Heath age 5, first ever game and loved it. Back again for Blackpool as he's desperate to meet Floyd and Harvey lol. 3 generations in attendance yesterday for the first time since my nan passed away.
There was a piece featuring some community work that featured Godden last week, and he had a nasty wound just above and around his left eye. It wasn’t healed but was being kept in check with plasters and whatnot. It was the right thing not to play him as it looked to me that it wouldn’t take much to aggravate that injury.
One slight concern I have after yesterday is that none of our squad barring Mannion completed a full 90 minutes in pre season.
NJ’s approach seems to be different to the likes of Peterborough who yesterday completed two full 90 minute games, back to back, against Notts County.
I’d be interested if this is because NJ believes we have the fitness in the bag thanks to training ground work.
Different tactical styles dictate this more than anything else. Jones' style is incredibly high energy. Aggressive pressing all over the pitch when without the ball, quick transitions to support attacking counters and the expectation that wingbacks are involved at both ends of the pitch, strikers never stop running and the midfield swarms 100% of the time. That is exhausting and you need a decent size squad to rotate and avoid burning players out. The players looked really jaded towards the end of last season under Jones as they weren't used to the intensity and couldn't be rotated much because the backups weren't good enough. Everyone will play this season, we'll see Small and Edwards in particular switched around and we'll see different striking combos during and between games to keep them sharp
The grass looked scuffed up across the field in the video. Especially where the warm up drills were. How did it look in person? I wonder if the pitch is not quite 100% yet
I'd be shocked if Pompey aren't looking at replacing Will Norris as their first choice. Wouldn't be comfortable at all with having him as a first choice at League 1 level , let alone championship.
The grass looked scuffed up across the field in the video. Especially where the warm up drills were. How did it look in person? I wonder if the pitch is not quite 100% yet
Anyone?
There seemed to be a few times when the bounce took players by surprise which suggests the pitch has not settled in yet.
Very satisfied with that performance. Everybody bought into it, individual displays were just right and no single player will be too disappointed with their contribution - they’ll all think/wish they could have done something else, something a bit better and want to put that right next week, which is how it should be and is what good teams do to be great teams.
That starting eleven was spot on. There wasn’t a ‘get him off’ moment that we’ve suffered in recent seasons more or less every game. In fact, I was comfortably hoping Nathan wouldn’t make any substitutions. When they did come on I thought we’d see a drop off in approach but in each of the two waves of players being introduced we saw them step up and go for it. Those players were all seizing the opportunity to make a case for being picked next week. That Nathan has got them all buying into the gameplan and effectively singing from the same hymn sheet for the start of the season is remarkable.
One slight concern I have after yesterday is that none of our squad barring Mannion completed a full 90 minutes in pre season.
NJ’s approach seems to be different to the likes of Peterborough who yesterday completed two full 90 minute games, back to back, against Notts County.
I’d be interested if this is because NJ believes we have the fitness in the bag thanks to training ground work.
I agree there's a possibility we could go into the season undercooked due to a lack of minutes but then again at this time of year with many teams half-arsing it through pre-season they would probably get just as much out of a 90 minute game in training.
I think Small is a classy player but Edwards might have the edge to start imo as he seemed to interact/listen/work more with his centre backs. Gillesphey and Jones on a few occasions were shouting for Small to do things yesterday and it was like he was blanking them at points!
I liked Edwards yesterday, and would see him having the edge over Small, not withstanding the fact that Small still hasn't agreed the contract extension offered to him, and that won't have gone down too well with Nathan...🙄
The idea we can take out the likes of Small and bring in Edwards, or take out Ahadme and bring in Leaburn/Godden/Kanu... is crazy. That's going to drive performances as they fight for a place.
Just goes to show you CAN have competition in the squad in L1. You don't need one set of first teamers and a bunch of squad players.
The idea we can take out the likes of Small and bring in Edwards, or take out Ahadme and bring in Leaburn/Godden/Kanu... is crazy. That's going to drive performances as they fight for a place.
Just goes to show you CAN have competition in the squad in L1. You don't need one set of first teamers and a bunch of squad players.
Or worse, remember when we had a squad of squad players? Matthews and Gunter trying to show who was the least worst option at right back.
Seems unbelievable that Miles when he’s fit which is hopefully sooner rather than later won’t now necessarily be a shoe in to start. Great news because we can ease him back in and good news for Jones to have the headache of who to start. Been a long time since we’ve had that headache and that’s before the boy Dixon and possibly Hylton arrive.
Dixon is going to be a very very exciting player to have in the back pocket.
As a born and bred Jamaican lad, I would expect him to need a period of time to adjust and get comfortable with London life. He’s a top prospect but I hope people don’t expect him to come in and be a stand out player straight away.
I have every confidence that the club will have people in place to help him make those adjustments as smoothly as possible and hopefully increased minutes will come with that as the season progresses.
We thought it was Dixon being taken to his seat by Tracey in C block West stand yesterday. Obviously not based on Cawley's post. I wonder who it was though?
We thought it was Dixon being taken to his seat by Tracey in C block West stand yesterday. Obviously not based on Cawley's post. I wonder who it was though?
I think Edwards is more of a defensive wing back and Small a more attacking one. Good options to have depending on the opposition and the state of games..
Dixon is going to be a very very exciting player to have in the back pocket.
As a born and bred Jamaican lad, I would expect him to need a period of time to adjust and get comfortable with London life. He’s a top prospect but I hope people don’t expect him to come in and be a stand out player straight away.
I have every confidence that the club will have people in place to help him make those adjustments as smoothly as possible and hopefully increased minutes will come with that as the season progresses.
Tracey will look after him. In fact he will probably stay with them for a bit as others have done before.
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It was the right thing not to play him as it looked to me that it wouldn’t take much to aggravate that injury.
Anyone?
Charlton would never sign a crap keeper from Pompey
🤔 ?
I believe Craig MacGillivray is at Walsall now 🤷🏼♂️
Just goes to show you CAN have competition in the squad in L1. You don't need one set of first teamers and a bunch of squad players.
As a born and bred Jamaican lad, I would expect him to need a period of time to adjust and get comfortable with London life. He’s a top prospect but I hope people don’t expect him to come in and be a stand out player straight away.
In fact he will probably stay with them for a bit as others have done before.