How are we playing? Would have loved to have gone (Oxford one of the few in the 92 I've not done) but a hernia op last Tuesday means I'm grounded Really starting to look forward to the new season though, and train tickets already bought for Stoke and Sheffield!!
Back now. Quite encouraging at times, although silly mistakes lost possession a lot. We try to play out and it works quite well, although Lumley can look a little heavy footed at times. I thought we started in a 4-1-4-1 with Eze as the one up top, but basically playing as a false 9. Line up: ---------------------------------Lumley------------------------------- Rangel-----------Hall--------------------Barbet--------Manning ----------------------------------Ball----------------------------------- Shodipo--------------Scowan----------Amos---------------BOS --------------------------------------Eze------------------------------- Rangel was solid as usual and I liked the pairing of Hall and Barbet. Manning was good going forward, with great crosses into the box. However, defensively he was very poor and he is rather slow. Ball looked good holding and Scowan worked hard, although he does give it away too often. Amos took his goals well and works his nuts off. Could be a favourite this season. Shodipo was great and showed loads of pace and trickery. BOS had his moments but wasn't great imo. Eze showed some beautiful touches and his first touch is simply top drawer. He moved past players time after time and played some lovely balls through, one for Scowan that he should have finished but he hit the post. Their goal to keep it to 1-2 by half time was a beauty and Oxford actually looked half decent at times. 2nd half we started very brightly and were all over them. A lovely move left Shodipo in but he couldn't keep the shot down and hit the bar. Changes then made us look really poor. Leistner and Masterson(?) or Owens(?) took over as centre backs and full back, with Scowan going to right back and Himalayian on at left back. That back four looked ****ing awful and they were all over us for 20 mins or so. It was hard to see who was where as there were no names on their backs and the "big" screen was about the same size as my TV and the PA was inaudible!! Chair has promise, but I'm not convinced he'll start much. Desperately need a forward so that Eze can get on the ball more. In the end, we got back control of the game and held on. Probably should have won by 3 or 4. I liked our pressing and the intention to play out, whilst switching play a lot. I'm encouraged overall.
Definitely progression from Borehamwood- apart from the obvious lack of strikers there were lots of positives. I really hope Chair comes good this season - there are glimpses of real quality.
Excellent a win! so going by the reactions to our previous pre-season games a win now makes us firm promotion contenders?
I’m always as optimistic as I can be for a new season but if you were going to pick one team to get absolutely pumped on August 3rd it would be us.
Impossible to say mate. As I said, I'm encouraged. I don't like Manning at left back as he clearly doesn't understand what being a full back entails. He was constantly out of position and was forever being bellowed at by Lumley and the other players. Lovely left foot, but slow and not a left back. If the guy from Rangers is fit and starts at left back it will make quite a difference I reckon. I think we'll be ok, as long as we find a striker.