bluetonium
Well-Known Member
Really enjoyed watching the highlights, some great goals and in our play there were signs of something very special, things that fitness and training can't hammer into a team, a kind of synchronicity of the team. Very promising but more tests to come. Was surprised to see Real's team included the majority of the first team in the first half, we seemed to dominate a midfield of Casemiro, Modric and Kovacic very well so I think that is a sign that we are on track to play our game, and that Pep & Co are certainly getting in to full swing tactically.
Media can quote pounds and pennies all they like, we've bought quality, and I think we probably have a very good environment right now to bring in a couple of younger players in to the fold, the blueprint for the future so to speak. The fact that we've paid big amounts does come with some expectation, but if these lads are already good enough now, at their age and in a brand new team set up, then exciting times ahead indeed. But one game is all it is, we've got to go and to do that again and again to show we are something special. But have a sneaking feeling someone is going to get walloped by six or seven this season, and usually those kind of results happen quite early on in the fixture list.
What strikes me more than anything though is that we are no longer dependent on one or two players turning up, firstly because we have others who can make us play too now and get us on the front foot, and also because it just doesn't seam to be an issue to get players up for it, I hope this is a feature for us every game and not just against Madrid following a 0-2 loss to the scum. Everybody buys in to it and, pre season or not, putting four past Real is good work. OK, Real looked off the pace and a bit lazy, but it is not their first game of pre season at all. I think that they may be suffering from post-silverware blues somewhat, but they are still a team who will be involved in the latter stages of all competitions they enter this year.
Two areas I think we need more of a challenge on - defence still, and maybe taking chances / attitude coming from behind. The first as I found it hard to judge from the highlights, we seemed to be back in numbers but they still had shot on goal (ok its Real, probably always going to happen) and the second as we could have gone behind in such a scenario should Bale, Benzema or even Ronaldo, had he been playing, stick one of those chances in, which creates questions about how we react and how we get back in to games, though the point is kind of nullified as Pep's goal clearly is for us to score first, score second and then finish them off, so that bizarre statistic last year of teams having one chance and scoring against us time after time is not even an issue should it be repeated this year.
Also the perfect answer to the raggies who have been delighting at work this past week about beating us then Madrid - told them they were our first game of pre-season and we played kids so to not to get too carried away, then that the Madrid draw was a Jose hallmark of if you can't beat them on the pitch, make sure nobody plays football and go for set pieces. For us to put four past that same team they drew against, and outplay them in both halves seemingly... perfect for a rainy Manchester Thursday. More quality on show in the goals highlights video of our match last night than in their entire pre season.
Media can quote pounds and pennies all they like, we've bought quality, and I think we probably have a very good environment right now to bring in a couple of younger players in to the fold, the blueprint for the future so to speak. The fact that we've paid big amounts does come with some expectation, but if these lads are already good enough now, at their age and in a brand new team set up, then exciting times ahead indeed. But one game is all it is, we've got to go and to do that again and again to show we are something special. But have a sneaking feeling someone is going to get walloped by six or seven this season, and usually those kind of results happen quite early on in the fixture list.
What strikes me more than anything though is that we are no longer dependent on one or two players turning up, firstly because we have others who can make us play too now and get us on the front foot, and also because it just doesn't seam to be an issue to get players up for it, I hope this is a feature for us every game and not just against Madrid following a 0-2 loss to the scum. Everybody buys in to it and, pre season or not, putting four past Real is good work. OK, Real looked off the pace and a bit lazy, but it is not their first game of pre season at all. I think that they may be suffering from post-silverware blues somewhat, but they are still a team who will be involved in the latter stages of all competitions they enter this year.
Two areas I think we need more of a challenge on - defence still, and maybe taking chances / attitude coming from behind. The first as I found it hard to judge from the highlights, we seemed to be back in numbers but they still had shot on goal (ok its Real, probably always going to happen) and the second as we could have gone behind in such a scenario should Bale, Benzema or even Ronaldo, had he been playing, stick one of those chances in, which creates questions about how we react and how we get back in to games, though the point is kind of nullified as Pep's goal clearly is for us to score first, score second and then finish them off, so that bizarre statistic last year of teams having one chance and scoring against us time after time is not even an issue should it be repeated this year.
Also the perfect answer to the raggies who have been delighting at work this past week about beating us then Madrid - told them they were our first game of pre-season and we played kids so to not to get too carried away, then that the Madrid draw was a Jose hallmark of if you can't beat them on the pitch, make sure nobody plays football and go for set pieces. For us to put four past that same team they drew against, and outplay them in both halves seemingly... perfect for a rainy Manchester Thursday. More quality on show in the goals highlights video of our match last night than in their entire pre season.
