I'll be going, anyone else? The OS says there'll be a 'healthy mix' of first-team and development squad players, and given that they're charging £10 for entry I hope to see at least some of our likely starting 11 against Brentford.
I won't be going - but the mix of first teamers is now to do with the time given off after the Spain trip. Do we only have Pompey and Portsmouth after this?
Rumors of a "behind closed doors" first team match this Saturday. Not Bob's fault but he doesn't have much time left to decide on his starting XI for the League and get them playing as a unit. I see no harm in cramming in fixtures so long as there are no restrictions on subs. Instead of playing different "mix 'n match" teams of roughly equal strength in each half, it makes more sense to play your presumed best XI for 45 or 60 minutes then take them all off. At least make a start on developing teamwork that way. Not sure why it needs to be "behind closed doors" but hopefully that suggests quality opposition. Bob is not going to learn much playing against more weak teams. I am not against playing feeble opponents. My favourite team of all time, Hungary of the '50s, used to warm up for competitions by thrashing village and factory teams 16-0 and 19-0. But the difference is they already had a settled team and tactics and it was just about helping to do things instinctively. Decades ago I ran a successful boys team, helped by a semi-pro coach. In training, we tried getting the team to attack the opposing goal, starting from our keeper, with NO opposing players. Each player was allowed a maximum of two touches at a time and there was a time limit to score. We gave up because the results were humiliatingly bad. With NO opponents the kids would lose control, pass the ball into touch, etc. Our boys were better than that. Something about having no opponents made them lose focus.
Ansah tweaks a hamstring - Andy Robinson his replacement. I'm assuming not the former chubby tranmere player
0-0 at HT. Big news here is that Solly is back and started. Bob still flirting with Nego at RM. Layne back on trial (on the bench) so that one is not dead. Who is Dowa (also on the bench)? Over-riding impression from all the pre-season matches is that we cannot convert chances, but I suppose every team in all four divisions will claim to have that problem.
No, he signed for Shrewsbury last week. This will be Andreas Robinson (21), formerly of Southampton but now too old for their u21s. We were interested last season but he signed for Bolton. That evidently did not work out. Replaced by Muldoon after an hour, anyway.
Ebbsfleet take the lead with a penalty. They are becoming our new bogey side now the Millwall result is a foregone conclusion. Finished 1-0.
Another penalty conceded! A friend said we were decent without being on top. Worrying we have 2 games left before the season. Have our mainstays had enough playing time?
Was Robinson the number 10 in centre mid? He looked pretty good, composed on the ball and a decent size (unlike Munns). Worth another look at least. Gomez looked as good as I expected him to be. I can see why some have referred to Tucudean as a new Yann. I doubt he'll be as good, but he played reasonably well tonight. Nego was poor.
Robinson became homesick (tup north) and was released by Bolton last week. A phrase we can expect to hear a lot of this season (well up until January when he is given a free to St Turgid)
I have seen Robinson a couple of times and he looks a decent player. Southampton seem able to produce good quality players from their Academy. I would like to see us give him a contract. The reason we did not play more first team players last night was because we are having a behind closed doors friendly against Spurs.
Our pre season has me worried. We had the Swindon debacle, last night was meant to be a Charlton XI but after giving the team an extra day off after Spain they sent some first team players. It just doesn't sound organised. Oh, and we still can't score.
