The comment about needing to get more quality and personality in is interesting. We definitely lack leaders.
Is that our last friendly before Brighton? I've not watched any pre season since Eastleigh but interesting to see people saying we're struggling with creativity. A Sunderland fan said to me this week that Still's teams tend to be solid defensively but struggle at the other end. I know basically nothing about him so no idea whether there's truth in that or not. He'll need to get up and running relatively quickly given the games we have early on.
Been a while since we have had a manager who's views actually seems to align with reality, i'm glad to see it. Although i'm sure it is easier to be like this during pre season.
Will Still making the right noises and he’s got to make decisions on the squad. Arma, BBD & Archer all have strong championship performances in their careers, but can’t play as a trio, so at least one has to go imo Hopefully we hear more on a creative player coming in, as exciting as Robinson is, think it would unfair on him to expect him to play more than 60 minutes on a regular basis
Team for Brighton, Providing we are going as strong as possible for Wrexham; Ramsdale; Bree - Edwards - Quarshie - Manning; Downes - Charles; Dibling - Fernandes - Robinson; Archer.
I think Still has given BBD and Adarma plenty of opportunities to make themselves key players but I don’t think they have done enough to be ahead of Robinson, Dibling and Edozie as the wide players. I think Adarma is worth keeping because we know he can score a lot of goals in the Championship but what he can’t do is create chances for himself or others. I think we also have to factor in that we no longer have KWP running at opposing FBs so whoever plays the wide right role needs to be able to do that.
Pre season is all about giving players the opportunity to impress, especially when you have a new manager. Sounds like Still has now seen enough to be making the decisions required. He doesn’t sound like a manager that will take lazy, unwilling players for to long. I guess the team against Brighton will tell the direction he is going in. The players that he has said, need to go or want to go, will not be part of the team next week, you’d like to think? Also sounds like a bit of frustration that things in the transfer window aren’t moving as quickly as he’d like, but then I guess that most managers, are the same, this time of pre season.
I’d be very suprised if Stephens isn’t starting most weeks. Question is more who plays next to him with Edwards, THB and Quarshie all looking like viable options (and I’d imagine in some people’s opinions all better than Stephens). Maybe shoehorning Edwards in at right back is Stills way of getting two of them in the side. Haven't watched any pre season, has Sugawara been playing?
I saw him playing golf. He used a five iron in a driving contest. That might say something deeper about him…
If Edwards does play RB, then potentially we have him, Stephens, Quarshie, and Stewart in the box attacking set-pieces. That could be a real handful. Also, THB instead of Stephens would be even better.
He has played minutes, but he was a player with rumours of wanting out at the end of the season, so could be one Still was referring too. I think Edwards at RB was purely to get him minutes amongst the other centre backs and not necessarily a long term move. personally pleased we’ve not played three at the back at all.
Just went and had a look at Sugawara's minutes through preseason... Eastleigh: 45 minutes *Gillingham: 60 minutes *Valenciennes: 60 minutes Castellon: 17 minutes Espanyol: not used * Gillingham and Valenciennes were played in the format of two 60-minute games
So he’s played quite a bit then. I’m expecting a big season from him if he stays, think he could be a big asset at this level where the fact he can’t defend shouldn’t matter as much.
He has, but his minutes are going backwards... when all of the others are being given more minutes. Plenty today getting 60-70+
Maybe Still likes the Sugawara - Matsuki link up? Suga has played less since Matsuki got injured. (I'm guessing here, do they even play on the same side of the pitch?)
