Incidentally I thought last night was played at an intensity like a league match. Been to many a friendly that felt like training sessions with a crowd but you could’ve thought that was a league game
Joseph looks like he's starting to enjoy himself, I'll say that much. I wouldn't say he looks like a fresh player because that essentially suggests he was poor last season, which I've disagreed with for some time. We bought him in January, added him into a struggling side, often played him on the wing and nearly always left him isolated against minimum two players. Things dried up for Pedro around that time as well other than a brilliant goal he scored right before he picked up a 3 match ban. Then we played Joseph more centrally who suffered from the same problems we gave to Pedro as well. My point is, it was more the tactics/mentality that was ruining us. I understand why we played safer because of the position we were in at the time but far too many people were piling on the attacking players for being **** when to be honest they were always dropping deep to help out because we pretty much refused to progress the ball meaningfully. At that point we gave ourselves too much to do in order to create chances and with confidence low as well it was just a case of crawling to survival. People argue the toss about it because the biggest culprits have been our 'steady' players who were with us back when we won promotion from League 1 - some refuse to see it. I know they're only friendlies but the signs are promising at the moment, and I think there's at least 4 '****' players who've taken a lot of criticism suddenly looking like footballers again now that we seem to be trying to play actual football. To be critical of some of the players who have been guilty of taking 'safety first' too far (and this will get me pelters) - I think Jones leaving will lead to us being a lot more dynamic. He was so wasteful with poor long balls and far too many sideways passes. Macca tried to be progressive to be fair but was a square peg in a round hole. It'll also be interesting to see if/how Coyle adapts too. I'm hoping it reinvigorates him and he can start playing like he did a couple of seasons ago, playing the ball forward, getting forward and looking to offer more of an attacking threat down the right. Slater is also an interesting one. He's less guilty of stifling quick build up opportunities but he fluffed a load of sitters last season and was often fairly absent in build up other than popping up with a late run now and then... This season and manager will hopefully spur him on to new levels.
Ajayi looks a big step up from Jones in use of the ball, both quality of passing and willingness to look for a positive forward pass. Hope he stays fit as he seems nailed on for the starting RCB.
The criticism last season of Joseph was pathetic and bore no relationship to his actual efforts on the pitch. Those conducting that particular internet pile-on should be ashamed.
Even if they dont risk a goal, they still cause the players to kick the ball wildly upfield when under pressure rather than try a composed pass.
A lot of the same players doing better with a new manager. Maybe Selles was the wrong man for the job last season.
Be nice for them to have the same effort in cup matches this season would be nice to have a half decent run in them.
Probably a fair comment. it was a good performance from us and in many ways we bullied them(they look to have traded in much of their physicality for ball players).It'll be interesting to see how we fare in the League against a more physical side.?
Ye think the way we played was so unexpected we all got carried away with it but it was good to see Getafe is meaningless tbh and May as well have played Grimsby it would generate more interest Can these players maintain that standard Joseph Gilesey Slater etc One swallow and all that
getafe are a very very physical side, think back to peak tony pulis stoke if they bring that to friendlies, itll be a good test for us they are not a sexy tiki taka spanish side
Hopefully not Day Jar Voo to a year ago when Reading beat us, kicked us off the park and further ****ed up Walter's ****ed up start.
Liverpool have put in a €100million bid to buy Getafe. Seems a lot for a smaller Madrid club with a 16,000 stadium. Wonder why?
Knowing my luck if I had been born in Madrid it wouldn’t have been to a family of Real or Atletico fans but to a Getafe or Rayo Valladolid one.
