Preseason 2014

[DHSF]

People cant judge this pre season and as mentioned previously I think it will take us a month to get into full gear simply because the world cup will have hampered preparations which was made more complicated with a new Manager whilst the likes of Arsenal will have had not only that continuity but players coming back slotting into the status quo.

Id suggest lets relax till mid Sept and beyond

 

[Cochise]

You are wrong DHSF. Our season is defined by today's performance.

EDIT: BTW who was the bellend ITV4 presenter today? She seemed to be a bit of a gooner/hammer and came out with some absolute ********.

 

[Modric THFC]

People cant judge this pre season and as mentioned previously I think it will take us a month to get into full gear simply because the world cup will have hampered preparations which was made more complicated with a new Manager whilst the likes of Arsenal will have had not only that continuity but players coming back slotting into the status quo.

Id suggest lets relax till mid Sept and beyond

But people have been letting themselves get excited all summer. Its as if they've forgotten about how bad our players have been.
The Pochettino thread is full of praise for him before we've even played a competitive game.

Personally I dont think Poch has a chance with our terrible defence, uncreative midfield and lack of leaders and players willing to take responsibly in the squad.

 

[DubaiSpur]

But people have been letting themselves get excited all summer. Its as if they've forgotten about how bad our players have been.
The Pochettino thread is full of praise for him before we've even played a competitive game.

Personally I dont think Poch has a chance with our terrible defence, uncreative midfield and lack of leaders and players willing to take responsibly in the squad.

Wow. I agree with DHSF, and in fact I'd go as far as to say that Poch shouldn't be judged on this season, let alone this pre-season, but that's an awful lot of negativity right there. Regarding the first point, perhaps you're right. The second and third, however, have little basis in fact, and I suspect you're aware of that as much as I am. So, if you don't mind me asking, why the doom and gloom?

 

[thfcsteff]

But people have been letting themselves get excited all summer. Its as if they've forgotten about how bad our players have been.
The Pochettino thread is full of praise for him before we've even played a competitive game.

Personally I dont think Poch has a chance with our terrible defence, uncreative midfield and lack of leaders and players willing to take responsibly in the squad.

A chance of what? Winning the title? No. 4th this season? Perhaps not. Establishing a style and pattern of play along with a young, talented squad who might pick up a knock-out pot? Definitely and possibly...

 

[Baleforce]

You are wrong DHSF. Our season is defined by today's performance.

EDIT: BTW who was the bellend ITV4 presenter today? She seemed to be a bit of a gooner/hammer and came out with some absolute ********.

she? I thought it was Phil Neville

 

[DHSF]

But people have been letting themselves get excited all summer. Its as if they've forgotten about how bad our players have been.
The Pochettino thread is full of praise for him before we've even played a competitive game.

Personally I dont think Poch has a chance with our terrible defence, uncreative midfield and lack of leaders and players willing to take responsibly in the squad.

Our players performing below par is different than them being bad players. I think itll take a couple of windows to improve the constitution of the squad and by that I mean players having the ability and qualities that fit in with the style Poch wants to implement. Defence - yes it is poor but he is trying to bring in one or two and has done that with the potential to bring in another defender. Midfield - Poch is trying to bring in Schniederlin so lets see if that happens. The leader bit is something of a concern as we do need someone to take the bull by the horns but who that is I dont know.

I think after a month where the players play together in Poch's system will we get to see anything resembling what Poch wants but I do think Poch needs to decide on a best 11 and stick with it for a month - dont think he is close to that yet partly because half the squad have been on world cup duty.

 

[GrimsbyYid]

I've barely been and posted on here but it's the same negative bull**** from the same people. Absolute jokers. We comfortably beat Germany's 3rd best team who are in the champions league as we have a new manager and developing a new system, with about 8 players missing. What's there to complain about?

Positives - kaboul and Dier looked very good. Lennon seems a new player. We can clearly see a system. Loads and loads of movement.

What I felt in the fit half, defensively we were unbelievably solid, but because we didn't have a cm to break up and retrieve the ball and maybe a slight lack of discipline, we didn't feed the front four very well, so they were a little isolated. Second half was the opposite, defensively a mess, but much better attacking intent.

Personally, I'd stick with the front 4 of the first half, play sandro/Capoue and dembele and think that would work really well in this system. Realistically for next week I'd probably play any two of sandro, Capoue, holtby.

Need jan back urgently...

I don't think Kane or Carroll are good enough at all and would ship them out. We need a young quality third choice striker.

 

[squidseye]

I've barely been and posted on here but it's the same negative bull**** from the same people. Absolute jokers. We comfortably beat Germany's 3rd best team who are in the champions league as we have a new manager and developing a new system, with about 8 players missing. What's there to complain about?

Positives - kaboul and Dier looked very good. Lennon seems a new player. We can clearly see a system. Loads and loads of movement.

What I felt in the fit half, defensively we were unbelievably solid, but because we didn't have a cm to break up and retrieve the ball and maybe a slight lack of discipline, we didn't feed the front four very well, so they were a little isolated. Second half was the opposite, defensively a mess, but much better attacking intent.

Personally, I'd stick with the front 4 of the first half, play sandro/Capoue and dembele and think that would work really well in this system. Realistically for next week I'd probably play any two of sandro, Capoue, holtby.

Need jan back urgently...

I don't think Kane or Carroll are good enough at all and would ship them out. We need a young quality third choice striker.

Agreed. I was at the game yesterday and from where I was sitting we coped comfortably with anything Schalke threw at us. If fans can't take anything positive from an unbeaten pre-season where our disastrously off-form striker has been lively, scored three and assisted four in five games, with all our World Cup players still to return, they certainly can't take anything negative from it. That's without taking into account a new coach bedding in a new system requiring new levels of fitness.

Against Schalke it seemed that Poch is still searching for the ideal balance in midfield - but perhaps he knows what he wants and is just tinkering at the extremes to look at options for different match situations. Sandro didn't really get the ball enough yesterday to show that he can function in Poch's quick passing midfield, but he's a bright enough player to adapt, I would think and hope. I do think we need either Sandro or Capoue alongside one of Paulinho, Holtby or Bentaleb, with Mason as young backup. Dembele has work to do to convince me that can work in this midfield, and Carroll hasn't done anything to suggest he can cope with top level Premier League football (imo).

Kane seems to have improved his speed of thought and decision making since last season sufficiently to be a useful option as third striker. His lack of outright pace may or may not ultimately limit his potential, but he's a good finisher and as long as he remains on an upward trajectory I would keep him.

COYS!

 

[Spur of the moment]

What we saw yesterday was just a friendly. Eight internationals were absent through injury / recovering from WC / whatever. Yet nineteen members of the squad were given a run out. We saw enough to suggest something different is taking shape. The foundations of something that could be good.

Work in progress.

That is all.

 

[harr1984]

I've barely been and posted on here but it's the same negative bull**** from the same people. Absolute jokers. We comfortably beat Germany's 3rd best team who are in the champions league as we have a new manager and developing a new system, with about 8 players missing. What's there to complain about?

Positives - kaboul and Dier looked very good. Lennon seems a new player. We can clearly see a system. Loads and loads of movement.

What I felt in the fit half, defensively we were unbelievably solid, but because we didn't have a cm to break up and retrieve the ball and maybe a slight lack of discipline, we didn't feed the front four very well, so they were a little isolated. Second half was the opposite, defensively a mess, but much better attacking intent.

Personally, I'd stick with the front 4 of the first half, play sandro/Capoue and dembele and think that would work really well in this system. Realistically for next week I'd probably play any two of sandro, Capoue, holtby.

Need jan back urgently...

I don't think Kane or Carroll are good enough at all and would ship them out. We need a young quality third choice striker.

No idea why you think Kane isn't good enough, he's coming on leaps and bounds. Need a young quality 3rd choice striker, who the hell are you expecting?! Chelsea have Tores and Id rather Kane to him, hes also homegrown. Think you need to reel in your expectations a little...

 

[NWND]

Kane definately looks like a solid Premiership striker. He looks like he has a definate top-flight career. He's intelligent, good movement and awareness, good technique and finishing. Lack of pace is his one draw-back. But Sheringham shows what a good career you can forge if you know your limitations, work on your strengths and show a good determination and positive attitude.

 

[the dza]

Kane definately looks like a solid Premiership striker. He looks like he has a definate top-flight career. He's intelligent, good movement and awareness, good technique and finishing. Lack of pace is his one draw-back. But Sheringham shows what a good career you can forge if you know your limitations, work on your strengths and show a good determination and positive attitude.

I actually like Kane playing in one of the 3 spots behind a main striker, although he looks like he can play up top as well.

 

[Cochise]

I actually like Kane playing in one of the 3 spots behind a main striker, although he looks like he can play up top as well.

Agree with you on this, Kane definately seems to thrive in either a false 9 role or as the #10. As some others on here have said though, the ball seems to get stuck under his feet quite a lot and because of this he doesn't always get a shot off or it's blocked. For me he needs to improve on this drastically in order to push on.

 

[Jordinho]

Liverpool currently 4-0 up against Dortmund. Man, we must be turbo ****e.

 

[metalgear]

I still feel that we are unprepared for opening day. And I'd expect more transfers in and out, so it'll be interesting to see how the team progresses from the first match of the season. I'm bracing myself for a slow start.

 

[Mumorn]

Liverpool currently 4-0 up against Dortmund. Man, we must be turbo ****e.

dortmund have been dredful all pre-season. hypes died down, theyll finish 3rd/4th this seson

 

[Rossi22]

They're not exactly playing their strongest side and if there's one team who've been hurt by injuries more than us it's them

 

[Bullet]

I still feel that we are unprepared for opening day. And I'd expect more transfers in and out, so it'll be interesting to see how the team progresses from the first match of the season. I'm bracing myself for a slow start.

City said no World Cup players will play in today's Charity Shield game btw, in terms of preparation and bedding in a first team for next Saturday

 

[Benny_Lad]

The most worrying thing for me from yesterdays game was Poch playing Eriksen on the right for the most part, reducing his threat to the odd cross.

He was head and shoulders our best player last season off the left with the whole field at his mercy when he cut in on that wand of a right foot, and also the dangerous in swinging crosses when he checked back inside. Im fully behind Poch but this looked a blatant tactical error to me. I can guarantee now that if Eriksen plays right all season he wont be half as good as last season. Seems obvious to me, The front 3 can interchange with Eriksen left or centre, Lamela Right or Centre and Lennon on either wing.