Think Jol will reverse things for this game and start with his strongest team. In one respect at least he needs to do that and get the back four used to playing with each other. So far heâs switched them around and while different players have been involved, weâve been caught too often trying to play the offside trap to balls over the top. Hangeland wasnât involved when we lost two goals this way but he needs to get used to playing to the right of Amorebieta. Amore was involved in each of those goals and although wasnât the one at fault, he simply needs game time with players that will be his regular mates. So, the backs should be: â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦Steckersâ¦â¦.. ..Riether..Hangelandâ¦Amorebietaâ¦Richardson.. Iâd still like an offensive line-up of: â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦Boatengâ¦â¦â¦â¦ ..Dejagahâ¦Ruizâ¦.Kasamiâ¦Kaca⦠â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦Berbatovâ¦â¦. But the midfield/forward side I suspect will in fact be: â¦â¦â¦.Boatengâ¦..Karaâ¦. ..Dejagahâ¦..Ruizâ¦â¦.Kaca⦠â¦â¦â¦..Berbatov
Absolutely right in your comments about the defence C58. Consequently I think your back 5 is OK, though JamJAR will probs play at least 45. As to the front set up - well, happy with either of those, but I guess we are awaiting developments on the transfer front We're not settled yet, but getting there
I see that Jack Grimmer has gone straight from yesterday's 2-0 win over Celtic to join up with the first team squad in Germany. Wouldn't expect him to play against Werder Bremen today but it's good that he will be in the main party training in Austria during next week.
That's great news about Grimmer hopefully he can save us a couple of million as back up to Reither!!! I know a few who follow the academy not only believe that over a the next few seasons a few could break into the first team squad but also that full backs are are some of the strongest candidates to do this. If this is true lets get by this season with Riether, Hughes, Riise and Richardson instead of spending cash on a replacement. If the worst happens and we get an injury crisis we can throw the youngsters in as a last resort and who knows what will happen look at Ben Davies at Swansea thrown in at 18 due to injuries and Swans now have a great left back for the next ten years saving themselves millions.
Wonder if this is a game to leave Berbatov out (might still be injured ?), and try to see how the others coup again. Make the defense solid give them game time together, with the best back four starting with Stek in goal Again solid Central defensive midfield with Sidwell and Boateng Then experiment up front using Mesca and Kaca with their speed on the wings. Kasami (I'd personally like to see Frie come in) behind Ruiz up front. Can't see them using Rodallega if the rumors of a transfer are true. It will be interesting to see how Aaron Hunt does against us as I rate him, a good creative midfielder, some one I would have liked Fulham to try and get. He didn't have the best of seasons, but then Werder struggled a bit last season. Germans tend to take their friendlies more seriously, so I can see losing this one, with Jol using the second half to experiment before settling the side for the 2 home Friendlies..
The starting XI is; Stekelenburg; Riether, Hangeland, Amorebieta, Richardson; Dejagah, Sidwell, Boateng, Kacaniklic; Ruiz, Berbatov
I believe the game is being streamed from this website: http://www.viponlinesports.eu/sports/football.html
So it finished 1-0 to Werder. I missed the first half, but my conclusions from the second: - the Sako deal is in limbo because i) Wolves tried to up the price and ii) Jol thinks that £4m and Mesca is a better option for us. Based on today's game, I'd rather see Mesca next season and keep that cash. - Boateng and Sidwell lack creativity. We all know this anyway, but today was further evidence. We had a lot of possession but everything had to go through Berba. - We need to sign a striker. I don't know if that is Osvaldo, or Gomis or Bent, but we need someone to attack the 6 yard box. We have very good young wingers who will drive forward, but there is never a striker ahead of them in the box. - Jol sees Richardson as the short term answer to our left back problem. I think he's a good option too, except he has such a dreadful injury record. - The German broadcaster tried to tell me that we brought on Ruiz for Amorebieta. Hughes just doesn't have the hair to pull that off. So in conclusion, we still need a midfielder with some creativity as a matter of urgency. A new striker is important too, but I think our squad is taking shape and some youngsters (by whom I mean Kaca & Mesca, mainly) really look ready to step up.
The overall performance, I believe was pathetic although there are some positives to be taken from the game. -We have no midfield, sidwell just doesn't do the job and seemed absent at times leaving Boateng alone and marked by three players. -Ruiz may aswell have not been playing as he did **** all in the game. - We NEED a new striker Rodallega isn't good enough and Berbatov didn't really seem to be able to make and impact because of what i stated before. -Richardson is good at attacking but was crap when it came to defending. He seemed to get turned inside out by the Bremen wide players. Positives: -Mesca was very good and seemed a very skillful strong direct winger and even had a couple opportunities to score although he does sometimes mess up his first touch. - David looked good in the last 5 mins dishing out some good passes and making no errors. - Boateng looked a reliable passer and made some good tackles/interceptions.
Go along with what you said nick. We keep being told that pre-season friendlies are all about getting fitness. But are they? Are they not also about trying something new? I found it hard to understand the timing of Jol's substutions. Bryan just wasn't at the races yet Jol waits till 15 or so minutes from the end before replacing him with Kasami. And at the same time takes off Berba. More bizarre was leaving it till less than 5 minutes to go before he replaces Sidwell with David. Sidwell was a yard off the pace the whole game and, given he hasn't played much in the last 3 months you could argue that he needed the game time. Unfortunately, with Ruiz nowhere and Boateng so right footed, leaving him on simply underlined our weak link. Would Kasami and David as straight swops for Ruiz and Sidwell at half time, made a difference? The problem is we'll never know and isn't finding out what friendlies are about? On the plus side Stekker's distribution was excellent and Mesca showed pace and directness. But to labour the point, this game didn't tell us anything we didn't already know. Same old, same old....
It was another case of having lots of possession but not creating clear chances, our build up is still too slow. From what I could understand the German commentators weren't too complimentary about us. Comments like 'they are not a top class Premier opponents'. Our defense had a good work out but there were still mistakes in giving the ball away, and the Weder manager had done his home work putting the defenders under pressure when they were trying to bring the ball out from defense. Stekelenbergs kicking looks a lot more accurate than Marks, as we were still passing a lot of balls back when under pressure. Midfield, just no creativity, but we know that, Kaca got injured and taken off early, but Mesca looked lively when he came on for him, Berbatov and Ruiz were not in the game, and the subs didn't really do any better, but there was not creativity for them. Bremen looked more lively and likely to score. Early days yet, but it wasn't too different from most of last seasons performances away.
Extracted from Jol’s post match comments: “Today we looked a bit rusty from the start. There were too many gaps between defenders and midfield and up front. We need pace and a little bit of quality.” “We will try to get someone up front. We need a few more goals. We have not have enough goals in us, so we are working every day to get someone in. We have some high quality players in consideration and we would like another midfielder as well.” He also said that Kaca's injury was a hamstring and that he could miss the start of the season. Mesca, who Jol made MOTM, should thankfully be able to step up. Here is a link to the full article posted by the Club: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/july/28/manager-reaction
Interesting from the Bremen online feed, I swear I saw Frei walk pass talking to a Bremen player, when they were interviewing the Werder manager at the end of the game. But he wasn't even in the named substitutes. Unless he is injured it would seem that David, Kasami and Mesca have gone above him in the pecking order. Bad news about the Kacaniklic injury, that he might miss the opening game.
I fear for this season if we cannot bolster this woefull inept defence ( except goakeeper),. I know from the brief film one cannot analyse the whole match but there are som Primark type signings who cannot be regarded as premiership players. Jack Grimmer & Dan Burn have got to be better than some of the crap Jol is sticking in.
Here are the video "highlights" - [video=youtube;AKewKqY6WxE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKewKqY6WxE&feature=player_embedded[/video]
I think their legs are still "heavy" from pre-season training. Very rusty indeed. Definitely a couple of additions are required.
I certainly do Captain,but is it not time we should expect something better than we have had instead of fearing relegation comes March
