04 Aug 2025 00:14:57
West Hams win puts our win against Bournemouth into perspective and allied to today's performance maybe a bit of a reality check. Yes I can see a definite improvement attacking wise but let's wait and see when faced with top quality sides if we can cope.

1.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 00:26:19
While the recruitment is focused on attacking options, it seems or real lack of strength is in our ability to clear the lines. A calming influence in defence is essential, maguire is last gasp and only intermittently. We need someone who can reassure everyone including the keeper and marshal the defence.

2.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 02:33:44
Seems he was trying something different today. But another game where we try desperately to shoehorn bruno into the team at all costs. Ditto Dalot.

Not convinced either of them truely fit into Amorim's system.

Midfield looked off it today, and yes it is only pre season, but not long until a tough starting game. Mainoo and Ugarte struggling to bring the ball out. Cunha looked lost with bruno and Mbeno playing in his space - and not making much impact further foward.

I know this all sounds negative, I do see some promise in the squad, with new additions and young players. It's taking a lot of time to gel, and players look like strangers and like they are not happy. Hopefully they start to understand each other soon.

3.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 07:51:04
It's pre season mate, that's the perspective.

The only thing I took away from it was that with the new signings, it's going to be a lot of fun up top.

And we still have more signings to make.

4.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 07:52:29
Yoro
De Ligt
Martinez
Heaven
Mazraoui
Shaw
Maguire
Fredericson

All of the above’s best position is within the back three. We aren’t signing another defender and neither should we.

RCB - Yoro and Mazraoui in that order of preference.
CCB - De Ligt and Maguire in that order.
LCB - Genuinely cannot decide between Licha and Heaven.

All of the above mean that we should be looking to ship Shaw off (even on a free) . I am sure that the likes of Palace, West Ham and the Saudis would be all over him on a free. Fredericson can be 7th choice. More than enough considering we are only likely to play 45 games this season.

5.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 07:53:11
I only watched the first half but Everton walked through our midfield with ease. So midfield is my concern for the new season.

6.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 08:42:05
Ultimately, today was a reminder that if you let your levels drop, the Premier League will punish you. The first two games set the standard, now it’s about consistency.

7.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 09:17:55
I don’t think that artificial pitch helped with us clearing the lines or bringing the ball out, apparently it was all put together and you could see and feel the joins so couldn’t really carry the ball. Even with that being said we still had a good number of chances and looked pretty good going forward, that will only improve as the players play together.

All in all a really good tour, we can’t read too much into it but we can see a few things improving and promising songs.

8.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 09:18:00
Signs not songs.

9.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 10:08:17
No legs in midfield. no one really shines there and he can't seem to get a good combination there against let's say decent aggressive competition which is an ongoing concern.

10.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 11:01:07
I've a slightly different take on the Everton game.

Firstly how they set up was very different to both West Ham and Bournemouth. Everton were far more negative, trying not to lose the game more than trying to win it.

As such they sat deeper and stayed more compact which made it more difficult for us to keep possession in their half as we had much less space to play in.

I think this was compounded by us having Dalot at LWB. He's a perfectly good RWB, as on his stronger side he is more prepared to push higher up the pitch. But on the left he stays too deep.

The wingbacks are absolutely vital to Amorim's systems especially against teams that will sit deeper and try and stay more compact. The wingbacks are more like attackers for Amorim, they push high, pin back the opposition full backs and vitally they pull them out wide to create more space centrally.

Without the natural width on the lefthand side it allowed Everton to stay compact and restricted space centrally. Which also due to a lack of width was where we were forced to try and progress the ball.

For me this game highlighted the need for more depth at LWB. Dorgu has been one of our best players on tour, and it's quite telling the difference in our performance when he isn't playing. Amass and Leon have potential, but both are raw and probably not ready to play regularly, at least not for the first half of the season.

The wingback positions are the most physically demanding on the pitch, and Amorim while at Sporting would sub at least one of not both his wingbacks in every game to keep them fresh. While Amad and Dalot are good options to rotate at RWB, Dorgu needs someone who can regularly rotate with him at LWB.

If Diego Leon isn't going to be ready for that pretty soon then we will need to go into the market for someone. Personally, I think a move for Sergio Reguilón makes a huge amount of sense. He has good experience, knows the club, is probably better suited to LWB than LB in the EPL, and is available on a free transfer.

If we could get him on a 2 year deal with a 3rd year option then we have a first team ready quality option to rotate with Dorgu. Giving Amass and Leon the time and space to develop with less pressure on them immediately (both have only recently turned 18). While it means Dorgu, who is still young himself, won't have to be over relied on and risk injury because due to being over played.

11.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 14:57:57
You're forgetting that Mbuemo will be playing at RWB apparently.

12.) 04 Aug 2025
04 Aug 2025 17:13:31
Dalot isn’t a perfectly good RWB though is he? He’s average and a squad player, every time he plays we struggle.