CMS - Another frustrating year for him ahead i feel

[Sheebo]

This is why I don't go to friendlies. People draw totally bollocks conclusions from them. If we were playing at full pelt we'd beat Lewes 10-0 and both our strikers would score hat-tricks. But we're not, it's a fitness exercise, which is why people are mugs to pay to watch it. I couldn't care less if CMS scores 15 goals in pre-season or absolutely none. It won't affect what he does at Hull on August 18th. Also, Ashley Barnes is exactly the same player he was last season (whether you like him or not), he's not suddenly become a 25-goal Championship striker on the back of finding the scorebag against Maidstone and Lewes.

I'm worried that some younger or 'new' fans don't have a clue re friendlies. Some kids behind us last night were moaningwhen it was 0-0

Also some unbelievable bullshit on twitter during the Maidstone game - seemed like people were new to friendlies!

 

[Simster]

Definitely.

The problem is we have nothing else to talk about, so people start looking at a couple of kickabouts against non-league part-timers and extrapolating it over a season of matches against Wolves, Birmingham and Blackburn.

You can almost see their brains working:

Barnes: 4 goals against rubbish = 25 goals this season.
CMS: 1 goal against rubbish = not suited to us, must sell immediately.

It's absolute bollocks I'm afraid. I don't even remember who we played last pre-season, let alone the results or who scored. I'm sure it didn't have any bearing on what happened from August onwards though.

I am always interested to know whether a player is looking sharp in pre-season, whether he played well in a friendly or whatever. It's the drawing conclusions for the season ahead bit that I have trouble with.

 

[stss30]

This is why I don't go to friendlies. People draw totally bollocks conclusions from them. If we were playing at full pelt we'd beat Lewes 10-0 and both our strikers would score hat-tricks. But we're not, it's a fitness exercise, which is why people are mugs to pay to watch it. I couldn't care less if CMS scores 15 goals in pre-season or absolutely none. It won't affect what he does at Hull on August 18th. Also, Ashley Barnes is exactly the same player he was last season (whether you like him or not), he's not suddenly become a 25-goal Championship striker on the back of finding the scorebag against Maidstone and Lewes.

Spot on.

 

[Sheebo]

Definitely.

The problem is we have nothing else to talk about, so people start looking at a couple of kickabouts against non-league part-timers and extrapolating it over a season of matches against Wolves, Birmingham and Blackburn.

You can almost see their brains working:

Barnes: 4 goals against rubbish = 25 goals this season.
CMS: 1 goal against rubbish = not suited to us, must sell immediately.

It's absolute bollocks I'm afraid. I don't even remember who we played last pre-season, let alone the results or who scored. I'm sure it didn't have any bearing on what happened from August onwards though.

One thing that was noticeable last pre-season was Nooney carried his amazing form into the opening 10 or so games of the actual season. I hope some players do that this yr - The Spurs game def helped us as we were brilliant that day and took it into our early season form. Results pretty meaningless though.

OP - I agree with a lot of what you say but if CMS gets 1 good chance a game (like he did in 40 mins yest) and scores 50% of those that's all he needs to be a 23 league goal striker...

 

[Sheebo]

I am always interested to know whether a player is looking sharp in pre-season, whether he played well in a friendly or whatever. It's the drawing conclusions for the season ahead bit that I have trouble with.

Hoskins looks sharp (again)

 

[stss30]

I'm worried that some younger or 'new' fans don't have a clue re friendlies. Some kids behind us last night were moaningwhen it was 0-0

Also some unbelievable bullshit on twitter during the Maidstone game - seemed like people were new to friendlies!

A lot of people definitely are, when was the last time our friendly with Lewes sold out?

 

[watsongooal]

If friendlies are anything to go by- Robbie Pethick would of broken all sorts of goalscoring records a few seasons ago......

 

[Mellotron]

This is why I don't go to friendlies. People draw totally bollocks conclusions from them. If we were playing at full pelt we'd beat Lewes 10-0 and both our strikers would score hat-tricks. But we're not, it's a fitness exercise, which is why people are mugs to pay to watch it. I couldn't care less if CMS scores 15 goals in pre-season or absolutely none. It won't affect what he does at Hull on August 18th. Also, Ashley Barnes is exactly the same player he was last season (whether you like him or not), he's not suddenly become a 25-goal Championship striker on the back of finding the scorebag against Maidstone and Lewes.

Bruno was worth the admission price alone last night - I enjoyed watching him play sublime football, regardless of his level of intensity nor the level of side he was playing. Well worth £10.

 

[Simster]

Hoskins looks sharp (again)

This is good news of course. If I had to stick my neck out, out of Hoskins/CMS/Toby I'd say Hoskins is the player that is most likely to step up next season.

 

[Sheebo]

If friendlies are anything to go by- Robbie Pethick would of broken all sorts of goalscoring records a few seasons ago......

I raise you Maheta Malango (sp)?

 

[Sheebo]

This is good news of course. If I had to stick my neck out, out of Hoskins/CMS/Toby I'd say Hoskins is the player that is most likely to step up next season.

Only worry is he looked sharp last season in pre season (by all accounts - dont think i saw him then). He also has nice pinky boots.

 

[Simster]

Bruno was worth the admission price alone last night - I enjoyed watching him play sublime football, regardless of his level of intensity nor the level of side he was playing. Well worth £10.

TCB always his cheapens his point by being unneccessarily rude about somebody. In this case, suggesting fans are mugs for going to a friendly. You have to ignore it really. Clearly a tenner is fair for a couple of hours of entertainment and a chance to see some new signings.

 

[severnside gull]

This is why I don't go to friendlies. People draw totally bollocks conclusions from them. If we were playing at full pelt we'd beat Lewes 10-0 and both our strikers would score hat-tricks. But we're not, it's a fitness exercise, which is why people are mugs to pay to watch it. I couldn't care less if CMS scores 15 goals in pre-season or absolutely none. It won't affect what he does at Hull on August 18th. Also, Ashley Barnes is exactly the same player he was last season (whether you like him or not), he's not suddenly become a 25-goal Championship striker on the back of finding the scorebag against Maidstone and Lewes.

You have a point but I think you overlook the one thing (fitness aside) that does become apparent in friendlies which is the way the manager sets the team up.
In both games Gus has started with CMS as a lone striker, isolated and with no close support t o create the space he needs to play in (although playing Barnes in the hole behind a lone striker does show promise). CMS just cannot play that role in a side that is intent on a slow careful build-up. Put the ball over the top quickly and he wll be fine - put it to the wings and get in early crosses and he will be fine - but play the way we did last year and he will struggle to adapt. So far we are playing much as we did last year and you can reasonably draw the conclusion that CMS will again struggle if we persist.

 

[Mellotron]

I would feel a bit of a mug if I paid to stand in the cold and watch an amateur side against our guys in training mode, but I don't particularly mean to slag off those who do.

Sounds much like going to Withdean back in the day to me.

 

[Mellotron]

Second half we played 451 with Harley in the Pirlo role and we looked much more like there was a clear plan going forward.

 

[somerset]

Second half we played 451 with Harley in the Pirlo role and we looked much more like there was a clear plan going forward.

That is exactly what Harley made his name doing.....link man.... feeding the attack minded players and filling the space ....

 

[somerset]

Only worry is he looked sharp last season in pre season (by all accounts - dont think i saw him then). He also has nice pinky boots.

But you can be sure he had been on a closely monitored fitness program across the summer..... those three are going to tear it up this year.....