The Preseason Thread - 2025/26

He's doing OK v India

 

I made him score

 

Archer scores from a lovely dinked pass by Robinson

 

Does this mean that we're winning? (I had to look the word up)

 

Matsuki should have scored. Our third scuffed shot of the game

 

What is winning?

 

He’s always looked to me like he’s just a finisher. Not much else to his game at all and parts of it probably are Eastleigh level. If we create chances for him he will score a fair few, but whether you want to carry a player like that is personal preference I suppose

 

If you spell as accurately as my wife, it rhymes with dinning, as in 'Winning and dinning'

 

Second half players performed far better than the first. Thank god. Smallbone, Fraser, BBD not good enough.

 

It’s hard to judge anything much from preseason games, especially the very first one. Fraser, for example, is coming back from a lengthy injury, while Robinson is trying to get himself into contention for the first team. Their motivation levels are completely different.

Let’s not forget BBD scored on his debut against Lazio last preseason and we all thought he was going to be ace.

 

A win is a win irrespective of the opponent.
Robinson was the star player and I really enjoyed watching Matsuki. I thought his movement and positioning was really good and he always seemed to be trying to direct the play by pointing where a pass should go.
Edozie had some good moments going by players too.
Downes seemed to have an invisible aura that made their players back away from him.
Welington put some interesting balls over the top and inside the full back but Taylor got forward more in the first half, so LB looks covered even with Manning not involved.
I think some of the first half 11 need to up their levels based on what the second half 11 did.

 

Good everyone made it through without injury, that’s all that matters. Performances are basically irrelevant at this stage

 

That's why I never wasted a fiver to watch it, you learn exactly nothing.

 

Yeah I’d probably watch if it was on YouTube or something but wouldn’t pay for it. Pre season games are pretty boring and don’t tell you anything, especially one like today where we played a team however many leagues below us

 

Archer is a more than competent forward, and his game absolutely thrives on playing off the last shoulder. He's only 23 as well. I feel there's a decent forward in there this season.

 

Feel he will work well with Downs.

 

His goals to games record in the Championship is up there with the best. Play to his strengths and keep him interested (I think he got very demoralised last season) and he’ll be really handy this season

 

... well that was brutal

 

Know you can't take much from these games but very pleased to see Robinson looking bright.

Said at the end of last season I felt he could be a big player for us in the championship and hopefully that comes to pass. Particularly as it's a position we're very light in.

Thought Matsuki looked decent too, and even more encouraging was very vocal and demanding the ball a lot.

 

Yeah I think he'll score a shed load in the right set up. Agree about him getting demoralised too and didn't help that every time he scored he found himself on the bench the next game.