Yes, I agree. Certainly one to take with a pinch of salt. It is of course in contrast with KVY, for example, who, despite being released by Ipswich has almost exclusively come with glowing reviews from their fans.
Plus we have plenty of examples of players who have joined having received less than favourable comments from their former club’s support, only to thrive here (and vice versa, in the case of Anthony Stewart and others)!
And plenty saw the signing of our record League goal scorer as a shirt selling and publicity driven exercise rather than a football decision. I just tend to leave it until the ball starts being kicked...pre-season heroes become zeros quite quickly and vice-versa. I thought Duberry was a great signing at the time...
To be honest, I just hope that we are able to see as many of the 1st team squad play against Cardiff. While I've said on here before, I do think that we should be looking for challenging pre-season fixtures to test the quality of the squad rather than play lower league opposition where players keep something back / play unfocused.
If we sign a player because they had 2 great performances against lower league opposition, but then get found out / isn't as good as we thought against similar players, we have to keep this person on for a year.
I may be wrong, and I am going in the hope of seeing a good game, I doubt JJ's testimonial will necessarily be any sort of indicator to the season ahead. Though obviously if we lose I will post 'I think we can say goodbye to the play-offs after THAT!!!!' as is tradition.
Players on both sides are keeping something back in pre-season, so it really doesn't matter. All about building fitness and trying things out. Everything will be managed meticulously so they're in top condition for the start of the season.
I'm sure there was a story at one point that Gaz and Dobbo thought they'd overworked them the first couple of pre seasons and it caught up with them a few games in so subsequently they relaxed the whole period, no guarantees either way and more art than science at times.
I love hitting that point in pre-season where we go from wondering where the signings are to wondering how we will get everyone enough minutes, which we have reached defensively.
It's to the point where the only players I would be fairly confident would play every week if fit are Stryjek, Scowen, Leahy and Vokes.
Nice to see the ITKs allowing us to also worry about us losing players.
Hoping for a sweet spot in early September where we know who we have, we know they're here until January at least, they are all fit, happy, Wycombised, Smoothly playing Bloomball and ten points clear at the top of the league.
According to Exeter's website their whole pre-season consists of a (BCD?) game against Bristol City, a trip to Weston-Super-Mare and a home game with Coventry. So not too dissimilar to ours.
Keith Allen once said that Lawrie Sanchez didn't want to play any PSFs at all. Maybe he was ahead of his time.
Grimmer will start v Exeter, he was a nailed on starter at the end of the season and in great form, why are so many posters dropping him for untested signings?
Comments
I know what you’re saying but if you judged every player who leaves a club by what his former fans say on social media, you’d never sign anyone!
Yes, I agree. Certainly one to take with a pinch of salt. It is of course in contrast with KVY, for example, who, despite being released by Ipswich has almost exclusively come with glowing reviews from their fans.
We will know exactly what all of these players can do for us...and what formation we will play in a couple of weeks.
Exciting, isn't it?
I would be hoping that the team selected for the Cardiff game on Saturday will be close to the expected team to start against Exeter.
A dress rehearsal for the main event, if you will.
If it was me, I'd go with a 4-2-3-1 formation with the following:
Stryjek
Grimmer Forino Taff. Vincent-Young
Scowen Leahy
GMac Breckin Hanlan
Vokes
This is just on reports from online saying that Breckin was an attacking midfielder but his and Leahy's positions can be interchangeable
Plus we have plenty of examples of players who have joined having received less than favourable comments from their former club’s support, only to thrive here (and vice versa, in the case of Anthony Stewart and others)!
And plenty saw the signing of our record League goal scorer as a shirt selling and publicity driven exercise rather than a football decision. I just tend to leave it until the ball starts being kicked...pre-season heroes become zeros quite quickly and vice-versa. I thought Duberry was a great signing at the time...
To be honest, I just hope that we are able to see as many of the 1st team squad play against Cardiff. While I've said on here before, I do think that we should be looking for challenging pre-season fixtures to test the quality of the squad rather than play lower league opposition where players keep something back / play unfocused.
If we sign a player because they had 2 great performances against lower league opposition, but then get found out / isn't as good as we thought against similar players, we have to keep this person on for a year.
I may be wrong, and I am going in the hope of seeing a good game, I doubt JJ's testimonial will necessarily be any sort of indicator to the season ahead. Though obviously if we lose I will post 'I think we can say goodbye to the play-offs after THAT!!!!' as is tradition.
I get that testimonials should be all about the event and in seasons past, they often had surprise appearences from old players
But going into the season without a challenging opponent in pre-season does worry me
Players on both sides are keeping something back in pre-season, so it really doesn't matter. All about building fitness and trying things out. Everything will be managed meticulously so they're in top condition for the start of the season.
It' a tricky line isn't it? If we went into the season with players injured during challenging pre-season games, we would also be up in arms.
'So may injuries?? What ARE we doing in Training???' has already made an appearance.
Hyde
Titterton creaser Crossley cousins
Guppy Thomson Micra Carroll
Scott west
The Micra for Ryan swap works for me!!
POTD
I'm sure there was a story at one point that Gaz and Dobbo thought they'd overworked them the first couple of pre seasons and it caught up with them a few games in so subsequently they relaxed the whole period, no guarantees either way and more art than science at times.
The Titterton creaser sounds like a medieval torture device. And I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of the Crossley cousins...
The Titterton creaser was a narrow gauge steam locomotive run on a line saved by a vicar and various drunks from the local pub.
Scrap the chairlift; let's build a narrow gauge railway instead.
Lionel Richie could open it.
A goal from either would have been a ‘thunderbolt’.
Would have hit the net like a rocket!
Nice, but I think they would struggle against younger teams (ie, anyone under 45).
I love hitting that point in pre-season where we go from wondering where the signings are to wondering how we will get everyone enough minutes, which we have reached defensively.
It's to the point where the only players I would be fairly confident would play every week if fit are Stryjek, Scowen, Leahy and Vokes.
Nice to see the ITKs allowing us to also worry about us losing players.
Hoping for a sweet spot in early September where we know who we have, we know they're here until January at least, they are all fit, happy, Wycombised, Smoothly playing Bloomball and ten points clear at the top of the league.
At least we will be going into this season with our first choice keeper. Hopefully.
You'll be sorry you reminded me of this classic kids TV
https://youtu.be/Hps6L5vS0sc
According to Exeter's website their whole pre-season consists of a (BCD?) game against Bristol City, a trip to Weston-Super-Mare and a home game with Coventry. So not too dissimilar to ours.
Keith Allen once said that Lawrie Sanchez didn't want to play any PSFs at all. Maybe he was ahead of his time.
Grimmer will start v Exeter, he was a nailed on starter at the end of the season and in great form, why are so many posters dropping him for untested signings?
Luckily, we don't get to pick the team.