The point of pre season games is to get match fitness and an understanding of what the players around you can and will do and vice versa so you can hit the ground running from that very first match and not waste August and September games playing like you started to get fit the week before and have yet to introduce all the team to each other because you’ve been too busy walking and talking and posting videos of it and then changing half the team for the next match because it’s their fault and not yours.
That's a bit harsh, I don't think we signed half the squad in the last few days because Nigel was too busy walking and they were just sat around waiting for him to get back......
Last season there was no obvious game plan being displayed and imo the players looked like they had no clue what their team mates would do, either when they had the ball or if they played the ball into space or if it was their job to cover a gap when a teammate was pulled out of position. Then the next game there would be wholesale changes to the line up and so a new team would look like they didn’t know what their teammates would do. It’s not all about what happens on the training ground, playing some matches together against other teams that are not being told your way is the only way to play is where the intuitive understanding a team needs is built
I wasn’t there. However I was very pleased that the U23’s won their pre season friendly at Deal. A defeat would have been deflating, and warm up exercise though it might’ve been was made so much better with the result.
The point of pre season games is to get match fitness and an understanding of what the players around you can and will do and vice versa so you can hit the ground running from that very first match and not waste August and September games playing like you started to get fit the week before and have yet to introduce all the team to each other because you’ve been too busy walking and talking and posting videos of it and then changing half the team for the next match because it’s their fault and not yours.
That's a bit harsh, I don't think we signed half the squad in the last few days because Nigel was too busy walking and they were just sat around waiting for him to get back......
Last season there was no obvious game plan being displayed and imo the players looked like they had no clue what their team mates would do, either when they had the ball or if they played the ball into space or if it was their job to cover a gap when a teammate was pulled out of position. Then the next game there would be wholesale changes to the line up and so a new team would look like they didn’t know what their teammates would do. It’s not all about what happens on the training ground, playing some matches together against other teams that are not being told your way is the only way to play is where the intuitive understanding a team needs is built
Last season we had an obvious game plan through preseason. Then to misquote Mike Tyson we got punched in the face, by a couple of very good teams, and it went to pot. Some of the players obviously weren't good enough/suitable and the replacements weren't match fit. They couldn’t play Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday hence the chopping and changing.
That shouldn't have been an excuse/reason after the Portsmouth game. It didn't improve so rightfully Adkins was sacked.
I think it's a stretch to blame the recruitment on Adkins. I think it's fantasy to suggest Adkins didn't want players in sooner so they could have a preseason.
I think I worked out the other day we have got 7 more first team players than we had for the first game of last season. So of the stuff that happened later clouds how weak our squad was on day 1 of last season.
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A defeat would have been deflating, and warm up exercise though it might’ve been was made so much better with the result.
The amusing thing about that video is it panned behind into the field before realising the ball had gone into the goal
That shouldn't have been an excuse/reason after the Portsmouth game. It didn't improve so rightfully Adkins was sacked.
I think it's a stretch to blame the recruitment on Adkins. I think it's fantasy to suggest Adkins didn't want players in sooner so they could have a preseason.
I think I worked out the other day we have got 7 more first team players than we had for the first game of last season. So of the stuff that happened later clouds how weak our squad was on day 1 of last season.
Deal is in the deep South.
This chap says 40C
I'm inclined to prefer the BBC.