It's a practice match people! Score is irrelevant. I expect Saunders bayo Tyson and Hayes were off the pace. They are the oldies. They are not going to give more than 75% in an away friendly to Maidenhead on long grass and risk injury right before the real stuff kicks off are they?!
I expect GA warned all to be extra careful. We can't afford any injuries with our small squad.
A good way to get injured is to go into a game thinking you'll just operate at 80%. Pretty sure that's not what happened here, @Alexo . At least by the eye test, everyone was giving full effort physically.
I know it was only a friendly but it reminded me of the first league match of last season away to Crawley for those that went to that game. Not enough guile or organisation up front. Too many hopeful crosses simply banged in hoping something would happen. Perhaps we need to follow the example of American football & have an "offensive coach" to sort out what happens in the opposition's final third of the pitch.
Otherwise, some decent performances and personally I liked the 3-5-2 set-up in the first-half. Looked more solid and helped to cut down space for the opposition in midfield. Generally, teams that are solid at the back tend to be better promotion candidates over the course of a season. But we need a better plan when we're attacking!
The 3-5-2 was an interesting experiment. Not sure we'll see it in the season ahead as I think it might have been more about having a look at the young trialist while giving JJ ninety minutes but we'll see, we could certainly do with finding another way of playing for when it just isn't happening with the 4-3-3.
It would be somewhat ironic to start playing that way having let go a natural left wing back in Sam Wood.
As ever, we just looked a different team once we had Bayo out there. Although we also look a better team when we don't try to constantly hit him with the long ball. God help us if he gets injured.
I agree. Just a couple of points. According to a friend who bumped into Adam El-Abd on Thursday, he is around 6' - the same as my friend. Unless, as I fear, Paul Hayes starts at least the first few games, I am sure he will be skipper.
I can't believe that , in all these comments, there is no mention of Dave Tarpey. Is he injured or no longer with Maidenhead?
Tarpey seemed extremely lively - bags of pace and always looked dangerous on the ball. I was impressed with the little we saw: can see what the hype was about last year.
We never played with three at the back during his entire time at the club so he never really had the opportunity.
But given, like Michael Harriman, he can play the full back and midfield roles while having the energy to get up and down he's well suited.
I believe, although I'm not certain, that it was his play as a wing back at Bromley that earned him a move into the professional game with Brentford in the first place.
I could see Harriman doing it quite comfortably, but Wood, especially in his last couple of seasons not at all. For me, he wasn't the best attacker or defender, and was very strictly a wide midfielder. So to expect him to excel at both roles I fear wouldn't have gone well.
PSFs are rarely a good barometer for performance in the coming season. Probably the best pre-season I saw in terms of performances and results was the one before the 03/04 season, which stands out as one of the worst in the history of the club.
The current setup at Maidenhead will put out a good side that would give most, if not all clubs at our level a good run for their money, so it'll have to be filed under 'a good run out' and 'blowing away the summer break cobwebs'.
I don't expect us to consistently keep up with the leaders, though I think we could potentially go on a decent run either early on or if we can get a good loan signing or two (or three) in.
Oh..... ffs @rmjlondon please do one. I can't take your doom and gloom. Are you even a true fan?
Are you literally just on here to P others off?
You are an A. hole my son. A leach. A waste of oxygen.
Can someone please advise me how you can ignore this cretins comments? I'm sure others have said before that it can be done. His BS just makes me see red every time. I know that's playing into his hands and expect that is what he/she wants but hey ho. Pls advise me someone!!
@mooneyman lol! Usually I can let their s@@t go, take it with a pinch of salt etc etc.... and it's not even fjm's worst post ever!
Just wound me up tonight for some reason!
I can take critical comments about the team, the management, the fans.... but this person is just something else! Are they a spoof? A troll? Set up the account just to wind us all up? If it is for real I suggest they go support another team if they are always so disgusted by the results, management, other fans views?!!!
My optimistic side hopes we will develop our style of play this year and become capable of an alternative, more fluid route using what I think are some capable footballers, working from a ballplaying back four, with El Abd, Harriman, Jombati, JJ and Muller all being capable footballers (though not suggesting that all should necessarily be among first choice). A midfield including O'Nien, Saunders, Gape and Freeman (with same rider) can play, and then Kashket, Tyson and PCH up top.
I'd love to think they could do something quite attractive with those players. That said, the difference when Bayo came on was striking against Maidenhead! Thus, I don't wholly disagree with Richie, though I do not share the implied pessimism to the same extent.
There's this idea that with Bayo we have to play direct football, because he is big and strong.
I'm not sure that's even true. Sure, his physicality lends itself to hoofball, but he's got a good first touch and a decent footballing brain. I'm not saying he's a good fit for tikka takka stuff but I think we could go a little less direct and still find him very useful.
Agreed @bill_stickers , he's just as adept with the ball to feet, as it's not like anyone is going to be able to outpower him and nick it! And the ball to feet is generally more secure than an aimless lump forward which is always easier to head away, then to head into a dangerous position.
Comments
It's a practice match people! Score is irrelevant. I expect Saunders bayo Tyson and Hayes were off the pace. They are the oldies. They are not going to give more than 75% in an away friendly to Maidenhead on long grass and risk injury right before the real stuff kicks off are they?!
I expect GA warned all to be extra careful. We can't afford any injuries with our small squad.
A good way to get injured is to go into a game thinking you'll just operate at 80%. Pretty sure that's not what happened here, @Alexo . At least by the eye test, everyone was giving full effort physically.
@HCblue I'm happy to stand corrected. I was not at the game.
I know it was only a friendly but it reminded me of the first league match of last season away to Crawley for those that went to that game. Not enough guile or organisation up front. Too many hopeful crosses simply banged in hoping something would happen. Perhaps we need to follow the example of American football & have an "offensive coach" to sort out what happens in the opposition's final third of the pitch.
Otherwise, some decent performances and personally I liked the 3-5-2 set-up in the first-half. Looked more solid and helped to cut down space for the opposition in midfield. Generally, teams that are solid at the back tend to be better promotion candidates over the course of a season. But we need a better plan when we're attacking!
Good post HCblue
The 3-5-2 was an interesting experiment. Not sure we'll see it in the season ahead as I think it might have been more about having a look at the young trialist while giving JJ ninety minutes but we'll see, we could certainly do with finding another way of playing for when it just isn't happening with the 4-3-3.
It would be somewhat ironic to start playing that way having let go a natural left wing back in Sam Wood.
As ever, we just looked a different team once we had Bayo out there. Although we also look a better team when we don't try to constantly hit him with the long ball. God help us if he gets injured.
I agree. Just a couple of points. According to a friend who bumped into Adam El-Abd on Thursday, he is around 6' - the same as my friend. Unless, as I fear, Paul Hayes starts at least the first few games, I am sure he will be skipper.
I can't believe that , in all these comments, there is no mention of Dave Tarpey. Is he injured or no longer with Maidenhead?
Tarpey came on as sub on the hour mate.
Thanks @robin. All the hype seems to have disappeared.
Tarpey seemed extremely lively - bags of pace and always looked dangerous on the ball. I was impressed with the little we saw: can see what the hype was about last year.
@TheatreOfChairs You exactly put into words my thoughts about the attack with and without Bayo!
@TheatreOfChairs , first time I've ever seen Wood described as a natural wing back.
Did he even play that role for us once in 4/5 years?
We never played with three at the back during his entire time at the club so he never really had the opportunity.
But given, like Michael Harriman, he can play the full back and midfield roles while having the energy to get up and down he's well suited.
I believe, although I'm not certain, that it was his play as a wing back at Bromley that earned him a move into the professional game with Brentford in the first place.
I could see Harriman doing it quite comfortably, but Wood, especially in his last couple of seasons not at all. For me, he wasn't the best attacker or defender, and was very strictly a wide midfielder. So to expect him to excel at both roles I fear wouldn't have gone well.
Did Tarpey score? If not he is shit and will have a disastrous season.
PSFs are rarely a good barometer for performance in the coming season. Probably the best pre-season I saw in terms of performances and results was the one before the 03/04 season, which stands out as one of the worst in the history of the club.
The current setup at Maidenhead will put out a good side that would give most, if not all clubs at our level a good run for their money, so it'll have to be filed under 'a good run out' and 'blowing away the summer break cobwebs'.
I don't expect us to consistently keep up with the leaders, though I think we could potentially go on a decent run either early on or if we can get a good loan signing or two (or three) in.
if Bayo gets injured and Kashket is out till November we have massive problems.
I am sure the club shop can give you some time off, so you can step in as our emergency striker!
Oh..... ffs @rmjlondon please do one. I can't take your doom and gloom. Are you even a true fan?
Are you literally just on here to P others off?
You are an A. hole my son. A leach. A waste of oxygen.
Can someone please advise me how you can ignore this cretins comments? I'm sure others have said before that it can be done. His BS just makes me see red every time. I know that's playing into his hands and expect that is what he/she wants but hey ho. Pls advise me someone!!
@Alexo - I assume Richie isn't on your Christmas list!
@mooneyman lol! Usually I can let their s@@t go, take it with a pinch of salt etc etc.... and it's not even fjm's worst post ever!
Just wound me up tonight for some reason!
I can take critical comments about the team, the management, the fans.... but this person is just something else! Are they a spoof? A troll? Set up the account just to wind us all up? If it is for real I suggest they go support another team if they are always so disgusted by the results, management, other fans views?!!!
@alexo click on his name, select 'ignore' from the drop down, enjoy the silence!
Thank you @arnos_grove
So what you're saying @arnos_grove is that his words are very unnecessary?
Although Richie is correct that having our key striker out would be a massive blow, what team in the country wouldn't it be a blow for?
we are relying on Bayo to do what he did last season and he isn't even match fit yet.
My optimistic side hopes we will develop our style of play this year and become capable of an alternative, more fluid route using what I think are some capable footballers, working from a ballplaying back four, with El Abd, Harriman, Jombati, JJ and Muller all being capable footballers (though not suggesting that all should necessarily be among first choice). A midfield including O'Nien, Saunders, Gape and Freeman (with same rider) can play, and then Kashket, Tyson and PCH up top.
I'd love to think they could do something quite attractive with those players. That said, the difference when Bayo came on was striking against Maidenhead! Thus, I don't wholly disagree with Richie, though I do not share the implied pessimism to the same extent.
There's this idea that with Bayo we have to play direct football, because he is big and strong.
I'm not sure that's even true. Sure, his physicality lends itself to hoofball, but he's got a good first touch and a decent footballing brain. I'm not saying he's a good fit for tikka takka stuff but I think we could go a little less direct and still find him very useful.
Agreed @bill_stickers , he's just as adept with the ball to feet, as it's not like anyone is going to be able to outpower him and nick it! And the ball to feet is generally more secure than an aimless lump forward which is always easier to head away, then to head into a dangerous position.