United versus Everton, facebook, 8pm

[sageyefc]

Good to see Ron going apeshit at players not pressing or bottling challenges

 

[Kev50]

I can't believe people aren't more excited about last night. I think Koeman is already working his magic, and that's without a hundred million quid spent on the squad. I also think the vibe re Lulaku is good

 

[AndyC]

I can't believe people aren't more excited about last night. I think Koeman is already working his magic, and that's without a hundred million quid spent on the squad. I also think the vibe re Lulaku is good

Excited probably isn't the right word mate... encouraged would probably be nearer the mark.
Basically the same team as last year against a stronger Manure and we held them quite comfortably and could have won it.
If we can add a couple of players in key positions, we'll be fine.

 

[Real_madras]

It looks like we are better organised, at the back. But we aren't ready for the new season. A couple of signings and players getting used to the way the new manager wants to play, will improve things.

 

[Ashtonluke]

It's important to be able to keep it tight at the back and we didn't look much like conceding all game. I think 3 at the back and 2 DMs is quite extreme though and so I doubt we'll use that formation regularly.

Agree- I think its a formation we may see away from home especially to the likes of United and City etc. I think he used it at Southampton last year too although I've no idea how regularly.

 

[kithnou]

 

[Darth Toffeeman]

I could listen to Koeman talk football all day. I am very excited to see what he can do this season.
I often had to switch Roberto off, though I hope he does well for Belgium.

 

[kithnou]

I could listen to Koeman talk football all day. I am very excited to see what he can do this season.
I often had to switch Roberto off, though I hope he does well for Belgium.

We are indeed at a phenomenal moment in time for both Managers.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Caught about 5 minutes of it

Looked like we were pressing a lot more than under Martinez, which pleases me

 

[Roger Milla]

How many snitches were in the away end then? Looked like a couple of thousand to me

 

[Barnfred 55]

Excited probably isn't the right word mate... encouraged would probably be nearer the mark.
Basically the same team as last year against a stronger Manure and we held them quite comfortably and could have won it.
If we can add a couple of players in key positions, we'll be fine.

I like the fact that Ron is using pre season to experiment with systems. I do think he got his personnel wrong though playing the B/Mc axis in front of a back 3. Both of them naturally sit deep effectively giving us 7-3 formation, with no obvious link between defence and attack. It also had the effect of conceding territory to the Mancs and stifled any opportunity for one of our ball playing defenders to step out into midfield.

You could see the difference in our overall effectiveness during the first 15 mins of the second half when both DMs were playing 20m further forward. I'd like to see Ron try this system again at the weekend but with different DMs. Maybe Gueye alongside Davies/Barkley with Mirallas/Deulefeu/Lukaku up front.

Overall I thought it was a strong defensive performance, but lacking that little bit of quality when it mattered. We could, however, quite easily have come away with a 2/3 nil win away to one of this years title favourites.

Couldn't believe the post match comments on BT, bigging up the Mancs and all but making out we'd be relegation fodder this year. Especially as, Pogba apart, they've done their transfer business and we haven't even started yet.

Still early days but I've seen enough to be cautiously optimistic for the coming season, and fully expect us to bring in the new players needed to add quality to the midfield and attack. I also expect Ron to change his formation/personnel depending on the opposition which, together with game management, is something we badly missed under RM.

Loving the pre season both Holgate and Davies are having though. I was expecting maybe 6/7 of our other youth players to be well ahead in the pecking order, so hopefully it's evidence of the depth of quality we have coming through the academy.

 

[Chimpy Glassman]

I could listen to Koeman talk football all day. I am very excited to see what he can do this season.
I often had to switch Roberto off, though I hope he does well for Belgium.

Hahaha! He won't though, will he.

 

[toffeemax]

It was so refreshing to see our manager play the game instead of being stubborn and think we will beat what effectively is a superior team playing how we play week in week out. 5 at the back was very solid and still we had two of the best chances of the night.

 

[AndyC]

I like the fact that Ron is using pre season to experiment with systems. I do think he got his personnel wrong though playing the B/Mc axis in front of a back 3. Both of them naturally sit deep effectively giving us 7-3 formation, with no obvious link between defence and attack. It also had the effect of conceding territory to the Mancs and stifled any opportunity for one of our ball playing defenders to step out into midfield.

You could see the difference in our overall effectiveness during the first 15 mins of the second half when both DMs were playing 20m further forward. I'd like to see Ron try this system again at the weekend but with different DMs. Maybe Gueye alongside Davies/Barkley with Mirallas/Deulefeu/Lukaku up front.

Overall I thought it was a strong defensive performance, but lacking that little bit of quality when it mattered. We could, however, quite easily have come away with a 2/3 nil win away to one of this years title favourites.

Couldn't believe the post match comments on BT, bigging up the Mancs and all but making out we'd be relegation fodder this year. Especially as, Pogba apart, they've done their transfer business and we haven't even started yet.

Still early days but I've seen enough to be cautiously optimistic for the coming season, and fully expect us to bring in the new players needed to add quality to the midfield and attack. I also expect Ron to change his formation/personnel depending on the opposition which, together with game management, is something we badly missed under RM.

Loving the pre season both Holgate and Davies are having though. I was expecting maybe 6/7 of our other youth players to be well ahead in the pecking order, so hopefully it's evidence of the depth of quality we have coming through the academy.

Par for the course with the commentary numpties that BT employ... much easier on the ear to turn the sound down and/or replace it with the Radio 4 longwave shipping forecast.

 

[Nymzee]

We have a keeper than can catch crossed and corners yey.