Next Saturday 16:52 - Aug 18 with 4833 views | gtsb1966 | Dreading this one. Team not settled and playing City who can rip even the best teams apart. What would you consider an acceptable result where we don't embarrass ourselves. 4 or under and I'll be OK with it. I won't like it but will be OK with it. |  | | |  |
Next Saturday on 17:04 - Aug 18 with 4070 views | ArnieM | ....what about the 2nd half? I'm just praying they dont eclipse their rivals scoreline against us. The problem is, (depending on how you view it), is do we continue with our identity of on playing on the front foot like yesterday, with aggressive attacking play, (and pay the consequences against Man City) or do we modify and sit back a bit more and try to limit the damage? Last season against Leeds away, we chose to attack and maintain our usual style, and were put to the sword on the counter, when maybe we should have played it a big more cautious. It's about choosing your fights dinetimrd I think. And if we go as we did against Liverpool, what happens when our intensity drops, then were even too knackered to defend effectively. Difficult choice really. Either way I'll be rooting for our boys for the 100mins... |  |
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Next Saturday on 17:09 - Aug 18 with 4024 views | NthQldITFC | How much better are City than Liverpool? As an away game, I suspect we'll play a bit tighter and more defensively, and there's absolutely no shame in that. Also, we'll be more integrated with the new players having had a (extra) week. |  |
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Next Saturday on 17:12 - Aug 18 with 3998 views | _clive_baker_ | Blue moon, we got promoted too soon… Nah to be fair I think most town fans recognise where we’re at compared to one of the best teams in the world. Get these 2 out of the way I say. Learn from them, get the fitness up, integrate the new signings and as defeatist as it sounds our season starts in earnest against Fulham if we’re honest. |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 17:16 - Aug 18 with 3961 views | Stewart27 | Jesus Christ. Get a bloody grip you lot. |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 17:18 - Aug 18 with 3943 views | pointofblue | If City can rip even the best teams apart then see it as a free hit, as much as the phrase is maligned. We go up there, give the best we can and see what happens. The big thing is not what happens at the Etihad next week, but how we respond. We have to remain confident. City beat Aston Villa 4-1 at home last season, and Fulham 5-1. They have a stunning home record. The season really starts the following weekend, and the key will not to have too much pressure from the crowd against Fulham, especially if we're (understandably) on zero points/goals. |  |
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Next Saturday on 17:21 - Aug 18 with 3902 views | jas0999 | We will very likely lose next week and honestly, that’s okay. It’s Manchester City at their ground. Anything other than a loss against these top six teams is a bonus. It’s likely to be about goal difference. Last time we played Liverpool at PR we lost 6-0. So, 2-0 isn’t at all bad really. They will smash many teams away. So, keep the score down at MC is the aim. |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 17:24 - Aug 18 with 3849 views | Ryorry | One good point made by the TV comm y'day was that for newly promoted sides, the match morning adrenaline/excitement & pre-game build up can use up a helluva lot of their energy. Players have to learn to manage that, and to pace themselves. KM may need to bring on subs earlier than he did in the EFL. If we do sign Cajuste, I think he'd come on in the second half & help shore things up significantly in midfield, as well as aiding counter-attacks. |  |
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Next Saturday on 17:32 - Aug 18 with 3762 views | Meadowlark |
Next Saturday on 17:04 - Aug 18 by ArnieM | ....what about the 2nd half? I'm just praying they dont eclipse their rivals scoreline against us. The problem is, (depending on how you view it), is do we continue with our identity of on playing on the front foot like yesterday, with aggressive attacking play, (and pay the consequences against Man City) or do we modify and sit back a bit more and try to limit the damage? Last season against Leeds away, we chose to attack and maintain our usual style, and were put to the sword on the counter, when maybe we should have played it a big more cautious. It's about choosing your fights dinetimrd I think. And if we go as we did against Liverpool, what happens when our intensity drops, then were even too knackered to defend effectively. Difficult choice really. Either way I'll be rooting for our boys for the 100mins... |
"front foot" 🙄 |  | |  | Login to get fewer ads
Next Saturday on 17:46 - Aug 18 with 3676 views | ArnieM |
Next Saturday on 17:32 - Aug 18 by Meadowlark | "front foot" 🙄 |
Problem with that? How else would you describe it then ?🙄 Pity they’ve had to use the word “City” in the explanation. Hope that’s not prophetic … Dictionary Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more phrase of foot BRITISH outmanoeuvring a competitor or opponent; at an advantage. "City were on the front foot from the word go" [Post edited 18 Aug 2024 18:20]
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Next Saturday on 17:53 - Aug 18 with 3625 views | BlueBoots |
Next Saturday on 17:21 - Aug 18 by jas0999 | We will very likely lose next week and honestly, that’s okay. It’s Manchester City at their ground. Anything other than a loss against these top six teams is a bonus. It’s likely to be about goal difference. Last time we played Liverpool at PR we lost 6-0. So, 2-0 isn’t at all bad really. They will smash many teams away. So, keep the score down at MC is the aim. |
I don't really see a "Top 6"...Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool are head and shoulders above the rest; there are then about half a dozen teams (Man U, Spurs, Chelsea and 2/3 wildcards) chasing after the last Champions League spot - other end the 3 promoted sides, and then everyone else...our aim is to join the "everyone else" group at the expense of one of those teams and buck the trend of the 3 promoted teams going straight back down. Liverpool won about 50% of their games on the road last season, and Man City won (about) 75% (drawing the other 25%) of their home games. Getting anything out of these 2 games was always going to be a tall order and welcome bonus. [Post edited 18 Aug 2024 17:55]
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Next Saturday on 17:54 - Aug 18 with 3614 views | Bramidan |
Next Saturday on 17:24 - Aug 18 by Ryorry | One good point made by the TV comm y'day was that for newly promoted sides, the match morning adrenaline/excitement & pre-game build up can use up a helluva lot of their energy. Players have to learn to manage that, and to pace themselves. KM may need to bring on subs earlier than he did in the EFL. If we do sign Cajuste, I think he'd come on in the second half & help shore things up significantly in midfield, as well as aiding counter-attacks. |
Greaves V Haarland, Morsey v De Bruyne. Hey this is ITFC we are talking about! Games against all the recognised top 6 or eight won’t decide our season, we need to compete with all the mid and lower teams. Treat it as a learning start and let’s try not to get humiliated. We won’t desert our team. |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 17:57 - Aug 18 with 3569 views | BlueBoots |
Next Saturday on 17:54 - Aug 18 by Bramidan | Greaves V Haarland, Morsey v De Bruyne. Hey this is ITFC we are talking about! Games against all the recognised top 6 or eight won’t decide our season, we need to compete with all the mid and lower teams. Treat it as a learning start and let’s try not to get humiliated. We won’t desert our team. |
Greaves v Haaland? Nah...big Cam will get the nod and Haaland will be in his pocket for the whole game |  |
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Next Saturday on 18:10 - Aug 18 with 3468 views | Texaco73 | It's 11 v 11. It's football. Strange things happen in sport. Morecombe beat us last season and we were all over them for the entire game. Relax. Enjoy the game. You never know what will happen. |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 18:11 - Aug 18 with 3455 views | gainsboroughblue | 3 or under wouldn't be too shabby if we are expecting the defeat. I mean, they've basically been allowed to cheat for the last decade. |  |
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Next Saturday on 18:16 - Aug 18 with 3411 views | gtsb1966 |
Next Saturday on 18:10 - Aug 18 by Texaco73 | It's 11 v 11. It's football. Strange things happen in sport. Morecombe beat us last season and we were all over them for the entire game. Relax. Enjoy the game. You never know what will happen. |
Morcambe? |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 18:56 - Aug 19 with 2831 views | Texaco73 |
Next Saturday on 18:16 - Aug 18 by gtsb1966 | Morcambe? |
Hahaha. Maidstone. |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 18:59 - Aug 19 with 2810 views | MK1 | I would say 3-4 goal difference is ok. I would be very happy with another 2-0 loss. Crazy to say it, but the squad will learn so much from these first 2 games. Think it will help us in the long run. |  |
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Next Saturday on 19:05 - Aug 19 with 2780 views | MattinLondon | Judging by the character shown by this team, I doubt very much that they will be dreading it. In fact, they will absolutely looking forward to it. Thankfully, they won’t be happy with a 1-0 defeat let alone 4-0. Yeah, we might lose and yeah, it might well be 4-0, but KM will be aiming to win and he’ll have a plan. Man City are not unbeatable. |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 19:08 - Aug 19 with 2755 views | Dubtractor |
Next Saturday on 17:12 - Aug 18 by _clive_baker_ | Blue moon, we got promoted too soon… Nah to be fair I think most town fans recognise where we’re at compared to one of the best teams in the world. Get these 2 out of the way I say. Learn from them, get the fitness up, integrate the new signings and as defeatist as it sounds our season starts in earnest against Fulham if we’re honest. |
Exactly this. I started the season realistically expecting 0 points and 0 goals from the first two games. Not being pessimistic, but given the opponents plus our need to bed new players in and generally get up to speed with the division, these first two games are prob a bit much. It's all good though - I'd rather get these out of the way and then face the teams we need to compete with at full strength. |  |
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Next Saturday on 19:14 - Aug 19 with 2718 views | MK1 |
Next Saturday on 17:16 - Aug 18 by Stewart27 | Jesus Christ. Get a bloody grip you lot. |
That my friend, is a very, very fair point well made. |  |
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Next Saturday on 21:40 - Aug 19 with 2555 views | ford6600 | Losing 2 nil to one of the best teams in the world would be acceptable. Let's hope Haaland is rested after an hour, but by then he may have scored a hat-trick or more. If they go 4 or more up mid 2nd half expect lots of subs and maybe we knick a goal back...a steep learning curve but gets two of the hardest fixtures out of the way. |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 21:44 - Aug 19 with 2500 views | Bigalhunter |
Next Saturday on 17:54 - Aug 18 by Bramidan | Greaves V Haarland, Morsey v De Bruyne. Hey this is ITFC we are talking about! Games against all the recognised top 6 or eight won’t decide our season, we need to compete with all the mid and lower teams. Treat it as a learning start and let’s try not to get humiliated. We won’t desert our team. |
FFS. It’s Morsy, M O R S Y. |  |
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Next Saturday on 21:49 - Aug 19 with 2465 views | BloomBlue | It's football even if they do bang in 6 or 7 nothing to be embarrassed about. Leeds banged 4 in last season but we still had a fantastic season. I genuinely think we will give them a close game, ie 2-1 |  | |  |
Next Saturday on 21:54 - Aug 19 with 2421 views | GlasgowBlue | Wouldn't surprise me to see Edmundson brought in to deal with Haaland like he was against Delap last season. |  |
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Next Saturday on 22:23 - Aug 19 with 2311 views | FrimleyBlue | Being honest it's gonna be an absolute embarrassment. No it's not really regardless of goals against. I had at one point hoped we'd play this safe. But you know what I'd rather use this as an extended pre season friendly. What's the point shutting shop hoping to nick something. Let's carry on playing the way we have for two seasons. Build our fitness levels up. Work on our phases of play. Give minutes to the likes of scmodics with delap and hutch and get an understanding going. |  |
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