Just got home. Read somewhere that this Spanish lot have a reputation for being physical and they certainly showed that today from the very first kick. We will be lucky to escape from this one with just bruises because they were a sh!thouse of a team to play against. Everyone of them were at it, off the ball and on the ball, then throwing themselves to the floor squealing like piglets from the faintest of touches. Nothing friendly about it at all. Fast, furious and feisty but no goals. Best we had was Joseph putting a header over the bar in the first half when he should have scored, couple of regulation saves from Pandur and they scrambled one against the post second half. We gave as good as we got without doing anything stupid. So a good work out for the young 'un's and none of them stepped back from a challenge or dipped out of a tackle, and some of the stuff from the Spanish was borderline GBH. Attendance; 3,900 and a bit. I thought it was decent. Hughes came back out at the end with the Physio to test his knock, looked ok and Crooks was limping before he went off. Saw Kamara counting his legs when he went off and he and the rest of us were surprised he still had two.
I thought it was a really good workout, against a team with a really solid defensive platform. We did breakthrough a few times, hit the bar through an Ajayi header. He looks an absolute beast by the way. Considering a lot of the components in this team are new, I think they have done brilliantly.
I'm already looking forward to the 'Where will we finish?' thread. I'm getting mine in early before the rush ...15th.
Well as the commentator said Vaughan had been lively before he created a chance his excellent following shot just missed scoring by a whisker. I would have loved to see that shot go in as Vaughan Fan and am sure some of the doubters on here would have done also. It was about the ony thing we created. I hope he gets more game time. I was thinking while he was on the pitch that he got very little of the ball, that must be partly down to him. A better and more experienced player would get himself into posiitions where a pass from a fellow player would be inviting to that player.,
He’ll be a good impact sub late on. Would have him central from now on, he looks miles better. Not quick or dynamic enough out wide
The Vaughan criticism was always a bit OTT, but he's not had it easy either. There's been no development plan and he's just been left to rot for the last 18-24 months. He was never a winger and it's good to see him back playing as a 10. I know people were worried if we dropped into L1 but I think we've seen this year that there's plenty of talent within the 21s and hopefully they get a good few minutes this year
I feel like he’s always just-lacked that edge to make it. He’s obviously a really technical player but no goals / assists at senior level yet. Never seen him dominate a game even in a friendly like say Brown did against Kasimpasa. Just always feel he can do more, maybe we’ve just under utilised him sticking him out wide where he’s not really suited as he’s not very dynamic. Central suits him a lot more
I get what you mean, it's always that last bit with him. That turn today was phenomenal but he's got to stick it in the back of the net. On the plus side for him, Tinsdale and McCarthy, they're all going to get plenty of minutes this season unless we sign a few midfielders in the coming weeks. Kasey's far from convincing in the 10 role and we're pretty light in midfield.
We haven’t had a lot of luck with injuries since the early 2000’s, and it’s always a major injury and a major signing, Ryan Mason being the obvious one, but others too.
I’d be going Slater Lundstram Crooks opening day. Might lack the creativity but Slater and Crooks can offer goal threat in the box and all 3 combine to provide the steel and work rate needed to allow Drameh and Gilesy to get involved as much as possible at the other end.
His physical aspect was always his weakness. But then how old is he? He's got plenty of bulking up still to do, but he's looking less like a kid at the big boys club this pre season.
