Tannochsidebear

I see the man sent off is a forward, and I’m guessing he will now miss at least the first leg and maybe even both legs of our tie now as a result.

Raskin & Cantwell played half the season last time. Balogun is only involved until Goldson is ready so you could say only 4 newbies.

Agree completely, it’s not as if we had the Iron Curtain at the back, which is where we lost a lot of points and ultimately all domestic trophies last time round.

Swap small donner for Borna and that is about as good as it gets from what I’ve seen and read. The fact we’ve bought 9 players and only 5 get in the team perhaps suggests our summer recruitment isn’t quite as good as has been made out. And that defence hasn’t improved at all from what was our weak area last season.

A great tie for us, coming in between the second leg of Genk/Servette and the first leg of the play-off (presumably), meaning we can rest a couple and give some game time to others in between two massive games. Hopefully not on tv so it can be on the Saturday afternoon.

I might not agree with your point above but I definitely agree with this comment. I am expecting to see huge improvements in this area this season.

If MB was only left with an inexperienced teenager and another 4th choice centre back, and others that stood and watched in awe as their favourite team ran riot, I don’t see him getting a better outcome. Are you saying MB is that much better a manager than Gio who took a fairly average squad to two cup finals past the likes of Dortmund & Leipzig and only lost on pens and won the other? MB has done nothing in big games to give the impression he could do any better in those conditions. He has achieved better consistency in the league but failed all the big tests and his football last season was mainly boring.

I expect us to win the treble and qualify for the CL groups (we are seeded to do so). Our only domestic opponent is full of piss-poor Asians and led by a has-been ego-maniac. I also expect us to be a shambles defensively and to be looking for a new manager by the winter break. I don’t expect something in the middle of these extremes.

Well thank goodness that is pre-season finished. Next up, cup final 1 of 38 in pursuit of our title back. Got my ticket for the Chadwick, bring it on!

As is typical of these games, the last 10-15 mins are a bit lacklustre after all the changes. Great take by Danilo to put Matondo in, so therefore the move ends there as Rabbi hits a weak effort right at the keeper with better options available.

The boy Sterling who has replaced Tav at RB, can he not play across the whole back line or is he just a RB and perhaps elsewhere in an emergency?

We’ve been reduced to Barasic at CH now.

Holy cow it’s a rare sighting of Kemar Roofe. Careful son, careful!

Are you sure ? Looks like Balogun & Lundstrum central with small donner & Tav still at FB to me?

Lovely goal there 2-2

7 subs at the one time by the Gerries

Came on at half time for Johnly with Lundstrum dropping back

He looks the type to not be interested in friendlies, but come the important stuff he will be up for it.

First time I’ve seen anything resembling a football player from Dessers there, lovely play to win the pen.

What shape? Where are Raskin, Cantwell, Lammers, Sima all meant to be playing? I see no discernible shape middle to front apart from Lundstrum sitting doing nothing in front of defence and Dessers doing nothing in a central forward area.

Yilmaz again. That boy can’t defend at all.

Cantwell and Yilmaz cost another goal. Very sloppy. No pace in the game at all, which is fairly typical for a friendly, but as a football match it’s pretty awful to watch. First chance to see Sima, Dessers, Lammers from the start and was looking forward to seeing them but the game is so poor they’ve not been in it much. We look very easy to pass through, and balls in behind seem to always find an unmarked man.

Not going to judge any of the new players in bounce games, but seen enough of some of the old guard to know we are still carrying too much deadwood. We really must get rid of McLaughlin, Lundstrum, Matondo at a minimum, and use the combined £50K pw wages on better options or debt reduction. No more game time or bench places for any of these 3 please, they are lost causes.

Totally lost our discipline……in a friendly. Lundstrum would get a red card for that in a proper game. This is about fitness and avoiding injury, WTF is going on here. Don’t care about the score, but really worried at how we’ve lost our discipline.

The big number 46 is Bassey reincarnated, what a unit! I hope he can develop his game like big Calvin done, he could be a star.