Tell you what.

That's true but it would be great if we could keep him.

 

C,O,Y,R, hope yer all had a good day.

 

No, I just wanted to know the score.

 

Style of play same as last year? (I know last year’s over).

 

Similar formation. More aggressive press, Cole and Norwood much more aggressive off ball. Decent performance, especially with Styles adding more quality in that attacking midfield role that belonged to either Phillips or Thomas at times last season.

 

How did defence hold up without Mads?

 

Nor perfect. Kasper looks a bit ponderous at times, and looks like he’s running through treacle to be honest! Kitch and Jordan were decent.

 

How did Chapman look when he came on?

 

Rusell lost the ball quite a bit but got given the most free kicks. Didn't really impress tbh. Didn't have a lot to do defensively for most of the game but Kacper seemed solid enough.
Expecting a more competitive game next week, will learn a bit more about our newbies then but I'm feeling optimistic!

 

Started kick off with a very high line. Looks like attacking football from the off. Obviously things might change when the realities of league 1 football set in. Promising though.

 

Lopata performed brilliantly, a good replacement for Mads. Although Kitching was Capt in this game Kacper controlled the back, constantly encouraging and telling others to move up, etc.
I think he is going to be a goldmine.
Styles performed well

 

I thought Lopata was verging on poor tbh, looked clumsy, slow and ponderous defensively and I can think of any number of refs that would have sent him off in a league game for the challenge he was booked for - it was that late that I'm still not sure it's arrived yet! He was also out of position on a number of occasions and only the covering pace of Williams saved him. O'Keeffe had little to do but looked powder puff in the challenge and blazed what looked like a decent chance way over the bar. Russell also didn't impress me much - he doesn't seem to have any urgency and gets caught in possession too often - hopefully Connell will be back soon.

Other than that all the rest of the starting eleven performed creditably albeit Kitching looked lost for their goal. Styles, rightly MotM, was excellent and one of three for me that stood out head and shoulders above anything else on the pitch with Norwood and Williams - I dread to think that these might be the three most likely to leave us this week.

I remain really worried that defensively we don't currently have personnel of the right quality and I can see us conceding quite a lot more goals than last year. We should have been 1-0 down after about 90 seconds and imho we desperately still need two L1 standard defenders (plus ideally another Norwood-esque striker).

 

I agree with everything in this assessment. At least one assured centre back needed, either as a signing or hopefully Cundy and/or McCarthy can come through to slot in there and look more accomplished whilst Lopata etc learn the level.

 

Think Cundy has been disregarded a bit by our fans. When we signed him last summer he rejected a contract at Bristol City to get more football. He can’t be as bad as some make out. With two more mobile CBs either side of him, he could come good.

 

He would seem made to play centre of a three. But I must admit I am one of the fans who haven't been convinced. His lack of pace is a problem potentially.

 

I think Cundy with Kitch and Williams either side of him could be a winner at this level. Lopata showed today he’s nowhere near ready just yet.

 

Isn't it great how different we all see football?

 

It needed an aggressive press, we went from that to a whimper with Duff. Against a poor league.

 

I’d love to see Styles stay with us for this season. He gets undeserved stick, in my opinion.

I don’t think he will stay though. Can see a championship club picking him up between now and September.

 

Looked really sharp today