I think it’s all about trying different combinations across the pitch, especially with our schedule coming up. That’s what preseason is all about really, otherwise we’d just play the strongest team every time and knock 3/4 in every game.
Preseason is about fitness, primarily. We should still be able to start each game with a coherent and competitive XI. Fernandes as some sort of striker alongside Moura, who's playing on the same side as Clarke? That's just nonsense. Our squad composition is poor and we lack depth in important positions. We may be undermined by a bunch of our players holidaying with Typhoid Mary, but it's been clear for quite a long time now. We've needed to be a lot more active in the transfer market and a lot more organised at academy level. Neither of those looks to be changing substantially at the moment. I'm sure corona will be a useful excuse as to why.
Fitness too, of course. I think they tried something new in the first half, clearly it didn’t work. We’ve looked a bit better in the second half with some changes and positional moves. Agreed that we need to get our ducks in a row with transfers but it looks like it’s happening. Striker the big one next. We clearly need one on today’s evidence. The reorganisation of academy leadership will hopefully bear fruit in the coming seasons as well as it hasn’t been so good the last few years.
Sessegnon should score there. An actual nice move, which haven't happened in this match, but he hits the side netting with his right.
1-0 FT. The highlights should be up in a minute, as it'll just be the goal. I think their keeper made one save.
Bergwijn wins it at the death with a cracking goal to keep us at 100% for preseason. A good test for us, against a team who we probably knew would be well organised, sit deep and not offer a lot going forwards. I expect we’ll be playing a few such teams at the start of this season, so important to try some combinations against that kind of setup. What did we learn? Gedson isn’t a 10. Apart from that, it just really reinforced that we need another striker badly!! Backup for GLC would be welcome as well because our midfield seems a bit pedestrian without him there. Doherty being a better footballer than Aurier in the final 3rd might help creativity too as we got our RB into space a lot.
Really dull game. Second half we were a lot more camped in their half but created very, very little. No one on the fringes has really done themselves any favours, perhaps Carter-Vickers aside but it still looks a bit bleak for him considering the amount of CBs we have.
Good to see the young players White and Clarke looking lively and creative. Hojberg looks like a potential game changing player for us, calm and confident and clearly impressive in making himself available for a pass. I feel less bad about losing out on Bruno F. now.
And I said yesterday Bergwijn looks to be our best player against packed defenses by a fair distance. He had a bad pass at 62 minutes, and an awful cutback at 78. He hardly made another mistake, and must have placed about a dozen difficult passes perfectly. His judgment has been excellent as well. Even when it doesn't come off, whatever he does seems well planned and well executed. I think he's going to be worth 100 million. I wouldn't sell him for 70. Birmingham played Spurs exactly the right way, so credit to them and to Karanka. The first half Spurs were a shambles. They were much better in the second half Even though the goal was luck, the team looked far better than I've seen them against a packed defense. They moved the ball patiently, took care of it well and created some good chances, though the old habits of trying to either go it alone or hit hopeful balls down the middle increased as the half went on. Clarke, Sessegnon and Son all wasted good opportunities. Cirkin really looked good. He hardly lost the ball and played very intelligently. Dier was sharp, as was White. I thought White was iffy yesterday, but played well today. Clarke was not bad, got on the ball a lot, but couldn't quite make anything happen. Fernandes was poor at RB again today, but okay in midfield. Hojbjerg was good. He almost created a goal out of nothing against three defenders and made some timely interceptions. Mourinho needs to get Dele to watch Bergwijn and learn. Moura gave his all, but he didn't get a lot of help. Birmingham grabbed and kicked him all game.
I just really hope Bergwijn is in the XI most weeks but I have a bad feeling Jose prefers Lucas. He offers a much bigger attacking threat than Lucas, albeit Lucas works harder defensively but ultimately I want my attackers to be about potency not being selected for their defensive side of the game. I don’t think any of the youngsters have really stood out to be honest. All of them put in shifts and done one or two nice things but they’re still a way off from really pushing for any spots. Some more minutes in Europa should benefit them but as of right now I don’t think I’d stick my neck out and say one of them will have a major breakthrough, would love to be wrong though. Hoibjerg has impressed, looks like he’s that ball winner in midfield we’ve lacked since a prime Wanyama albeit the quality of opposition so far is way too early to judge but the first impressions are positive. Today also showed how pivotal it is to get another striker, I’m not overly fussed as to who it is but we just need one, simple as that.
So would you be, if you have been on the receiving end of yet another ill-timed Lamela (wedding) tackle.
I think that Bergwijn's biggest problem for breaking into our first XI will be that his best position is the same as Son's. Both can play on the right, but they're less effective there. Moura's competing with Lamela more than anyone else, in my opinion. We could play Son and Kane as a pairing and have Bergwijn and Moura on the wings, but that needs a midfield two with balance. I'm still not convinced that we've got one and it would also mean leaving out Alli, who does his best work behind a striker.
