Sure, we all know this is preseason and the games don't count for anything at all. Different players and different combinations being used. BUT, against 6 teams of varying quality, not one clean sheet might just be saying something? Or, am I all wet?
COYW!!!!
You're right. Its worrying. People will get their excuses in.. pre-season, PL opposition etc but the fact remains. We still can't defend.
Quote from: JoelH5 on July 27, 2019, 04:01:19 PM
You're right. Its worrying. People will get their excuses in.. pre-season, PL opposition etc but the fact remains. We still can't defend.
And season starts soon. Will FFC obtain proper help in this regard? I've seen many posts saying FFC is "good enough" to advance with the team as is. Other teams aren't sitting still. I just can't see it if the backline defense isn't strengthened. If FFC continues to leak goals in the Champ, it could be mid or lower table this season. Glad to see some upgrades for the offense, but this defense needs help.
Especially if Mawson is out for any length of time!
There is plenty of work to be done, Barnsley will be no picnic.
Quote from: LittleErn on July 27, 2019, 04:09:45 PM
Especially if Mawson is out for any length of time!
Let's hope it's more of an impact injury as opposed to a strain or a pull, and let's hope reinforcements are coming over the hill.
We have learned nothing new. We have all said we need a better defence for three years. All we did was bring in an injured player last season. Same concerns as there have been for years. We got promoted with a bad defence but I am not sure we can expect to come close again with the defence.
Mawson is gonna do a ledley king, he will never be a full season player now on, replacements needed at least 2cbs
Agreed & everyone knows the reason; every fan, every pundit, literally everyone & it's been the case for years.
Unfortunately, the people that deal with recruitment don't see the issue, which causes us a major issue.
Also, 1 win from 6, friendlies or not, won't do confidence any good.
Tony Khan has just under two weeks to strengthen our defense or it's going to be a very long season.
We have not fixed the need for dominant defenders who will win a personal battle with a decent striker. We might in the coming week, but we should have acted sooner. Winning football is about defensive strength embellished by attacking weapons. The whole league knows we are soft at the back.
We are indeed soft at the back, and that has been apparent since Adam Met Eve and said "stand back I don't know how big this thing gets".
Which unless these problems are addressed at the back with medically fit and better quality players than we have now, not forgetting at least one CM as well as at least one CB, then I hope we have got youngsters ready to come in as a regular, it's all hands on deck.
We will have to score more every game than the other teams.
Quote from: hovewhite on July 27, 2019, 10:01:03 PM
We will have to score more every game than the other teams.
Obviously.
Played 6, Wins 1, Draws 1, Losses 4, Goals For 5, Goals Against 8, Goal Difference -3, Points per game 0.66
Quote from: Lighthouse on July 27, 2019, 05:02:16 PM
We have learned nothing new. We have all said we need a better defence for three years. All we did was bring in an injured player last season. Same concerns as there have been for years. We got promoted with a bad defence but I am not sure we can expect to come close again with the defence.
[/quoteQuote from: Lighthouse on July 27, 2019, 05:02:16 PM
We have learned nothing new. We have all said we need a better defence for three years. All we did was bring in an injured player last season. Same concerns as there have been for years. We got promoted with a bad defence but I am not sure we can expect to come close again with the defence.
Last summer we brought in Bryan, Chambers, Le Marchand and Mawson , all sounded pretty good at the time but for some reason didn't work out for us, Don't see why Tony Khan is taking the flack about our defensive failures.
Actually after a 0-1 defeat at the Cottage I am more worried about our star studded attack as I always expect to see a couple of goals from us at home. No use having a watertight defence if we are going to fail to score.
Quote from: Fulhammy on July 27, 2019, 05:24:04 PM
Tony Khan has just under two weeks to strengthen our defense or it's going to be a very long season.
I remember quotes in the last windows same as this.
And certain posters replied by telling people to stop moaning as there is still plenty of time.
Well time ran out on them occasions..... Hello TK,don't let it happen again defence wise.🙅
Quote from: The Rational Fan on July 28, 2019, 02:34:15 AM
Played 6, Wins 1, Draws 1, Losses 4, Goals For 5, Goals Against 8, Goal Difference -3, Points per game 0.66
4 of those games have been against premiership quality opposition, who all put out their first team. Were you expecting better results given we just got relegated from this league? Asides from a few players, we played our reserves against Oxford and half our first team against Cambridge. Cambridge was also the first game back for all players, so naturally they would be rusty and lacking chemistry. I think it's therefore reasonable to not be too disheartened by those performances.
I'd much rather we play teams of higher quality than the championship, than be heading into the championship having played against lower quality opposition, e.g. Boreham Wood, barnet, Blackpool, Doncaster. The quality of opposition in our first few games will be lower this way and the team can have confidence that they didn't get torn apart by any of the premier league opposition they encountered, rather they managed to get an even contest out of each of the games.
Barnsley lost 4-1 to Sheffiled United; Birmingham lost 4-0 to Brighton; Brentford lost 3-1 to Bournemouth; Bristol City lost 5-0 to Palace; Charlton lost 4-1 to Villa; Luton lost 5-1 to Norwich - this gives an idea of how other teams performed against premier league opposition - not a pretty selection of results.
The real stuff starts next week we will have a better idea then
Quote from: GJB on July 28, 2019, 10:30:56 AM
Quote from: The Rational Fan on July 28, 2019, 02:34:15 AM
Played 6, Wins 1, Draws 1, Losses 4, Goals For 5, Goals Against 8, Goal Difference -3, Points per game 0.66
We all know about our poor defense, but that offense production does not impress either. Three of the six games FFC held scoreless. Of course, pre season matches count for nothing.
Let's hope the boys can re-trench/re-gather, and come out playing the way a winning football club should. By all accounts, the offense should be good. The defense will always be suspect until/unless upgrades are acquired, which looks unlikely at this point.
Quote from: filham on July 28, 2019, 10:13:38 AM
Quote from: Lighthouse on July 27, 2019, 05:02:16 PM
We have learned nothing new. We have all said we need a better defence for three years. All we did was bring in an injured player last season. Same concerns as there have been for years. We got promoted with a bad defence but I am not sure we can expect to come close again with the defence.
[/quoteQuote from: Lighthouse on July 27, 2019, 05:02:16 PM
We have learned nothing new. We have all said we need a better defence for three years. All we did was bring in an injured player last season. Same concerns as there have been for years. We got promoted with a bad defence but I am not sure we can expect to come close again with the defence.
Last summer we brought in Bryan, Chambers, Le Marchand and Mawson , all sounded pretty good at the time but for some reason didn't work out for us, Don't see why Tony Khan is taking the flack about our defensive failures.
Actually after a 0-1 defeat at the Cottage I am more worried about our star studded attack as I always expect to see a couple of goals from us at home. No use having a watertight defence if we are going to fail to score.
I agree about the flack TK is getting. It is not as if every signing works for every club. But I do question the centre half problem. Chambers was terrible at central defence. Le Marchand consistently makes mistakes. Mawson is prone to injury problems. I am not blaming TK but we have needed a commanding central defender or two for some time. The players we have brought in are not that type of defender. Bryan was replacing a position we had covered by a loan player in our promotion year.
Like singing Auld Lang Syne or flipping a pancake, just once every year I get to use the following phrase: "notoriously unreliable guide". Doesn't matter how pre-season has gone, it sounds equally knowing and wise. This thread seems the right place for my annual dictum.
