Pre Season Friendlies

[Tals-biggest-fan]

if iiles is right with his prediction of the nationality of this trailist my best guess is that its Araz Abdullayev, signed for Everton 2011 and was labelled a wonder kid, never made it for them went back home to Neftchi Baku and according to wiki on 28 March 2013, it was reported that Abdullayev struck and killed a road cleaner, and critically injured a second, with his car in the Azerbaijani capital Baku.

[boltonboris]

Dougie..

"These games are all about players getting minutes under their belts. It's a fitness exercise, one in which I'm able to assess where players are at."

S'what Coyle said. Rightly or wrongly, he got slammed for it.

[LeverEnd]

Dougie..

"These games are all about players getting minutes under their belts. It's a fitness exercise, one in which I'm able to assess where players are at."

S'what Coyle said. Rightly or wrongly, he got slammed for it.

Wrongly obviously, because what else can they say really? Coyle's problem was that his bad pre-season came on the back of 18 months of decline so was bound to be judged harshly.
Difference is whether they learn something from these games and start strongly as a result. Having said that Dougie lost his first two games last season before going on that great run, so I'll not be judging til a few league games in.

[boltonboris]

First three

[adamworthy2002]

Mears was absolutely awful last night, passing to no-one and kicking the ball straight out of play.

Have a picture from last night

[LeverEnd]

First three

Very true. So even less to worry about.

As for Mears, can't expect much after a long time out. He improved a fair bit before he got ill, but he's never going to look great. I think he'll leave at some point in the season, seems to be a player who needs to be playing regularly and I don't think he will. Same with Mills, I bet he's only playing him to give McDermott a nudge in the hope of getting shut.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Then you will not suffer the indignity, as I did, of being blocked by the legend that is Nixon.

I can tell you're not bitter about that. I can.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

So ... who was the "Trialist" named on the bench ?

Marc Iles ‏@MarcIles 5m
Trialist apparently from Azerbaijan... but have no name to hand. Wouldn't worry too much...


Clear as mud.

Azerbaijan? Azer-bleedin-baijan? Have we got a scouting network in deepest darkest Central Asia now? or did some lad just rock up off the plane, hand in his asylum application, and then hot foot it to the Reebok with the plea "giz a game"

[BWFC_Insane]

First three

Very true. So even less to worry about.

As for Mears, can't expect much after a long time out. He improved a fair bit before he got ill, but he's never going to look great. I think he'll leave at some point in the season, seems to be a player who needs to be playing regularly and I don't think he will. Same with Mills, I bet he's only playing him to give McDermott a nudge in the hope of getting shut.

Can we afford to sell Mills right now given our lack of options at centre back?

[bobo the clown]

Dougie..

"These games are all about players getting minutes under their belts. It's a fitness exercise, one in which I'm able to assess where players are at."

S'what Coyle said. Rightly or wrongly, he got slammed for it.

Wrongly obviously, because what else can they say really? Coyle's problem was that his bad pre-season came on the back of 18 months of decline so was bound to be judged harshly.
Difference is whether they learn something from these games and start strongly as a result. Having said that Dougie lost his first two games last season before going on that great run, so I'll not be judging til a few league games in.

To be fair to him he does recognise that the performance wasn't up to much. True, fitness and shape matter, but


Dougie Freedman told their Official Site that although he thought his side could have done a little better it was more about them getting minutes on the pitch.

' ... I thought in the game we could have done a little bit better performance wise - on both our defensive work and our attacking movement upfront. There`s certainly a lot there for us to get our teeth in to and we probably just need to get our heads in the right place and get in the zone a little more when these games continue to come around.`

[LeverEnd]

First three

Very true. So even less to worry about.

As for Mears, can't expect much after a long time out. He improved a fair bit before he got ill, but he's never going to look great. I think he'll leave at some point in the season, seems to be a player who needs to be playing regularly and I don't think he will. Same with Mills, I bet he's only playing him to give McDermott a nudge in the hope of getting shut.

Can we afford to sell Mills right now given our lack of options at centre back?

Sooner the better really I think, then we can try to get someone in. And if not then Baptiste can play there and we've got plenty of RBs to cover him. I just think Mills isn't Dougie's cup of tea so there's no point holding onto him. I also think he's not very good.

[BWFC_Insane]

Anyhow, results and performances pre-season are utterly irrelevant. They were last year, the year before etc and they are this year.

The point is that if you use these games for fitness (or if you don't) what you want is players fit and ready for the start of the season. If you achieve that then great, who cares what went before.

The issue with Coyle was that we didn't have players fit and ready even weeks into the season.

End of the day the only thing that bothers me is where we finish in May. Come then nobody will give a shit either way about the pre-season.

[ChrisC]

People worried about winning these pre season games only have to look at Tottenham drawing with Swindon last night after being in front. Does that mean they will have a poor season? Manure lost their first game of pre season the other day. It doesn't mean feck all!

[Athers]

Nothing to take from this other than what the kit looks like. Apart from Bogdan that looks like a 2nd XI anyway

[Cocopopper]

Agree with the comments about Bolger - Certainly seemed to misjudge the path of the ball on a couple of occasions. Did improve a bit. Lots of short passing out from the back by Bogdan.

(At least 2) hospital balls to Bogdan aside, I thought Mills did pretty well - Certainly the better at handling the aerial threat that Rotherham kept posing.

Wilkinson wasn't the type of player I was expecting - very lightweight and comfortably beaten in 50-50s. Did look hungry though. Lester showed some skillz, but not a right lot of end product.

Main rays of light for me were the industry and nous of Hall, and the significant improvement in passing and control of the game after the addition of Eagles, Tierney, Baptiste et al.

P.s. I know Freedman said Baptiste's been signed as a right back, but at the expense of putting Riley in at CB? I guess if you're going to try that anywhere, you do it here, but still...

P.p.s. Long time listener, first (ok, second) time caller...

[mrkint]

Skelmersdale tonight for the bwfc xi - guessing it'll be kids but hey ho, coywm etc

[89bwfc89]

Anyone going to Chorley on Friday?

[adamworthy2002]

Anyone going to Chorley on Friday?

Yeah I'm thinking about it

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Anyone going to Chorley on Friday?

Sorry. Nope.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Anyone going to Chorley on Friday?

Sorry. Nope.

But look on it as another opportunity to enlighten the rest of us on events you have a unique perspective upon (like your view on the Reebok lawn from your window) as opposed to undergoing a solitary experience devoid of friends, family, and acquaintances.