Pre season friendlies | Page 17 | Vital Football

Pre season friendlies

Hepburn-Murphy, Davis, Hogan, McGate have not been involved last two games. It would appear we have an issue with strikers looming.
 
Calm down it was a friendly. I expect they are trying a few different ideas against better quality opposition. Give it 10 or 12 games of the new season and see where we are? I thought we were going into administration a few days ago. Relax and enjoy the ride.
 
Never ceases to amaze me the meltdown folks have after a pre-season loss, especially when they toss all sorts of flack for others making a positive comment about a pre-season win.
 
That was poor tonight - I haven’t seen them play well in preseason but I guess it doesn’t really matter.

This obsession with 3-5-2 worries me as our system was based on wingers delivering last season.
 
I said during the match West Ham gave us a lesson in how to defend as a unit often having two sometimes three on one situation's and panicking the Villa players all over the pitch into mistakes.

This also allowed them to break as a whole working unit with pace and decisive action while we plodded on without any consistent penetration and I thought generally, we just looked static passing the ball sideways and backward's.

Yes I know it was only a friendly and they have better players but it still doesn't excuse a lack of effort and tactical know-how on show from us.

Plenty room for improvement so let's hope we get it right before the start of the season?

Positives to come out of the game was Jake Doyle-Hayes energy. Bjarnason looked better than what he replaced and wanted to get forward instead of all this crab sideways rubbish and finally Green should add some desperately needed speed to the team.
 
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I just don’t understand what we are trying to achieve with the system? One more game and then it’s Hull away.

I know we have beat Burton and Walsall but you could see the players will struggle at Championship level and get punished for the chances we give teams.

The system was fine last season, it now looks a bit of a mess if I’m honest.

I just hope they know what they are doing come a week Monday.
 
Experimental lineups don't tell you much about what the league team will look or play like but a few impressions can be gained.
The spaces behind our wingbacks look ripe for exploitation for a fast breaking opposition. I'm not convinced by this three at the back lark.
Steer's kicking needs some work.
Doyle Hayes did himself no harm.
Barney looks yards quicker than Whelan and he likes a forward pass. Green's pace and willingness to shoot could be useful.
Kodjia is going to need some support.
We aren't half going to miss Jack.
 
Absolutely brilliant to see JDH given a start amongst a side of first team regulars.

Got such high hopes for this lad. From what I've seen of him nothing phases him and he could boss the midfield in this division given the chance.
 
DeanoVilla said:
Absolutely brilliant to see JDH given a start amongst a side of first team regulars.

Got such high hopes for this lad. From what I've seen of him nothing phases him and he could boss the midfield in this division given the chance.
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I remember him from last preseason and thinking “this boy can play, but he needs to develop physically.” O’hare was getting more of the plaudits at the time.
I haven’t been able to see him yet this year - does he look a bit beefier/physical than 12 months ago?
 
JDH should have been playing last season IMO, we all seen him last pre-season and he looked good enough.

The Whelan signing after watching him baffled me.
 
Going to defend SB in trying something different in 3,5,2. Any team of professional footballers should be expected to be able to adapt to different systems and sometimes switch tactically within games. People work out how to nullify one dimensional teams. We should be looking at which systems maximise our players potential and having an alternative to a plan B of 5 upfront:arrghh:

Having been complimentary I do have a moan though. When it comes to alternative strategies, God knows I've been banging on about having Davis on the bench for his ability to occupy defenders and bring others into play. I think he's played about 30 mins since the beginning of April. Why is he not involved?
 
northamptonvillan said:
Going to defend SB in trying something different in 3,5,2. Any team of professional footballers should be expected to be able to adapt to different systems and sometimes switch tactically within games. People work out how to nullify one dimensional teams. We should be looking at which systems maximise our players potential and having an alternative to a plan B of 5 upfront:arrghh:
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I too will defend the attempt at something different, especially considering the flak SB took on here last season for never trying anything new. To be fair, I don't think a back 3 of Chester/Elphick/Jedi with De Laet (or Elmo) and Hutts as the wingbacks would be terrible.

Could do a 3-4-3:
New GK (or Steer)
Chester/Elphick/Jedi
De Laet/Barney/Hourihane/Hutton
Green/Kodjia/Grealish

Give those front 3 free reign on drifting central/wide. Then if it's not working a simple sub puts us into our preferred 4-1-4-1 from last season:

GK
De Laet/Chester/Elphick/Hutton
Barney
Adomah/Hourihane/Grealish/Green
Kodjia
 
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