Pre-season fixtures 2017

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Behave Insano, we've got a good manager and a good defence. Gets you a long way. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be grumbling at 21st but if it's excellent, what, 22nd would be a "good" season?

Also, some clubs are paying 10m for players, but I'm not buying we can't at least compete with the likes of Burton and Barnsley financially! Also no way on earth SammyAmmy/ Buckley are on 4.5 kpw.

Those clubs aren't in the embargo we are. It was reported that Millwall have beaten us to a couple of targets earlier in the window. I think staying up would be excellent. End of. Actually close to miraculous. We go into the season as it stands weaker than we were last season. And we probably would have struggled to stay up in this league last season.

Very, very debateable is that statement, low on numbers maybe, not sure the quality is any worse now all the deadwood has been cleared.

Don't think it is really. We know that Spearing would start ahead of Pratley. Spearing is no longer here. So we are clearly putting out a weaker 11 than finished the last game of last season.

Only by one player. Morais being injured weakens it too, but he is signed up so can't really count that one.

We're stronger up front and as strong at the back with more options in both areas. We're Spearing down (he'd have played both Pratley and Spearing given a chance) in midfield but Karacan up given he hardly played last season. It remains to be seen if midfield is worse off, though it remains a problem area.

I'd say we're in a better position than last season, but whether it is enough will be close run. Cheer up, could be worse. For me the important thing this season is give it a go, but most importantly get the finances sorted. Even if we go down, if we can get on an even keel then all is good to sustainably have a go next season without embargo and players and suppliers being paid when they should.

[BWFC_Insane]

Don't think it is really. We know that Spearing would start ahead of Pratley. Spearing is no longer here. So we are clearly putting out a weaker 11 than finished the last game of last season. Only by one player. Morais being injured weakens it too, but he is signed up so can't really count that one.

Enter Baloo the bear singing "Look for the bare necessities".....
Spearing is/was just one swallow in a summer, and you know the rest of that. We'll be stronger in other areas. He's gone, life goes on. Let's not show white flags before the season even starts.....

I'm not bothered about Spearing going. It is more that we have been restricted in our efforts to replace him to a salary cap significantly lower than we had imposed upon last last season in league one. We are also severely restricted in our ability to sign loan players. Loan players being the ones that likely will add the extra quality required to this squad.

[BWFC_Insane]

Behave Insano, we've got a good manager and a good defence. Gets you a long way. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be grumbling at 21st but if it's excellent, what, 22nd would be a "good" season?

Also, some clubs are paying 10m for players, but I'm not buying we can't at least compete with the likes of Burton and Barnsley financially! Also no way on earth SammyAmmy/ Buckley are on 4.5 kpw.

Those clubs aren't in the embargo we are. It was reported that Millwall have beaten us to a couple of targets earlier in the window. I think staying up would be excellent. End of. Actually close to miraculous. We go into the season as it stands weaker than we were last season. And we probably would have struggled to stay up in this league last season.

Very, very debateable is that statement, low on numbers maybe, not sure the quality is any worse now all the deadwood has been cleared.

Don't think it is really. We know that Spearing would start ahead of Pratley. Spearing is no longer here. So we are clearly putting out a weaker 11 than finished the last game of last season.

Only by one player. Morais being injured weakens it too, but he is signed up so can't really count that one.

We're stronger up front and as strong at the back with more options in both areas. We're Spearing down (he'd have played both Pratley and Spearing given a chance) in midfield but Karacan up given he hardly played last season. It remains to be seen if midfield is worse off, though it remains a problem area.

I'd say we're in a better position than last season, but whether it is enough will be close run. Cheer up, could be worse. For me the important thing this season is give it a go, but most importantly get the finances sorted. Even if we go down, if we can get on an even keel then all is good to sustainably have a go next season without embargo and players and suppliers being paid when they should.

Stronger up front? Madine and Le Fondre ended last season. And will start this. Sure, Armstrong looks a better option off the bench than Wilkinson no doubt. But our major front line weakness last season, no adequate cover for Madine, persists.

The Stoke game showed up quite a bit. I like the look of Darby but I think he'll struggle at wing back. Especially when the emphasis is on ourselves to score a goal. He doesn't seem comfortable getting up and down the line. Morais is a big miss, fitness wise as our set piece quality is not as strong nor our delivery from open play.

I've been pretty positive this summer. I still was up until news of the increased restrictions broke. We're still way under the numbers needed (Parky has said this) and I always felt we'd find the extra quality later in the window. But now, we've gone from low but just about competitive wages to ones that wouldn't compete at the very top end of league one most years.

Burton for example when they came up from league one were paying around 5-6K a week to their better players. Burton. In league one. Our cap is now £4.5K. Not sure how anyone can think this isn't hugely impactful. We might have got away with it if we'd signed up the 23 or 24. But we're still what, 4/5 short? Not sure what sort of quality we can add for those sums and also, loans are restricted to last only till January. Which again is a big headache as that leads to major upheaval mid-season. And no guarantee those players return.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Stronger up front? Madine and Le Fondre ended last season. And will start this. Sure, Armstrong looks a better option off the bench than Wilkinson no doubt. But our major front line weakness last season, no adequate cover for Madine, persists.

The Stoke game showed up quite a bit. I like the look of Darby but I think he'll struggle at wing back. Especially when the emphasis is on ourselves to score a goal. He doesn't seem comfortable getting up and down the line. Morais is a big miss, fitness wise as our set piece quality is not as strong nor our delivery from open play.

I've been pretty positive this summer. I still was up until news of the increased restrictions broke. We're still way under the numbers needed (Parky has said this) and I always felt we'd find the extra quality later in the window. But now, we've gone from low but just about competitive wages to ones that wouldn't compete at the very top end of league one most years.

Burton for example when they came up from league one were paying around 5-6K a week to their better players. Burton. In league one. Our cap is now £4.5K. Not sure how anyone can think this isn't hugely impactful. We might have got away with it if we'd signed up the 23 or 24. But we're still what, 4/5 short? Not sure what sort of quality we can add for those sums and also, loans are restricted to last only till January. Which again is a big headache as that leads to major upheaval mid-season. And no guarantee those players return.

I'd say Ameobi, ALF, Madine, Buckley and Armstrong is stronger than ALF, Madine, Wilkinson and t'other crock we had. Yes, we'd ideally like someone better than Madine to provide that role, but we actually have options now that are better than Wilkinson. That IS an improvement.

At the back we have some actual right backs, which IS an improvement.

We're not great in midfield and this is the one area I do worry about. Whether we're weaker than last season I don't know, Karacan barely played and whilst different, I think could be as effective as Spearing (just different). Ideally a couple more midfielders in and the lottery win would be an improvement on Madine.

You might have been pretty positive this summer, but you're gearing up for misery. So I say again, cheer up it aint that bad.

[BWFC_Insane]

Stronger up front? Madine and Le Fondre ended last season. And will start this. Sure, Armstrong looks a better option off the bench than Wilkinson no doubt. But our major front line weakness last season, no adequate cover for Madine, persists.

The Stoke game showed up quite a bit. I like the look of Darby but I think he'll struggle at wing back. Especially when the emphasis is on ourselves to score a goal. He doesn't seem comfortable getting up and down the line. Morais is a big miss, fitness wise as our set piece quality is not as strong nor our delivery from open play.

I've been pretty positive this summer. I still was up until news of the increased restrictions broke. We're still way under the numbers needed (Parky has said this) and I always felt we'd find the extra quality later in the window. But now, we've gone from low but just about competitive wages to ones that wouldn't compete at the very top end of league one most years.

Burton for example when they came up from league one were paying around 5-6K a week to their better players. Burton. In league one. Our cap is now £4.5K. Not sure how anyone can think this isn't hugely impactful. We might have got away with it if we'd signed up the 23 or 24. But we're still what, 4/5 short? Not sure what sort of quality we can add for those sums and also, loans are restricted to last only till January. Which again is a big headache as that leads to major upheaval mid-season. And no guarantee those players return.

I'd say Ameobi, ALF, Madine, Buckley and Armstrong is stronger than ALF, Madine, Wilkinson and t'other crock we had. Yes, we'd ideally like someone better than Madine to provide that role, but we actually have options now that are better than Wilkinson. That IS an improvement.

At the back we have some actual right backs, which IS an improvement.

We're not great in midfield and this is the one area I do worry about. Whether we're weaker than last season I don't know, Karacan barely played and whilst different, I think could be as effective as Spearing (just different). Ideally a couple more midfielders in and the lottery win would be an improvement on Madine.

You might have been pretty positive this summer, but you're gearing up for misery. So I say again, cheer up it aint that bad.

Ameobi and Buckley are wingers. Ameobi is never going to score goals regularly.

Karacan is pure class. Absolutely a stand out against Stoke and I rate him above Spearing.

Our first choice midfield of Karacan, Pratley and Vela is fine. But we've got absolutely nowt beyond it. Nor a different sort to change things up. I'm hoping this week will fix that because it is an absolute must prior to Leeds. Those three cannot play 90 minutes in that sort of role 3 times a week.

I know how we'll be set up, but teams in this league will be able to open us up. We'll be solid and resolute but I think we definitely need to have more options for ball retention and more threat/pace in forward areas. Teams in this league will often be able to find a piece of magic to score against us, bit like Stoke did Saturday. Without extra quality we'll be found out IMHO. And I'm struggling to see where that'll come from for less than £5k a week.

Parky will be a credit no doubt. And I think we'll make a go of it. But to still be in embargo is crippling.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

BWFCi, you spent most of the spring saying we were weaker without Ameobi. Now he's back, and you say we're weaker. Can't have it both ways, fella.

As AT points out, we've more options at the back and far more options up top. Yes, we'd like to have a rival/replacement for Madine, but not having one doesn't mean we're weaker, it means we're the same (except for the addition of Ameobi, Arma and Buckley). The one player we've lost that we might miss is Spearing, but I'm not sure Spearing is good enough for his absence to overwhelm the additions of Ameobi, Arma, Buckley, Little and Darby – plus the long-term signings/re-signings of ALF, Morais, Karacan, Wheater, Dervite, A.Taylor and (perhaps most importantly financially) Jake Turner.

Now, if you'd said the squad is weaker in comparison to the division it's competing in, you'd probably be right. But there was never a realistic world in which that wouldn't be the case. Even if we got the benign billionaires in, we couldn't get a stronger squad over one summer than those 6 or 12 clubs who have been building towards the Premier League for years.

[Prufrock]

Behave Insano, we've got a good manager and a good defence. Gets you a long way. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be grumbling at 21st but if it's excellent, what, 22nd would be a "good" season?

Also, some clubs are paying 10m for players, but I'm not buying we can't at least compete with the likes of Burton and Barnsley financially! Also no way on earth SammyAmmy/ Buckley are on 4.5 kpw.

Those clubs aren't in the embargo we are. It was reported that Millwall have beaten us to a couple of targets earlier in the window. I think staying up would be excellent. End of. Actually close to miraculous. We go into the season as it stands weaker than we were last season. And we probably would have struggled to stay up in this league last season.

Very, very debateable is that statement, low on numbers maybe, not sure the quality is any worse now all the deadwood has been cleared.

Don't think it is really. We know that Spearing would start ahead of Pratley. Spearing is no longer here. So we are clearly putting out a weaker 11 than finished the last game of last season.

Only by one player. Morais being injured weakens it too, but he is signed up so can't really count that one.

Ameobi and Buckley? Plus a living right back.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Ameobi and Buckley are wingers. Ameobi is never going to score goals regularly.

Nope, but he provides some unpredictability and guile that will hopefully put a few goals on ALF's plate. Whether he can do it consistently enough is in question. Buckley potentially offers some quality that we were lacking at times previously.

Karacan is pure class. Absolutely a stand out against Stoke and I rate him above Spearing.

Me too. Spearing has been extremely mediocre in this division apart from his loan spell. Not seen much of Karacan, but he looks far more dynamic and able to get up and down the pitch and contribute at both ends.

Our first choice midfield of Karacan, Pratley and Vela is fine. But we've got absolutely nowt beyond it. Nor a different sort to change things up. I'm hoping this week will fix that because it is an absolute must prior to Leeds. Those three cannot play 90 minutes in that sort of role 3 times a week.

I'd like the option of someone that can create that little bit of time and space for themselves in order to create something. I think we lack that in the middle and I know I'm dreaming here!

I know how we'll be set up, but teams in this league will be able to open us up. We'll be solid and resolute but I think we definitely need to have more options for ball retention and more threat/pace in forward areas. Teams in this league will often be able to find a piece of magic to score against us, bit like Stoke did Saturday. Without extra quality we'll be found out IMHO. And I'm struggling to see where that'll come from for less than £5k a week.

We're going to struggle at times in this league, but we should equally be able to frustrate and grind matches out. It wont be easy, but I believe we should be competitive enough to have a fighting chance of avoiding relegation.

Parky will be a credit no doubt. And I think we'll make a go of it. But to still be in embargo is crippling.

Goes without saying that the embargo is a major hindrance, but if it stops us spending this season to the point we are on an even keel for next season then I'm fine with it as short term pain for long term gain.

[BWFC_Insane]

BWFCi, you spent most of the spring saying we were weaker without Ameobi. Now he's back, and you say we're weaker. Can't have it both ways, fella.

As AT points out, we've more options at the back and far more options up top. Yes, we'd like to have a rival/replacement for Madine, but not having one doesn't mean we're weaker, it means we're the same (except for the addition of Ameobi, Arma and Buckley). The one player we've lost that we might miss is Spearing, but I'm not sure Spearing is good enough for his absence to overwhelm the additions of Ameobi, Arma, Buckley, Little and Darby – plus the long-term signings/re-signings of ALF, Morais, Karacan, Wheater, Dervite, A.Taylor and (perhaps most importantly financially) Jake Turner.

Now, if you'd said the squad is weaker in comparison to the division it's competing in, you'd probably be right. But there was never a realistic world in which that wouldn't be the case. Even if we got the benign billionaires in, we couldn't get a stronger squad over one summer than those 6 or 12 clubs who have been building towards the Premier League for years.

Ameobi back with all things equal, yes....

Important to note that Ameobi and Buckley aren't starting Sunday.

[officer_dibble]

What do we know then?

I had Alnwick as first choice keeper...yet Howard played v Stoke. Couldn't even guess a formation though I do think it will be between 352 or 4231 v Leeds. Pratley is skipper so I think him and Karacan will be the starting midfield pair...and Vela will surely be in there as well.


Darby or Little as right back? Taylor probably guaranteed a start.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

What do we know then?

I had Alnwick as first choice keeper...yet Howard played v Stoke. Couldn't even guess a formation though I do think it will be between 352 or 4231 v Leeds. Pratley is skipper so I think him and Karacan will be the starting midfield pair...and Vela will surely be in there as well.


Darby or Little as right back? Taylor probably guaranteed a start.

Parky, per BN:

We have flexibility in our shape, and as I’ve said all along that is going to be important. We played that way [3-5-2 on Saturday] because we felt it was the best way to set up against Stoke but we’ll re-assess the situation during the week and make a decision based on what we feel is right for Leeds at the weekend.

We've got a game at Marine tonight; it's an "XI" game so mainly U23s but I expect he'll "get some minutes in the legs" of players who haven't featured much - like Fil Morais. Might even give a half to Arma/Ameobi (although the latter picked up a knock v Stoke) to get them up to speed, and hopefully a morale-boosting goal.

For now, I expect he'll go back-three against Leeds.

[jmjhb]

#BWFC XI to face @MarineAFC: Turner, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist.

[Worthy4England]

^^ I think they've spelt Turner wrong...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

#BWFC XI to face @MarineAFC: Turner, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist, Trialist.

Subs: Aspinall, Trialist, Trialist, Lonsdale, Hall

[Billbob]

They must be from the same family, a bit like the Charlton or the nevilles

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

3-0 up at half-time. Someone tweeted to ask who scored; the club replied "Trialist".

[TonyDomingos]

3-0 up at half-time. Someone tweeted to ask who scored; the club replied "Trialist".

Trialist got a first half hat-trick? We should sign him.

[TonyDomingos]

FT 1-6.

[Worthy4England]

3-0 up at half-time. Someone tweeted to ask who scored; the club replied "Trialist".

Trialist got a first half hat-trick? We should sign him.

We've done that before on the basis of a hat trick in a pre-session friendly... (from the oppo)

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

According to a fan who was there, Telfer got 2, Hall 1. "Hadji got a bad injury,looked gutted coming off-Liked look of no 9, 7 & the twin in CD". Team:

1. Jake Turner - ours
2. Liam Morris - RB, (former?) Everton youther, DOB 19/04/99
3. Liam Edwards - CB, ex-Stoke, 2/10/96
4. Robert Atkinson - CB, "Basingstoke twin", 13/7/98
5. Joe Muscatt - LB, ex-Spurs, 15/12/97
6. Hector Otin - former Spain U16 winger, 19/1/96
7. Martin Atkinson - midfielder, "Basingstoke twin", 13/7/98
8. Charlie Telfer - 5ft9in ex-Rangers/Dundee Utd/Scotland U21 midfielder, 4/7/95
9. Anthony Wright - winger? US-born to British dad, ex-Fulham/Forest, born around 97/98
10. Luke Donnelly - 6ft3in ex-Celtic striker, 20/1/96
11. Zach Hadji - winger, son of Mustapha

12. Eyong Enoh - either the 31-y-o Cameroon international defensive midfielder late of Standard Liege, or a homonym
13. James Aspinall - our scholar, GK
14. Marcello - there's a million of these and I'm getting tired
15. Yannick Djalo - 5ft7in 31-y-o winger, born in Guinea-Bissau but a Portugal cap at several levels up to seniors
16. Cole Lonsdale - ours
17. Connor Hall - ours