Team v Hannover

[KeiranShikari_2 0]

Luckily for us we won''t be playing technically superior German sides every week.

[Wibble 109]

[quote user="Ian"]Okay, well you''ve really put me in my place with such a well reasoned argument.

I''ll apologise profusely for not paying much attention to a pre-season friendly, if we''re mid table in December. You''ll be sure to apologise if we''re near the top though?[/quote]Now now dear, no need for sarcasm.You must admit that we seem sluggish, and still have a poor defence ?|I, like you wish only the best for the team but with everything we have disputes, you feel that staying with the like of bassong and whittaker with prove fruitfull for us, I disagree, thats all. If  we keep this back four , on December 25th, top six , I will buy you a bottle of your fancy up to an amount of 30 bristish pounds.

[Guest]

It was a dreadful first half, we looked all over the place, but get a grip - it was a pre-season friendly against a team who obviously took it a lot more seriously than our squad did initially.

Of course I am concerned we haven''t addressed our striker issue, and that we might lose potentially our best left-back, but I''m not going to lose my **** over the match today. Let''s be honest, a lot of these comments are ridiculous. Talking about relegation after a pre-season friendly (given that our previous pre-seasons have rarely correlated to the start we''ve made) is the very definition of pant-wetting isn''t it?

Finally, I''m glad this has happened in pre-season. It will be a wake-up call for the squad, and it will make Alex Neil''s mind-up about starting places next week. I am sure he went with players who he was unsure about, giving them the opportunity to play themselves in or crash and burn, and I''m sure he''s learnt a lot about some players'' attitudes today.

[Guest]

Thanks for the offer, it''s very kind, but I''m sure it won''t be required. Also, I would very surprised if we start with that back four next week.

[93vintage 16]

I think we''ll come to regret not having a clear out. Too many players look past their sell-by dates, and as such we''re not progressing. The same old problems, ie poor passing and losing possession were evident.

[king canary 7,580]

@93Vintage

This is my thought too- I was advocating earlier in the window that we needed to take the opportunity to shake the squad up a bit as we''ve had too many players grow stale and go backwards since they''ve joined us. The signs didn''t look good when we resigned Whittaker and I fear we''re going to be one of those teams who looks much better on paper than on the pitch.

[hogesar 9,618]

Its a pre season. It happens. Im not concerned based of it.

Would say Ryan Bennett is such a limited defender i hope Martins injury isnt too much of an issue.

Tettey looked a bit off the pace.

Dorrans and Hoolahan pretty classy though.

[JF 694]

if you want to see real pant wetting I suggest reading the brexit thread, not a dry loin cloth in the house!

[Old Shuck 183]

Everyone keeps on about having a "clear out" but it isn''t that simple.The players that people want shot of have not only got to agree to a move-unlikely for some as they won''t get the sort of wages they are on here anywhere else so they''ll happily stay put to ensure that they continue to get that wage-but we''ve also got to find someone interested enough in not only taking them off our hands but agreeing to at least match the wage they''re on here.We can, of course, pay them off-but that can be expensive."Getting rid of all the deadwood" isn''t that easy. I''m sure if it was, a lot more would have been long gone before now, long long gone...

[City 2nd 191]

Could someone please explain to me why the early change was made, Dorrans for Murphy. Was the latter injured, (although that didn''t seem the case to me) or was it tactical?

And as for Bennett, has he been on the weights, or has he eaten ALL of Delias pies.

[93vintage 16]

[quote user="king canary"]@93Vintage

This is my thought too- I was advocating earlier in the window that we needed to take the opportunity to shake the squad up a bit as we''ve had too many players grow stale and go backwards since they''ve joined us. The signs didn''t look good when we resigned Whittaker and I fear we''re going to be one of those teams who looks much better on paper than on the pitch.[/quote]The thing is, we''ve not passed it well for a generation now. In fact, watching Hannover reminded me of a little bit of watching the early 90s Norwich sides, where passing was in the DNA of every player from the seniors to the young nippers. Sadly, I don''t think our many of our side are young enough to change.

[hogesar 9,618]

Oh and i forgot to add, Whitts performance was...interesting. Presume pinto will start next week.

[Making Plans 936]

Based on what I witnessed this afternoon we will not get promoted with the squad, and probably the manager, we currently have.One week before the season starts we looked lifeless & cluelessSomething needs to change & quickly

[GJP 79]

They took Jacob off because he was leaving Whittaker exposed/failing to track back. Whittaker tried to tell him he needed to do more but not much after that he got hooked.

[westcoastcanary 0]

[quote user="City 2nd"]Could someone please explain to me why the early change was made, Dorrans for Murphy. Was the latter injured, (although that didn''t seem the case to me) or was it tactical?

And as for Bennett, has he been on the weights, or has he eaten ALL of Delias pies.[/quote] Tactical. Jacob M was all at sea defensively and Whittaker completely exposed or, to continue with the maritime metaphor, left drowning.

[pete 318]

Clear out we could have had one end of this season most contracts expire next summer. Except understand Whittaker got 2 year contract and Jerome 3 years, hope there are options to extend not fixed term.

[westcoastcanary 0]

Pyro Pete wrote: "Though it did provide a reminder of what a good keeper Ruddy can still be."You mean he made some good stops? Unfortunately, we need much more from our keeper than that. From what I''ve seen of McGovern I''d much prefer to have him as No.1. Sharper than Ruddy is every aspect of his game IMO.

[Wibble 109]

[quote user="93vintage"][quote user="king canary"]@93Vintage

This is my thought too- I was advocating earlier in the window that we needed to take the opportunity to shake the squad up a bit as we''ve had too many players grow stale and go backwards since they''ve joined us. The signs didn''t look good when we resigned Whittaker and I fear we''re going to be one of those teams who looks much better on paper than on the pitch.[/quote]The thing is, we''ve not passed it well for a generation now. In fact, watching Hannover reminded me of a little bit of watching the early 90s Norwich sides, where passing was in the DNA of every player from the seniors to the young nippers. Sadly, I don''t think our many of our side are young enough to change.[/quote]Best post yet ! I dont want to hark onto years gone by as football has changed. Through many factors not just finacial, techincal directors, directors here there and everywhere. All we need is people that know football, people that have had some sort of insight.You wouldnt own a bottle factory, and invite a director in the that had only every dealt in womens clothing, you wouldnt have a a female upmarket clothing establishment but accept a person from a botle factory. Business is business, you have to be able to kick on straight away.It does seem thate are becoming a "business" type model rather than a football model, its all about £££££ , bit a short fall of insight , yes we saved £££££ by not buying but we lost ££££££££££££ by being relegated. I honestly think somewhere along the line theres not enough football people involved !Well thats my say, im not shocked by pre season, and i wont be shocked by league , trust me !

[93vintage 16]

[quote user="Old Shuck"]Everyone keeps on about having a "clear out" but it isn''t that simple.The players that people want shot of have not only got to agree to a move-unlikely for some as they won''t get the sort of wages they are on here anywhere else so they''ll happily stay put to ensure that they continue to get that wage-but we''ve also got to find someone interested enough in not only taking them off our hands but agreeing to at least match the wage they''re on here.We can, of course, pay them off-but that can be expensive."Getting rid of all the deadwood" isn''t that easy. I''m sure if it was, a lot more would have been long gone before now, long long gone...[/quote]That''s a reasonable point, but not in the case of when we''re handing out new contracts to the likes of Whittaker and Dorrans. We need to buy a few players in their mid-20s, otherwise we''ll stagnate even further.

[City 2nd 191]

93V wrote: That''s a reasonable point, but not in the case of when we''re handing out new contracts to the likes of Whittaker and Dorrans. We need to buy a few players in their mid-20s, otherwise we''ll stagnate even further.

We already have them 93 in the shape of the Murphy''s, Maddison, Godfrey and a few more. But what chance do they stand when the manager oiks one of them off in a friendly for ''tactical'' reasons, and later brings on Mulumbu, whom it is strongly suggested, even this evening, is leaving the club to join Marseille on a FREE!

[Wibble 109]

[quote user="City 2nd"]93V wrote: That''s a reasonable point, but not in the case of when we''re handing out new contracts to the likes of Whittaker and Dorrans. We need to buy a few players in their mid-20s, otherwise we''ll stagnate even further.

We already have them 93 in the shape of the Murphy''s, Maddison, Godfrey and a few more. But what chance do they stand when the manager oiks one of them off in a friendly for ''tactical'' reasons, and later brings on Mulumbu, whom it is strongly suggested, even this evening, is leaving the club to join Marseille on a FREE![/quote]Bloody good point dear chap !

[westcoastcanary 0]

The most disturbing thing for me about today''s game was the midfield''s total lack of defensive discipline. People keep going on about strengthening the back four, but the fact is that any back four left as exposed as ours was this afternoon will concede goals. This was a major factor in our relegation last season and on this showing today simply isn''t being addressed. The only occasions on which we seem capable of defending properly as a team are when we are set up to do little else, as against Man City last season. It is no good saying "We don''t play Man City every week"; a team doesn''t have to have anything like that level of attacking potency to penetrate an undefended back line, as we saw all too clearly today.

[Wibble 109]

We are doomed captain mainwairing !