Pre-Season 2021/22


garydavidson
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Thought the team looked very sharp tonight, with everyone very well drilled in their roles in the side- no matter who we get in Europe, we will be no Push over.

The team lost its shape a little with the large amounts of subs later in the second half, but Devine was very impressive and I think he will add some threat down the left hand side- he was more than happy to press on, but did very well defensively. The lad from Milwall also looked decent and took plenty direction from Liam.

Atmosphere was pretty muted, but it was just fantastic to be back in the park and getting the chance to watch a special set of players that have given the club so much.

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I actually thought the atmosphere was surprisingly good - the cheer for the players when the team was read out, and then again for Rooney in 32 minutes, seemed loud to me. Maybe that was just because I've forgotten what it's like to be in a crowd!

Found it hard to see the game very well as I had terrible seats (second-from-bottom row, right behind the goal nets), but I thought that was a really promising performance from Saints (albeit with some dodgy finishing). The whole team looked very fit, sharp and strong - I think that's been a hallmark of Davidson's team right from the start of last season, and I struggle to remember a Saints team that has looked fitter. To me it looked like a few of the players had bulked up physically since I last saw them too.

Spoony and MOH were real thorns in PNE's side and I felt Devine, Muller and Ballantyne all stood out when they came on. On the whole I'd say we looked very comfortable and probably should have won it.

Kane, Bryson and Gilmour were all missing from the squad - injured? (I saw Kane leaving the Main Stand in his tracksuit after the match).

 

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Not sure that was a Preston side fully up to speed (if I was one of their support, I'd hope not).

We more than held our own and deserved at least the draw from it. Cracking goal from their side of things. MOH did well to create the opportunity for Wotherspoon, who took his goal well. His pen, not so much.

He better get the practice in. The likes of PSV could well hold us to extra time and pens in the European games.

Thought Devine & Muller looked to fit in well. Brown looked much more comfortable going forward than he did last season. Hendry looked sharp when he came out, although that wee niggle in him is still there and the foul he got booked for was really needless.

Need to see more of the two youngsters who came on...though they both looked to get on the ball, which is encouraging.

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3 hours ago, RandomGuy said:

Was a really promising performance, Preston couldn't cope when we pressed them, and failed to ever break us down. Goal they got was incredible.

Still not sure about MOH in this set up, but the goal is almost all him, and he then won the penalty too, so there's that. 

What makes you unsure?

Last night an assist and wins a penalty which should have been another assist. and to quote you "MoH vital to the goal and penalty"

Last season numerous man of the match awards but he was his own worst enemy 2 sending offs and a bad injury against Celtic put him out of the team and the form of others prevented him coming straight back in,

CD gave him a 2 year contract so he must be sure he fits into the set up.

What makes you unsure?

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1 hour ago, Johnny B said:

What makes you unsure?

Him and Rooney both want to run to the byline when high up the park, and didn't link well. Felt like that last season too.

Defensively he's getting better but still needs constant direction on where to be and who to follow. He doesn't block off passing lanes nearly as well as Wotherspoon so there's often fairly simple passes in the centre of the park past him, which is a weakness for us in that shape.

I'm not saying he was awful or anything, I though he played a stood as he has in that position when starting, just there's still weaknesses there that make you feel like he's likely to just be a squad player again.

Edited by RandomGuy
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1 hour ago, Johnny B said:

A 2 year contract and top wages for a squad player? Surely CD must see him as more than that

Why do you constantly persist with this "top wages" comment? 

How do you know how much he's on, let's also factor in he actually accepted a lower wage from us to stay for an additional year. Let's face it, he's not one of our so called top players and I doubt he's on anything that would put him close to the top of the wage bill these days. 

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8 minutes ago, RandomGuy said:

Who says he's on top wages?

Common sense says, would have signed for less money on your expiring contract. It was reported we pushed the boat out to get him in the January transfer window on his return from Melbourne when a number of clubs were interested. Tommy wanted him.

Also reported other teams interested before he re-signed a few weeks ago

 

Edited by Johnny B
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23 minutes ago, Widge said:

let's also factor in he actually accepted a lower wage from us to stay for an additional year.

Who or where was it said he accepted a lower wage the only thing I read was he knocked back a higher one, Also again where was it stated he was getting offered only 1 year contracts from other clubs

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1 hour ago, Johnny B said:

Common sense says, would have signed for less money on your expiring contract. It was reported we pushed the boat out to get him in the January transfer window on his return from Melbourne when a number of clubs were interested. Tommy wanted him.

Also reported other teams interested before he re-signed a few weeks ago

 

We pushed out the boat as it was a last minute signing and he was available i.e. we had already committed our budget. 

Never at any point did the Club say they had broken their wage structure or make him a  high earner.  

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