Tonight's game
- Thread starter AlGard
- Start date
BoyRacer
First Team
Wasn't a bad game as already said. Liked the look of Ake but he had a dodgy first touch a few times and I can see him picking up a few yellows sliding in trying to get it back. L. Cook looked much better in the second half and, as already mentioned looked like he could do the "Arter" role as he chases everything and made a couple of great passes. B. Smith looks like he likes a tackle to and Daniels will have to really earn the starting spot.
Special mention to the corner quadrant by the East/North Stand. The first corner taken by Valencia created a massive divot - the pitch just isn't up to it. Gradel slipped taking a corner to. Need to get that sorted - happened last season as well. Ritchie would often lose his footing taking a corner.
Special mention to the corner quadrant by the East/North Stand. The first corner taken by Valencia created a massive divot - the pitch just isn't up to it. Gradel slipped taking a corner to. Need to get that sorted - happened last season as well. Ritchie would often lose his footing taking a corner.
NornIron
First Team
Not too bad a game, usual caveats about it being a friendly and everyone (crowd and all) not overly enthused. I still feel we pass pass pass pass to death and, often, the fact our passing accuracy isn't 100% means we lose possession.
I think it has been a very long time (over a year?) since we lived up to our song about pace in attack. Our attack is often ponderous and predictable. Play it from a full back, through a midfield diamond a bit, up to an overlapping winger/fullback, cut inside a few times, maybe lose it, maybe get it near the box, lose it and chase back. Repeat.
I liked the look of Ake and Smith. Good for Afobe to get a goal. O'Kane and Macca are the two strange ones for me but for different reasons. Never thought of O'Kane as a right back but that's where he has played twice now. Did OK to be fair to him but not sure it's a token gesture or not. Macca - don't know, it just felt odd seeing him out there for some reason, like he was a forgotten man that was making up numbers, he just didn't seem to fit in. Almost felt a bit sorry for him which is an not an emotion I am used to!!!
I think it has been a very long time (over a year?) since we lived up to our song about pace in attack. Our attack is often ponderous and predictable. Play it from a full back, through a midfield diamond a bit, up to an overlapping winger/fullback, cut inside a few times, maybe lose it, maybe get it near the box, lose it and chase back. Repeat.
I liked the look of Ake and Smith. Good for Afobe to get a goal. O'Kane and Macca are the two strange ones for me but for different reasons. Never thought of O'Kane as a right back but that's where he has played twice now. Did OK to be fair to him but not sure it's a token gesture or not. Macca - don't know, it just felt odd seeing him out there for some reason, like he was a forgotten man that was making up numbers, he just didn't seem to fit in. Almost felt a bit sorry for him which is an not an emotion I am used to!!!
Cherry_Bozzo
Fans' Favourite
Yes the divots are an issue - Mossy was having a word with the groundsman about a couple of big ones in the centre of the goalmouth during Boruc's warm up. The pitch does seem a lot more prone to them now than a couple of seasons back.
Other points:
1. Ake and Cook (L) look like they will mean that any games missed by Arter will not be such an issue this season.
2. A lot of defensive sloppy passing, control and clearing by the defence in the first 15 mins or so. We seemed surprised by their high press and we cannot get caught like that in a meaningful game.
3. What was with the ref and yellow cards!. Did not see many bad challenges and why was the Valencia chap booked after their goal celebration. I saw no gestures, no running over to crowd and no shirts taken off so seemed odd.
4. Boruc hopefully got his some of his "lapses" out of his system with the poor punch and a couple of sloppy kicks.
5. Afobe is much better played right up front in the middle than in the deeper role tried last season.
6. After 50 years watching two players take the kick off to make sure the ball moved forward, it is very odd to see just the one playing it backwards to his teammates.
tindalls_hairband
First Team
Perez got booked for a heavy challenge a good 45 seconds before he scored, from which the ref played advantage. Whilst it seemed OTT in a friendly, it was excellent refereeing.
Cherry_Bozzo
Fans' Favourite
Thanks - I did not register that challenge as being a bad one so if it was that makes sense now.
The Alchemist
UTC Legend
Think we asre just going to have to accept the players farting around aat the back trying ti play out as it seems that is what Eddie wants them to do.
My concern with Gradel and Ibe as our wingers is that our full backs (who also love to bomb forward) will be left extremely isolated as neither Max or Jordon are likely to be disciplined enough to track back successfully. Again, that is something we are probably going to have to accept.
If we are going with 4-3-3 then it will be vital for either Arter/L Cook (whichever plays) to keep getting forward to support the main striker and not get too sucked in defeinsively.
My concern with Gradel and Ibe as our wingers is that our full backs (who also love to bomb forward) will be left extremely isolated as neither Max or Jordon are likely to be disciplined enough to track back successfully. Again, that is something we are probably going to have to accept.
If we are going with 4-3-3 then it will be vital for either Arter/L Cook (whichever plays) to keep getting forward to support the main striker and not get too sucked in defeinsively.
LewSwimmin
Star Player
There was an incident in the last 5 minutes or so when Maxi sprinted back about 60 yards like it was an Olympic final on the main stand side to try to regain possession in our half of the pitch, and I thought to myself, where did he get all that energy from after racing around for the whole match!
The Alchemist
UTC Legend
It's an issue that we need to be aware of is all I was saying. Tracking back is fine and necessary but both wingers will need to get stuck in and tackle to (and not just for Max and Ibe but whoever plays there). Defending will not come naturally to such attack minded players and as we know, it only take a slight lack of concentration to be found out in this league.
It was one of our achilles heels last season as our full backs were often left marking 2 players. It's one of the issues with the way Eddie wants to play and set his teams up as going forward, we tend to use our full backs to overload down one side.
It was one of our achilles heels last season as our full backs were often left marking 2 players. It's one of the issues with the way Eddie wants to play and set his teams up as going forward, we tend to use our full backs to overload down one side.
EasternRed
First Team
Quite an enjoyable game with Ake looking very promising. Valencia were far more comfortable on the ball with rarely a pass going astray. One touch aside, Corey Jordan looked very composed and a good prospect. Hope the other lad who went off is OK and that Francis's substitution was not due to anything serious.
