Pre-season friendly thread

[Tony Towner]

Of course not, but they are:
3 CM's without a lot of mobility
A centre half who can't play in a 2 - appreciate this is disputed by some, but certainly not playing a high line
A right winger, when it looks like Trincao will be pivotal to making Bruno's system work
A centre half who it's openly been said is to be around the first team squad, but not first choice
Keeper and right back, who would definitely upgrade today's first half side.

It's not about a loss to Crewe in 30 degree heat, with kids playing in the second half and the first half team treating as a fitness exercise, but we have seen the planned formation for the season, which is consistent with what he played at Benfica and there's only 2 of those 8 who'd naturally fit in that - 3 if you include Traore who you could potentially put on the left, as you could Podence

A lot of work to do in the transfer market to make that formation work. Even one CM and one CH is a gamble

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

And we are active in the market. Let’s see what happens.

 

[Throbber3]

When was the alst time we had been this active by 17th July? I cant remember. Lovely to see Jimenez back on the pitch today. Welcome back Senor!

 

[Jinky]

Well, with the current players its -

Sa
Semedo Coady Boly RAN
Trincao Neves Moutinho Traore
Raul Silva​

Personally I don’t think that starting 11 wins many games of football in the PL. We’ve got some serious work to do and that will involve Jeff & co having to put their hand in their pockets, which we’ve been told plenty of times, won’t happen unless we sell first.

 

[Throbber3]

Sa
Semedo Coady Boly RAN
Dendonker
Traore Neves Trincao Neto
Jimenez

That would be the choice for me.

 

[Tony Towner]

In all honesty you sell Neves, he isn't going to fit

 

[PuntsWolf]

Donck is mobile, it’s everything else that’s the problem. He would be fine in this system.

If Neves isn’t a holding player in a 2 then what is he? That’s literally his position. If he is sold he will be replaced.

Traore doesn’t really fit any system. Its whether you can carry him and make use of his moments of magic. He was dangerous for Boro in a 442 off the left.

We need a CB and probably CM even if Neves stays. Probably Cutrone and Mir out and replaced by 2 strikers. I’m sure it will happen.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Well, with the current players its -

Sa
Semedo Coady Boly RAN
Trincao Neves Moutinho Traore
Raul Silva​

Personally I don’t think that starting 11 wins many games of football in the PL. We’ve got some serious work to do and that will involve Jeff & co having to put their hand in their pockets, which we’ve been told plenty of times, won’t happen unless we sell first.

Well we flog Neves and Traore and there’s plenty of budget.

 

[AndyWolves]

Yes?

None of the under 23 players we have are ready to make an impression on the first team.

I thought it would be taken as a given that I am not moaning at Lage about this considering he has worked with them for about 2 weeks, you can only work with what you have . FFS

That's not what you said though.

How the fuck am I supposed to know that what you mean isn't what you type? People do like to moan about all sorts hence my point about Taylor Perry.

 

[Deano]

That's not what you said though.

How the fuck am I supposed to know that what you mean isn't what you type? People do like to moan about all sorts hence my point about Taylor Perry.

Like I said I thought it would go without saying. He has been here 2 weeks....

Taylor Perry was decent. He isn't going to play for us in the Premier League this season though.

 

[Tony Towner]

Donck is mobile, it’s everything else that’s the problem. He would be fine in this system.

If Neves isn’t a holding player in a 2 then what is he? That’s literally his position. If he is sold he will be replaced.

Donck maybe, Neves definitely not. You'd be better off getting Sissoko plus cash from Spurs or preferably just the cash. You just need 2 big mobile nasty bastards, he's neither

 

[AndyWolves]

Like I said I thought it would go without saying. He has been here 2 weeks....

Taylor Perry was decent. He isn't going to play for us in the Premier League this season though.

That's why I thought it was a bit harsh.

Anyway, I hope we do see some u23 coming through, unlikely but I still hope. I think Perry will most likely go out on loan.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Donck maybe, Neves definitely not. You'd be better off getting Sissoko plus cash from Spurs or preferably just the cash.

Well Neves isn’t going to sign for anyone better than us if he’s incapable of playing in anything other than in a 2 in front of a back 3…

He’s even more exposed in a 4-3-3 so rule those teams out.

 

[YoungWolf]

Neves and Donck would be fine together in this system tbh. I just don’t see us keeping Ruben.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Enjoyed the first half, higher press , higher pace and more attacking intent. I do think that we will need to defend a lot better but that will come with games and minutes. I dont see what Ruddy did wrong to be fair. He came for two or three crosses well. Kicking was about the same as always. The goal looked dodgy. Second half was minutes for the kids. Otasowie showed both sides to his game. A beast and errors. I am not thinking many of those u23 will be knocking om the first team bus door soon.

Agree with your post generally. I did think Ruddy was awful on the goal though, he just dropped to floor for no reason, if he'd have stood up he would have saved the scuffed "finish" other than that he was fine, but that is quite a big fuck up.

I like the look of Campbell, he needs a loan though.

OO looks brilliant and awful as you said, it's definitely concentration with him, he does the hard work then relaxes and gives the ball away.

 

[Tony Towner]

Neves and Donck would be fine together in this system tbh. I just don’t see us keeping Ruben.

I disagree that high up the pitch, I think they'd be run all over. It'll look like the West Ham away game

 

[YoungWolf]

I disagree that high up the pitch, I think they'd be run all over. It'll look like the West Ham away game

They shouldn’t be that high up the pitch of playing as DM’s in a 442/4231 though. You could have two mutants in there the start position would render them completely useless

 

[PuntsWolf]

I disagree that high up the pitch, I think they'd be run all over. It'll look like the West Ham away game

The issue that we had last season is that the team was tactically set up terribly in games such as that and some other where we played 4 at the back, so the players were hung out to dry.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Enjoyed the first 30 minutes. Could see what we were trying to do, which was a step up on a lot of games last season. That said, it was only Crewe.
Taylor Perry good - but he isn't going to be a PL player this season. Another one who needs a loan and be a stand-out player on loan.
Second half? A lot of our U23s just aren't very good. However good Lage is, the raw material may not be there...
The conundrum that is Owen Otasowie. There's a £30m midfield player in there. He could be exactly what we need. The problem is, can OO be bothered to be that £30m player?

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Donck maybe, Neves definitely not. You'd be better off getting Sissoko plus cash from Spurs or preferably just the cash. You just need 2 big mobile nasty bastards, he's neither

I don't think you need that at all, surely the emphasis is going to be more about what they do with the ball rather than without it?

Neves has mobility issues but he'd overcome a lot of that if he was just a bit more savvy and took a booking every now and again, that's just the way that position is played these days. If he's got someone else next to him doing the same thing then they cover each other and share out the workload for the cynical stuff.

Atletico Madrid still play 442 a lot of the time, I think, and I don't recall them going with such a single minded midfield pairing. Moutinho proved far more adept playing in a two than I would've ever expected because he had the awareness to make those niggly fouls at the right time and that can break up the play just as effectively as true defensive play.