Pre-Season

[New York Red]

We were crap in pre-season. Complete crap.

 

You need to work out the issues and be ready at 100% from day one. We weren't at all. It was a waste of time. There was all this talk about how it was all meaningless, and who cares. Well, it DOES matter. You need to be in stride on week one and we weren;t even close. The the results counted and the losses caused this malaise.

 

I can't ever remember being this down about us. It's just terrible.

Edited December 14, 2009 by New York Red

[Nebraska Red]

no chance next season as half the squad will be in Africa for the World Cup and will be late getting back to pre season.

 

what we need is a proper clear out of deadwood and we either bring in decent players or promote 1 or 2 from the reserves.

 

set up the squad to play in a certain way and have replacements ready and waiting when injuries occur.

 

I am not even really down about things as I have resigned myself to mediocrity and disappointment. Even my wife was stunned this morning when I just switched to the NFL and didn'y have my usual paddy.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Nebraska Red

[Red Kent]

But pre-season means nothing apart from fitness, or so we were told at the time after daring to moan about it.

[New York Red]

We looking absolutely horrible. Then all of a sudden we are supposed to flip the switch and be great in the first game of the season?

 

The games count then and bad performances pile the pressure on.

 

After this abject season, I hope people shut up about pre-season. The warning signs were there for all to see.

[Tones]

3 or 4 games pre season does not lead to 4 s*** months of the season. Was perhaps an indicator that our squad wasnt strong enough, but i dont blame what has happened since august on a few friendly games pre season.

[Red Kent]

I dont think pre-season is solely to blame, but a poor or good pre-season to me lays the foundations.

[New York Red]

3 or 4 games pre season does not lead to 4 s*** months of the season. Was perhaps an indicator that our squad wasnt strong enough, but i dont blame what has happened since august on a few friendly games pre season.

 

I don't either. But we came into this season flat. It was a huge obstacle to overcome.

[Nebraska Red]

I think the coming in flat was as much down to the players being stunned at how the summer purchases were handled, sell one of your best and replace him with a player 4 months from fitness, and no back up for your striker.

 

The players are only human and they must be pig sick at the way things were sorted in the summer .

[Red Kent]

To me pre-season is about.

 

Building team spirit.

Getting wins to build confidence.

Fitness.

Trying different formations with players.

Trying out things learnt in training.

 

Can't remember any of that happening back in July and August.

[Nebraska Red]

all we got in July and August was doom and gloom and how the club was heading for implosion.

 

Hey look it's December and we have doom and gloom.

[Zoob]

I think the coming in flat was as much down to the players being stunned at how the summer purchases were handled, sell one of your best and replace him with a player 4 months from fitness, and no back up for your striker.

 

The players are only human and they must be pig sick at the way things were sorted in the summer .

 

Agree with that. After coming so close, I'm sure they knew what was needed to turn 2nd into first - or at least expected something beyond replacing Arbeloa, Alonso and Hyypia with Johnson, Aquilani and Kyriakos... And of course not to forget replacing Keane with.... nobody.

[Frosty Jack]

it felt like the worst pre-season i can remember, it's like we actually suffered from there being no major tournament to keep key players sharp

[£440,000]

I don't think the Xabi situation helped in pre-season. Nor having to go to Far East to play, though I know we've done that before.

[john_lfc]

To me pre-season is about.

 

Building team spirit.

Getting wins to build confidence.

Fitness.

Trying different formations with players.

Trying out things learnt in training.

 

Can't remember any of that happening back in July and August.

How do you know this wasn't done in training?

[Red Kent]

How do you know this wasn't done in training?

 

Because there has been no evidence of it since in my opinion, and you also never highlighted possibly the most important thing - wins that build confidence. No wins and no confidence going into the season.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Kev

[stressederic]

I can't actually remember any of the results from pre-season. How bad did it get?

[Red Kent]

I can't actually remember any of the results from pre-season. How bad did it get?

 

You answered your own question there in a way.