a priority and i'm sure they're doing everything they can to rectify the (obvious) weaknesses in the squad.

Glad to hear Carroll getting praise. He looked a good prospect in the Europa last season a really elegant play-maker in the making (hopefully)
 
NWND said:
I have to qualify this post by saying I have only just got into work so haven't seen any of the match, but just reading some of the posts above, i think its time to sit back and take a chill pill. Re: lack of communication at the back between the defence and the keeper, I would actually be surprised if this wasn't the case given it wasn't our first-chioce line-up and it appears AVB is afterall implementing his new defensive tactics. The tactic will only work if we play as a team (i.e. pressing in midfield all over and defence communicating (i.e. pushing up at once not leaving someone onside behind the defence)) - but thats surely the purpose of pre-season.

We all know our striker options are crap - did we really expect Kane and Defoe to do the business? AVB has mentioned this as a priority and i'm sure they're doing everything they can to rectify the (obvious) weaknesses in the squad.

Glad to hear Carroll getting praise. He looked a good prospect in the Europa last season a really elegant play-maker in the making (hopefully)
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its not panicking or being overly critical, but more having to get used to being open defensively and conceding chances because thats what AVB teams do. You will see when the season kicks off and gets fully going, it will be the same. Hopefully by then we have strikers to make us more threatening up front so even if we concede 1 or 2 goals we still have the firepower to win games 2-1 or 3-2 etc
 
Crikey. Reading the last few pages, there are few surprises really!

Modric is so vital to our possession. You see it when he ain't there.

Let's hope AVB sees what we see. I could have told him most of what happened, without having to see the game!

Maybe I am Dragon1?!

What happened with the 2 penalties, were they for us or against us?
 
media up in arms about Bale playing in our pre season and not being with the Olympic team instead :D
 
Silver lining - hopefully this springs AVB into reaction and signing some players farken, else serious relegation something something
 
Bloody hell after reading that I feel like we have a lot of work to do in the transfer window. Desperately need a striker and a midfielder to pull the strings. Sandro/Parker and Ade back will make a big difference for sure.
 
We really need the defence to start working well together and communicating, no matter how much pressing you do teams will always manage the over the top ball which killed us last night.
 
I shouldnt really judge after one pre-season game, but I have to admit I'm a little worried after watching that game last night.
 
Jesus H Christ, you lot are a right pessimistic bunch. ONE pre season game and the majority are calling for AVBs head...get a fudging grip man!
 
GLENROYID said:
Jesus H Christ, you lot are a right pessimistic bunch. ONE pre season game and the majority are calling for AVBs head...get a fudging grip man!
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It's not a case of calling for his head, its a case of getting something sorted with our defence so we do not end up like Chelsea under AVB.
 
Not at all surprising we struggled. We have seldom looked convincing in pre-season matches over the years. Frankly, I would prefer us to play badly in pre-season, so that AVB knows what to do before the season starts. Without a doubt, we still need to clinical goal scorer, far better than Adebayor and Defoe. Was hoping Sigurdsson will get another goal but obviously he will need more time to establish himself. Hope we will manage to buy one or two top strikers before the season starts.
 
The defensive high-line thing worries me. Thats where my doubts about AVB stem from. It didn't work at Chelsea and he didn't change it. I just hope that it either works with us or he makes changes.
 
Spurs7891 said:
Not at all surprising we struggled. We have seldom looked convincing in pre-season matches over the years. Frankly, I would prefer us to play badly in pre-season, so that AVB knows what to do before the season starts. Without a doubt, we still need to clinical goal scorer, far better than Adebayor and Defoe. Was hoping Sigurdsson will get another goal but obviously he will need more time to establish himself. Hope we will manage to buy one or two top strikers before the season starts.
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so now we need someone that is far better than Ade? Personally i feel ade is the golden egg we can get at this point in our development. if we need FAR better then you're talking world class, bonafide world class too.

will cost money and we arent in the CL and dont pay mad wages yet
 
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