Pre Season Friendlies. What have we learnt?

[B.W.]

Or we play the 4-5-1 formation that we played both games in Portugal. I think we will probably play 4-4-2 most of the season but with Murray out and both the first two games being away from home, I think that we will use 4-5-1 initially.

Could be right, but would prefer us to actually get in the striker we so obviously need...

 

[itszamora]

Could be right, but would prefer us to actually get in the striker we so obviously need...

You do know that sentences finish with one full stop, and not three, right?

 

[Finchley Seagull]

Not just last summer. Almost every season we are told on here that the squad is 'much stronger than it was last season' and that Adams/Slade/Poyet has 'cleared out all the dead wood'. Anybody who DARES point out that the squad is merely different and still largely composed of journeymen third divison players, or ideed points out that other clubs too think they've improved their squads is shouted down as a miserable pessimist.

It's partly fans being optimistic of course and nothing wrong with that. And who knows, one day we may well start off with a significantly stronger squad than the one that finished the previous season. Maybe even this year?

The point that I am trying to make though is that we don't need to be stronger than we were last season. The side we had in the second half of last season was good enough to come in the top 8 of the league and despite losing Crofts and Lua Lua, I feel the additions do mean we are stronger. However, even if we are the same as the second half of last season, we will still be challenging.

 

[warsaw]

Nah - I'm a miserable git!!!

Well apparently you aren't, I'm pleased about that

 

[Easy 10]

First of all, I did NOT propose Holroyd...

Secondly, we need another top league 1 striker before the season starts... Gus knows it, I know it, but I guess you know best!

I believe Baz is primarily a left-sided midfielder anyway and not mentioned by Gus as one of our existing strikers... OK?

Calm down love.

Of course I agree we need another striker, but as it stands we don't have one, so IF we go into the Swindon game still looking for this elusive striker, I would prefer Gus give Baz a go up front with Barnes, rather than Holroyd (if he is indeed looking to play 2 up front).

 

[B.W.]

You do know that sentences finish with one full stop, and not three, right?

No...

 

[B.W.]

Calm down love.

Of course I agree we need another striker, but as it stands we don't have one, so IF we go into the Swindon game still looking for this elusive striker, I would prefer Gus give Baz a go up front with Barnes, rather than Holroyd (if he is indeed looking to play 2 up front).

What about Hart?

 

[Steve Foster]

So one friendly to go against the mighty Aberdeen.
Home advantage for the Seagulls, the scotties will not be used to our warm sunny weather & the Albion have one win against their name against the mighty Burgess Hill.

But none of that matters of course!

I expect Gus to put out a full strength team & whilst I don't think we will win, I do expect - discipline, Holroyd to get within 10 yards of the penalty box (at least once). Ok that's asking a bit too much - make it 20 yards & some link up play.

Asking too much? Being optimistic? Pessimistic?..............

I just want to feel proud of my team. Are the current players up to it? Time will tell.

 

[Easy 10]

What about Hart?

I was trying to be serious.

 

[Worthai Seagull]

Results:

BHA 1 0 Burgess Hill
BHA 1 3 Whitehawk
BHA 2 2 Bognor
BHA 2 3 Eastbourne Borough
BH1 1 1 Sunderland
BHA 0 2 Portimonse

1. Pre season friendlies don't matter. All about team building, match practice, new formations?
2. Pre season friendlies do matter. Building team confidence, momentum & new formations?
3. The results like 2009 have been very poor. Like last year this would infer a poor start to the football season proper?
4. However, on paper our team is better than last year?
5. Short of a good goal scorer. Holroyd still hasn't scored a goal at any level in the last 10 months & Murray is out for the first two league games.
6. Squad is not strong in depth. Need more quality signings across the pitch to cover for suspensions, injuries etc
7. Poyet & Taricco sign extended contracts
8. We have brilliant fans who watch the club in all corners of the world (well Europe)
9. Discipline is still an issue
10. That I will save a few quid & not pop down to the bookies yet, to put any money on the Albion getting promoted

What the f*** is it here that we put so much on pre season ??
Its about fitness, team bonding..playing some matches and getting ready for August 7...nothing more nothing less....results DO NOT MATTER

Harry Rednapp said today he would rather be playing Torquay, Exeter, etc than being in USA .... ITS NOT ABOUT RESULTS OR LOOKING TO DEEPLY INTO WHAT IS HAPPENING .

 

[Everest]

I was trying to be serious.

But did he mean Gary or Ian?

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

No ones pre-season could be worse then Portsmouth.

The tour had started badly enough last week with their journey to San Diego from England to play Mexico's Club America taking 42 hours after a connecting flight was cancelled. Two players were injured in the next game, against an Edmonton select team on July 21. Tom Kilbey damaged his knee while goalkeeper Jon Stewart broke his leg and both are out long term.

Then, after being stranded in Chicago for the best part of 28 hours by a lightning storm, the players were able to get just four hours sleep and had not trained for three days before facing MLS side DC United on Saturday in 100 degrees Fahrenheit heat. During that storm all of the club's luggage was left out in the rain, and 14 bags never made it to their destination.

Including in those 14 bags was the Portsmouth kit, meaning they had to borrow a strip from DC United for the match.

Portsmouth suffer the pre-season tour from hell - Championship - ESPN Soccernet

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

The last time pre-season ended in a tear up we pissed the league

 

[Worthai Seagull]

Results:

BHA 1 0 Burgess Hill
BHA 1 3 Whitehawk
BHA 2 2 Bognor
BHA 2 3 Eastbourne Borough
BH1 1 1 Sunderland
BHA 0 2 Portimonse

1. Pre season friendlies don't matter. All about team building, match practice, new formations?
2. Pre season friendlies do matter. Building team confidence, momentum & new formations?
3. The results like 2009 have been very poor. Like last year this would infer a poor start to the football season proper?
4. However, on paper our team is better than last year?
5. Short of a good goal scorer. Holroyd still hasn't scored a goal at any level in the last 10 months & Murray is out for the first two league games.
6. Squad is not strong in depth. Need more quality signings across the pitch to cover for suspensions, injuries etc
7. Poyet & Taricco sign extended contracts
8. We have brilliant fans who watch the club in all corners of the world (well Europe)
9. Discipline is still an issue
10. That I will save a few quid & not pop down to the bookies yet, to put any money on the Albion getting promoted

Its not we have learnt.....its what Gus,Tanno,Charlie and the squad have learnt ! Comprende ?

 

[Worthai Seagull]

What have we learnt from these pre-season friendlies? We've learnt that some people analyse things WAY too much.

(God knows what this place will be like if we only get, say, one point from our first three games. Doom and Gloom won't begin to describe it.)

Its unbelievable isnt it ?

 

[itszamora]

No ones pre-season could be worse then Portsmouth.



Portsmouth suffer the pre-season tour from hell - Championship - ESPN Soccernet

My heart bleeds for them!

 

[Finchley Seagull]

So one friendly to go against the mighty Aberdeen.
Home advantage for the Seagulls, the scotties will not be used to our warm sunny weather & the Albion have one win against their name against the mighty Burgess Hill.

But none of that matters of course!

I expect Gus to put out a full strength team & whilst I don't think we will win, I do expect - discipline, Holroyd to get within 10 yards of the penalty box (at least once). Ok that's asking a bit too much - make it 20 yards & some link up play.

Asking too much? Being optimistic? Pessimistic?..............

I just want to feel proud of my team. Are the current players up to it? Time will tell.

Sorry, you carefully ignore all rational points about our season and choose to continue your ridiculous ideas. Explain to me why, when we had such a good end to last season and have certainly not weakened our team over pre season, we are going to struggle so badly. Go on, you have carefully ignored this question, despite numerous mentions, so answer it now. Or maybe you haven't got an answer because you know you are talking rubbish.

 

[Zebedee]

What about Hart?

Hart?

 

[Steve Foster]

Sorry, you carefully ignore all rational points about our season and choose to continue your ridiculous ideas. Explain to me why, when we had such a good end to last season and have certainly not weakened our team over pre season, we are going to struggle so badly. Go on, you have carefully ignored this question, despite numerous mentions, so answer it now. Or maybe you haven't got an answer because you know you are talking rubbish.

The end of last season was good. However, we largely played teams who also had little to play for. I would argue that we have strengthened despite the loss of a couple of key players, Croft & Lua Lua particularly. However, which club in our league hasn't improved their squad?

Our forward line up is weak & a challenge for the title is only a possibility if we have that elusive 25+ scorer, which we haven't.

I expect the 3 clubs who came down to be challenging, alongside Swindon, Southampton, Notts C, Charlton, MKD & Huddersfield.

On paper are we better than these teams?

And so to our friendly games that some feel are irrelevant & others not.
Whichever camp you are in, one cannot be inspired as to what has been churned out so far on the field?

 

[Notters]

Steve Foster, I can't be arsed to look at last seasons results but I seem to remember fantastic performances against Leeds, southampton and Norwich. We have a strong squad on paper, but I think gus's tactics have proved that ON PAPER is only half of what matters.