It was some great min utes in the legs. - we looked very good although I feel we do need some more striking options: I saw the lads at Albufeira for both rangers and Roma games and watched a live stream today. Neil was MOTM today, Pritchard was immense, Ballard is impressive, Cirkin just keeps getting better, and Mourinho is a w****r of the same proportions as Shearer. Hume was decent but got skinned a couple of times and I do think Dajaku has obvious talent and work ethic is up there but tries too hard to impress; and AN needs to work on decision making for the entire team in the final third. I have like loads of what I have seen and think we will do well this coming season. Well done AN and his team OaU and FTM
Seems to be really growing into his role as the no1 now. Felt so confident with him in goals towards the end of the season and so far in pre season
My views on the match today (for what its worth) - players worked hard throughout and was impressed with the pressing. Hume played really well, got beat a couple times down the line in the 2nd half but he will improve in this area. Neil played with great intensitiy but still lacks that awareness positionally, again this should come with more experience. Pritchard is just different gravy, he will be a stand out in the league this season. Alese looks a player, the back 4 looked more comfortable pressing higher once he came on, you could hear Neil telling them to press up high during the 2nd half. Reckon the back 4 that ended the game will eventually be our back 4. Dajaku is so frustrating, some of his movement was really good, but he didnt really do much in possession or ever really look threatening. I think he might get loaned out if we can bring in another option for RW in the transfer window.
Also, it was really weird but also brilliant to drive 20 minutes from my room to somewhere I know well and be completely surrounded by people from my home town that's a hundred and twenty miles away. I could feel my accent thickening within minutes Best quote of the day? 'Shooooot!!!! YOU GREEDY BASTARD!'
Same here, he has huge potential. He made a wee error early today with a bad touch but was so composed with everything else. Loved him commanding his area in the 2nd half. Still remember seeing him as a 16/17 yr old and thought he would go on and play top end of the Championship at the worst.
This is how I saw it, but Wright and Batth still have big roles to play this season imo. I am still not fully sold on Evans, or Dajaku who I thought we would let go tbh. But the only real disappointment for me yesterday was Diamond, who two years ago would have buried that last minute chance , and fear he is running out of time, and he may be the one who is loaned out or even sold, depending on the moves we make before the window closes . OaU
Yeah i think wright n baath will still have a huge part to play this season as we need to keep the team fresh. I wasnt sure about Evan's for most of last season as i thought he never looked fit but after neil came in he was superb - he does the dirty work to alllw that front 4 to go and create. I dont think dajaku is up too it and probably needs to go out on loan to get minutes and then we can judge him after that - thought he was very poor yesterday. Diamond isnt going to make it at us, id love to be proven wrong but he isnt championship standard. Hes quick but thats it, poor decision making n loses the ball more times than not
Yeah pretty much agree However maybe keep dajaku Like @Teessidemackem said earlier in the thread We have two experienced center half’s And two good young ones
Agree about Dajaku. I think he is one that should do better than he does and yesterday was very disappointing. Mind you, out left isnt his position. His problem, and to an extent Diamonds, is that their best position is the right hand side but Roberts and Gooch are simply a lot better. I dont see either as able to play in the middle as their touch and awareness isnt up to it. One, or maybe even both, might go on loan, Diamond poss even perm. Disagree on Neil's positional awareness yesterday. I thought he was spot on all day. Clearly he has the licence to get forward of the two and I thought when he did that the whole attacking threat went up a notch. Whenever he got beyond Pritchard we created. There is always a danger we get broke on when he does that, but I would bet that is his instruction. I dont think any of his decisions on when to go were wrong yesterday and it never caused us a major problems. I would go as far to say that with our defensive qualities so much better under Alex he will have more licence to go and impact the game. I thought he played a much better defensive game too when we were out possession. You could see him actively scanning all of the time and passing men off to pick up runners. I think he can be our De Bruyne this season in the positiom he plays. De Bruyne often plays just ahead of Rodrigo, dictating play and choosing when to go beyond the likes of Mahrez. If Neil can play a similar role to that, then I honestly think championship sides wont be able to contain him. Alex may sit him out when he plays a back 3, or when he thinks we need two holders, which I dont mind. Overall though I am hoping by the end of this season we are fighting off the big prem clubs for him.
Official Highlights: https://safc.com/news/team-news/2022/july/highlights-vs-dundee-united That footwork by Pritchard at about 6:12
