Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Dave P on July 25, 2018, 06:18:54 PM
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In all the excitement, we have a game today. All eyes will initially be on the dugout I’m sure but this will be a good test.
Will Thor, Elmo and Jedinak appear?
Will Snodgrass play for them?
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Is this a YouPube game?
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Is this a YouPube game?
YouPube is a completely different website.
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Is this a YouPube game?
YouPube is a completely different website.
Very good.
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Steer, Bree, Elphick, Chester, Hutton, Adomah, Whelan, Doyle-Hayes, Hourihane, Grealish, Kodjia.
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Bescot looks packed....
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thought Jedi and Thor would get a start
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I guess a strong side given what we have and I have to say I would "luv it" Kevin Keegan style to beat Wet Spam. I know so many completely deluded fans who always believe this year will be theirs and for so long I looked down on. I want those days again - SOON!
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Di92t7CXoAA-y43.jpg)
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Can't say that this isn't a proper test for us with that team out
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Good effort from Hutton
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Bruce out!
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Well, that was shit.
Bruce out!
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Antonio is one of those dream stories.
Started at my local team Tooting and Mitcham and spotted by scouts.
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Bruce OUT
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Truly awful from Bree.
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Bree poor there. Our defence really struggled against the step up in attacking quality West Ham have.
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Bree poor there. Our defence really struggled against the step up in attacking quality West Ham have.
It's just well we didn't get promoted! ;)
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Not getting near the ball at the moment.
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Their new stadium is a bit shit
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Doyle Hayes looks good.
Bree not so.
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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Bree poor there. Our defence really struggled against the step up in attacking quality West Ham have.
It's just well we didn't get promoted! ;)
Had we done so we would still have a few players who have left and I imagine we would have some new ones too. West Ham have spent £100m this summer so not really a fair asssesment.
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Doyle Hayes looks good.
Bree not so.
Indeed.
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That was also shit.
BRUCE OUT!
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Has anyone said ‘men against boys’ yet ?
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Bree getting a nice confidence booster this pre season! At fault for that goal.
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Looking hard to break down
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If they can be arsed to they'll rattle in half a dozen.
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Bree poor there. Our defence really struggled against the step up in attacking quality West Ham have.
It's just well we didn't get promoted! ;)
Had we done so we would still have a few players who have left and I imagine we would have some new ones too. West Ham have spent £100m this summer so not really a fair asssesment.
Clearly was a tongue in cheek remark TV
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Fuck me get the new owners out of there before they take their money back. What a load of shit this is.
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Welcome to the 21st Century Steve.
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Whelan. Jesus wept. Bruce out.
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Bree looks like a fan that's won a competition to play in a game.
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Kodjia is not a lone striker
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WHU spent 100m this summer....never going to be all that tight
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I don't know why I'm even watching a friendly.
They both look like they can't be arsed, and the better team are better at it.
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Bree looks like a fan that's won a competition to play in a game.
He’s out of his depth and I don’t think he’s ever going to make it I’m afraid
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Put subtitles on. Hilarious.
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Bree has looked bollocks since he joined us.
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Bree looks like a fan that's won a competition to play in a game.
He’s out of his depth and I don’t think he’s ever going to make it I’m afraid
Another small fortune blown on a young English player that'll spend most of his career bouncing between Leagues 1 & 2 if I was a betting man. File next to Tshibola.
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Whelan attempting a forward pass is painful.
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Put subtitles on. Hilarious.
It is quite amusing.
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Excellent performance so far. We've got these twats in our pocket and I love our new change strip.
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Bruce out.
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Sounds promising....
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Jack is being unnecessarily roughed up.
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Have to say Declan Rice for them has looked very impressive so far, done a good job on Grealish. Young player to watch this season.
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Kod going down, just what we need.
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Kodjia looks gash
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Being a striker for Aston Villa is as healthy as being the drummer for Spinal Tap.
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Whelan reminds me of Kinsella - I just dont get those type of players
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Urns
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Urns
Is Kodjia's ankle gone again?
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Jack and Jake looked decent in parts, the others, not so much.
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Bruce out.
Yep. Failure to beat Dynamo Dresden on Saturday and I think I'd pull the trigger.
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One shot on target for us in the half and that was from Hutton.
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One shot on target for us in the half and that was from Hutton.
Bruce is going more attacking then as that's better than we usually manage.
/baddumtish
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It would've been a good 'un an all.
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What has happened to Davis,is he injured as well as Hogan,RHM and McKirdy ?
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We need to get the cheque book out. Kodjia looks a busted flush. Could do a Reading his season.
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3 at the back has ended up with 4 as Bree is a liability. Always the danger with Bruce as he will never be brave enough to play it properly. The good news is I think we have found a star in the making with young Jake, and he’s already better than Whelan
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I've said already that Id sell him. Injury waiting to happen.
Anyway this is dull, it's just a friendly.
Going to watch Juggernaut starring Richard Harris instead.
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Bruce out.
Yep. Failure to beat Dynamo Dresden on Saturday and I think I'd pull the trigger.
Bruce will be gone by January.
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Bree looks like a fan that's won a competition to play in a game.
F
He’s out of his depth and I don’t think he’s ever going to make it I’m afraid
Another small fortune blown on a young English player that'll spend most of his career bouncing between Leagues 1 & 2 if I was a betting man. File next to Tshibola.
He's 20 yrs old,didn't let us down in vital home games v Cardiff and Boro where the defence kept a clean sheet on both occasions.I would bet he will end up as a Premier League player.Not a wing back .
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I've said already that Id sell him. Injury waiting to happen.
Anyway this is dull, it's just a friendly.
Going to watch Juggernaut starring Richard Harris instead.
Richard Harris is my favourite actor, as in Unforgiven.
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Just put the captions on and Hitler was mentioned. When the hell did we sign him?
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We are making them look like barca-ham. Grealish having some nice passing play...
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Taking off DH: dear me... give him the full 90 and rest Whelan!
And bringing on Ange!!
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Yesterday, new owners, was looking forward to Bruce being canned, new manager fresh start. Optimism abound.
Today news that Bruce is staying and we’re getting humped by West Ham. Back to being a Villa fan.
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This team badly needs strengthening.
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Whelan is just so awful. His square passes are horribly misplaced and mistimed, puts the recipient under intense pressure every time, we lose so much possession this way. Sincerely hope he isn't part of Bruce's first team plans next season because we'll drown quickly if so.
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Whelan is just so awful. His square passes are horribly misplaced and mistimed, puts the recipient under intense pressure every time, we lose so much possession this way. Sincerely hope he isn't part of Bruce's first team plans next season because we'll drown quickly if so.
Whelan is one of those players that fans just can't appreciate.
He's shit.
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Great chance by Thor...
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Bobby Snodgrass looking lively. For them.
Handy to have the owners there watching this, if there was any chance on a second loan spell.
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It's ok, Gary Gardner is back.
Deep joy.
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It's ok, Gary Gardner is back.
Deep joy.
😂 Indeed.
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Bobby Snodgrass looking lively. For them.
Handy to have the owners there watching this, if there was any chance on a second loan spell.
They're not watching this shite are they? Actually that might be a good thing.
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Fredericks was a nice scalp for them on a free transfer. Tore us up with his pace at Wembley.
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Chasing shadows for most of the game ... worrying signs for the season to come.
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Snoddy - Git...
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0-3
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Snoddy scores. Well. That's just poetically shit, isn't it.
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Good job we ain't in the prem.
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1-3 great finish from Green
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We must get a good goalie before the deadline
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4-3 final score - you heard it here first...
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1-3 great finish from Green
Was a cracking finish alright.
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Yay, my 2000th post is in celebration of a great strike by Green. I think he'll be important for us this season.
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Wonder what we can learn from that match? We are still mostly gash...?
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Wonder what we can learn from that match? We are still mostly gash...?
we don't want to go up yet
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A goalie, a left back, a centre half, creative midfield, winger and forward all needed.
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Remember the days when we used to twat this lot ......sigh
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A goalie, a left back, a centre half, creative midfield, winger and forward all needed.
Manager too, please.
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Good goal by Green, most entertaining bit was the subtitles. I didn't realise an other bitch played up front for the Hammers or Jack Well Shit was a midfielder.
Not forgetting James Brie and Jack Greenish
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West Ham are a good side and we are weakened some wank defending but at least we scored
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Codgers touch was poor, he will sharpen up with a bit more game time. West Hams team are far better, quite sobering to see how far we have fallen behind teams like West Ham.
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Wonder what we can learn from that match? We are still mostly gash...?
Maybe this is why Bruce usually goes for experience as Bree was utterly hopeless at RB, albeit against a very good player in Felipe Anderson.
That said Whelan was pretty poor aswell.
We played tonight like we would if we drew a decent premier league team in one of the cups. Our midfield is so pedestrian against teams that can knock the ball around quickly.
We also need a new CB desperately as Elphick over a season won't be good enough as it showed in 16/17.
As good as things are off the pitch now, tonight is reminder we have a long way to go on the field whoever is the manager.
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Codgers touch was poor, he will sharpen up with a bit more game time. West Hams team are far better, quite sobering to see how far we have fallen behind teams like West Ham.
Aye. But I remember Middlesborough coming to VP just before the start of the season in 16/17.
They had just gone up that year and had Negredo, Valdes and a few others and gave us a bit of a doing. Last year, after they had come down and spent a fair whack doing so, they finished below us.
So things can quickly change.
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Definitely think we need to bolster our central defence. Even if we keep Chester, we’ll only have Elphick or worse Richards that can play there alongside him.
Bedeau and Suliman need more time to develop.
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Not good tonight getting thrashed by a team a week behind us in pre season training.
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Not good tonight getting thrashed by a team a week behind us in pre season training.
A top flight team full of expensive players.
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Preston did draw 2-2 with them on Saturday.
Think that's the reality. We're in the 7th-12th bracket of championship teams and with some decent signings can push for play offs.
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Decent West Ham side I guess but the 3 5 2 (ish) doesn't work so well when you are pressed high, as we were tonight. Lots pf possession in spells, but usually sideways and not much created. We need pace to play this formation and a lot of it.
And much as I love Kodjia, he can't play the lone striker role. If we are playing one up front it has to stick up there to bring others into play...thought Knibbs and Green did more in 15 mins than most did in 75/90 mins.
I would say it early days but it's not...I'm not sure SB has the nous to get us playing this formation effectively...
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Well a great goal by Green but the season long question will always be what would Henry do ??
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I’d love to see the stats for our midfield tonight. Loads of unnecessary running and leaving holes. A lot of work needed if were to continue with 361.
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Not good tonight getting thrashed by a team a week behind us in pre season training.
A top flight team full of expensive players.
Still not good.
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Not good tonight getting thrashed by a team a week behind us in pre season training.
A top flight team full of expensive players.
West Ham drew 2-2 with Preston at the weekend. Just saying.
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Pre season means fuck all. And Preston probably have most of the same players from last season. We’re missing loads. Anyway like I said it’s pre season and has almost no correlation to the season except that Bruce is gash.
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Pre season means fuck all. And Preston probably have most of the same players from last season. We’re missing loads. Anyway like I said it’s pre season and has almost no correlation to the season except that Bruce is gash.
Agree that pre season results mean little, but in terms of preparation and sharpness, we should be ahead of West Ham as we start the season earlier than them. Sounds as though that was not the case at all tonight.
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In days of yore, it was often said that pre-season games were all about fitness, and often a good set of performances would herald a bad start to the season, and vice versa.
In fairness vo, vay wuz diffewent gwavy and tore us a new rear end innit. Villa fans booing substitutions in these games is not a good sign either.
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Missed Terry
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I wonder how the new owners are feeling about seeing bruceball in action for the first time?
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Pre season means fuck all. And Preston probably have most of the same players from last season. We’re missing loads. Anyway like I said it’s pre season and has almost no correlation to the season except that Bruce is gash.
I agree to a certain degree TV, it’s a lot about fitness, but pre season is also about trying new ideas and progressing and moving on from the previous year.
To do this, tha manager has to have ideas, inspiration and a plan of how he intends to approach the new season.
What we have seen so far is exactly the same sort of slow, ponderous play with the same ponderous players, albeit in a slightly different formation.
I said exactly the same thing at the same time last year, Bruce has not had some sort of epiphany over the summer that will see us turn into en expressive, free flowing football team.
More of the same grind for the foreseeable future, I expect.
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Mortified I would imagine especially when they see the wage bill and ask
Who are
McCormack
Richards
Tishbola
And why are they not part of the squad
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I was impressed with Doyle-Hayes but the overall lack of energy and dynamism throughout the team was worrying.
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Not good tonight getting thrashed by a team a week behind us in pre season training.
A top flight team full of expensive players.
West Ham drew 2-2 with Preston at the weekend. Just saying.
West Ham brought in a couple of their signings for the Villa game, one costing a lot of money. £40m was it?
Our team wasn't our strongest and we are currently not as strong as lat year with Terry and Snodgrass gone and the WC players feeling their way back.
People want the kids to play then the internet is awash with:
Steer isn't good enough, we need a keeper. Bree is shit and so on. If people want the younger players to be given a chance then there needs to be some patience, especially in a bloody friendly.
We need to strengthen and I am sure everyone at the club knows that. The question is whether we have to sell first and if we do then it needs to happen now.
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Based on last night I'd play Green with Kodjia with Elmo and RDL as wing backs plenty of pace there - maybe Hourihane Jedi and Lansbury behind them if Jack goes
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Definitely think we need to bolster our central defence. Even if we keep Chester, we’ll only have Elphick or worse Richards that can play there alongside him.
Bedeau and Suliman need more time to develop.
Where was Mitch Clark last night ?
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Only watched 20minutes in the first half last night and was totally uninspired. This is Bruce's 2nd close season and I couldn't see any progress and certainly no new ideas. What does he or his coaches do in training? In those 20 minutes we were pedestrian and lacking in movement. There was too much interplay between the back 4. We went a goal down and knew there was no way back. Even against Kiddy we went a goal down and still failed to turn it round for a win. Players like Bree and Kodjia were struggling to do the basics. It was painful viewing against West f-cking spam. Never mind that's friendlies for you.
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My concern from the game last night isn't that we lost, it's that scored 3 of the easiest goals they'll score all year, 3 times they ran through us like we were cones on a training field. We need to fix that because there's plenty of teams in the championship with a quick striker who'll happily carry the ball through gaps like that, they won't be as clinical but we can't let our keeper be exposed so often.
A couple of days ago I posted a team I thought we should go with (largely based on no signings) where I went with us rotating through Lyden, Doyle-Hayes and Clarke in midfield. Watching last night I'm more convinced that we need to go that way, JDH and Grealish were like 2 professionals thrown into a pub team. However the slight change I'd make is that I'd prioritise getting a proper left wing-back so we can push Green up to 10 and then have a midfield of Jedi, JDH and Jack.
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West Ham were much the better team. They moved the ball quickly with pace and purpose. We were ponderous, slow and lacked any sort of edge. Kodja didn't get much service but neither did he look that interested. The defence looked a bit off, Bree looked a bit shaky up against quality and was caught out 3 or 4 times. We looked a bit better when the changes were made 2nd half. Barney offering a bit of drive, Green some pace and a bit of threat. Grealish was our stand out player as per usual.
I don't take much from such games as it's the work out and sharpness preparation for next week that matters where we'll be up against a team no where near as good as a middling Prem club.
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Only watched 20minutes in the first half last night and was totally uninspired. This is Bruce's 2nd close season and I couldn't see any progress and certainly no new ideas. What does he or his coaches do in training? In those 20 minutes we were pedestrian and lacking in movement. There was too much interplay between the back 4. We went a goal down and knew there was no way back. Even against Kiddy we went a goal down and still failed to turn it round for a win. Players like Bree and Kodjia were struggling to do the basics. It was painful viewing against West f-cking spam. Never mind that's friendlies for you.
And that is the biggest negative of all in relation to Bruce - we know exactly what we will get season after season. As someone mentioned previously it is not like he will suddenly have a footballing epiphany and change the only method he knows "Good old british up and at em"
Im bored before we have kicked a ball
How much do you think he was saved due to the timing of there being a game last night? I don't think the new guys would have enamoured themselves to the squad if they had rode into town and sacked him without seeing us play but also It is inevitable that he will be sacked at some time soon so not sure why they prolong our agony and hinder our hopes of a decent start
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I'm not overly concerned by the pre season results West Ham have bought well and are going to be mid to upper Premier League side this season I just think as long as it comes together against Hull City that's al I'm really interested in.
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I thought we played ok for long spells. Nothing really concerned me from last night given the oppo and the circumstances.
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I thought we played ok for long spells. Nothing really concerned me from last night given the oppo and the circumstances.
My thoughts exactly Dave.
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Wonder what we can learn from that match? We are still mostly gash...
That any money we are allowed to spend has got to go on defenders. Even if Chester stays were well light at CB's. With all the money we have spent how have they managed to neglect the defence so much? Elmo,Bree, RDL,Taylor all not good enough if were aiming top two imo. Hutton has been immense for us but is an ageing force. And we need to replace Sam Johnson too.
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Wonder what we can learn from that match? We are still mostly gash...
That any money we are allowed to spend has got to go on defenders. Even if Chester stays were well light at CB's. With all the money we have spent how have they managed to neglect the defence so much? Elmo,Bree, RDL,Taylor all not good enough if were aiming top two imo. Hutton has been immense for us but is an ageing force. And we need to replace Sam Johnson too.
How you can say Elmo, Bree, RDL aren't good enough and then claim Hutton has been immense is quite something ;D
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RDL is easily good enough but I agree Bree has gone backwards since he joined and I've never liked Taylor. Elmo is ok but nothing more and I disagree completely on Hutton, he had a good season last year but was poor to average for 5 seasons before that, I don't understand why so many people are willing to forget just how poor he was. The fact that he's bene elevated to some sort of legendary status by large sections of the fans sums up why 4th in the 2nd division isn't universally viewed as a massive failure.
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I learnt from that match how much better mid table PL is since we were last in it. Every top class player from around the world is either playing in that league or will at some stage in their career. West Ham were physically bigger than us and proportionately faster and stronger. We really did fuck up under Lerner. Every club can now buy what would have been Citeh/Chelsea type players. Jack wasn’t the best Jack on the pitch and the rest wouldn’t get near a PL team.
Fortunately we play in the league below and as prep for that i’m sure it sharpened up the players for that challenge.
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Wonder what we can learn from that match? We are still mostly gash...
That any money we are allowed to spend has got to go on defenders. Even if Chester stays were well light at CB's. With all the money we have spent how have they managed to neglect the defence so much? Elmo,Bree, RDL,Taylor all not good enough if were aiming top two imo. Hutton has been immense for us but is an ageing force. And we need to replace Sam Johnson too.
How you can say Elmo, Bree, RDL aren't good enough and then claim Hutton has been immense is quite something ;D
I did add imo and I'm sticking to it. Hutton has been immense in terms of his effort and commitment. He was motm a few times last season. I don't recall the others getting that accolade too many times. My point was in response to someone asking "what did we learn from last night" We need to concentrate on the defence because it just ain't good enough. In my opinion. What's your opinion?
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My concern from the game last night isn't that we lost, it's that scored 3 of the easiest goals they'll score all year, 3 times they ran through us like we were cones on a training field. We need to fix that because there's plenty of teams in the championship with a quick striker who'll happily carry the ball through gaps like that, they won't be as clinical but we can't let our keeper be exposed so often.
A couple of days ago I posted a team I thought we should go with (largely based on no signings) where I went with us rotating through Lyden, Doyle-Hayes and Clarke in midfield. Watching last night I'm more convinced that we need to go that way, JDH and Grealish were like 2 professionals thrown into a pub team. However the slight change I'd make is that I'd prioritise getting a proper left wing-back so we can push Green up to 10 and then have a midfield of Jedi, JDH and Jack.
I still think we might see Jedinak as part of the back three if we continue with that formation.
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My concern from the game last night isn't that we lost, it's that scored 3 of the easiest goals they'll score all year, 3 times they ran through us like we were cones on a training field. We need to fix that because there's plenty of teams in the championship with a quick striker who'll happily carry the ball through gaps like that, they won't be as clinical but we can't let our keeper be exposed so often.
A couple of days ago I posted a team I thought we should go with (largely based on no signings) where I went with us rotating through Lyden, Doyle-Hayes and Clarke in midfield. Watching last night I'm more convinced that we need to go that way, JDH and Grealish were like 2 professionals thrown into a pub team. However the slight change I'd make is that I'd prioritise getting a proper left wing-back so we can push Green up to 10 and then have a midfield of Jedi, JDH and Jack.
I still think we might see Jedinak as part of the back three if we continue with that formation.
I think hat depends on what happens with signings in the next few weeks. If we signed Huth, for example, then the other 2 centre backs need to add some mobility, in which case Chester and RDL/Hutton would be the obvious choices and Jedi plays in front and an extra screen so the wing backs and other midfielders can push on, that way if we're caught on the counter we can easily drop into a back 4.