Two games, Two wins

[Sammy Chung was King]

Admittedly against non league opposition, in Armthorpe and Nuneaton. It’s a good habit to start, winning games with clean sheets. We’ve had a look at a few trialists, got some minutes into the squad and two of our strikers have hit the mark already.
George Miller is going to be a good signing for us, great for Josh Andrews to get off the mark. He can’t afford a bad game or he will become Julie Andrews with our supporters!.

These early pre season games are always patchy, lacking in cohesion due to the swapping and changing of players and formations. They are invaluable for looking at trialists and younger fringe players, while also getting a bit of sharpness into the regulars.
We haven’t learned much about whether we have recovered from last season’s relegation as the opposition hasn’t been challenging enough. These games have helped to build confidence and introduce new player to old.

Harder opposition comes in the next few weeks, hopefully ratcheting up the fitness and togetherness by the time we come upon our opening league game.
Can Lee Tomlin roll back the years and earn a contract with us?.
Has Dunne done it and earned a passage into the squad?.
Will this mythical experienced left back ever arrive?.

I sense a better togetherness in the squad. Improvement is still needed. A few more incomings and maybe a few going out.
Central defence needs an experienced addition. That left back role could be pivotal to whether we do well this season. Will they go cheap and patch up, or fork out for an established hard as they come left back?. Time will only tell. The decision’s the board makes in these next few weeks on funding, could be the deciding factor in how our season goes.

[coventryrover]

The left back position is a key one.   The trialist yesterday got caught out alot.  I watched him in the warm up and wasn't getting the instructions our coach was providing.

Positives from.yesterday include Clayton and our two.new forwards

[Padge_DRFC]

Hard to tell but do the players look fitter? To be honest it wasn't until we started properly last season how bad it was.

[Danmckay456]

I don’t look too much into pre season , we’ve had good ones in the past and fell flat on our faces in the league. All about getting players to last 90 minutes is a must this season as we we’re blowing after 75 minutes in most games and it cost us

[roversdude]

Got to agree with coventryrover Dunne was the weak link yesterday and was out of position a few times, both their number 9 and number 7 did him a few times.
We need an experienced left back, he may be ok as a back up but I’m not convinced he’s a first choice.
Absolutely loved seeing our forwards making runs giving the midfield someone to pass to.
Miller and Andrews could be a partnership that sets this league alight.
No disrespect to Reo but they would be my starting forwards

[Chris Black come back]

I still think we will source a senior left back before the window closes, but again would not be at all surprised if we start season with Rowe at left back and Dunne the understudy.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I doubt any decision on a left back, or others for that matter, rests on any decisions by the board.

There's a high probability offers have been made and they are awaiting decisions whilst looking at a fall back positions.

Signings don't always happen in the order of priority. If only it was that simple as picking things up off a shelf.

Patience will always be a great virtue.

Otherwise, other than a couple of injury concerns, things are looking very positive. The new signings that have kicked a ball so far all look good.

[selby]

  With the last three games last season that is five games unbeaten a massive turn around  on the previous eighteen months and not something we have done very often.
  It shows progress whoever the opposition and starting Wednesday we now step up in class against better teams, results not that important, but performances are in the remaining games of preseason now we are getting down to the nitty gritty and need to prepare for a hard start to the season we must be ready for.
   Up to press a big well done from me, hopefully a couple of quality players to come in, and some development in some of our younger players and they grasp the chance and push on and compete for a start.

[Campsall rover]

I doubt any decision on a left back, or others for that matter, rests on any decisions by the board.

There's a high probability offers have been made and they are awaiting decisions whilst looking at a fall back positions.

Signings don't always happen in the order of priority. If only it was that simple as picking things up off a shelf.

Patience will always be a great virtue.

Otherwise, other than a couple of injury concerns, things are looking very positive. The new signings that have kicked a ball so far all look good.

Bang on DBR.
We live in must have now world. Same on this forum from some regarding signing players.
That’s not how the real world of football works.

I think Dunne could well be a back up signing for left back. If he is offered a contract.

[Campsall rover]

Match fitness is the most important in pre season games.
That never happened last summer. We never recovered.

Yes as we progress through to the last game then team shape starts to be more of a focus also.
It’s the last game at FC United of Manchester that i expect GM to start with pretty much his preferred starting line up for the 1st league game.

[rover-n-out]

I wonder if Copps is overseeing the regime to get players match fit, after all, as an ex player, he knows what it took to be part of a very fit squad, especially in SOD's time here. Will he be drilling it into the coaches what is needed day after day to push these players to greater fitness levels! Or maybe he just keeps out of the way in regards to fitness levels.

[danumdon]

I doubt any decision on a left back, or others for that matter, rests on any decisions by the board.

There's a high probability offers have been made and they are awaiting decisions whilst looking at a fall back positions.

Signings don't always happen in the order of priority. If only it was that simple as picking things up off a shelf.

Patience will always be a great virtue.

Otherwise, other than a couple of injury concerns, things are looking very positive. The new signings that have kicked a ball so far all look good.

Bang on DBR.
We live in must have now world. Same on this forum from some regarding signing players.
That’s not how the real world of football works.

I think Dunne could well be a back up signing for left back. If he is offered a contract.
[/quote

I doubt any decision on a left back, or others for that matter, rests on any decisions by the board.

There's a high probability offers have been made and they are awaiting decisions whilst looking at a fall back positions.

Signings don't always happen in the order of priority. If only it was that simple as picking things up off a shelf.

Patience will always be a great virtue.

Otherwise, other than a couple of injury concerns, things are looking very positive. The new signings that have kicked a ball so far all look good.

Bang on DBR.
We live in must have now world. Same on this forum from some regarding signing players.
That’s not how the real world of football works.

I think Dunne could well be a back up signing for left back. If he is offered a contract.

I haven't seen any of the pre season matches yet, what's the general opinion on Dunne, if he is to become our back up left back is he considered to be an upgrade on Horton?

I think we may have missed a trick with Horton, as a back up to an experienced left back i would of said he was a decent player for us to have, must of been on a manageable contract, an extra years experience and with being in the 4th tier this season should of been an opportunity for him to develop and progress.

If we bring in someone like a Dunne who a few have mentioned is not much if any sort of an upgrade on what we already had, have we thrown out the kid with the bath water?

[roversdude]

Difficult to tell really with Dunne thus far based on the opposition (no disrespect) however I don’t feel he is any better than Horton and is in my opinion only suitable for a back up.
I think the comments attributed to Horton in the gym may have been a factor in him leaving

[Campsall rover]

There may be more than we know about as to the reason Horton was released.
Not suggesting anything sinister. It’s just we don’t know.
I was surprised myself and thought he was worth keeping as a back up left back this season.
It maybe of course he preferred to drop down a level at a relatively local club like Chesterfield are, to get regular 1st team football.

[Campsall rover]

I wonder if Copps is overseeing the regime to get players match fit, after all, as an ex player, he knows what it took to be part of a very fit squad, especially in SOD's time here. Will he be drilling it into the coaches what is needed day after day to push these players to greater fitness levels! Or maybe he just keeps out of the way in regards to fitness levels.

May offer some advice and have some input but don’t expect he will be involved in a hands in way.
He will have far too much to do behind the scenes regarding recruitment.
The club have employed fitness specialists who hopefully know what they are doing this summer.

[Spud]

Difficult to tell really with Dunne thus far based on the opposition (no disrespect) however I don’t feel he is any better than Horton and is in my opinion only suitable for a back up.
I think the comments attributed to Horton in the gym may have been a factor in him leaving

What comments?

[danumdon]

Wasn't aware of any issues internally with Horton but if this was the case then this would of been where a strong man manager could of made a difference, a young lad starting out could loose focus and get a bit giddy but some decent strong man management could of been his saviour, brought him around and enabled a good career to be had with us.

All academic now with Horton and i don't really know what the issue was if there was one  but im hoping this kind of thing can be handled in future with some decent people skills for the benefit of the club.

[roversdude]

Think he was laughing at us getting relegated- could be b*llocks but it was doing the rounds some time before we finally went down, it tied in with him being overlooked for Jackson too. Like I say might be nothing in it but I for one was disappointed we didn’t play him or offer a new contract (as a back up)

[Barmby Rover]

Not disparaging the OP, the opposition or the team, but if we have to be jubilant about beating Armthorpe and Nuneaton that is a bit sad. A good training session but nothing more. Let's see what happens in the real world when we start playing Lg.2 football.

[Danmckay456]

Horton was an average defender and got caught in possession far too often , I think Amos was by far a better prospect and we released him the other season

[roversdude]

Barmby would you have been all over the slagging them if they had lost the 2 friendlies, genuine question. Don’t think anyone is celebrating and saying job done we’ve turned the ship around, far from it, it’s laid bare some of our weaknesses that have still not been addressed.
Difficult to look at either beyond public training sessions

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I think both Horton and Amos were both too slow off the mark and didn't show they had the anticipation or speed of thought to be good full backs. Jackson proved to be poor too.

It's no good keeping players beyond their contract if you don't believe in them.

Going back further, Andrew wasn't good enough defensively either. Only Reece James recently had what it takes in both halves of the pitch.

Give me a proper tenacious full back who enjoys the art of defending first anyday.

I hope we find one 

[Son of thor]

George friend should have came along with Andrews 

[roversdude]

Only if he came as a centre half

[danumdon]

Just goes to show what good players Gareth Roberts and Tommy Spurr were for us.

If only.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Preseason results mean little. I’m more concerned that we’ve played 2 games with 2 very different systems even picking someone like Tomlin to play a key role in one of those.

We should have a preferred way of playing and drill it into the players. Just picking an 11 of the fit players on the day won’t do us any good long term.

[Chris the Rover]

Is not playing 2 different systems a Plan A and a Plan B? Surely trying things out in pre season friendlies is the right time to be tinkering - in case Plan A isn’t working when the important matches start.

[roversdude]

Agree Chris but would caveat that by saying we need the personnel who will be involved playing to test it properly.
Not heard anything about Taylor missing but it was good to see Molyneux and Biggins actually on the pitch

[dickos1]

Preseason results mean little. I’m more concerned that we’ve played 2 games with 2 very different systems even picking someone like Tomlin to play a key role in one of those.

We should have a preferred way of playing and drill it into the players. Just picking an 11 of the fit players on the day won’t do us any good long term.

Every side needs more than one way of playing, there’s nothing wrong with trying different things against armthorpe and Nuneaton.