Cheltenham Town (A) Pre-Season Friendly 26/7/11.

[4143]

Gnakpa managed to look even less interested than Julian Gray

Careful - products of the politically-correct 80s will be screaming "racist!".

[stourportsaddler]

Just got back from my first preseason friendly and I have to say we were crud.
To be fair to Cheltenham they played us off the park and could of scored 4 or 5.
I know people have said we didn't play the first team but apart from maybe Chambers and Macken it wasn't far off!!!
Anyhow here is my verdict on the players tonight.
Grof - Looks half decent and had no chance with the goals.......Kicking got worse as the game wore on but doesn't every Walsall Keepers?
Beevers - Looks a bit one paced to me but he was up against Cheltenhams best player who had pace to burn.
Smith - Looked poor, not close enough to the forwards and looked out of position a lot of the time.
Butler - Quiet game nothing good or bad really.
Sadler - Our best player tonight, comfortable on the ball and looks like he knows what he is doing!
Gnapka - Poor - didnt win a header all night - didnt beat his player and never got a decent cross in.
Taundry - Had a good game, always wanted the ball and got his foot in
Peterlin - Looked to get the ball down but was easily knocked off the ball and didnt do much
Hurst - Did okay, comfortable and showed he can cross with both feet. A bit one paced though.
Jarvis - Felt sorry for him as he never got any service but looked like he could do okay.
Nicholls - Scored a good goal but looks lightweight and isn't a striker.
Subs

Paterson - scored a good goal and looked like he could be an asset this season always wanted the ball.
Chambers - Looked our best player when he came on, kept it simple.
Grigg - No real time on the ball.
Jones - as above
Bowerman - Looked raw but had a couple of chances.

I'm sure people will have different views but I thought we were one dimentional and slow

[Registered Saddler]

Gnakpa managed to look even less interested than Julian Gray

Careful - products of the politically-correct 80s will be screaming "racist!".

OK, just substitute Julian Gray for Michael Ricketts.

[priestley_saddler]

That was not good. I know that starting XI wont be the one that takes to the field against Orient, but the fact remains that at some point over the course of the season they could well be. That is a frightening prospect.

I would assume the plan for Deano is that of those who played tonight, anyone who can be replaced will be. That'll mean against Port Vale Wacka will be in goal, Westlake will be at right back, Lancashire will be in for Smith. Chambers will play alongside either Taundry or Peterlin (based purely on his pre-season form I'd have to say Taundry), and obviously Macken and Grigg will come in for Jarvis and Nicholls.

However, that doesn't take away from the fact that we were woeful tonight. 3-2 flattered us by about three goals. Mohammed, their number 23, ran rings around us all night. He spent last season at AFC Wimbledon I believe, and Cheltenham got him while we got Gnakpa. I agree with Registered Saddlers comment above about him looking less interested than Gray. The problem with him is this. He doesn't pass the ball and tries to do something magical, meaning when he gets the ball nobody goes and supports him (waste of time as he wont pass it anyway) so everyone stands around waiting for him to fall over the ball, and then stand there waiting for someone else to win it back.

Gnakpa aside, there was just nothing there. There was no pace, no movement, no direction, no energy. It was just pap. I know its only pre-season but as I've said above that XI could take to the field together at some point over the course of the season and that would be worrying if they did.

The best player for us on the night was probably Grof. He appeared to injure his arm in the warm up and went off with ice on it, but still took to the field and played the full 90 minutes. Wacka could potentially be coaching his own replacement here. He commands his box really well for a player so young, and is a very good shot stopper. If Wacka decides to hang up his gloves at the end of this season then we need to make sure this guy is ready, as he could well be good enough.

Our best spell of the match was probably the last 10-15 minutes when Paterson and Bowerman came on (for Gnakpa and I think it was Jarvis). We looked a lot more balanced with those two on the pitch, which with all due respect to them is worrying in itself. Paterson took his goal very well. I hope these two really come on this season.

Its not panic stations yet, its far too early for that. But Deano would be mad to just ignore a performance like that because it was pre-season, as the warning signs were there for all to see.

As a final point, what a friendly club Cheltenham is. I'd never been there before, but before the game we were standing outside the ground eating a bag of chips when the steward came out and said "Don't bother standing out here rushing them lads, take them in with you", and then as we left they were very much "Goodnight, have a safe journey home" which made a refreshing change from the miserable so and so's you get at other away grounds.

[Banksy]

Not listening to any of this its only pre season nonsense we were dire. Even the ginger mouriniho will struggle with this lot. Not his fault he has one of the worst budgets in the league though.

Grof- Ok made a couple of decent stops
Beevers- shocking, makes Lescott look half decent
Butler- Even god himself struggled to look good tonight, better than the majority
Smith- Where is Clayton Mcdonald playing again?
Sadler- Only one of the new players barring Chambers who looks a decent player.
Hurst- was he playing?
Gnapka- Made Julian Gray look like a trier
Taundry- our best player again, battled and sprayed some good passes, recieves unfair criticism
Peterlin- again was he playing?
Nicholls- Scored but he was the usual Nicholls garbage, seems harsh on a bloke who scored but he was
Jarvis- Is exactly what it says on the tin a Leyton Orient reject, useless

A menton to paterson who came on and looked to get at players and scored a great goal, should be one of the 1st names on th team sheet based on what he did when he came on

[Exile]

Complete the following phrase:

"Stop _______ and get behind the ____"

:D

[priestley_saddler]

Is it

"Stop attacking and get behind the ball"

?

:wink:

[latviancheese]

Is it

"Stop attacking and get behind the ball"

?

:wink:

:lol:

[Neuromantic]

I really think we are 2/3 quality players short of a team at the moment.

[Exile]

I really think we are 2/3 players short of a quality team at the moment.

That's better. We've got a team, whether it's quality is the moot point.

We get what we get. If that's all we can afford, then that's the team we have to get behind. We're not the world's biggest payers, nor are we capable of nudging the bigger payers in this league, so it's up to the supporters to get behind the team we get. Pleasing to see that according to the front page poll very few fans expect us to be promoted, or even in the playoffs, so maybe for the first time in a while reality is close to expectation for lots of us. Let's just support the team and see where it gets us.

[King Crimson]

I really think we are 2/3 quality players short of a team at the moment.

Certainly sounds like it.

If only those still traumatised by the sale of Scott Dann and still incandescent with rage from crass remarks by our owner in the Express & Star in 2008 were restored to health.

Then we'd have sold an extra 2000 season tickets and could add these two or three players, decisive to our season, to the club's payroll.

Get well soon, fellas. :(

[Magic Man Fan]

Not listening to any of this its only pre season nonsense we were dire. Even the ginger mouriniho will struggle with this lot. Not his fault he has one of the worst budgets in the league though.

No, its our below average attendances that cause that.

[Mal]

Team:

Grof

Beevers Smith Butler Sadler

Gnapka Taundry Peterlin Hurst

Jarvis Nicholls

Looking at the team that was put out and having only seen the two home friendles against Wolves and Villa it looks to me like a team of fringe players been given a chance to press there claim for a spot.

I have mentioned on another thread I would expect the Port Vale game to be his 1st choice 11

So looking at the above

Walker for Grof
Lancashire for Smith
Chambers for Peterlin
Macken for Jarvis
Grigg for Nicholls

I have stuck with Beevers as he is Dean's signing but you may even add Westlake for Beevers to that so over half the team would be different. I think he will go with Taundry based on pre season and I for one hope he takes his chance however Peterlin and Chambers were excellent together against the Wolves.

Lets not forget we are also looking at getting in another couple of signings and we will have the usual influx of loans and January signings as all clubs now do, so I don't think we should be all doom and gloom as the signings have been generally more positive in terms of age and experience than we have had in the O'Keefe/Marshall/Hughes seasons past! Sam Parkin anyone! :?

[bleed_red_n_white]

I went last night and like I said before, with that team we'll do well to stay in this league. Tonights performance was pathetic.

[bleed_red_n_white]

Team:

Grof

Beevers Smith Butler Sadler

Gnapka Taundry Peterlin Hurst

Jarvis Nicholls

Looking at the team that was put out and having only seen the two home friendles against Wolves and Villa it looks to me like a team of fringe players been given a chance to press there claim for a spot.

I have mentioned on another thread I would expect the Port Vale game to be his 1st choice 11

So looking at the above

Walker for Grof
Lancashire for Smith
Chambers for Peterlin
Macken for Jarvis
Grigg for Nicholls

I have stuck with Beevers as he is Dean's signing but you may even add Westlake for Beevers to that so over half the team would be different. I think he will go with Taundry based on pre season and I for one hope he takes his chance however Peterlin and Chambers were excellent together against the Wolves.



Lets not forget we are also looking at getting in another couple of signings and we will have the usual influx of loans and January signings as all clubs now do, so I don't think we should be all doom and gloom as the signings have been generally more positive in terms of age and experience than we have had in the O'Keefe/Marshall/Hughes seasons past! Sam Parkin anyone! :?

This is where I worry the players coming in ok yeah are better but we seriously need players coming into midfield in which we have very little craft.

[Cheesebag]

Looking at the positives at least Smith knows that Westlake is first choice right back........

[big baz 1]

Awful just awful

[priestley_saddler]

I agree with Mal, which goes with what I posted above about 5-6 changes from what would be our first choice XI. One thing that didn't strike me until this morning when I looked back at the starting line up, apart from Chambers all the new players started. They were accompanied by Nicholls, Taundry and Manny Smith, three players I think the majority of us would have released last season had they not had another year on their contracts. Butler was the only 'key' player in the XI. So when it looked like the players had never played together before, there was probably a good reason for that, as they hadn't.

I'm more concerned about the depth of the squad than this time yesterday. It may not be the starting XI but when we start making subs later in the games then it could be the XI we finish with in some instances. But we still have the positive performances from Wolves and Villa to get encouragement from, and we also scored twice last night despite playing badly.

[Duke]

Fans are taking pre season results, performances far to seriously , get the lads fit is all that matters .

[BathSaddler]

Priestley saddler says:
"Mohammed, their number 23, ran rings around us all night. He spent last season at AFC Wimbledon I believe, and Cheltenham got him while we got Gnakpa".

Kaid Mohamed played most of the last two seasons at Bath City at Conference/Conference South level, scoring around 30 goals in 60+ appearances, before signing for AFC Wimbledon at the end of the campaign, helping them to promotion. His ambition has always been to play in the football League and probably chose Cheltenham [rather than AFCW] because it is near to his Welsh roots. He had previously been at Swindon for a short period, but that came to nothing, and his career before Twerton Park had been patchy and somewhat peripatetic.

Kaid often plays down the left or through the middle, and has "pace to burn" having the confidence to take on players [and beat them] at will. A very popular, wholehearted player who scored some cracking goals last season, and scored the penalty that got Bath City promotion through the play offs in 2010. He is considered to have a 'bit of an attitude' - having left Bath because he was only on the substitute's bench for a game against Grimsby - but he was arguably one of the best attacking players in the Conference last season.

Having seen him play many times over the last couple of years, perhaps, in hindsight, he may have been well worth a punt [particularly if we were going to go for someone similar like Gnakpa who is equally untested at FL level].

[Neil Ravenscroft]

It never ceases to amaze me how much people read into pre season friendlies. I'll be astonished if, before they went out last night, the last thing said to them wasn't "For God's sake, don't let's pick up any injuries". It's why I rarely go to them.

[coventriansaddler]

I dont think we need to panic but I think we could probably learn from the defeat. Maybe Grbarsin (or whatever his name was) would give us that little somthing diferent in midfield and protect the back 4 a little more. Has he resurfaced yet?

[Magic Man Fan]

I dont think we need to panic but I think we could probably learn from the defeat.

That's the whole point of all friendlies.

[Jolly Johnny]

I dont think we need to panic but I think we could probably learn from the defeat.

That's the whole point of all our friendlies.

:wink:

[Deano_Saddler]

It never ceases to amaze me how much people read into pre season friendlies. I'll be astonished if, before they went out last night, the last thing said to them wasn't "For God's sake, don't let's pick up any injuries". It's why I rarely go to them.

completely agree. friendlies are about getting back into 90 minute games. Plus the team we played vs cheltenham won't be anything like the team we start vs Orient.

[Duke]

The doom and gloom merchants are out in force before we've kicked off the new season , what will they be like if we don't thrash Orient I dread to think.

OK we've lost a few friendlies that doesn't make us certs for relegation , as I said earlier fans are taking pre season far to seriously

[WFC_Rob]

The doom and gloom merchants are out in force before we've kicked off the new season , what will they be like if we don't thrash Orient I dread to think.

OK we've lost a few friendlies that doesn't make us certs for relegation , as I said earlier fans are taking pre season far to seriously

Yep. The season we beat Villa in pre-season, we ended up getting relegated.
Results in friendlies mean naff all.

[Deano_Saddler]

The doom and gloom merchants are out in force before we've kicked off the new season , what will they be like if we don't thrash Orient I dread to think.

OK we've lost a few friendlies that doesn't make us certs for relegation , as I said earlier fans are taking pre season far to seriously

Yep. The season we beat Villa in pre-season, we ended up getting relegated.
Results in friendlies mean naff all.

Agreed. People need to stop panicking, when the season starts im sure DS will have them ready.

[Magic Man Fan]

The doom and gloom merchants are out in force before we've kicked off the new season , what will they be like if we don't thrash Orient I dread to think.

OK we've lost a few friendlies that doesn't make us certs for relegation , as I said earlier fans are taking pre season far to seriously

Yep. The season we beat Villa in pre-season, we ended up getting relegated.
Results in friendlies mean naff all.

Agreed. People need to stop panicking, when the season starts im sure DS will have them ready.

I agree also, however I think it's important he plays his first choice team at Vale so they're familiar with each other, and hopefully to get a win under their belts to start building some confidence and momentum.

[Neuromantic]

The doom and gloom merchants are out in force before we've kicked off the new season , what will they be like if we don't thrash Orient I dread to think.

OK we've lost a few friendlies that doesn't make us certs for relegation , as I said earlier fans are taking pre season far to seriously

Yep. The season we beat Villa in pre-season, we ended up getting relegated.
Results in friendlies mean naff all.

Agreed. People need to stop panicking, when the season starts im sure DS will have them ready.

I agree also, however I think it's important he plays his first choice team at Vale so they're familiar with each other, and hopefully to get a win under their belts to start building some confidence and momentum.

Exactly what I said earlier pal and on other threads. We need to let the first team gel now and build a positive winning mentality.