Would be nice if we put more effort into filling out the ground, not just about packing in more sardines to increase the gate, sell more burgers and programs etc. etc., but just to try and get a packed house with a nice atmosphere to gee the players up going into the season. Can't be too impressive for Lovren or Vic playing their first home game in a ghost town, probably wondering what the hell they're doing at this place! Cheaper tickets and more deals for free ticket incentives and whatnot, get the stadium packed to cheer the players on going into the new season, would be nice even if it wasn't as financially efficient as a low-key affair with 8000 higher-priced tickets sold. Not the end of the world though.
Pochettino looks really hacked off to me in that interview. Hope he's able to respond in english soon, its a bit dull listening through an interpreter all the time.
When your best LB gets severely injured, and is probably out for more than a month, you won't be too happy.
Exciting for the fans to watch, but, for a manager who hopes his team is ready for the League, a 1 or 2 nil victory would have been better. At the end of preseason, they still let in easy goals. He must also be concerned about Clyne and Shaw, especially with other players going on international duty. He could also just want a cup pf tea.
Mauricio wouldn't even commit himself about Luke being unavailable for England. Won't read too much into that as they are waiting on the doctor's report...can't see him being fit or even risked if nearly fit for the U21s.
Yeah he was clearly concerned about Shaw's injury. If he is out for any extended period of time, I hope we get some cover in, even a loan deal. I went to the game in the end after having had a little moan about it being £20 First half we looked very good. I didn't feel like we were playing at full kilter, but still pressed well, passed well, created some good opportunities and scored some good goals. Unfortunately, the first half was marred by the very poor defending for the goals we conceeded and Shaw's injury. Lamberts 'kerfuffle' was a bit odd, unlike him to get worked up like that so I can only assume that the Real player said something that really got on his goat. Maybe his fuse is short due to lack of sleep. Anyway. Second half and Fox on for the injured Shaw. Fonte, Davis, Davis aaaand Gaston on (for Jos, Boruc, Guly, Lambert) and we looked very flat. Clearly less pressing of the ball and no fluency or any real link up play in the final third. Real Soc in the ascendancy. Then Cork, Ward-Prowse and Yoshida come on at 63 mins (for Wanyama, Chambers and Lovren) and we are still looking pretty disjointed. Then, we bring on Isgrove, Mayuka and Puncheon at 75 mins (for Morgan, Lallana and JRod) and suddenly we look much brighter again with better link up play purpose to our attacks. In summary: England U21's call up for Shaw is a curse, the stadium sound system is still awful, but the grass was nice and green, and we should sell Morgan because we looked better when he went off. It was an entertaining game but friendlies are just not the same as competitive matches and to get any decent numbers in they need to lower the price.
Said he was happy with who we have got in, and happy with the squad. But also said he would prefer to get players in now rather than January. Didn't seem hugely convincing that we will get anyone else in, but, didn't rule it out either. I get the impression that we have the bids on the table for the players discussed, and if they don't happen then we'll go with what we've got. Just the impression I get.
