Barclays Asia Trophy (27th-30th July 2011)

[The Situation]

We passed the ball pretty well... for a McLeish team anyway.

Warnock played well as did Collins and Bannan. Pretty sound defensively albeit a couple of sloppy passes.

[The Situation]

We passed the ball pretty well... for a McLeish team anyway.

Warnock played well as did Collins. Pretty sound defensively albeit a couple of sloppy passes.

[PaulWinch again]

Good stuff in the final then, well done lads.

[Toronto Villa]

We passed the ball pretty well

Warnock played well as did Collins. Pretty sound defensively albeit a couple of sloppy passes.

There, I've fixed it for you.

[Ivo Stas]

Six things we learnt from the pre-season friendly with Blackburn in Hong Kong:

1) Barry Bannan can provide some of the creativity and deliveries missing after the departures of Stewart Downing and Ashley Young. However, we badly require Charles N’Zogbia if we are going to cause other teams problems.

2) Emile Heskey still has a role to play and also helps us defend corners well by going near post and allowing Dunne and Collins to defend the middle.

3) We are probably going to defend (set pieces at least) much better under Alex McLeish. His back five of Given, Young, Dunne, Collins and Warnock looked solid.

4) Gabby Agbonlahor is struggling to find a role (other than back-up for Darren Bent) and both Delfounso and Heskey look better than him as strikers-sent-out-wide.

5) We need a dynamic thrusting midfielder (because Petrov and Jean Il Makoun don’t drive us forward). Hopefully Stephen Ireland or Fabian Delph can perform this role for us.

6) Young players can’t play back passes (I’m looking at you Clarke and Albrighton!).

[PaulWinch again]

A couple of additions and we could have a very good side.

[Maradona10]

Was impressed that we didn't constantly try to launch it, Makoun impressed me however still think we need a ball winner in the middle of the park. As when we went a goal up, Rovers started to hit us in the middle.

[BILL DE VALL]

Very encouraging display-
good tactical decision to go 433 as we have sold 2 wingers-it gives us the width that may have been otherwise lacking.
Impressive touches from Barry Bannan-NRC will not be missed!
positive signs from Delph-big season for him
Shay is quality

[Toronto Villa]

I'm glad this thread has a few more days to run

[pauliewalnuts]

Tyler said before the game that AM was out for an extra few hours working with the defence last night after training, practising defending set pieces.

That's encouraging.

[Caiphus]

I thought Gabby looked decent when he was playing behind Bent early on.  He made 2 nice through balls and when he got out on the right he sent in one of those low crosses he was doing regularly before last season.

[The Laughing Policeman]

Quite impressive considering the conditions. The back four are definitely more organised than they were last season. Apparently AM kept them back for extra practice after yesterdays training session and it showed. All four of them looked commited to the cause. Dunne looked leaner than I've ever seen him since he came to VP.

[Toronto Villa]

Dunne, if he really couldn't give a fuck about the club and new manager, could have come back to this pre-season looking like a fat bastard. It wouldn't have surpised any of us. But I remember the video on AVTV on their return to Bodymoor and thinking he looked rather slim, which was later confirmed by the first training session videos. He's a good, solid defender when he's on his game and he's quicker than he sometimes looks. he'll still make the odd clumsy challenge or error during the season but he's going to have Given in his ear making sure he and the other defenders know their positions.

[citizenDJ]

Dunne, if he really couldn't give a fuck about the club and new manager, could have come back to this pre-season looking like a fat bastard. It wouldn't have surpised any of us. But I remember the video on AVTV on their return to Bodymoor and thinking he looked rather slim, which was later confirmed by the first training session videos. He's a good, solid defender when he's on his game and he's quicker than he sometimes looks. he'll still make the odd clumsy challenge or error during the season but he's going to have Given in his ear making sure he and the other defenders know their positions.

I'm sure that sort of thing must have been considered when plumping (Ha!) for Given, alongside the fact that he's a very good 'keeper.

Dunne certainly looked in better shape today than, well, at pretty much any point last season! It's a good start.

[pauliewalnuts]

Was impressed that we didn't constantly try to launch it, Makoun impressed me however still think we need a ball winner in the middle of the park. As when we went a goal up, Rovers started to hit us in the middle.

Definitely think a midfield ball winner would improve us immeasurably.