Pre-season friendlies - It's a match thread, Jim, but not as we know it

steve

To bad for you Chicago stay safe

chicagohammer

Kicked off after 2 hour delay - made it to half time at 1-1 and am hoping weather will hold for rest of game - frankly disappointed to see Ings up top in his own especially as there are acres between him and midfield. Not a bad performance per se with Kudos man of match thus far but truthfully both Potts and Cornet are failing to impress, especially Cornet.

Am hoping he comes off for Earthy

chicagohammer

Not the result we wanted but the 2nd half was interesting - Ings was swapped out for Cornet who looked a bit more comfortable up top but he remained ineffective and was swapped out for Antonio after just 10 mins - Potts did not come out for second and was swapped out for Orford who did a reasonable job.

The game was hard to judge, at one point Wolves swapped out 9 players at once which gives you an idea.

Was a fun trip and given the weather was pleased we got the game in - hopefully the coaching staff and players got something out of it.

buffybegood

Thanks for the match report, with the delays I couldn't stay awake.

MIAHammer

chicagohammer said:

Wow - planned to get to stadium for pre game tailgate event but the heavens properly opened up which wiped that out - currently in stadium awaiting kick off which has obviously been delayed - sometimes when the gods are against you……..

Welcome to summer in Florida!

chicagohammer

On balance the first half was a traditional game which we largely controlled the second half was difficult as there were so many changes but there was no doubt that Wolves passed the ball with more purpose and their third goal was a proper team goal and a thing of beauty- we were definitely 2nd best and were relying on individual skill and effort rather than any set system.

I have concerns over Cornet - in the first half he was tried on both flanks and seemed out of place and unaware of runners etc.

BubblesNeverDies

When did we start putting traffic cones in the defence?

buffybegood

Having watched the highlights (and yes, I know it's pre-season), 2 things that were obvious weeks ago were confirmed last night:

1) Soucek isn't gonna be suited by J-Lo's style of play (see first goal)
2) Zouma is either shot, or can't be bothered (see second goal)

Lukerz

Lopetegui is going to learn a lot over this pre-season about what the players can & can’t do. Not overly fussed about the result & there were lots of good signs in terms of style of play, but he is probably starting to realise which players are not going to cut it & which areas we need to strengthen as a priority. Cornet has not helped his cause. Potts has been decent. Defence looks shaky still. Soucek has just had a break but looks like he’ll be too slow in this side.

Kilman is the only first 11 signing we’ve made so far. We need, potentially, 2-3 more I’d say. Guilherme is for the future & Foderingham won’t play.

MrsGrey

I hope Potts does well.

But, I can't help but think that 'buying' players from League 1 isn't really a great strategy for immediate success.

buffybegood

Yeah, despite how well he did on his loan to Wycombe, it's a very big step up from there to the PL. You'd think that a season on loan in the Championship would be the next logical step, but he is 21 in September so maybe it's a case of "now or never" to at least be in and around the first team squad. J-Lo does like to use his subs, so there is at least the prospect of him getting some game time if he doesn't go out on loan.

Lukerz

I enjoyed Lopetegui’s interview. Would’ve been easy to say ‘it’s pre season, it’s about minutes, weather was poor, lots of academy lads, lots of substitutions, lots of players finding their sharpness’.

But no. It wasn’t good enough & we need to work harder for the next week. A good set of standards to have in place even in pre season where results are meaningless.

Lukerz

Given we have two games left, it’s probably worth getting out as strong a side as we can for the last couple of games. I think Areola, Paqueta & Bowen are due back this week, plus an injured Alvarez.

Fabianski
Coufal - Mavropanos - Kilman - Emerson
Potts - Soucek - JWP
Kudus - Guilherme
Antonio

claretandbluesky

Those four players returning were four of our five best players last season so it's no real surprise we don't look good enough at present.

MrsGrey

Lukerz said:

Given we have two games left, it’s probably worth getting out as strong a side as we can for the last couple of games.

Not disagreeing, but the players are still building fitness and it seems as though the pattern is Match 1 45 mins, Match 2 60 mins etc. It means that in stages, the two groups of players diverge in their match fitness, as one group (mostly the manager's 1st XI) benefits at the expense of the 'b team'.

steve

Always seem to me that we play less pre season games then lots of the others .Having said that not checked it out .

MrsGrey

steve said:

Always seem to me that we play less pre season games then lots of the others .Having said that not checked it out .

And your homework is...

steve

Did say I have not checked it out

Lukerz

We play pretty much a similar number of games to all other sides, other than Fulham who seem to only have 2.

steve

Thanks Lukerz ,sorry MrsGrey now I get what you mean .But Lukerz has just done my homework .Takes me back to my school days

MrsGrey

Lukerz = swot.
steve = slacker.

Ravel49

Slacker =

Answers on a postcard to the Positive Arms 😜

Lukerz

Looks like Paqueta, Areola & Bowen may get some minutes against Palace.

Lukerz

Looks like storms in the area last few hours (Palace cancelled their open training session).

alderz

Lukerz said:

Looks like storms in the area last few hours (Palace cancelled their open training session).

Didn’t get that when Moyes would take the squad to Scotland

Ravel49

buffybegood

Hopefully this one will start on time and I'll stay awake long enough to see some of it 🤞🤞🤞.

Pengeman

WHU website says "Alphonse Areola, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paquetá, who all arrived at the Hammers’ training camp this week, will not be involved this evening, while Edson Álvarez is unavailable as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury".
https://www.whufc.com/news/starting-xi-kudus-kilman-and-birthday-boy-emerson-start-tampa

Bt no sign of Zouma, Cornet and Ings. Surely, not injured?

buffybegood

Pengeman said:

Bt no sign of Zouma, Cornet and Ings. Surely, not injured?

Zouma has looked injured in every clip I've seen of him so far this pre-season tbh.

buffybegood

Pengeman said:

Bt no sign of Zouma, Cornet and Ings. Surely, not injured?

Just seen on KUMB that we supposedly played an additional "behind closed doors" game against Palace (not sure if yesterday or today) and all 3 played in that.