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In summary ..... NO.
Yet another goalless Imps side.
Final score Imps 0 Blades 2.
Bodes well for new season.........NOT

Cheers Keith47424 - Hinckley Imp

theimps.ka Best Newcomer award winner 2007-2008 season.

True, the one thing that's keeping me optimistic is that I work with a Derby fan and he said that they didn't win a single pre-season game in the year they went up.

Good Luck, Mr Gorsky

http://twitter.com/#!/katejackson84
http://www.katejackson84.blogspot.com

I am afraid we are poor. First game pre - season I have seen last night and worrying signs.

Defence decent and thats about it. Midfield was woeful, Butcher is nowhere near the same player he was 4 years ago, passing was awful and he got about as close to the goal as I did from the stand.

Up front I don't think I can ever remeber us as toothless. fagan has a neat touch and Connor is woeful.

But the worst was Jamie Clarke, I actually thought he was an imposter, he is without doubt literally shocking, to compare with N'guessan is a joke. He shouldn't be in league football.

Best player in an Imps shirt on show was Heath and he must be wondering what on earth he has done in coming here.

I thought Connor was one of our better players to be honest.

Considering it was your first pre-season friendly, you seem very definate on your opinions.

Clarke was disappointing, I'll give you that. However if you'd seen his performance against Arsenal then you'd realise he's not a bad player.

Even though i didn't go, the same point I keep making is similar to what Nathans friend has said. We won every pre season game last season and it didn't get us anywhere did it?

The players are still gelling, the fitness levels may still not be there. Things aren't all bad, stay optimistic, however I am worried about the lack of goals.

Red Army!

Quote:

Red Imp
I thought Connor was one of our better players to be honest.
Considering it was your first pre-season friendly, you seem very definate on your opinions.

Clarke was disappointing, I'll give you that. However if you'd seen his performance against Arsenal then you'd realise he's not a bad player.

I would be interested to know why you thought Connor was one of our better players... What did he do?

As for it's only pre-season... Fitness should be there now, and we still ain't scoring and to my knowledge didn't have a shot on target.

The only reason Jackosn keeps talking about Howe, Bridges, blah, blah is to attempt to increase season ticket sales, Its propaganda. We won't get either and never will do.

We won't score goals with Connor and Fagan, it's as simple as that.

Quote:

Normanstanley

Quote:

Red Imp
I thought Connor was one of our better players to be honest.
Considering it was your first pre-season friendly, you seem very definate on your opinions.

Clarke was disappointing, I'll give you that. However if you'd seen his performance against Arsenal then you'd realise he's not a bad player.

I would be interested to know why you thought Connor was one of our better players... What did he do?

As for it's only pre-season... Fitness should be there now, and we still ain't scoring and to my knowledge didn't have a shot on target.

The only reason Jackosn keeps talking about Howe, Bridges, blah, blah is to attempt to increase season ticket sales, Its propaganda. We won't get either and never will do.

We won't score goals with Connor and Fagan, it's as simple as that.

Connor won most of his headers. He held the ball up well and brought others into play. We could certainly do a lot, lot worse.

Quote:

Red Imp

Quote:

Normanstanley

Quote:

Red Imp
I thought Connor was one of our better players to be honest.
Considering it was your first pre-season friendly, you seem very definate on your opinions.

Clarke was disappointing, I'll give you that. However if you'd seen his performance against Arsenal then you'd realise he's not a bad player.

I would be interested to know why you thought Connor was one of our better players... What did he do?

As for it's only pre-season... Fitness should be there now, and we still ain't scoring and to my knowledge didn't have a shot on target.

The only reason Jackosn keeps talking about Howe, Bridges, blah, blah is to attempt to increase season ticket sales, Its propaganda. We won't get either and never will do.

We won't score goals with Connor and Fagan, it's as simple as that.

Connor won most of his headers. He held the ball up well and brought others into play. We could certainly do a lot, lot worse.

But did he look threatening, have a shot, He's a centre forward his job is to score goals.

If centre forwards were judged solely on goals, Emile Heskey would be in League 2. However, that type of player does need a poacher playing off him, (only time will tell if Fagan can fulfil that role) and midfielders coming through - which is what Butcher used to excel at.

Pre-season is all a phoney war, and Sheffield United were within 90 minutes of the premiership last season.

I couldn't give a monkey's that there are no wins by the end of July. None by the end of August, that would be a major cause for concern.

The squad does however seem to lack depth and quality in some positions, that does need to be addressed with signings rather than hype, the Howe/Bridges thing does follow the tedious pattern of recent seasons (Parkin, etc).

Please, do not mention Emile Heskey! For him to play well, he needs Gerrard Rooney and Lamard around him. Without them he is garbage!

Red Army!

Some real pessimism on here today!

I think overall, it wasn't a bad display last night. Yes we lost, but to a much superior team. Sheffield were strong throughout.

I thought Connor and Heath were our best players. Connor is a lot fitter than he was and he put himself about as best he could. He holds the ball up well, and brings others into play. His heading ability is good. The only support he had was Fagan, who was simply knocked off the ball. If our two-attacker system is going to work the midfield need to get into the box, but they couldn't last night as they didn't have chance. Sheffield looked twice as fit and twice as skilful.

I disagree with Normanstanley. Butcher looks exactly the same player to me as he did four years ago. He didn't have a great game last night as he had no space and no time. And where was Oakes? The two Clakres had poor games. But that was mainly down to the strength of the opposition.

Keep the faith. We will beat Barnet comfortably.

Biggest worry for me is Jacko's tactics. It looks as though he will be using Hone as a stand-in full back.
Didn't he try this last season with Beevers?

[quote kevin6]Some real pessimism on here today!

I think overall, it wasn't a bad display last night. Yes we lost, but to a much superior team. Sheffield were strong throughout.

I thought Connor and Heath were our best players. Connor is a lot fitter than he was and he put himself about as best he could. He holds the ball up well, and brings others into play. His heading ability is good. The only support he had was Fagan, who was simply knocked off the ball. If our two-attacker system is going to work the midfield need to get into the box, but they couldn't last night as they didn't have chance. Sheffield looked twice as fit and twice as skilful.

I disagree with Normanstanley. Butcher looks exactly the same player to me as he did four years ago. He didn't have a great game last night as he had no space and no time. And where was Oakes? The two Clakres had poor games. But that was mainly down to the strength of the opposition.

Keep the faith. We will beat Barnet comfortably.[/quote]

Why will we beat Barnet comfortably?

What on earth do you base that on?

I think the main problem is Normanstanley is right when he says Bridges and all the others Jacko goes on about won't sign. If Fagan turns out @#$%& who is going to score the goals? You can't rely on Hutchinson and Adams. So that leaves Connor! Which is a huge problem. I will tell you all now we won't score more than 20 goals between all the current strikers. We needs a striker who can get 20 on his own for once.

Defence and Midfield look good

There remains talk that Bridges will sign on Friday, as Notts County have signed others and Leicester have not pursued their interest.

Even if he doesn't there is still time for some panic buying of Strikers before the start of the season. I would suspect that there are still a lot of unattached footballers out there, but what is the point of geting someone if they are not better than what we have.

Stallard was signed very late in Close Window, because Shrewsbury had identified what they wanted for the season and he wasn't in the first team frame. What will Posh unload if they haven't got the offers they wanted?

The fat lady hasn't even cleared her throat yet and she won't be singing until the middle of August.

Hello Normanstanley.

I base my post on what I have seen of the team so far this season, which is three friendlies.

I haven't given up just because we can't beat Sheffield Utd, (who are borderline premiership, and certainly played like they were,) in a friendly on a wet and crappy Tuesday night.
Like Dave says, our midfield and defence look good. Just because they didn't perform against Sheffield doesn't mean they won't perform against Barnet. That is a whole new kettle of fish.

I agree that goals look scarce, but whn we do get on top of a game, as we will, we will make a lot of chances.

If you care for a little wager on the Barnet game?

We haven't won at home for nearly a year!!!!

It will be 1 all or goalless.

I admire your optimism though.

time will tell . friendlies to me mean nothing . its the season that counts ...46 games .
we will soon see lol

[quote cherryexile]There remains talk that Bridges will sign on Friday, as Notts County have signed others and Leicester have not pursued their interest.

[quote]

But there's also rumours that County are going to sign another striker this week + Matt Ritchie from Portsmouth (local paper says for a six figure fee!!)

Quote:

Normanstanley
We haven't won at home for nearly a year!!!!

31st March 2009 - since when did less than four months become "nearly a year"?

Quote:

Markus Naslund

Quote:

Normanstanley
We haven't won at home for nearly a year!!!!

31st March 2009 - since when did less than four months become "nearly a year"?

I think that he means a Saturday home win at SB, which is 18th October, therefore approching 10 months and some kind of unwanted record surely?

Yes thats what I meant of course.

Am I right in thinking that is the worst record out the 92 League clubs?????

So if we beat Barnet we can change it to, We haven't won on a saturday against any team not beginning with B since October the 18th! You can keep changing it to make it fit. Fact is we did win at home in March. I am not saying our home form is anything but disgracefull but if we win a game i couldn't care what day it's on.

Quote:

Normanstanley
Yes thats what I meant of course.
Am I right in thinking that is the worst record out the 92 League clubs?????

Hull were pretty awful at home too as were Chester.