A few lessons from today

Goldbourne and wiseman are not Thompson and eaden when it comes to delivering quality balls into the box, surely a standard requirement for wing backs

Dawson and Perkins are far too similar to play in the middle of the park together

Wiseman looked a much better player in the middle of the back three

We are going to struggle with tall teams knocking high balls into the box with our current personnel

We have far more strength in depth this season

I'm going to really enjoy watching digby and Jennings this season

 

We looked our best at 352

Steele
Cranie wiseman Nyatanga
O'Brien Etuhu Digby Golbourne
Jennings
Dagnall O'Grady

 

If we get a right wing back and a dominant defender we should have a really good season

 

To be fair, there's been very few wing backs since the position was invented who played at this level and were as good as Thompson and Eaden.

 

Fair enough that was an example off the top of my head, but wiseman and goldbourne seem reluctant to put any ball into the box, let alone a good un.

 

No offence intended, and I value the opinions of those who attended today, but there's a lot of assumptions about a lot of things off the back of this meaningless friendly.

Can we not wait until the end of August before deciding who can/can't play in certain positions, or where we'll struggle, and who'll have good seasons.

If the BBS had existed in the Summer of 1996 having witnessed those pre season friendlies the entire squad would have been wrote off and the system with it.


New Era. New patience?

I'd like that. But then, opinions are there to be shot down and mine often are (because they're wrong in the main).

 

We were blessed to have them both. And further blessed to find Barnard a year later.

 

People do read an awful lot into friendlies, they are for experimenting with formations and getting players match fit. We have had pre-seasons without a win, and pre-seasons without a defeat, they bare no relation on what happens when its c*ck on the block time. That's why I don't attend.

 

My thoughts also.

The Wednesday friendlies I went to, obviously. And the Huddersfield one where Hammill scored that breathtaking hat-trick.

I'd have attended the Bordeaux game this week, but work says no.

 

I don't think most of those were assumptions, more like confirmations of what we already knew.

 

I have seen Perkins and Dawson play well together. I have seen good delivery from both wing backs. I think Wiseman is better out wide.

But I agree on Digby/Jennings. Looking forward to watching them develop. Same goes for Reuben, Clark, Patterson etc.

And yes we have more depth.

And my opinion will always be that we need a dominant centre half in our squad. But we did well without one in the 4 months of Flicker's reign last season so who knows?

 

Guilty.

 

I don't think it's a case of Perkins and Dawson not being able to play together, just that Etuhu played a lot better than Dawson did when he came on.

O'Brien did well at RWB, I wouldn't be against him playing there next season if Flicker wants Wiseman to play at CB. Our strongest back 3 today was certainly Cranie Wiseman Nyatanga.

On the evidence of today, I would not want to try and mould Jennings into a wing back since every time he gets the ball he looks to take players on and if he loses the ball, he could leave us exposed.

 

Dawson and Perkins are ok together if it's a back to the wall, can't lose at any cost game (which most of the second half of last season was), but if we want to move it on a peg, we need at least one central midfielder whose favourite pass isnt a five yarder to the bloke stood behind or to the side of them.

 

I'd go with that, mellis looked miles better today playing in the hole... Wasted on the left

 

Great to have so much competition in midfield. The return of Digby is like a new signing.

Really chuffed that JOB looked decent again at RWB/RB. I too believe that's his best bet of getting a game.

Staggers me to think he was played in the hole, by Keith. Deary me that was bad.