Season 2018/2019

[Snowflake Royal]

Mild concern we're regularly conceding in pre-season. Positive we're scoring. Great to see McNulty bag a goal. Nice to see Smith continue his knack of scoring, although can't see him having much involvement in the first team of course. He seems to be one of those players who look a bit average but just regularly find the net anyway.

[Hound]

Another fair point. I am firmly in the "friendlies results don't matter a jot" camp but there are many who probably put great stock in them.

I think what you want to see is the side gearing up for the season and clear tactics in place. I think we’ve done that so far, and this feels a lot different to the shambles of last preseason

Maybe, but if we continually - and entirely - compare something to a 'shambles', then you are always going to come up smelling like roses. Being 'better than last pre-season' has it's limitations as a useful metric. What is more relevant, is how we compare, both now and going forward, to our peers in this division currently, and that's ultimately what we will be judged by.

Fair point

Still would expect to start the season better this year due to the better prep. Let’s hope so anyway

[Hound]

Mild concern we're regularly conceding in pre-season. Positive we're scoring. Great to see McNulty bag a goal. Nice to see Smith continue his knack of scoring, although can't see him having much involvement in the first team of course. He seems to be one of those players who look a bit average but just regularly find the net anyway.

I like Smith. He works hard and does seem to score goals. Loan this year and hopefully edge of the first next year

Noticed the goals were scored straight after we made 2 defensive subs (that we prob wouldn’t make in a league game). Dunno if it made a difference of course

[Hound]

There’s clips of the goals - actually very decent wing play from Aluko for the 2nd (and did well on the first)

[Zip]

A decent 2-2 draw with Besiktas tonight. Two late goals from Smith and McNulty forced the draw. OK it’s a friendly but the one key area where I think the team will improve under Clement is fitness. This pre season has more intense and started earlier than last season. That should hold the team in good stead.

[ayjaydee]

Mild concern we're regularly conceding in pre-season. Positive we're scoring. Great to see McNulty bag a goal. Nice to see Smith continue his knack of scoring, although can't see him having much involvement in the first team of course. He seems to be one of those players who look a bit average but just regularly find the net anyway.

We had someone similar a while ago who ended up our record goal scorer. If Smith goes on to score half the number of goals our Trevor did he’ll do for me.

[russyb]

A decent 2-2 draw with Besiktas tonight. Two late goals from Smith and McNulty forced the draw. OK it’s a friendly but the one key area where I think the team will improve under Clement is fitness. This pre season has more intense and started earlier than last season. That should hold the team in good stead.

Think these guys had a training session as well today before the game, so if that’s the case it’s a good result after that

[biff]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBycv2S1uI8

rough and ready highlights. very happy to start the Gunter is sh1te bandwagon by pointing out his ... effort... for Besiktas first.

[Old Man Andrews]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBycv2S1uI8

rough and ready highlights. very happy to start the Gunter is sh1te bandwagon by pointing out his ... effort... for Besiktas first.

Would have liked him to move on this summer. I like him, good steady Championship player but everyones time comes to an end and I think this is his time.

[Stranded]

Another fair point. I am firmly in the "friendlies results don't matter a jot" camp but there are many who probably put great stock in them.

I think what you want to see is the side gearing up for the season and clear tactics in place. I think we’ve done that so far, and this feels a lot different to the shambles of last preseason

Maybe, but if we continually - and entirely - compare something to a 'shambles', then you are always going to come up smelling like roses. Being 'better than last pre-season' has it's limitations as a useful metric. What is more relevant, is how we compare, both now and going forward, to our peers in this division currently, and that's ultimately what we will be judged by.

This pre-season we seem to be going down the path of playing teams that are better than us for the main - defeats to Eastleigh and Wimbledon were not ideal but we played 2 teams in those games, so not a concern. This is a great way to approach the pre-season as gives our defence a good work-out whilst seeing if our attacking play can hurt stronger sides. In these first 2 games it has shown we can keep a clean sheet and we can hurt teams - overall a pretty decent place to be.

Comparing ourselves to our peers at this point is a totally fruitless task as clubs are approaching pre-season in different ways i.e. Derby won 4-1 at Notts County on Saturday but that was their first game, despite being back in training since the 29th June - we are already on our fourth game.

So until the season starts, we can only look at our performances and if we want to use any benchmark we can compare to last pre-season, where we are undoubtedly doing better.

[TheSpread]

A little update of pre-season

L Eastleigh 2-1
L AFC Wimbledon 4-2
D Fulham 0-0
D Beskitas 2-2.

For 5
Against 8

[Hound]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBycv2S1uI8

rough and ready highlights. very happy to start the Gunter is sh1te bandwagon by pointing out his ... effort... for Besiktas first.

Would have liked him to move on this summer. I like him, good steady Championship player but everyones time comes to an end and I think this is his time.

agree with that. Yiadom is clearly inked in for that RB spot. If Obita is on the right track, I don't see a place for Gunter really.

[muirinho]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBycv2S1uI8

rough and ready highlights. very happy to start the Gunter is sh1te bandwagon by pointing out his ... effort... for Besiktas first.

without of course pointing out the actual goalscorer got in ahead of Yiadom for pretty much a free header. I see the "Gunter is sh!te bandwagon" is as balanced as always.

[biff]

They aren't mutually exclusive.

I'm sure Mr Yiadom will improve, I know for a fact Gunter won't. Days are numbered with better hungrier wingbacks waiting in the.... Wings.

[winchester_royal]

Managed to watch the majority of the game on a dodgy stream. It was a really good, high tempo game against high quality opposition who for the majority of the game we went toe-to-toe with. They probably shaded it but no shame in that up against genuine CL quality. Scattergun thoughts as follows:

- Meyler is a beast in the middle of the park. Positions himself really well, strong in the tackle, and tidy on the ball. Very impressed and a massive step up on JVDB and Evans.

- Yiadom, although getting beaten in the air for their first, looks a proper full back. Like him a lot. Think he'll be first choice RB this season.

- Meite will cause problems for opposition defences, especially those lacking in a bit of pace. Always looking to run the channels. He looks like he's strengthened up as well. Not sure he's good enough at holding the ball up yet to be first choice but he'll be an excellent option off the bench.

- McNulty was lively when he came on and showed a few nice touches. Seen comparisons made to Alf but I think that's harsh on McNulty who looks like he has a bit more to his all round game than that.

- Don't like Gunter at LB. Constantly turning backwards and slowing the game down. Need Obita back ASAP.

- Illori is a liability. Constantly getting dragged out of position. Think Moore and McShane will continue to be first choice CB pairing for the forseeable.

- We actually had some proper structure to our play going forwards, which is the first time I've really seen that under Clement. Promising signs.

[muirinho]

They aren't mutually exclusive.

I'm sure Mr Yiadom will improve, I know for a fact Gunter won't. Days are numbered with better hungrier wingbacks waiting in the.... Wings.

Fair enough, I'm not particularly criticising Yiadom. Just struck me as funny, that's all, as focussing on Gunter's errors, while ignoring everybody else's is a regular feature of that bandwagon.

As I've said elsewhere, I can't see them letting him go before Obita is back up to speed - whether he goes at Christmas or next summer depends on how Obita recovers, and how quickly Richards improves.

So probably max length of a season for this particular scapegoatery.

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

My predictions for what it's worth:

1. Sheffield Wednesday
2. West Bromwich Albion
3. Stoke City
4. Nottingham Forest
5. Middlesbrough
6. Millwall

17. Reading

21. Blackburn Rovers
22. Sheffield United
23. Hull City
24. Aston Villa

Either a massive WUM or complete Fcukwitt. Difficult to work out which.

What makes my prediction any less than yours? It's a prediction nothing more. That in turn makes you the massive fcukwitt

The fact that I haven't made a prediction nullifies your argument. And to explain my reasoning; it's your bottom three. Yes Villa have financial issues but bottom of the league? And Hull and Sheff Utd won't be fighting relegation either.
How do you think your favourite side Bournemouth will do this season?

[Old Man Andrews]

Either a massive WUM or complete Fcukwitt. Difficult to work out which.

What makes my prediction any less than yours? It's a prediction nothing more. That in turn makes you the massive fcukwitt

How do you think your favourite side Bournemouth will do this season?

Well played.

[Victor Meldrew]

winchester wrote about Besiktas:-

"They probably shaded it but no shame in that up against genuine CL quality".

Did Besiktas put out their first team?

[CountryRoyal]

winchester wrote about Besiktas:-

"They probably shaded it but no shame in that up against genuine CL quality".

Did Besiktas put out their first team?

No and some notable absentees. That being said they still had a lot of quality starters and on paper their team was easily good enough to walk the championship.