Crusaders (H) 25-07 Build Up

[Johnny75]

Only watched it on the TV so probably not as rounded a view as those who were there.

I thought it looked like a typical first game of the season game. Moutinho and Donk looked sharp as did Jota. I felt for MGW, he isn't a forward and I agree with Nuno's beard that we look a different team with Raul on the pitch.

If we are to get anything meaningful from Traore he needs a forward or deep lying midfielder to aim at as asking him to think or make intelligent runs isn't his game and never will be.

It's going to be hard to break teams down that park the bus, even Man City and Liverpool struggle to do this do those moaning about it need to realise we're not playing FM.

 

[Penk Wolf]

Anyone know why none of the Executive Boxes were in use last night in both the Billy Wright & Steve Bull stands?

They only sold 5 so moved them to WV1 instead.

 

[The Saturday Boy]

Traore is getting stick for his final ball. He was putting in plenty of crosses to an area where there were 9 defenders and a goalkeeper and too often not enough gold shirts. For me, he did his part of the job.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Christ, you'd think we'd lost 4-0 listening to some of you. Have a word. The entitlement is staggering.

Traore was ok. I'm not a huge fan but he's learning a new role more or less on the job and there's a big difference between now and a year ago. He does sometimes move off the ball and everything now. No point in him cutting inside though as he has no left foot at all. We'll see, ultimately when Doc is fit then he isn't going to play much.

Very harsh reactions to MGW who is out of position and doing a reasonable job. Yes his work in front of goal needs to improve but the boy is 19 FFS. Cool it.

It's not easy to play against a team who have absolutely zero intent (unless we draw Telford or worse in the cup, that will never happen again this season) and we did ok. It's still effectively a pre-season game for us, we got the job done.

 

[Tredman]

Only watched it on the TV so probably not as rounded a view as those who were there.

I thought it looked like a typical first game of the season game. Moutinho and Donk looked sharp as did Jota. I felt for MGW, he isn't a forward and I agree with Nuno's beard that we look a different team with Raul on the pitch.

If we are to get anything meaningful from Traore he needs a forward or deep lying midfielder to aim at as asking him to think or make intelligent runs isn't his game and never will be.

It's going to be hard to break teams down that park the bus, even Man City and Liverpool struggle to do this do those moaning about it need to realise we're not playing FM.

Spot on that for me. Would have liked to see MGW play better, but think he (like the whole team really) suffered because of the lack of a focal point in attack. He certainly wasn't terrible though - I don't think anyone played badly really, they just struggled to find space through a very crowded final third. But we won, that's all that matter really.

 

[Tredman]

Christ, you'd think we'd lost 4-0 listening to some of you. Have a word. The entitlement is staggering.

Traore was ok. I'm not a huge fan but he's learning a new role more or less on the job and there's a big difference between now and a year ago. He does sometimes move off the ball and everything now. No point in him cutting inside though as he has no left foot at all. We'll see, ultimately when Doc is fit then he isn't going to play much.

Very harsh reactions to MGW who is out of position and doing a reasonable job. Yes his work in front of goal needs to improve but the boy is 19 FFS. Cool it.

It's not easy to play against a team who have absolutely zero intent (unless we draw Telford or worse in the cup, that will never happen again this season) and we did ok. It's still effectively a pre-season game for us, we got the job done.

Should have known you'd be along to put it much more eloquently.

I'd ask Raul how he feels about Traore's left foot though, that was some shot which he took in the head - would've been a great goal

 

[Kenny]

On MGW just little bits that built up for him and you could see him getting frustrated. The triangles Jota, Jonny and Raul for example, they didn't come off with MGW there as he seemed to be slightly out of position or he would guess where Jonny or Jota would be and get it wrong by a foot or so. It wasn't a bad performance just one where things didn't go his way and in a key area of the pitch it stands out

 

[Kenny]

Was it Vinagre who got in the way of Boly who was steaming in to bollock a shot at goal from 25 yards out? Great defending I suppose!

 

[Langers]

Ah - new season, new ridiculously OTT matchday thread! Come on guys - try to use a bit of perspective. This was effectively England v San Marino. It's bloody difficult to break teams down who effectively camp in their own box and make it an attack v defence training session. Add to that the stifling heat and the fact it's still July - preseason - and it's not a surprise that we were frustrated throughout.

Traore was fine but again - it's not easy for him to create when the opposition pack the penalty area. Won us plenty of corners, beat the full back(s) countless times - he didn't do much wrong IMO. Don't really understand why he got such extreme criticism. MGW showed some glimpses but same issue - trying to break down stubborn resistance. Donk was my MOTM, and Moutinho tried to get things ticking.

The chemistry amongst the forward line did look different when Raul came on - one fantastic bit of vision almost sent Jota through before the ref pulled it back but it's not something we'd seen previously in the game. I don't mean that as a criticism of MGW at all - Raul is on another level when it comes to linking with Jota.

Anyway, I have never experienced such a hellish journey to a football match before. Bloody trains - it normally takes me 45 minutes but this time it was over 3 hours. My first ever European game and I didn't have a drop of beer!! Sorry to have missed most of you but it was great to randomly see Mark for the first time in about 7 years (who I didn't recognise to begin with!), and Darlo as well who I bumped into by the subway.

 

[Lycan]

No, that was MGW as well

 

[Langers]

Christ, you'd think we'd lost 4-0 listening to some of you. Have a word. The entitlement is staggering.

Traore was ok. I'm not a huge fan but he's learning a new role more or less on the job and there's a big difference between now and a year ago. He does sometimes move off the ball and everything now. No point in him cutting inside though as he has no left foot at all. We'll see, ultimately when Doc is fit then he isn't going to play much.

Very harsh reactions to MGW who is out of position and doing a reasonable job. Yes his work in front of goal needs to improve but the boy is 19 FFS. Cool it.

It's not easy to play against a team who have absolutely zero intent (unless we draw Telford or worse in the cup, that will never happen again this season) and we did ok. It's still effectively a pre-season game for us, we got the job done.

All of this.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

There was immediately a lot more impetus when Raul came on (although individually he didn't do a great deal). But that's the difference between a £32m striker who's the best player for his national team and a 19 year old who isn't a striker.

Genuinely surprised at the reaction on here. We don't batter teams at the best of times, let alone in 33 degree heat in pre-season.

Wish Jota had scored on that run where he skated past three men, fantastic skill.

 

[Kenny]

No, that was MGW as well

Luckily for him then that Boly spotted him or MGW would have gone in the top corner

 

[Kenny]

Wish Jota had scored on that run where he skated past three men, fantastic skill.

Fantastic challenge on him. He really should have scored that one that deflected to him but credit to the keeper who reacted well to the ball deflecting to Jota and was off his line in a flash to cut the angle off

 

[Lycan]

Luckily for him then that Boly spotted him or MGW would have gone in the top corner

I'm surprised his head didn't come off when he got in the way of Traoré's piledriver.

 

[YoungWolf]

My only concern with MGW is his play can be very casual, sloppy first touch, under hit pass but as mentioned he’s 19. Also when he does do a clever flick or passbook and it comes it opens up space for us to attack into, so you have to accept he is going to give away the ball sometimes.

He got into some promising positions in front of goal, and had he scored the effort in the first half I think the comments would probably be quite different - that was a lovely attempt

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Fantastic challenge on him. He really should have scored that one that deflected to him but credit to the keeper who reacted well to the ball deflecting to Jota and was off his line in a flash to cut the angle off

The keeper was good (bar the mess at the end, shame for him).

You have to give them some credit, they were very well drilled indeed. No ambition to do anything but defend but even so, they did well.

 

[Kenny]

1 shot from them? Well struck as well but a few yards wide.

Think Patricio touched the ball 5 times in the 2nd half.

 

[Del Woppio]

Langers is right in the England v San Marino comparison, which is precisely why it's a disappointing performance and result. Their entire wage bill is £80k per year ffs, and pretty much all we managed were long range pot shots and crosses.

We're in a position whereby if Raul doesn't play well, neither do we. We desperately need quality additions

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I fail to see the correlation between winning to 0 at home in a glorified pre-season game and "disappointing". But that's just me.

Brighton were a disgrace down here last season with their approach (being a PL team and all that, just about) and Crues were 10x that. Not having a go at them but they barely even tried to get over halfway. You're not going to score tons of goals against that kind of setup and we didn't need to anyway. 2-0 is fine.