Pre season friendly thread - keep em in here please

Alchemy

Alchemy

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I picked up the Index Catalogue and had a look through there during the Celtic game, that's how bored I was. Good goal by McGeady though.
 

Pigeon_Killer

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I thought the Liverpool game was quite good. In the first half Anderson looked lively without creating much, Bellamy and a much fitter Fowler linked up a few times and look like they could become quite a good partnership given the chance and Paletta looked awesome. I've been really impressed with him in the few games I've watched him. Gonzalez looks like he's struggling but I'm sure he'll come good. In the second half both Pennant and Bellamy looked lively as did Sissoko. It was a bit strange seeing Reina playing in midfield but Liverpool obviously weren't taking it very seriously at that point. Dudek and Hobbs both looked like the contents of a three day old nappy. Neither seemed very composed and both were at fault for all three goals. I don't think Dudek will help himself get a transfer if he keeps playing like that. I would expect the big names to start playing from now on.
 

BaZ87

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Reina had to come on; both Garcia and Aurellio picked up knocks and we had used all subs (outfield ones anyway) so Reina came on, suprised they let Fowler come back on after being subbed
 

J.D.K

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Pigeon_Killer said:
I thought the Liverpool game was quite good. In the first half Anderson looked lively without creating much, Bellamy and a much fitter Fowler linked up a few times and look like they could become quite a good partnership given the chance and Paletta looked awesome. I've been really impressed with him in the few games I've watched him. Gonzalez looks like he's struggling but I'm sure he'll come good. In the second half both Pennant and Bellamy looked lively as did Sissoko. It was a bit strange seeing Reina playing in midfield but Liverpool obviously weren't taking it very seriously at that point. Dudek and Hobbs both looked like the contents of a three day old nappy. Neither seemed very composed and both were at fault for all three goals. I don't think Dudek will help himself get a transfer if he keeps playing like that. I would expect the big names to start playing from now on.
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Paletta looks fantastic early on in his Anfield career, hard as nails gets stuck in and takes everything, ball, man and just has that determination like Carra to stop the danger / clear the danger no matter what. Brilliant to see him doing so well at such a young age, I mean the gulf in quality, composure and class between Paletta and Hobbs was so apparent today.

Gonzales didn't do a lot at all but I think that was largely due to Traore backing him up and not giving him any support down the left in the first half. Pennant looked great wouldn't think it was only his first game for the club as he showed some nice touches, great awareness and linkup play and great vision to pick out a man on several occasions even if he did pick Reina out :)

Fowler looks sharper and sharper by the day, even got subbed and decided he didn't have enough so went back out to play :) Can see a good partnership forming now between Bellers and Fowler, think there is a load of goals to be had if Rafa sticks with that pairing, the quality of delivery into the box from set pieces and open play with Aurillo and Pennant in the second half was superb, even though they did loose the game it was a great run out for some of our players even the goalkeeper Reina got a chance!
 

georges

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Damn. I turned it off just before Reina came on. That's a shame. Hopefully there'll be a youtube video of him in midfield then :)

Thought Pennant was good, same for Aurellio.
Hobbs was hilariously bad. :p

No-one recorded it to computer by any chance? Would like to see the Reina bits :)
 

Stag

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I'm off to White Hart Lane today to see Spurs take on Inter, should be a good test of our european ambitions.

Both teams have depleted squads, but the major blow for us is that King is out for 6-8 weeks! :eek: Rumour has it that Davenport will be partnering Dawson in defense, interesting to see if he over takes Gardner as our 3rd choice CB this season.

I'm also interested to see how we line up in midfield, with Carrick off and Jenas injured. I'm hoping to see Huddlestone play there, and see how he handles quality opposition. Zokora played 45 minutes yestaday so we should see him at some stage, probably for another. Murphy I imagine will be our attacking threat there, the left side is another question mark. Do we try Ziegler (more of a wing back imo) or play Davids (not suited to the position imo) or Tainio. Tainio would be my favoured choice although Routledge has been tried on the left in preseason so maybe him.

Teams haven't been confirmed yet though so all this is conjecture, anyone else off to the Lane?

Annoying works on the Victoria line, gonna have to get a bus to Seven Sisters! :( The game should more than make up for it though. :cool:
 

Reesy

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andybtsn said:
Leeds picked up their first pre-season win at the expense of Notts Forest.

Healy and Bakke on the score sheet which was good, and an own goal gave us a 3-2 win.
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Was quite a good game, but a quick free kick really won it for you, which I was rather baffled about.

It was good to see Steve Stone again who clapped the Forest fans when he was substitued. :)
 

Tunney

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Apparently Tainio's second goal was fantastic. Won the ball in the right-back position, ran 50 yards and then curled one in from range.

Aren't Inter favourites to win Serie A this season? :)
 

Stag

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Tunney said:
Apparently Tainio's second goal was fantastic. Won the ball in the right-back position, ran 50 yards and then curled one in from range.

Aren't Inter favourites to win Serie A this season? :)
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The goal really was a stunner, wasn't in the best position to view the angle but the run was immense. He just ran and ran, no-one dared close him down until he got to the edge of the box and blasted it.

Spurs Started 4-3-3 with Routledge playing right back, he did ok but was caught out of position a few times. I can't see him playing there very often, they ended the game playing 4-5-1 with Berbatov as a lone striker. Tainio dropping back to right back, which gave Routledge freedom down the wing.

Ziegler coming on to play left wing also did well, retaining possesion nicely by spinning on the ball. The strikers didn't receive excellent service but their movement and teamwork was good.

Inter made very few chances though pushed us back a fair bit in the first half, their goal wasn't anything special. Routledge fought on the right to keep the ball in but hit it forward and it was intercepted. Davids appealed that the ball went out, Inter played on and a couple of neat passes and a shot resulted in Cerny fluffing it and gifting Martins a tap in.

The first half I felt Davids was very lazy and not what you'd expect from him, presumerably a No swearing, Big Kev from Jol later and second half he was back to his best. With a second choice central midfield we did well against quality opposition, I just want to know how well Zokora and Jenas will work together?

Good game overall, great result! :D
 
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