The pre-season thread - 2023/24

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Dark Lord SFC said:
Definitely see serious progress in todays play, Smallbone was tremendous
Mara needs to go, he was very poor. Definitely need a mobile striker to replace him and a couple of CBs
Bad! What can I say one good save and a a pathetic effort for their second. Personally I would sell Macca and bring in a first choice keeper
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Despite my 'rant' it does seem to be better and if we get a couple of better players who knows? It'd be nice to be worrying about the top of the table for a change.
 
Can’t really disagree with any of the above.

As promising as the performance was, I am also still worried about us defensively. The big one is I still think we should bring in a first choice keeper over bazunu.

But I’m at the point where there is no point complaining about him because clearly the club want to stick with him.

He is a young lad who wasnt ready for PL and IMO isn’t ready for a promotion push. But it’s not my millions being wasted, it’s Dragans.

I just feel sorry for him because he makes a mistake every single game. He needs to be back up and not first choice for a few years.
 
Wherefore art thou Romeu? said:
He's first choice for Ireland, ahead of Kelleher etc. I think a season without the spotlight of the PL etc on him will do him good and his talent is clear by some of the genuinely top class saves he makes.

I'd be pretty disappointed if that's an area we chose to 'strengthen in tbh. He'll be great.
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Disagree.

He will cost us many points. He makes some great saves, but he doesn’t do the basics. Admittedly his defenders didn’t help him today, but the shot was straight at him.

It’s a huge gamble to keep playing him tbh. He might come good; but he might cost us promotion.
 
LincolnSaint said:
So my thoughts on today's game.

1) Reading are awful, really really bad. Their support is dreadful. Their team is even worse.
2) Readings keeper put in a hell of a shift with some really brave saves. The 4 conceded were not on him. Wouldn't mind ****ing off Mccarthy and putting in a bid for the bloke.
3) We played some really nice stuff for a 10 minute period where we looked like ****ing Brazil
4) Aribo. Jesus, the lad enjoys a takeaway eh? That is not the physique of a professional athlete, nor sadly the ability of a professional footballer.
5) Tino was immense, I'm seriously ****ing annoyed he's going.
6) I like the way Martin is trying to build a rapport with the fans early doors, good lad.
7) Most important of all. We keep Alcaraz at all costs. I don't care how we do it, £100k a week, the captaincy, keys to the city, Nando's black card, whatever it takes. Seriously, keep him and we go up. I wouldn't even sell him for £100 million. Both in attack and defence, he ran today's game until he went off. I would sell Lavia, JWP and Tino before even thinking about him.
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Osvaldorama and your good self will be back to your normal selves in a couple of weeks. I can't handle you two being positive it's not right <laugh>
 
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Shepherd's Clearing said:
It's all about opinions and mine is clearly at odds with most supporters, nevertheless, the two goals I have seen him concede have been awful, really comically poor, even that save he comes off his line and then stops - never a good plan.

My opinion as unpopular as it is will be that when we win it will be 3-2 and 4-3 and if the forwards are having an off day we will suffer a few 0-3s. Every time Bazuna plays he looks like he has a mistake in him. Perhaps another club/change of scene will do him good as that often works with players but currently, he doesn't look confident and his positioning is still extremely suspect.

And obviously only a local league footballer for many years so not of any standard at all but I know what it is like to play in goal when your confidence is low.
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Shame saints haven’t signed you up superstar <cheers>
 
SaintsForTheWin said:
Shame saints haven’t signed you up superstar <cheers>
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That would be funnier if I hadn't said I played no standard local league stuff, just to underline it probably one level above the s****est of s**t standards.

Confidence is confidence, doesn't matter who you are, extremely good, or extremely poor, if you don't have it your performance suffers.
 
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Lots of positives today. Great to see the patterns of play developing and looks like the team are taking the new coaching on board.

So much better as a fan actually seeing what the team are trying to do, and this system will just keep getting better with time.

Also the team spirit is so different now. Great to see all 10 outfield players go to celebrate the goals as a TEAM. Also good to see them acknowledge Bazunu’s saves.

Lots of credit to Martin for noticing and changing this. The small things and finer details are crucial.

Think the fans are going to love Martin coming to acknowledge the fans before the game as well.

My Man of the match was Smallbone. Thought he was involved in everything today and controlled the tempo. Several others though really seem to be taking to the new system and tactics.
 
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