Pre Season Match Thread - Reading U21s

[Gloucester Green]

Reid can strike a ball yes I don't doubt that ... but if he put half as much effort into his game as he does moaning to ref, blaming others and generally avoiding hard work he would be my first choice.

Glad to hear Brunt was fighting to take the penalty a sign he is confident.

 

[Metal Green Mickey]

I think today, my optimism was checked with a dose of reality.

For me, I just cant see how defensively we can achieve promotion if we don't defend better. Early days, and DA is still implementing his methods but after Bath City Pre-Season game, it was worrying how they came back in the game so easily. There is space to exploit but more importantly our defenders have to deal with opposition players 1-1, where as last season there was more cover, and so I am not sure they are good enough. Time will tell......

However, the reason the above is happening is because we play in a more attack minded fashion and I rather this than another season of counter attacking 5-3-2......

 

[soccerpilgrim]

How superb was Boateng today? McCormick, Wylde and Carey all impressed me too.

 

[Metal Green Mickey]

Reid was very good and took his chance extremely well. Boateng was excellent. Not at all sure about Wylde. Carey has quality, Simpson isn't fit.

Do you think with Simpson he just needs games?

I noticed today he did play one or two nice passes.

I just think with so many pacey, eye catching players Simpson also goes un-noticed. Just trying to find his "role" in this team.

 

[CornishPaul]

You can't moan about conceding the odd goal when last season we never hardly conceded but with 9 parked on the back line plus a keeper and Reid up miles from anyone we were hardly going to concede. More importantly were scoring goals and creating more. Have a bit of faith.

 

[Metal Green Mickey]

You can't moan about conceding the odd goal when last season we never hardly conceded but with 9 parked on the back line plus a keeper and Reid up miles from anyone we were hardly going to concede. More importantly were scoring goals and creating more. Have a bit of faith.

The problem is those goals look like coming from set pieces. We just failing to pick people up in the box at the moment and this issue has nothing to do with attacking football because most of the team are back behind the ball.

 

[Liam Vercoe]

For all the mumbling and grumbling before the game (admittedly even from myself) I thought that Reading team was really good and gave us a really tough test, I was surprised by just how good they were and, like another poster commented on, you could tell they've played as a team for a long time and David Luiz/Ivan Campo/Carlos Puyol's love child looks a player doesn't he?!

I thought going forward we looked a threat at times, sometimes it was just knock it up to Brunt a la Shez-era however this time there were players around him to knock it down to and continue the move. There was also some really good passages of play where we knocked the ball around quickly and with a purpose but without being stupid with it.

Not sure what's happened to the defence of last year, maybe it's the way we're set up now, but we don't seem to be as solid and could easily have been 2 or 3 goals down at one point and I thought our fullbacks got beat a little too easily on occasion too, but I'm sure it's still a work in progress.

Either way that friendly has left me excited for the season proper to begin, a good reminder on why it's important to have a home friendly or two, Argyle

 

[Tugboat]

If our defensive frailties are obvious to us them I'm sure DA is just as aware.

I think we are going to play a lot of football high up the pitch and commiting players forward so we aren't going to see the more robust defensive 'shut up shop' tactics used as commonly as before. Like others have said, I'm expecting more end to end 3-2 win's/loses over a smash and grab 1-0.

 

[PL2 3DQ]

Adams has confirmed the reason to move the home dugout - to get in the ear of the linesman. A good move by the canny Scot.

 

[greenwelly]

Enjoyed the game. Brunt tried hard first half but Reuben had an excellent second half. Not sure about Jervis. Simpson hardly caught the eye. Wilde seems a one trick pony but had good moments. Boating impressive. How do we compare with last season...we will see, but we certainly try to move the game forward with more fluency...but I fear there is the danger of being exposed on the counter-attack.

 

[BojanTheGreat]

Boeteng looked every bit a premiership player to me. So composed on the ball made the game look so simple. Knew exactly where all his team mates were and seemed to effortlessly spray the ball across the pitch to pick out runners.

Carey showed some nice touches but lacks physical presence which could be a problem in the rough and tumble of league two but May get away with it if Boateng 'looks after him"

wylde is lightning over the first 5/10 yards. Will skin full backs for fun but didn't often have an end product.

Simpson - really hoping he is unfit as he looked like he was struggling to keep up with the game. Only thing of note I remembered him doing was having a weak shot from 25 yards in the second half that went way wide.

Thought Reading on the whole were technically very good and got the impression they could have upped it if they really needed to. Perhaps a couple worth enquiring about regarding loans? The guy with the hair as others have said but also the guy on the right (Tanner?) who gave Sawyer a very busy afternoon

 

[DartPilgrim]

We will almost certainly concede more goals this season due to the change to a four man defence and the more attacking style of football Derek Adams is coaching the team to play, we should also score more goals due to the quantity and hopefully quality of forward thinking players signed by our new manager. I would also expect our defenders to improve as players under Adams this season because of their extra responsibilities as part of a four man defence and his apparent driven nature and attention to detail.

 

[Fat_green_belly]

I usually hate friendlies but this one i really enjoyed with both teams committed
and going for it for a change. I thought reading were a good test for us with some good
attacking players in their team.
It would appear DA has found his richie brittain type in boeteng, as like his former
ross county skipper, he was superb sitting in front of the back 4. First half i thought he
wandered forward out of position a bit too much. Second half though i thought he was immense
in that role helping us dominate the game so much more.
I thought all the other new players had good games within a team that looks like it will score
goals a plenty.
I thought the formation today was a fluid 4123/433/451 with jarvis and wylde at times
dropping back on the flanks but mainly playing high and making us look really dangerous going
forward when they did so.
Defending is likely to be our achilles because of this and it was noticeable how
reading hurt us down the flanks especially first half. We also played a higher line first half
which they exploited. We didnt deal with crosses very well either although second half
we worked a lot harder as a team and controlled the crosses and more importantly the game a bit more.
Sawyer was reasonably solid at LB and both he and mellor looked to overlap at every opportunity.
Carey is a good footballer and second half showed bite in his tackling as well. His set pieces
were a bit disappointing but it was a cracking goal he scored. Simpson again looks another
tidy footballer who improved as the game went on. Wylde was a breath of fresh air with bags
of pace and linked well with carey and sawyer down that left flank.
Jervis with yet more pace up top and wide so hopefully we should do better than last
season with our counterattacking.
Last but not least RR, not a new signing but he looked like one. Injury free he seemed so much
quicker and stronger. Brunt did well first half but having RR play like that with a really well
taken winner as well is a BIG boost to our chances this season.
Lots of plusses for me and having my first gist of what DA might achieve at argyle i am
starting to get just a little excited about what might happen this season.
Probably lose at torquay now. :scarf:

 

[memory man]

Adams has confirmed the reason to move the home dugout - to get in the ear of the linesman. A good move by the canny Scot.

Sensibly, publicly he saying it is to stop the opposition manager getting into the ear of the linesman. Adams seemed to be saying that he likes to leave the officials to officiate - but we will see in the heat of the battle! Whatever his reasons, good to see such attention to detail.

 

[dayriderBusking]

Heard good things about Mellor, hopefully a sign he's finding his feet again. I will take a sturdy game for him right now. Sounds a good fast game for fitness levels too, and good result too