Pre-season friendly thread

[Paul]

It's shaping up, at least were looking to get forward, got more out of Adama that we've seen in a long time

 

[Kenny]

Enjoyed that half
Still a few issues to sort, obviously defending set plays better and we still have that pocket of space between the midfield and defence but guess both of those issues are fixed with new signings as they are problems that existed before Lage came in.

Our passing is quicker, shame sometimes a bit sloppy in the final 3rd. Adama linking well with Trinc (he needs to get in the game more though) and Semedo is looking very good.
Guessing we will now make a ton of subs for the 2nd half

 

[Throbber3]

Mosquero is very calm and confident for a 20 year old. Oozes composure. Trincao has a real football brain and spots so much. Doesn’t always come off but it shows he thinks. Traore looks completely up for it and revels in this higher line with a from three press. Neves 20 yards higher than last season. Sa will give a couple away this season as he is so keen to come off his line and is very confident with his feet. Already has been further off his line more often than Rui did in all of last season. Semedo looks so much better .
So to the negatives. Marcal is a bit dopey and has given it away a bit. Long passes have missed from several as they haven’t found their range yet. We still look a bit weak from set pieces but we look so much more threatening once this half we had 10 in the Stoke half with Sa just behind the centre circle!

 

[AndyWolves]

Was interesting enough half

- Positional play is quite good, allowing Traore to receive wide at the right times and inside where he can do damage too. Marcal has been clever in that sense to allow that.
- Midfielders aren't too deep which is a must in this shape, both receiving a lot higher than last season.
- Adama and Semedo excellent. Adama is clearly too good for Stoke.
- Defensive line better organised.

- Still can't defend set pieces.
- Still can't really attack them either.
- Coady passing sloppy at times.
- Hoping Trincao is just in pre-season mode, looks very unprepared when the ball gets to him and easily pushed off the ball.

I've liked Trincao so far, he looks to be a clever play. Hopefully just needs to adapt.

 

[AndyWolves]

Thrown in's are still shit though

 

[Freddeno]

Is Pod on the bench?

 

[Paul]

. We still look a bit weak from set pieces but we look so much more threatening once this half we had 10 in the Stoke half with Sa just behind the centre circle!

You Sod, I've spent the last few minutes trying to work out what wesk meant

 

[Kenny]

Is Pod on the bench?

Nope.
Him, Boly and Otasowie missing today

 

[Dire Wolf]

Looked ok I thought, still think we look like we need someone with more strength and physical presence in midfield. Neves and Moutinho are great footballers but physically dominating they are not.

 

[Deano]

What's Podence injury? Weird that he reported back injured and he's still not fit 4 weeks into pre season.

Without him we are short in wide areas, only really have Traore and Trincao.

 

[Kenny]

What's Podence injury? Weird that he reported back injured and he's still not fit 4 weeks into pre season.

Without him we are short in wide areas, only really have Traore and Trincao.

Still doing his recovery from the op he had a couple of months ago isn't it?
He spent half the time in Spain then returned home, so not sure if there is an issue picked up over there but he has been out training with the players.

 

[Sniffer]

What formation is it?

 

[Throbber3]

Two quality players for each position

I hope that comes to pass .

 

[Freddeno]

Looked ok I thought, still think we look like we need someone with more strength and physical presence in midfield. Neves and Moutinho are great footballers but physically dominating they are not.

Like an Alf type of player you mean? Yeah, could be a valid point

 

[Throbber3]

What formation is it?

343

 

[Lycan]

What formation is it?

3-4-3

 

[AndyWolves]

What formation is it?

523 defending
Or
343 attacking

 

[Kenny]

What formation is it?

3-4-3 but higher up the pitch and Traore seems to cut in a lot and Marcal has gone walk about a few times and appeared next to Semedo at one point

 

[pr0sl0]

What formation is it?

Sa
Mosquera - Coady - Saiss
Semedo - Neves - Moutinho - Marçal
Trincao - Raul - Traore​

 

[Kenny]

via Timmy
Changes for the second half. Kilman, Dendoncker and Gibbs-White on Mosquera, Neves and Traore off.