Pre season over - what did you think?

Just reading that Harris is away with Wales U21s, so wont be available on the weekend.
Patto also away. Only leaves Glatzel as an option up front. Unless Back of the Net Flint is considered in a striking capacity.

Where's Madine when you need him?

 

Sunning himself on Blackpool beach with Niasse and Warren Feeney.

 

Most sensible pre-season for a long time. Last year’s North American jolly was a tiring farce, playing in front of sparse bewildered locals was a complete waste of Masky time. Leaving a great player behind, when he could have come into his own, and gone on to great things! Playing Bogle, but leaving him out...never understood it. Should be playing Newport and Wrexham, to support them!

 

Agree Masky. That trip to the US was a shambles and proved nothing. The goal machine and Tommo both couldn't go because of their police records anyway.

Why clubs feel they have to visit another country let alone another continent for 3 pre season games is beyond me. Stay at home, work hard and play your build up games against "local" sides.

Newport, Bristol Rovers and Cheltenham were good workouts and probably a better measure than San Antonio and New Mexico United - what a farce.

 

Pre-season is indeed over, but no one seems interested in the carabao cup.
Interesting looking side, 343.
Seems even at the moment.

 

Not anymore. 1.0 down Desmond conceded a penalty.

 

I think pre-season has been very low key with no opposition to give the team a challenge. I agree trips to accumulate air miles are pretty pointless with risk of jet lag but similarly jaunts to Devon and Cornwall or up the A470 to Taffs Well did little to test the team.

I liked us to have final home friendlies against technical, well organised foreign teams. No chance of that this year but a game against a Prem side would have been a good run out.

 

Watching this on CCFC TV. Don't want to be over critical but that first half was rubbish. Bamba is dreadfully slow at the back and there is just no midfield at all. Pack and Bacuna are chasing shadows - and big bloody shadows as well.

Up front we haven't a clue. Glatzel can't hold on to the ball and to be partially fair to him, he's got little or no support from Hoilett nor Murphy. Best player on the pitch so far - Smithies.

They are a big and physical side, but that's no excuse as we've been accused of being that many times.

Harris needs some radical re-thinking half time because Northampton are bossing the game. Might just as well throw in a few youngsters to shake things up otherwise we'll be out of this competition at the first hurdle again.

 

Thought the same Sparks. Trouble is little or no attacking strength on the bench unless we put Flint up top. Cue loads of aimless punts from the back.

 

I said punts!!!

 

Hopeless!! 2 nil down now and some pathetic play from City.

 

Oh dear!!!

 

50 minutes up and the ball has spent 30 of them in the air.

Why can't we get the ball down and play some football.

 

So in my view nothing to bring off the bench.

Who are we missing?

Tomlin and Ralls injured.

NML, personal.

Moore, Vaulks Whyte and Pato on country duty.

3 youngsters including Harris on young country duty.

Not a great deal of depth to come back. This evidences our need for another 2 better quality signings, at least.

 

They have had 10 f'in shots to our paltry 3.

Who wants this more and what happened to our cup fighting spirit of not so long ago?

This is not good for our season.

 

3-0 now...we cannot pass the ball - this is embarrassing.

 

An absolute f**king shambles. Glad no fans wasted money going to see this dross.

 

The 'jaunt' to Taffs Well in the last few seasons has been a great way to begin the pre season friendlies, attracting a decent crowd and generating considerable goodwill to the team and also much needed funds for Velindre Hospital.

Playing a final friendly at home against quality foreign opposition has also been good preparation for the new season.

However the selection of the games in between has been a disappointment to me in recent years and I agree were not testing.

This season the local friendlies, Cheltenham, Rovers, Newport, whilst being neccesary due to the current circumstances were probably more useful.

That said with City 3-0 down as I write, it doesn't seem to have done us any good!

 

Bamba off after 66 minutes - that's about 66 minutes too late.

 

Best player on the pitch up till now is Tom Sang - and he's only been on 10 minutes.