- Print Topic - Archive

Not many from Blackburn but a reasonable home attendance.

Some very wayward passing from both teams at times. Dembele has shown a couple of good touches and should probably have scored with our best chance. First touch not the best when the ball fell to him and he couldn't beat the keeper.

At the other end they've threatened sporadically but only one save required from McKeown.

Looks like we're playing a 4-1-4-1 with Berrett and Vernon the two ones in the formation. The left-back triallist looks OK though they've not been playing down the wings too much so it's difficult to say how he'll do in those situations. Rose barely getting involved in midfield.

Good display by Town so far against a Blackburn side that won 8-0 at York
With a bit of luck we could've gone in leading at half-time :)

Quoted from Maringer

Not many from Blackburn but a reasonable home attendance.

Some very wayward passing from both teams at times. Dembele has shown a couple of good touches and should probably have scored with our best chance. First touch not the best when the ball fell to him and he couldn't beat the keeper.

At the other end they've threatened sporadically but only one save required from McKeown.

Looks like we're playing a 4-1-4-1 with Berrett and Vernon the two ones in the formation. The left-back triallist looks OK though they've not been playing down the wings too much so it's difficult to say how he'll do in those situations. Rose barely getting involved in midfield.

Thanks for this Maringer. I'd automatically assume Rose would be the one to sit in front of the back 4 but perhaps RS has found Barrett a position that suits.How is he doing in that role?

If this is the formation we're going with the I think I'd prefer to see Catdwell as that lone frontman. Can still hold the ball up well but offers much more of a goal threat IMO. Vernon's experience in that role though could be invaluable.

Not a fan of Berrett and he's not done anything tonight to change my mind. Gave away a couple of free-kicks for handball because he grabbed it when he thought he'd been fouled. Also a couple of of cynical trips to stop them breaking after we lost it in midfield.

On the other hand, Rose looks really awkward with the ball at his feet.

I hope Mustoe gets a real test second half we need to see if he breaks.

Blackburn score with deflected shot

no shame in loosing tonight to a good side.. we kept the subs rolling to have a look at things, good work out and will give Russ a few things to think about

Thought vernon did very well tonight but was woefully isolated up top

Hope we dont have to see Sam Jones play wide all season. He worked his nuts off tonight but in a defensive roll. Think we lose his goal scoring prowess and he doesn't create too much out wide. That's the 4th pre-season game i've seen and hes played wide in every one.

We looked solid tonight against one of the favourites to go up in League 1, a draw would've been a fair result.

We are in safe hands under RS and PW.

Good workout tonight. Can safely assume Karleigh Osborne has signed. Jamey Osborne however did not look good hobbling around on crutches.

Hoped to see Roberts for a bit more than 10 minutes in the second half. Mustoe left his side wide open for much of the first half.

Played well at times tonight against a strong blackburn side.

Team and formation was

                      McKeown

Mills        Clarke     Collins     Mustoe

               Rose           Berrett

   Jones                           Dembele
                      Vernon

Hope this isnt the formation we intend to play come chesterfield as it didnt suit dembele or jones and vernon was issolated alot.

Positive notes, defence looked solid and Mustoe looks solid enough at LB. Will be happy if we signed either Dixon, Mustoe or both.

We look to have alot of energy and industry this season and Rose adds a bit of bite in the centre.

Overall a good workout and positives for the season.

Hope we don't either, it's only got 10 players 😀

Must be concern over Jamey Osborn. Knee heavily immobilised and using crutches. There is a fear he has torn a crucial element ligament, but will need a scan.

I think (and perhaps hope) that the 4-1-4-1 formation is probably one we'll see mostly in away games. Trying it out against higher division opposition who are likely to have more possession is probably a reasonable way to see how it is likely to work.

I think the defensive '1' in the formation would probably be much better suited to McAllister as opposed to Berrett. If McAllister never gets fit, then Clements would be my preference in the role. Up front, Vernon put in a decent shift and caused the odd problem (he looks a lot fitter to me than during last season), but he was isolated at times. A lively cameo from Yussuf who looks a lot fitter and sharper this season as well.

As I noted in the other thread, the way Osborne crunched one of their players in a hefty challenge shows the extra physicality he might be able to add to the team.

Rose did OK in fits and starts. A few nice touches in the second half but he's a player who doesn't perhaps look as though he's comfortable with the ball at his feet, even though he might well be!

Similar to our last left-back triallist, Dixon, Mustoe looked pretty solid to me. Based on that performance would be happy enough to see him sign. He's not played too many games altogether but has appeared for a number of clubs at this level during his various loan spells. Worth a punt, perhaps?

Quoted from oldun

Must be concern over Jamey Osborn. Knee heavily immobilised and using crutches. There is a fear he has torn a crucial element ligament, but will need a scan.

Oh great. What a wonderfull start to the season!

Thought we were pretty good throughout tonight. Slight concern that any strike force with pace will trouble Collins and Clarke but the midfield moved the ball quicker than last year and Rose is more mobile than what we had before. Yussuf impressed late on, Summerfield didn't.

MOM Vernon looks a lot fitter and faster now than last season, still over passing when a shot was on, no future in playing Summer field though looked out of his class.

Tonight we just about matched them, and a scrambled goal was the difference, some delightful footwork by Dembele but he tired during the second half, new left back looked OK and Yussuf looked good for the last ten minutes.

NeEd a goal poacher though.

Quoted from Garth

MOM Vernon looks a lot fitter and faster now than last season, still over passing when a shot was on, no future in playing Summer field though looked out of his class.

Tonight we just about matched them, and a scrambled goal was the difference, some delightful footwork by Dembele but he tired during the second half, new left back looked OK and Yussuf looked good for the last ten minutes.

NeEd a goal poacher though.

A better player than this level on a season long loan now hopefully.

Dont think summerfield was any worse nor any better than any of our midfield 2 tonight- berrett or rose. None of them looked to do anything with the ball, just sideways passes

Quoted from promotion plaice

A better player than this level on a season long loan now hopefully.

You don't think Cardwell can step up?

Quoted from TheGoalKipper

You don't think Cardwell can step up?

I think we need a different type of striker to what he is

Quoted from Sigone

Hope we dont have to see Sam Jones play wide all season. He worked his nuts off tonight but in a defensive roll. Think we lose his goal scoring prowess and he doesn't create too much out wide. That's the 4th pre-season game i've seen and hes played wide in every one.

Dave Moore has his work cut out tonight then!

Quoted from Hagrid

Dont think summerfield was any worse nor any better than any of our midfield 2 tonight- berrett or rose. None of them looked to do anything with the ball, just sideways passes

Seriously? I took a Blackburn fan with me tonight who thought our midfield tried to do more with the ball than theirs in the first half. I'd also add that Davies did more in midfield than Summerfield.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Seriously? I took a Blackburn fan with me tonight who thought our midfield tried to do more with the ball than theirs in the first half. I'd also add that Davies did more in midfield than Summerfield.

Yeah seriously- each to their own isnt it, i have no idea if that is RS's 1st choice midfield with 3 out injured but didnt inspire me much tonight.

Quoted from oldun

Must be concern over Jamey Osborn. Knee heavily immobilised and using crutches. There is a fear he has torn a crucial element ligament, but will need a scan.

Crucial element ligament?

Do you mean anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)?

Hope not. If so, he'll be out for 6 - 9 months - ie, out for the season.
Surely the GT would have reported that?

Got a scan this week JT said

Solid performance against league 1 title favourites. Dembele was good in the first half and we were pretty solid at the back, with the trailist left-back solid without being spectacular. I would prefer a better attacking leftback, but have we left it to late now. Poor performance from Berrett again and Summerfield didn't show much, although i liked Davies when he came on, and maybe he could be a better option in midfield?...upfront Vernon huffed and puffed, but had little support and was feeding off scraps, and surely Jones can't be persisted with out wide, he's wasted there. A goalscorer is still needed, and whilst i think we'll be hard to beat, it's hard to see were the all the goals are going to come from. I doubt Blackburn on this showing will be promotion contenders though, whilst for us we'll hold our own and with a couple of addittions we could still challenge for the play-offs. Onwards and upwards for our final pre-season game against Wigan. UTM

My first pre season match this season. Thought we outplayed blackburn overall, they had that bit more composure when passing it around but didnt have much energy about them and were lucky to win.
Sriki dembele did some really inpressive things in the first half, thought our defence looked fairly solid, thought most players who played made a decent contribution. I can't see us scoring enough goals with that attacking set up though.

Decent run out, gave me some confidence for the season ahead, be interesting to see how we eventually line up

I think people take pre season friendlies too seriously. We've scored shedloads of goals against weaker opposition and struggled to score against higher opposition, which is only to be expected. Formations and personnel change hugely during 90 minutes and trialists are thrown into the mix, so the consistency of a settled side won't be known until we get going proper against teams in our own division. I don't read too much into them and give them a swerve.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

Good workout tonight. Can safely assume Karleigh Osborne has signed. Jamey Osborne however did not look good hobbling around on crutches.

Hoped to see Roberts for a bit more than 10 minutes in the second half. Mustoe left his side wide open for much of the first half.

Osborne out till at least January I heard.

So Osborne, McAlister and Clements all injured, it's lucky we have so many midfielders!

Quoted from LondonMariner43

So Osborne, McAlister and Clements all injured, it's lucky we have so many midfielders!

With Clifton injured too we're down to our last four who can play there, bare bones.....

Quoted from chaos33

Crucial element ligament?

Do you mean anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)?

Hope not. If so, he'll be out for 6 - 9 months - ie, out for the season.
Surely the GT would have reported that?

Yes cruciate, which is of course crucial

Am i the only one who thinks we have a natural goalscorer already in Yussuf?

I was about to say something similar about yussuf. It's only preseason I know, but he seems to be stronger and faster than last season and has looked a real handful. I know we've been after a walker or Maynard but it seems to me that yussuf fits that mould already and deserves a chance.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Am i the only one who thinks we have a natural goalscorer already in Yussuf?

Yes!

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Am i the only one who thinks we have a natural goalscorer already in Yussuf?

Just kidding mate.... i like Yussuf, he looks like he's bulked up in the summer and looks strong and fast but not convinced he's a 15 - 20 goal a season man.

"i like Yussuf, he looks like he's bulked up in the summer and looks strong and fast but not convinced he's a 15 - 20 goal a season man."

Not sure that he needs to be if he puts himself about and gets the midfield involved as well. I can see some midfielders getting 5 or 6 goals each from his style of play. Add into that penalties and free kicks around the box he could end up with 20 to 30 assists instead.

Quoted from Maringer

I think (and perhaps hope) that the 4-1-4-1 formation is probably one we'll see mostly in away games. Trying it out against higher division opposition who are likely to have more possession is probably a reasonable way to see how it is likely to work.

A sensible, and good point. We were absolutely trounced away from home on more than one occasion last season and I'd like to think that won't happen under RS.

If we can hold shape, be tight and organised against Blackburn then I'm sure we can against the likes of Chesterfield or anyone else in our league.

We've got big lads who are a threat in the air from set pieces. And we've got exciting players with a burst of pace, so we can hit teams on the break, without having to play a conventional two up top away from home. If this means Sam Jones running in from midfield, or wide (like he did to great effect for Gateshead), then so be it.

For the first time in years, it was our away form last season which was not up to scratch and RS stated that needed to be changed straight away. Equally, I think we've got enough exciting, creative players to really take it to teams at home, too.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Am i the only one who thinks we have a natural goalscorer already in Yussuf?

What about Sam Jones as well? 7 goals in 16 starts last season is pretty impressive!

I thought Jones has looked a bit half-arsed in most of the two pre-season games I've seen against Barnsley and Blackburn. I think perhaps he's not the sort of player who will bust a gut in a friendly but hopefully we'll see more of him once the season starts. Have to say, I'm not convinced that we should be playing him in a wide position as last night, however.

We know he's got goals in him so I'd like to see him playing more centrally than this.

Quoted from gtfc82

What about Sam Jones as well? 7 goals in 16 starts last season is pretty impressive!

Completely agree!

And i can see Osborne getting around the 10 goal mark!

Yussuf is only 24, and can play a big part in our season IMO

Quoted from gtfc82

What about Sam Jones as well? 7 goals in 16 starts last season is pretty impressive!

Sam will score a good amount but for him and the other non strikers they have to get upfield and playing around the penalty area not out wide or deep in midfield.

Quoted from devon mariner

"i like Yussuf, he looks like he's bulked up in the summer and looks strong and fast but not convinced he's a 15 - 20 goal a season man."

Not sure that he needs to be if he puts himself about and gets the midfield involved as well. I can see some midfielders getting 5 or 6 goals each from his style of play. Add into that penalties and free kicks around the box he could end up with 20 to 30 assists instead.

Absolutely agree mate, although 20-30 assists is pushing it a bit ha.

However the original question was "is he a natural goalscorer" and in my opinion I don't think he is.

I do think he'll play an important role in the side this year though - possibly coming off the bench and using his pace and power to terrorise tiring defences towards the latter stages of games.

Yusuf could be the John Paul Pitman type of striker but one who stays fit.

Anyone got a view on Sam Kelly?

Kelly showed some good skill and pace at times last night but his final pass/cross was generally lacking. Have a feeling he could be very good on his day, but I wonder how often that day will come!

It might help once we've signed a left-back permanently so Kelly can develop a better understanding with whoever is playing behind him.

He did make some good quick forward runs and his ball control was ok, However I agree there was little end product as he did not stop until he was at the bye line and closed down. An earlier cross might have been more productive or he could have cut inside himself. Early cross supposes we have a couple of bodies in the box but often we didn't. We seem to have had so many wide players like this over recent seasons. Tombola has improved this aspect of his game though and when played wide Dembele can make things happen, so all is not doom and gloom.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Completely agree!

And i can see Osborne getting around the 10 goal mark!

Yussuf is only 24, and can play a big part in our season IMO

Depends how bad Osborne's injury is

Also for how good Osborne is if you look at his career to date you'll see that Osborne is not really a goalscorer, it seems to be the only thing he lacks, whether he can develop a goal scoring touch time will tell but I think Osborne won't get double figures.