Pre Season Friendly v Girona (H)

[RoyMac5]

23 minutes ago, Srg said:

What's the point? You can't take any constructive criticism of anything Martin ever does on board. 

That is not true. But how on earth could Martin's performance be judged as harshly as some on here are doing when there was little support. If you can convince me that Waghorn or Marriott would have done better last night then I'll be impressed.

[Edtheram]

5 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

They also play in different positions. It's like saying Holmes is better than Huddlestone or Lowe is better than Bennett

For the amount of hype he gets i was saying hes not as good as the other 2. When he starts games he looks average, needs to go on loan?

[King Kevin]

This has been one of the messiest pre seasons I can remember .I understand PC needs to assess the whole playing staff ,but we are short of time, 3 quality players light from last season one of which was our player of the year?

Dowell looks decent and may be a good replacement for mount ,having watch PC's post match conference I hope he can put a side together in his mind [with I hope a couple of incoming players] in the time available.

I am optimistic but not convinced.

[Jourdan]

11 hours ago, Taribo said:

Or you could argue Burton are more representative of a EFL Championship team than continental Girona 

Look at our fixtures for August.

Brentford, Bristol City, Swansea and West Brom are good footballing sides, all top half standard or thereabouts last year, two of whom were serious promotion hopefuls last year.

Huddersfield have just come down after two seasons in the Premier League. Stoke were in the Premier League 18 months ago.

How is playing Burton - who finished 9th in League One - better preparation for the first team players than playing a team who were in La Liga last year?

Girona have ties with Man City so they are going to be encouraged to play a similar style. The kind of style many of the aforementioned teams will aspire to to some degree.

So surely given our challenging start, it would be better for the players to get as many minutes as possible against the highest quality of opposition possible?

Cocu has been here for three weeks and is doing the best he can with the hand he has been dealt. He didn’t plan pre-season. He didn’t organise the schedule. Lampard hung us out to dry. We are playing catch up.

It’s just a small thing I would have done differently. More minutes for the perceived first team against Girona. A much better yardstick than Burton.

[jono]

9 hours ago, Ellafella said:

First I’ve seen of Sibley and have to concur that he has that factor x; good balance, nice gait, quick feet and a strong, competitive edge. Looks better on a very limited comparison to be better than Shinnie. Not conclusively so, but Shinnie thus far, seems a tad light. I’m sure he’s got more in his locker but Sibley gets my nod. 

I think it is a bit early for Sibley, I like the bite and commitment but there were 2 or 3 times when he was just plain rash. This was a friendly and though he may have been trying to impress it wasn’t wise - forgivable because he’s young, but he does need to learn. When he gets it right he’ll be a real terrier but for me not a starter just yet.

I thought Shinnie combined very well with Dowell on 2 or 3 occasions, maybe a bit light but he’s quick, a thinker and to have an engine that can what he was doing in the heat last night was very encouraging.

[Carnero]

1 hour ago, Edtheram said:

Bateman - Average, out of position a lot and hes not going to be pushing Bogle for a start and isn't better than Wisdom.

Bateman was literally "out of position". He's a centre back come holding midfielder who can fill in a right back. I wouldn't write the lad off, I've been impressed with him when he's played centre back.

[TommyPowell]

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

That is not true. But how on earth could Martin's performance be judged as harshly as some on here are doing when there was little support. If you can convince me that Waghorn or Marriott would have done better last night then I'll be impressed.

didnt you see how much mobile Waghorn was when he came on,Sometimes Roy you just have to accept a love has died

[Ghost of Clough]

1 minute ago, TommyPowel said:

didnt you see how much mobile Waghorn was when he came on,Sometimes Roy you just have to accept a love has died

When the temperature dropped considerably and with better players around him. (I'm not pretending that Martin would have ran around as much as Waghorn)

[Coneheadjohn]

2 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

That is not true. But how on earth could Martin's performance be judged as harshly as some on here are doing when there was little support. If you can convince me that Waghorn or Marriott would have done better last night then I'll be impressed.

I thought Martin started ok,had players round him and he was able to link play well.

That didn’t last and once Girona got more possession he became isolated.

I’m going to reserve judgment till I see him with a first team squad round him,if he’s not able to influence and link up play then I will worry.

Good pre season workout,we’re going to need him as cover.

Had a decent free kick.

[FolkStar85]

What do people think of Morgan Whittaker? His performance last night was raw but the chance he had and the nutmeg looked promising. Plus his goal record form out wide for the under 18s was exceptional. Be nice to see him involved this season? 

[SaintRam]

28 minutes ago, Carnero said:

Bateman was literally "out of position". He's a centre back come holding midfielder who can fill in a right back. I wouldn't write the lad off, I've been impressed with him when he's played centre back.

I'd be really worried for Wisdom if Bateman was a better right back than him ? 

[S8TY]

Can’t actually beleive sine of the negative comments on here but I don’t know why I’m shocked!

we have Phillip Cocu as manager and he’s not gone out willy nilly buying players he’s having a good look at what we have giving everyone a chance before no doubt making adjustments 

I can already see an improvement in our play and we are lucky to have such a good manager who will promote youth..it was a friendly and he’s doing the right thing by giving everyone a chance ...Lampard is to blame for where we are leaving so late so please give the man a chance ....for once I feel like we are in very good hands 

[Sheikh n Bake]

16 minutes ago, Van Cone De Head said:

I thought Martin started ok,had players round him and he was able to link play well.

That didn’t last and once Girona got more possession he became isolated.

I’m going to reserve judgment till I see him with a first team squad round him,if he’s not able to influence and link up play then I will worry.

Good pre season workout,we’re going to need him as cover.

Had a decent free kick.

Are you referring to the free-kick where the keeper didn't have to move?

If that was Tom Lawrence, people would have been slating it. 

[RamNut]

2 hours ago, Jourdan said:

It’s just a small thing I would have done differently. More minutes for the perceived first team against Girona. A much better yardstick than Burton.

I agree. I was hoping for the team change to be brought forward to half time.

[RamNut]

6 minutes ago, Nick_Ram said:

Are you referring to the free-kick where the keeper didn't have to move?

If that was Tom Lawrence, people would have been slating it. 

The wall wasn't 10 yards which made it harder. It was about our only shot on target.

[RamNut]

24 minutes ago, FolkStar85 said:

What do people think of Morgan Whittaker? His performance last night was raw but the chance he had and the nutmeg looked promising. Plus his goal record form out wide for the under 18s was exceptional. Be nice to see him involved this season? 

Some of these kids may be promising but could be 3 years away from being genuine contenders for a first team spot.

it took bennett even longer to get to the level, but i think he's there now. 

[Ghost of Clough]

14 minutes ago, FolkStar85 said:

What do people think of Morgan Whittaker? His performance last night was raw but the chance he had and the nutmeg looked promising. Plus his goal record form out wide for the under 18s was exceptional. Be nice to see him involved this season? 

For the U18s he split his time between RW and CF (due to an injury to Stretton). 15 goals/assists in 10 games on the right, but 17 in 9 when central. I think he'll have a better career as a CF, as it seems to suit his strengths more. But, he isn't physically ready to play that role as he'd get bullied very easily. 

[RamNut]

3 hours ago, Srg said:

Davies looks like Davies, which is not good enough for how we want to play football.

There was a moment after Keogh and Evans came on where Keogh moved forward with the ball and delivered a pass into midfield, the possession recycled and Evans did the exact same thing.

That, for me, epitomised exactly what we want from whichever centre backs we employ - and the reason that Davies is never going to be first choice. We all know he can head a ball and if we want a backs to wall job, he's the best we have, but stylistically, he's not the man for the job week in, week out.

He did do a lot of square passing especially to bateman. Since bateman wasn't particularly comfortable in possession and isn't an attacking full back, i couldn't see the point.

[Sheikh n Bake]

17 minutes ago, RamNut said:

The wall wasn't 10 yards which made it harder. It was about our only shot on target.

It didn't matter where the wall was. He hit it to the side of the wall exactly where the keeper was stood. The keeper made it look better than it was by diving and palming it away.

I think he probably could have stood still and it would have just hit him. 

[RamNut]

14 minutes ago, Nick_Ram said:

It didn't matter where the wall was. He hit it to the side of the wall exactly where the keeper was stood. The keeper made it look better than it was by diving and palming it away.

I think he probably could have stood still and it would have just hit him. 

It mattered where the wall was, because it meant he couldn't go over the wall.