2-2 Post mortem inquest!

[SmartRs]

I am old enough to remember a pre-season game at Brentford in 1966.

We we both in the same division for the coming season but we lost the game 6-1. Brentford went on to get relegated to the old Fourth Division while we went on to win the Third Division and the League Cup.

Pre-season friendlies are just organised training sessions. That's why I tend not to go to them as they aren't the real thing.

A friendly gives you the opportunity to try things that you wouldn't gamble with in a proper game. It gives you the chance to play players who are maybe a bit short of match fitness. It also gives the other players a chance to sharpen up. But, you shouldn't read too much into it as lower league sides will always want to raise their games on these occasions.

Just treat it for what it is, organised training and practice. The real test comes in two weeks time, then we can really judge a lot better.

[ScottJones]

I am old enough to remember a pre-season game at Brentford in 1966.

We we both in the same division for the coming season but we lost the game 6-1. Brentford went on to get relegated to the old Fourth Division while we went on to win the Third Division and the League Cup.

Pre-season friendlies are just organised training sessions. That's why I tend not to go to them as they aren't the real thing.

A friendly gives you the opportunity to try things that you wouldn't gamble with in a proper game. It gives you the chance to play players who are maybe a bit short of match fitness. It also gives the other players a chance to sharpen up. But, you shouldn't read too much into it as lower league sides will always want to raise their games on these occasions.

Just treat it for what it is, organised training and practice. The real test comes in two weeks time, then we can really judge a lot better.

Nail and head. Good post.

Roll on Blackpool

[Scarlet pimple]

True, the over reaction on here is unbelievable

[vanhoop]

Im more concerned about the amount of goals we are conceding.

mutley,was at the game last night.they were given a penalty,and thier second was a bad mistake by connelly.vine looked tired balanta was by far the best player on the pitch.faiplay to oxford battled well and really wanted to beat us,but was a kickabout for the Rs.893 made the journey up.good night had by all.good to meet ya QPRsuttz

[scarface]

Right people by the sounds of things most people who went last night are saying balanta was our best player but yet again we're playing him out wide and dare i say out of position,why not stick him upfront for last two pre season games and see if he can hit the back of the net i've got no faith in agymeng or the italian why not give the kid a chance in his right position. Also i doubt he'll even start the season in the team which would also be a disgrace if he's been our best player in pre season.

By the way i would of thought liverpool would of sent out a reserve or even youth team last night as the first team squad are in singapore and before you all start i know gerrard played but i doubt anyone else you would recognise would of.

[bjqpr76]

I think most people on this board agree we need at least one full back & one quality striker. The over reaction to this result is a little concerning though, so I'd like to pose a question..........

What would the response be if after our next FRIENDLY we come away winning 8-0? Agyemang & HH get a hatrick a piece, Ramage breaks from the back to calmly slot past the keeper, Pellicori(!) scores a 35 yard screamer & Borrowdale has an absoloute stormer at the back,not putting a foot wrong & starting play from the back. Would we then be saying we're cert's to go up because we had a decent result against Wycombe?

[yugohoop]

I remember us beating the **** 3-1 a few seasons back and do you think they thought they would get relegated from the prem?

[kingo]

I am going to Wycombe, so I am really looking forward to the Geordie Cafu rounding the keeper !!!

I think JM will have a pretty good idea of his starting 11 and the intoduction of Faurlin, and Buzz plus HH to the players that played last night will make a massive difference. I have not seen Borrowdale play and hope he can make it but still feel we need a quality attacking left back. In an ideal world I would love us to get another striker but I also feel that a team that has goal scoreres all over the pitch is much harder to play against.

[W12_Ranger]

I think most people on this board agree we need at least one full back & one quality striker. The over reaction to this result is a little concerning though, so I'd like to pose a question..........

What would the response be if after our next FRIENDLY we come away winning 8-0? Agyemang & HH get a hatrick a piece, Ramage breaks from the back to calmly slot past the keeper, Pellicori(!) scores a 35 yard screamer & Borrowdale has an absoloute stormer at the back,not putting a foot wrong & starting play from the back. Would we then be saying we're cert's to go up because we had a decent result against Wycombe?

Without a doubt thats what some would be saying which is why you must try to ignore some rubbish that has been written about last nights result.

[themodfather]

if players not fully fit with 2 weeks to season starts....we are truly going down.
then again all clubs start pre season at the same time...

not beating non league dross is poor, yet many say we played well...

i assume, we changed team/side a bit during the 2nd half

[kingo]

if players not fully fit with 2 weeks to season starts....we are truly going down.
then again all clubs start pre season at the same time...

not beating non league dross is poor, yet many say we played well...

i assume, we changed team/side a bit during the 2nd half

I was talking to a mate who was at the game last night and he said Oxford looked really up for it last night, he felt that after blowing them away for 20 mins we took our foot off the gas and never really put it back on again. Maybe they were told not to risk getting injured with the league start only 2 weeks away. Yes we should be nearly up to full fitness but we don't need pointless injuries, like Hogan got at FGR.

[winalotto]

If your getting battered in pre season then at this time there would be a concern, but its still manly to get there touch back and to get sharpness in there game, there really is no need to concern yourselves about a draw with Oxford. as long as all the players get a run out get time in there legs and more importantly finish each game with no new
injuries, then the boss will see a gradual improvement.

[BUSHRANGER1982]

I don't worry about pre-season friendly results.........I usually wait for the league season to start, then take it from there. :waaaht:

[eghamR]

If anyone at any level , includung women(like Cait lol) has played football, they willl all tell you friendlies are that.Friendly..

I know this is Saturday amateur league - but few years ago the team i managed - beat all the top clubs in 4 pre seasonm friendlies....we thought we would walk the league - only to get the worst start possible once the season started.

Very good point made about Spurs last season by poster above.

What Jim will get out of these games, is who is conformatable where and what areas need to be looked at.

We do need a striker - but the encouraging points about our team, is that we have players from mdfield that can contribute.

I played football to a pretty high non-league standard ..and i'll tell you all the managers i played under would give us a #######ing if we rocked up for a game against a team 3 levels lower than us and lost ...friendly or no friendly ...lets not forget the teams we have lined up this summer are all cannon fodder to give us a bit of momentum for August 8th!

[qblockpete]

Peterboro scored 3 today against Premiership oipposition, Orient scored 6 against Newcastle and notts County beat Forest, just a few of the friendly results that came out today.