| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? 16:29 - Aug 15 with 2815 views | SamWhiteUK |
No I'll start off by saying a few things
1. I don't mean any disrespect to the sides in question
2. I don't want to take away anything from our performances, which I think have been good in the last couple, really promising
3. I know we can't just go out and arrange friendlies with whomever we like
But we've had so much of the ball in these last couple of games and scored a lot of goals, put together some really good passing moves, and I can't help but wonder if that's too far removed from what we'll see in the premier league where we likely won't be dominating possession and will have to sit back and defend quite a bit.
Of course, maybe we actually ARE that good and come the season proper we have turned into world beaters... I think perhaps not
Thoughts? |  | | |  |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:35 - Aug 15 with 2292 views | Ryorry |
Surely there’s no equivalent to EPL opponents, and no-one wants injuries from proper games preseason anyway? And there was a problem arranging anything with Champ clubs due to the difference in starting dates. [Post edited 15 Aug 16:37]
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:37 - Aug 15 with 2257 views | BlueandTruesince82 |
Good to go in feeling confident imo. |  |
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:38 - Aug 15 with 2240 views | NthQldITFC |
I have that suspicion too. We've been good, and the confidence should be high, some great individual performances, but we haven't had any kind of a physical battle like we'll get next Saturday. |  |
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:42 - Aug 15 with 2158 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
Playing against teams in the same bracket as Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool might be better preparation for the toughest we will face.
However, there is no substitute for being able to build patterns of play, gain understanding and fitness and avoid injuries. We seem to have been able to do that and gain the confidence of some good results too.
Ultimately it has been good preparation. The last thing we would have wanted is backs-to-the-wall heavy defeats without getting any possession and picking up injuries. |  |
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:46 - Aug 15 with 2094 views | Blue_Uprising |
Yes I have this worry. Would have liked to see what our new keepers are made of a bit more + defensively tested more.
However in arranging friendlies other possible clubs (the likes of AC Milan, Bayern and PSG) were not to know we are actually champions league quality (they will only realise that at the end of this season) 😜 |  | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:48 - Aug 15 with 2056 views | htb |
I don’t disagree and if it had been possible to arrange at least one fixture against top class opposition who dominate the ball would have been a good thing however also important for confidence and to gel a new team to get some wins under their belt. |  | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:48 - Aug 15 with 2042 views | nshearman1 |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:38 - Aug 15 by NthQldITFC |
I have that suspicion too. We've been good, and the confidence should be high, some great individual performances, but we haven't had any kind of a physical battle like we'll get next Saturday. |
I've got to say I really worry about our defence against PL opposition - highly susceptible to the quick counter, O'Shea liable to get caught at RB, Greaves inconsistent, Davis still in danger of giving away possession in attack. | | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:49 - Aug 15 with 2025 views | barcelonablue2 |
Idk hard to say because of so many elements.
World cup season, transfers, injuries, heat, Club agreements, ect..
Rayo Vallecano are a mid-table la liga team and so have Union Berlin been last few seasons in Bundesliga. I would say that translates to around a bottom league prem side.
I think the main difference has been prem money means our best players such as Diop at CB, really are a level above and our depth for subs: JC, Philogene, Mehmeti and Akpom was not matched by either RV or UB
For comparison if you wish, Newcastle barely beat Valencia who were down to 10 men and finished a spot below RV last season and Fulham drew to Malaga who were in the second League last year and came up by playoffs.
I think the biggest factor you have take in for the Prem is physicality and the pressing will be a lot more intense. |  | | |
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:52 - Aug 15 with 1970 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:48 - Aug 15 by nshearman1 |
I've got to say I really worry about our defence against PL opposition - highly susceptible to the quick counter, O'Shea liable to get caught at RB, Greaves inconsistent, Davis still in danger of giving away possession in attack. |
Few, if any, Premier League attacks will miss the chances the opposition has missed against us in these matches. We clearly still need to improve defensively. | |
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:55 - Aug 15 with 1917 views | DarkBrandon |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:48 - Aug 15 by nshearman1 |
I've got to say I really worry about our defence against PL opposition - highly susceptible to the quick counter, O'Shea liable to get caught at RB, Greaves inconsistent, Davis still in danger of giving away possession in attack. |
We won’t have Nunez in that role I wouldn’t have thought. Luiz or Matusiwa will make a big change to the balance of the side. |  | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:56 - Aug 15 with 1898 views | jas0999 |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:37 - Aug 15 by BlueandTruesince82 |
Good to go in feeling confident imo. |
Agreed. Winning games helps with the confidence. Okay, a bit open today, but scoring four away to good opposition is never a bad thing. | | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:57 - Aug 15 with 1889 views | bsw72 |
The point of preseason is to gain fitness and get players to get used to new patterns of play and new teammates. It’s not designed as match preparation for PL fixtures as you can’t replicate what we will face in the league as the intensity is completely different.
We have played 4 continental sides who play in their respective top divisions, one of which reached a European final last season, alongside some games against EPL opponents. I would say that the quality of these European teams comes close to mid/lower half of PL quality teams so a decent set of opponents without having to just chase them around.
Think the preseason has achieved exactly what it needed to, minutes in players legs, chance for the new manager to see how different players and formations work and time to bed in some new signings. |  | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:01 - Aug 15 with 1829 views | burnbudgiesburn |
Brentford just mugged off Eintracht Frankfurt 7-0
Are Bundesliga teams outside of the top 3-4 as strong as we think? I think we've had reasonable opponents but we could have done with playing a team that were liekly to have 60-70% possession. | | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:04 - Aug 15 with 1781 views | jasondozzell |
Fundamental misunderstanding of preseason imo.
Think it's been well planned and chosen. |  | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:05 - Aug 15 with 1759 views | chicoazul |
It’s just training. |  |
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:10 - Aug 15 with 1690 views | blueislander |
I don’t think it is realistic to to attract top eurpean clubs to play us in pre-season friendlies. The days when Narcelona invited us to play in the Gamper,thie 4 team competition are long gone. Who knows if we will aspire to those heights again. | | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:21 - Aug 15 with 1591 views | Blue_Heath |
IT's a new team so no problem in having a lot of the ball for them to gel, 7 goals in two games is great. However, some sloppy defensive goals at times which worry me more.
I think also the wins build confidence good momentum now going into first game. [Post edited 15 Aug 17:23]
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:21 - Aug 15 with 1593 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:01 - Aug 15 by burnbudgiesburn |
Brentford just mugged off Eintracht Frankfurt 7-0
Are Bundesliga teams outside of the top 3-4 as strong as we think? I think we've had reasonable opponents but we could have done with playing a team that were liekly to have 60-70% possession. |
Why? You sit back. Soak it up and hope you can counter.
With the signings weve made we are looking to compete against the mid and lower prem table sides to do that we need to play our own way against them and go at them too. [Post edited 15 Aug 17:21]
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:22 - Aug 15 with 1574 views | Churchman |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 16:42 - Aug 15 by Nthsuffolkblue |
Playing against teams in the same bracket as Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool might be better preparation for the toughest we will face.
However, there is no substitute for being able to build patterns of play, gain understanding and fitness and avoid injuries. We seem to have been able to do that and gain the confidence of some good results too.
Ultimately it has been good preparation. The last thing we would have wanted is backs-to-the-wall heavy defeats without getting any possession and picking up injuries. |
Agree entirely. These are opportunities for players to get game fitness, get to know each other, try patterns etc. your word - preparation.
Busting in 100% competitive style doesn’t teach you much and runs higher risk of injury.
So yes, our pre season opponents have been fine. |  | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:31 - Aug 15 with 1484 views | BlueMoon |
Easier said than done but Leeds, Sunderland, Liverpool (and Wrexham) played in a tournament against teams in the US. From a commercial / exposure viewpoint would be great to play some games there in future.
I’m thinking get the Arizona firefighters in the crowd with Sheeran and the Gamechanger lot. Would test us against some top opposition and be a nailed on money maker. | | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:37 - Aug 15 with 1432 views | RetroBlue |
I think this new squad has settled very quickly, and I do wonder if thats due to a change in our pre season approach, as we appear to have played a lot more actual games, rather than just training for training's sake? |  |
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:54 - Aug 15 with 1334 views | NthQldITFC |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:04 - Aug 15 by jasondozzell |
Fundamental misunderstanding of preseason imo.
Think it's been well planned and chosen. |
I agree, it's good for building patterns of play and getting confidence into a new team. At the same time, we have to be aware that every game in the PL will be much, much harder than that.
I could have fancied a game against a top 4 Spanish/French/German team third from last with two easier games to finish with. But then the squad would have been far weaker then, so would it have been worth it? Dunno. | |
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| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 17:59 - Aug 15 with 1304 views | J2BLUE |
They are training games for fitness.
No one is going to come at us like City at the Etihad in pre season. |  | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 18:04 - Aug 15 with 1260 views | Wheels |
I'd have liked to have seen better opposition purely because I want to see our new keepers in action a bit more.
The top teams play each other for commercial reasons rather than preparation against the best | | | |
| Have these pre-season opponents been good enough? on 18:11 - Aug 15 with 1198 views | BloomBlue |
Preseason is about getting fitness levels up, and that will be the same for any opposition.
So maybe you could arrange to play a team who dominated possession last season, but that doesn't mean they will do that in a preseason game where the aim is purely fitness. |  | | |
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