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Dkc

Dkc

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3-1. Adams, Hippo and E-Boy.

Higdon scored what was apparantly a cracking volley from outside the box.

Anyone been?
 



I felt he got treated a bit unfairly last season. I remember the Tottenham game and I thought he was decent and got in good positions but when I came on here someone gave him a 1 rating which was just ridiculous. While he certainly wasn't one of the better players he started to get blamed for everything.
 
Well pre season has already been better than last seasons, i know you can't go too much on friendlies but lets hope there's more of the same to come and the lads keep their fitness levels ticking along nicely, you can't beat winning and getting that confidence flowing.

Higdon looked in great shape on Saturday, it made me have a semi on at one point, that soon changed after he missed an header from a corner though, once he missed it there would have certainly been more life in a tramps tampon as i went all Limp Bizkit:D
 
Good to see Foxy Linz and SotonBlade there tonight.

Here's some musings from my first hand account of the match.

First half played most of the youngsters with James Wallace and Scougs.
Che Adams scored after 12 mins. Ball over the top and slotted well.
We still looked dodgy at set pieces but Harrison McGahey looked in decent nick.
Cheltenham equalised on stroke of half time with a really sloppy goal to give away. McFadz Let the winger come inside, ball played to edge of six yard a challenge came in but ball squeezed to unmarked player who slotted past Long
Keep giving the ball away far too cheaply in first half. Reed ineffective and one of main culprits for losing possession. We'd win it back then lump it forward and lose it almost straight away. Looked v much the same as last season With little direction and very short on goalmouth action.

Only players to show some quality were Che and McGahey. Rest of them pretty ineffective. Control was a let down for most of them. Especially Calvert-Lewin.

Second half kicked off with same ressy team and made little impression. Then 10 mins in both teams swapped all 11 players. Quicker tempo but game plan appeared to be get it out wide to Jam and Murph and let them do some magic. Jam shone first and put a good cross in that Higdon got a head to but not enough power to trouble the keeper. Playing a 442 with nuts and Higgins up top. Baxter and bash central. Collins and McEv CB with freeman and woolford R&LB. woolford combined well on a number of occasions with Murphy. Central mid was ineffective and giving ball away far too often (Baxter mostly) but Bash not really in the game. Looked suspect defending corners. Murphy easily best player on pitch but impressed with Woolford composed and assured and overlapped well supporting Murphy at every opportunity. Second goal came from the second of two corners, half cleared to Higdon on edge of box who shaped and volleyed in with a sweet strike low and hard to opposite corner. This was in the last couple of mins of normal time. Third goal Baxter. Cleared up to Murphy over half way line. Killed it with excellent control. Teased a couple of defenders before crossing. It got a deflection and fell kindly to Baxter 8 yards out. He took a touch and fired past stranded keeper.
All in all a decent work out but still plenty to work on. We won't be passing teams to death at this rate.
 
excellent goals post: 794153 said:
3-1. Adams, Hippo and E-Boy.

Higdon scored what was apparantly a cracking volley from outside the box.

Anyone been?
Click to expand...
Yes, 3 excellent goals

Not much space 1st half for the kids to play but Adams stood out. Had to cope with some robust stuff which is good if they get in the first team. A lot more space to play in as it opened up a bit more 2nd half. The kid on theleft looked much better when he came inside & ran through the middle. It all got a bit more frenetic again when the subs came on but as they got into the game started to find space & stretched Cheltenham.

Highlight of the game was 1st half when theirnunumber 7 sqsquealed as Reed came at him from the side.

Really friendly stewards & staff

Only moan was I thought kids were free as advertised but that was home support
 
Kenilworth said:
We still looked dodgy at set pieces but Harrison McGahey looked in decent nick...
...Only players to show some quality were Che and McGahey.
Click to expand...

That's all well and good, but I think I'll wait till we hear from some Tranmere fans before we fully judge McGahey's performance.
 
Higgo looking lean...err..

CKd5RTSWgAEM-Uo.jpg:large
 
Agree with the above summaries but thought that J Wallace totally controlled the game for the first 60 mins and made Adams' goal with a lovely pass over the top.

DCL looked a long way off the first team on that performance, as did Scougall and McNulty.

The last 30 mins looked far better but Murphy, Woolford, Freeman and McEverley standing out.

A useful workout all-in-all.
 
Kenilworth said:
We still looked dodgy at set pieces
a really sloppy goal to give away
keep giving the ball away far too cheaply in first half
we'd win it back then lump it forward and lose it almost straight away
little direction and very short on goalmouth action
central mid was ineffective and giving ball away far too often (Baxter mostly) but Bash not really in the game
looked suspect defending corners
Murphy easily best player on pitch
Click to expand...

Great to see the Adkins' revolution kicking in :)
 



Jim Chimmerney said:
Great to see the Adkins' revolution kicking in :)
Click to expand...

Meet the New Nigel...same as the old Nigel.


I jest, only a pre season, and the sooner he sees for his own eyes whats going on, the sooner he can resolve (hopefully).

Well done to the Blades who went.
 
Esablade said:
Higgo looking lean...err..

CKd5RTSWgAEM-Uo.jpg:large
Click to expand...

I tell you what - there have been a lot of detractors about Higdon and his effectiveness last season BUT
He is a fucking unit and has a reight shot on him
IF fit and IF used correctly (not shoved on his tod up front in a negative 4-5-1) to a game plan that actually accentuates his assets - he will bang in a hat full this season, create mayhem for a fellow striker to bag even more - and also shore up our crap record at defending set pieces.

When that chance fell to Higgo I just knew he would connect properly and it have a high chance of going in - it was the only time (until Baxter's gilt edged chance) that I was confident of a proper strike on goal.

Higgo will be good for us this season - IF he can remain fit (he was stretching his calves a bit but hopefully that is just early season teething probs)
 
Mouth of the South said:
Agree with the above summaries but thought that J Wallace totally controlled the game for the first 60 mins and made Adams' goal with a lovely pass over the top.

DCL looked a long way off the first team on that performance, as did Scougall and McNulty.

The last 30 mins looked far better but Murphy, Woolford, Freeman and McEverley standing out.

A useful workout all-in-all.
Click to expand...

On the Wallace position - he didn't dominate or control the midfield in my eyes - he was patchy and what he did you could see was good - in the main
Maybe as he was surrounded by the junior lads - I expect that had a lot to do with it since if he had JAM and Murph to find they would have made far better options for him to select the pass quicker.
I actually thought that the Cheltenham lads passed it better than our youngsters in the first half.
It was not until the "first team" came on that the pace went up several gears and stuff started to happen - width and crosses mostly - Jam and Murph looking particularly lively and Woolford looking assured and confident and actually knowing what he was doing - good left foot deliveries as well.
 
Kenilworth said:
Higgo will be good for us this season - IF he can remain fit (he was stretching his calves a bit but hopefully that is just early season teething probs)
Click to expand...
and if he can avoid getting sent off when playacting teams like Swindon try it on
 
Kenilworth said:
On the Wallace position - he didn't dominate or control the midfield in my eyes - he was patchy and what he did you could see was good - in the main

I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree then Kenilworth. I thought Wallace regularly showed and, when required, battled well for the ball. When he got it he also generally used it effectively – his passes for the Adams goals and the DdG chance were excellent. Admittedly there were occasions when he didn’t get the pass quite right and/or attempted more ambitious passes when simpler options were on. It has to be expected however, that he’s going to be somewhat rusty after missing the best part for 2 seasons with injury and the more he plays the better he’ll undoubtedly get. If and it’s a big if, he stays for the majority of the season, he promises to be a very important player and a combination with Basham or even Coutts (if Basham is ever missing or needed at CB) should be too good for most L1 teams.
While we’re airing our differences of opinion, I thought Higdon did ok last night but nothing more. Yes, he took his goal well and got into positions where he could/should have scored at least one more but other than that he did very little. He’s obviously a big lad and not mobile but his lack of movement, particularly in the channels and showing for throw-ins is alarming. I do agree that he looks a much better player with a strike partner but whoever plays up front with him will have to do the majority of his running for him. McNulty simply isn’t good enough, Sharp (if he joins) may be better if he’s willing and able and Adams, with the speed, strength and willingness to chase may possibly be the best option. There was also that tackle (a repeat of the one at Chesterfield) that will get him onto trouble if he does it again during the season – the (poor IMO) ref was obviously trying to avoid booking players last night (inc. the handbags Baxter and the aggressive Cheltenham #3 following the #3 naughty knee in the back of Baxter) but had no choice with Higdon. For the above reasons, if NA does favour playing a bigger target man as part of a front 2, I can fully understand why he may be interested in bringing Henderson back and I was one of the (very) few not aghast at the thought.
Click to expand...
 
Esablade said:
Higgo looking lean...err..

CKd5RTSWgAEM-Uo.jpg:large
Click to expand...

Looks like the third year school team congratulating the PE teacher on scoring a goal! (with Bash as the tall kid in class who was always embarrassed to still be wearing short trousers)

Joking aside, I have seen a few pictures of Higdon recently and he looks in good shape, still big, but leaner (apart from he seems to naturally have a "fat" face). It looks to me like he is part of NA's plans for the season so we need to get behind him. We still lack height in the team (Woolford being added will help), so we do need at least one six-footer up front as an option.
 



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