The thing is, I don't think City look ready for the season either, they were really poor in the Community Shield by their standards and their pre-season hasn't exactly been great at times either. I still think they are fully capable of hammering us though. Our pre-season, especially in defence, has looked abysmal, which is really saying something, because I didn't think they could look worse than they did last season.

12 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

The thing is, I don't think City look ready for the season either, they were really poor in the Community Shield by their standards and their pre-season hasn't exactly been great at times either. I still think they are fully capable of hammering us though. Our pre-season, especially in defence, has looked abysmal, which is really saying something, because I didn't think they could look worse than they did last season.

Aye lost to Celtic, lost to Milan, only won a pens yesterday.

 

Still hammered us in pre season though.

They could put their u21 and still beat us.  We look terrible.

All I want is for the players on the pitch to leave it all on the pitch game after game after game. Not sure how well we'll do, but hope us fans and the players all turn up next week and that carries on through the season. 

Lets hope we turn a corner this week and the return of the starting 11 can get us through the opener. 

Come on the chels. 

Not confident. If the defensive display will carry forward from preseason.then we could get a hiding here.

 

12 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

The thing is, I don't think City look ready for the season either, they were really poor in the Community Shield by their standards and their pre-season hasn't exactly been great at times either. I still think they are fully capable of hammering us though. Our pre-season, especially in defence, has looked abysmal, which is really saying something, because I didn't think they could look worse than they did last season.

City had almost their whole first team squad came back very late so it is normal they are not ready. 

Just look at their lineup and sub vs us just a week ago. 

 

 

We’re getting fkd 5-0 or something like that...

Defensively we have looked frail as we've chopped & changed during pre-season. Then you have players like Fofana coming back from long term injury, Colwill playing as an actual CB compared to last season, and players coming back later from their Euro's break.

On top of that we have a new system the team is trying to learn. Pep, Klopp and Arteta didn't have the best first seasons whilst trying to implement their styles, it takes time, it won't happen overnight.

If we get beaten by a strong City side it is no barometer of how our season will progress. 

Edited August 12, 2024Aug 12 by Malcolm9

looking forward

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Malcolm9 said:

 

If we get beaten by a strong City side it is no barometer of how our season will progress. 

But it may have a knock on effect with our lot. They need to see the positives for all this "learning" they are doing. And they will find it harder than most.

Going from poch "run, run and just run faster" to actually using the grey matter in their heads and thinking. I really doubt our lot will be ready till October/November, I really doubt they will have the tactics sorted till then.

2 hours ago, Simplymo said:

Going from poch "run, run and just run faster" to actually using the grey matter in their heads and thinking. I really doubt our lot will be ready till October/November, I really doubt they will have the tactics sorted till then.

The idea that it will take top professional footballers upwards of four months to get a handle on tactics is absolute nonsense. A group of some of the most talented players in the world, who have been living and breathing football since they were children are somehow completely at odds with playing what is in essence an aggressive version of sacchi's system from the late 80's? Give over!

Also the dismissal of Poch to "run, run and just run faster" is pretty telling. We played Liverpool on the opening game of the season under Poch and walked away with a point. He had us go toe-to-toe with City three times despite all the injuries. It might not have been the pretty little triangles and possession heavy football that's in vogue at the moment, but he allowed players to do what came naturally to them. You don't get a 30+G/A season from Palmer under many other coaches.

I hope the football we've seen in pre-season isn't an indicator of the season to come, but if it is it's got nothing to do with Poch, it's got nothing to do with the players not being cerebral enough, it'll be down to the bald fella in the dugouts zealous adherence to tactics that did a job in the championship, but might not quite be up to the test of the PL.

Best chance to face them all season. Hardly anyone is back for them and KDB still looks unfit when he came on in the community shield. 

 

Sanchez

Gusto Tosin Colwill Veiga

Lavia Enzo

Palmer Nkunku Sterling

Jackson

2 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Best chance to face them all season. Hardly anyone is back for them and KDB still looks unfit when he came on in the community shield. 

 

Sanchez

Gusto Tosin Colwill Veiga

Lavia Enzo

Palmer Nkunku Sterling

Jackson

Agreed. We need height in the side as they have done us on crosses and set pieces recently.

1 minute ago, axman2526 said:

Agreed. We need height in the side as they have done us on crosses and set pieces recently.

Tosin v Haaland

Colwill v Akanji

Veiga v Gvardiol

Jackson v Dias

5 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Tosin v Haaland

Colwill v Akanji

Veiga v Gvardiol

Jackson v Dias

 

In those battles Colwill and Jackson will get done.

52 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

 

In those battles Colwill and Jackson will get done.

Dias is the least set piece threat of the four. 

Colwill v Akanji will be tricky but rather Tosin v Haaland. 

I was surprised to see Veiga is 1.9m. Liked the look of him.

44 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Dias is the least set piece threat of the four. 

Colwill v Akanji will be tricky but rather Tosin v Haaland. 

Could sacrifice Gusto to use Disasi at RB and deal with Akanji. Or just drop Colwill for him. 

Honestly would trust Wes ahead of Colwill on set plays.

3 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Could sacrifice Gusto to use Disasi at RB and deal with Akanji. Or just drop Colwill for him. 

Honestly would trust Wes ahead of Colwill on set plays.

Disasi hasn't kicked a ball this preseason and Fofana is still all over the place. Long absence of football will do that to you. No where near ready. 

I thought Wesley looked good against Inter 

6 hours ago, cfr95 said:

The idea that it will take top professional footballers upwards of four months to get a handle on tactics is absolute nonsense. A group of some of the most talented players in the world, who have been living and breathing football since they were children are somehow completely at odds with playing what is in essence an aggressive version of sacchi's system from the late 80's? Give over!

Also the dismissal of Poch to "run, run and just run faster" is pretty telling. We played Liverpool on the opening game of the season under Poch and walked away with a point. He had us go toe-to-toe with City three times despite all the injuries. It might not have been the pretty little triangles and possession heavy football that's in vogue at the moment, but he allowed players to do what came naturally to them. You don't get a 30+G/A season from Palmer under many other coaches.

I hope the football we've seen in pre-season isn't an indicator of the season to come, but if it is it's got nothing to do with Poch, it's got nothing to do with the players not being cerebral enough, it'll be down to the bald fella in the dugouts zealous adherence to tactics that did a job in the championship, but might not quite be up to the test of the PL.

The idea that it will take top professional footballers upwards of four months to get a handle on tactics is absolute nonsense. A group of some of the most talented players in the world, who have been living and breathing football since they were children are somehow completely at odds with playing what is in essence an aggressive version of sacchi's system from the late 80's? Give over!

1) none of them were around in the 80's bud
2) if they learn the system any sooner then brilliant. But I believe it will take them time and maybe not the first 11, but mistakes will still be made early on, and maybe even to october/November. that is a fk load of tactics to learn especially for the number of players we have. I don't expect them to be interchangeable like at man city for example and to each get the tactics spot on straight away. Realistically with games being played it will be a few months at least and that's being optimistic. But like I said if they manage it all the sooner, then that's brilliant mate.
 

Also the dismissal of Poch to "run, run and just run faster" is pretty telling. We played Liverpool on the opening game of the season under Poch and walked away with a point. He had us go toe-to-toe with City three times despite all the injuries. It might not have been the pretty little triangles and possession heavy football that's in vogue at the moment, but he allowed players to do what came naturally to them. You don't get a 30+G/A season from Palmer under many other coaches.

3) Pochs "tactics" are no where near as complicated as marescas. Wasn't even about keeping possession as you say. That in itself is not something that can be taught in a week or 2, remember there's 56 of them currently in the squad (pre Neto, so I guess 57 now) and not all of them even have experience with possession based football. That's why in a different post I stated I will give maresca the benefit of the doubt and I will judge the players less harshly till they've picked up on everything and there's no mistakes (fk ups, not slip ups, you know what I mean...) and that takes time.
4) palmer surprised everyone including poch. And I completely disagree that poch is one of the few that would be able to get that out of palmer. Actually I believe a tactical coach would have got that out of palmer and actually won a few more games while doing it, so many games lacked tactics and it was sit back and soak up pressure to not blow a lead. But alas, no crystal ball unfortunately.

 

I hope the football we've seen in pre-season isn't an indicator of the season to come, but if it is it's got nothing to do with Poch, it's got nothing to do with the players not being cerebral enough, it'll be down to the bald fella in the dugouts zealous adherence to tactics that did a job in the championship, but might not quite be up to the test of the PL.


5) Lol, poch would get a headache and give out lemons instead. Naaaa, in all fairness the kids needed poch for a year. One thing he does know about is how to nurture kids. And he was a great option to get them going...but a tactician he is not mate. Just read the match day threads or even the reports by the media for each match. He was about running and fitness, and according to some he was even the reason for some of our injuries (especially those during his trainings, not an employee of cfc, so like everyone on here I can only go by the Info in front of us, so no idea about that)
6) The football we've seen so far I agree isn't the best but that takes us back to full circle. I'd give him time to get it across and for our extremely large squad to get the hang of it.

Edited August 12, 2024Aug 12 by Simplymo

Could be a proper boring game - Pep vs Pep. 
 

Easy 0-3 to City I think. 

4 minutes ago, JM7 said:

Could be a proper boring game - Pep vs Pep. 
 

Easy 0-3 to City I think. 

Yep

First game of the season is as even as the two teams are going to get. We have a chance to keep it close I don't expect a drubbing. Give Pep a month they will be in top form that's when we get smashed 4-0.

 

 

YMMV