Pre-Season Friendlies

[Whosthedado 1,614]

Good and bad signs from that. Lawrence and Dessers very good.

 

We better not sell Dessers this week  or before the window closes. Hopefully another striker in as back up Dessers and Danilo unless Igamane is that

[CammyF 7,466]

Takeaways 

 

1. We need a RB as a matter or urgency.

2. Butland needs to get his head back in the game

3. We need to sign 2 x CBs as a matter of urgency. 

4. We need to stop playing "narrow" as it's killing us

 

5. Dessers and Lawrence scored 2 good goals each

6. Dio and Barron look like they could form a decent partnership 

7. Gonna be a tough start to the season  if we don't get t or 5 starters in this week. 

[yuddie 1,421]

Slightly more optimistic for the season start.

 

They were good tests at least, even Blues will be looking to piss league 1 with the money they're throwing around.

 

A big signing in the next week and I'll be looking forward to it!

 

Barron and Dio is something we all deserved over the last few years.

[Frankie 8,367]

For all our bad defending, I did enjoy some of that match. I'll concentrate on the positives first: Diomande excellent, Cortes should be useful as can go on either foot, Barron and Jefte plenty potential, Dessers again an enigma and I thought Souttar actually had a decent game.

 

Ultimately though, the four goals conceded is too much to ignore and our bad positioning, poor communication and sloppiness on the ball is a big concern ahead of Tynecastle. New signings will help but we're clearly a work in progress. Improvement sand sharpness must come quickly.

[Scott7 5,661]

18 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

more of a forward that's tidy on the ball and can beat a man, rather than a pure creator; a second-striker. 

An inside forward.

[Scott7 5,661]

15 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

I thought it was quite good - defense aside.

Half the team.

[CammyF 7,466]

In the first half our forward play was very good. 

 

The pass from Diomande for Dessers 1st goal and the pass from Tav for Lawrence's 2nd were exceptional. 

 

Cortes - Dessers - Wright all played well and Dessers showed his value with 2 very good, composed finishes. 

 

Dio and Barron linked up well but do they offer sufficient protection to the back 4? 

 

Lawrence excelled in the "10" role and scored 2 great goals and was positive throughout. 

 

Defence and keeper were poor defensively but thought Jefte played well going forward. Tav showing he's still getting back to fitness and with Sterling injured again, RB suddenly becomes a huge concern ahead of the start of the season.

 

Surprised how poor Butland was today, hopefully just a little rusty but he did make a few errors in the run-in last season. 

 

Soutar and Davies isn't the partnership we require. Souttar is good for the "blood and thunder" but prone to an error, Davies just looks disinterested. 

 

Balogun is great to have around and a great old head to call upon but don't think we can rely on him for a full 60 game season.

 

So repeat that the defensive areas are the ones we need to address as the top priority :

 

A new starter RB and 2 x starting CB at the very least. Then we can concentrate on a DM and possibly a striker. 

 

A lot of work still to do. 

[compo 6,576]

Defence is like the foundations of your building get that right and it gives you something solid and reliable to build upon 

[Scott7 5,661]

Is it not the pattern with Butland that he loses form/confidence for spells? You can carry an outfielder through a short bad spell but not a ‘keeper.

[Malangsob 1,264]

Scored some goals. Let some in. Team overall are a...mess.

 

Definitely NOT confident for Tynecastle, but hey that calendar don't wait. 

 

It's time Y'all!