Have we seen improvements

[Sammy Chung was King]

And reason for optimism in the three pre season games so far?
Admittedly we haven’t played league opposition yet, but two nil wins against Armthorpe and Nuneaton, followed by coming from behind and beating Spennymoor three one surely gives us a tiny bit of optimism?

We’ve had a look at some trialists, one in particular if we can get him fit could be invaluable to us with his experience and ability.
The potential latest loanee is a good player and will give us more attacking threat.

It starts to get serious from now on though, facing Huddersfield Town, who include our old loanee Ben Jackson. He played on the right of midfield for them in a friendly against Morecambe, scoring twice in a three one victory.

We need to start having an idea of our best side from here on in. Getting a settled formation. Deciding if trialists are staying or going. Central defence and left back must be strengthened.
We face a side that will be confident of coming and beating us. Has the manager got some tricks up his sleeve to make sure that doesn’t happen?
We will need to win the midfield battle against them. Jordan Rhodes could give us some real problems back there in defence.

I think we look good in midfield and are capable of winning that battle. We have forwards now that can give them real problems. Griffiths needs to start upping his game, he is capable of a lot.

Where I think we lack is concentration, just shutting off for that split second. We need a unit to be formed at the back, we can’t play as individuals. The full backs must stop crosses coming in. It was a real problem all last season.

Hopefully a full pre season and improved fitness will improve work rate. From front to back every player has to be on it.
Against Huddersfield, friendly or not, we want to win to keep momentum going. Work harder than them and the quality we do have could be enough to win the game.

Cautious optimism after three wins against non league sides. No real cohesion been worked on in games so far. A lot of swapping and changing as you expect early on in pre season.
Hopefully the manager’s preferred side will get at least a good sixty to seventy minutes against Huddersfield. I see no reason why we can’t win the game!.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I don't care about the result v Huddersfield, I care about seeing some joined up football where the players look like they know what they're doing.

I want to see the new players do what we brought them here to do.

I want to see a co-ordinated attempt to play good football resulting in creating chances.

I heard a great coaches mantra, used by England women's manager in a prematch teamtalk. "Don't be a question mark, be an exclamation mark!"

I hope to see most players answer that statement.

[Reg of the Rovers]

Miller looks good business, works hard and is busy and keeps popping up with a goal a game. Just what we need.

[roversdude]

There seems a lot more togetherness with this bunch.
We definitely have more of a goal threat

[Barmby Rover]

You can't make any judgments at all from pre season kick abouts, they are training exercises with minimal contact to avoid injuries. Even if the opposition is Prem league it makes no difference.

[roversdude]

True but there would have been uproar if we had lost any of the last 3 games

[Alan Southstand]

I’m with DBR on this, as we need to start seeing some understanding being formulated and you only achieve that by playing together regularly.

We still don’t have that commanding presence at the heart of the defence or a left back, yet. The lad, last night, seemed to do ok so maybe there’s something in that. It would be nice to have big Tom back in the middle, though.

[Chris Black come back]

I don’t think we are going to see Tom back as he was. We are into his final year and he’s seemingly out for a while yet. It’s sad but you would think that in the 6-8 months he will hopefully be back for, after being out for so long we aren’t going to see him at his previous best. Then you would doubt we would be extending his deal again.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I’m with DBR on this, as we need to start seeing some understanding being formulated and you only achieve that by playing together regularly.

We still don’t have that commanding presence at the heart of the defence or a left back, yet. The lad, last night, seemed to do ok so maybe there’s something in that. It would be nice to have big Tom back in the middle, though.

Yes, from midfield onwards we have on paper, quite a few good pieces of the jigsaw, so there's quite a bit to be excited about.

In defence, as you say, without Tom Anderson partnering either, Olowu, Williams, Younger or Faulkrner, keeping clean sheets is going to be more difficult. Add to that the left back situation.

That means we have to score more to win matches. That's fine and exciting but, it's probably not going to give us Automatic promotion form.

The left back hopefully gets sorted soon, and they'll be well aware of the risks involved with Anderson, and considering whether to act now or wait.

There's other bits and Bob's but, overall, the new lads should make us a better attacking force.

[Campsall rover]

Huddersfield have 2 games on Saturday.

They are away at Harrogate Town kick off 12.30 I think it is and us at 3.00
So they presumably are splitting their entire squad in 2 and adding some younger players to make up sub numbers in both games.

So unlikely we will be playing their total 1st team. Probably only half of the 1st team.

[Alan Southstand]

Latest news on Tom is a little more encouraging, but Taylor is out for 2 months!
Our new ‘big lad’ up top has also got a quad problem, so he’s out the picture for 7 - 10 days!

It’s to be hoped that Molyneux stays fit.

[Chris Black come back]

Our fit central defensive options are aged 18, 22, 22 and 23. As good as they might be in the future, they formed a terrible unit last season. This is an area of real concern.

[Chris Black come back]

Latest news on Tom is a little more encouraging, but Taylor is out for 2 months!
Our new ‘big lad’ up top has also got a quad problem, so he’s out the picture for 7 - 10 days!

It’s to be hoped that Molyneux stays fit.

Feel very sad for Taylor. What an 18 months for him. It was obvious we were not going to see him for some time though. The moment it goes quiet on an injured player you can rest assured this means an extended period injured. Let’s see how this “two months” works out.

[Alan Southstand]

So unlikely we will be playing their total 1st team. Probably only half of the 1st team.

We’ll, that’s about the same as us! Andrews, Taylor, Close, Anderson, Knoyle, Conway all out injured. The list is growing again, but at least, it seems better news on Tom.

[Goole Rover]

You can't make any judgments at all from pre season kick abouts, they are training exercises with minimal contact to avoid injuries. Even if the opposition is Prem league it makes no difference.

To some extent but I was told as a lad “there’s no such thing as a friendly”. In my case that was very true.

[roversdude]

Where is the news about Taylor from

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Where is the news about Taylor from

Free Press.

[roversdude]

Thanks seen it now
Can we crowd fund an exorcism of Cantley Park

[RoversAlias]

Certainly wasn't minimal contact in that game last night. There were some very meaty challenges going in.

[selby]

  I make that, including the last three games of last season, six games without defeat, if that isn't improvement I don't know what is after the previous eighteen months.

[since-1969]

  I make that, including the last three games of last season, six games without defeat, if that isn't improvement I don't know what is after the previous eighteen months.

Totally irrelevant.. A result at Bradford will say 100% more about progress , fitness , tactics , and attitude,than any results previously.

[selby]

  since-1969 it is only irrelevant to those who are irrelevant to me, join the club.

[Reg of the Rovers]

  I make that, including the last three games of last season, six games without defeat, if that isn't improvement I don't know what is after the previous eighteen months.

Totally irrelevant.. A result at Bradford will say 100% more about progress , fitness , tactics , and attitude,than any results previously.

It's relevant that we're getting that winning feeling back, we haven't addressed that losing slide started by Moore so seeing shoots of recovery is good. Although I do agree the proof of the pudding is the game at Bradford, who will be one of the best sides we face this year. I'm channeling the Derby away vibe from our first Champ season - take a big scalp early and push on from there. A similar atmosphere would also be good - got my tickets and looking forward to it!!

[steve@dcfd]

Huddersfield have 2 games on Saturday.

They are away at Harrogate Town kick off 12.30 I think it is and us at 3.00
So they presumably are splitting their entire squad in 2 and adding some younger players to make up sub numbers in both games.

So unlikely we will be playing their total 1st team. Probably only half of the 1st team.

Just checked their squad for this season they 29 outfield players with just three young lads given squad numbers. The latest 6ft 9inch striker not on the list. So they have enough players to play two games and have subs aswell.

[sedwardsdrfc]

GM again was changing things at half time (not just planned changes going by his interview). I know we can't read too much into preseason especially against the non league teams but this is what he did a lot last year. Get it right from the start then we won't see so many desperation half time changes!

[Bristol Red Rover]

I agree about seeing a first choice side playing most of the game, no more than a couple of half time subs, and the rest to play for at least 70 mins.

The back 4 are critical in this, need them playing all the game if poss, certainly no sub before 70 mins. The best sides, our best sides, always have back four consistency, we've not had that for years.

[jmt23]

I just want to see improvement, these pre season games mean feck all, how we perform( not results) in the first few games will mean more to me than results. We had neither performance or results last year.
SOD taught me it is more about performance, if we perform we can accept the results easier, it’s when we go down without a whimper and no idea of how to even win that kills.

[Sammy Chung was King]

A lot of us didn’t seem sure on Tom getting a new contract before pre season started. Not because he isn’t a good player more that he hadn’t been the same after getting clobbered by Balcombe and plantar fasciitis.A few, me included though John was the better option. It does seem upto now we retained the wrong player. Still time for him to get over the injury. He was a top player for us before.

We do need cohesion and understanding built, but practically every side in the country is using pre season the same way. If we played them for an hour against Armthorpe and you get 3-4 break down then the manager will get criticism. He will get it whatever he does. As a manager I’m sure he realises he can’t please everybody.

Good performance means a lot as jmt says, but it’s a good habit to have winning games.
Long term jmt is right, if the performance’s are consistently poor you will get found out. We need both, we’ve had bits and pieces so far in the games. I expected bitty performance’s at this stage. As we know most important is the Bradford game, that’s our aim for being at our best. I do like the balance of young and old that is in the squad.

Miller looks great so far. Andrews has a goal already. I see Griffiths once he gets one, he will score a fair few. The potential loanee could be a good attacking loan for us. I would take the playmaker trialist on a year deal. The left back trialist might be the answer to a missing piece in the team jigsaw.

We do need, I keep saying it I know, but we do need another option in central defence. The midfield for me will control most games at our level. I don’t think we have problems with that. We look a lot more positive so far. Against Huddersfield we need to be calculating, don’t open wide up but when you can attack get numbers around the ball, don’t be afraid of failure. Make things happen!

[Alan Southstand]

The answer to the op question, imho, is yes and no. I had hoped for improvement in the defence and, sadly, that hasn’t happened, yet.

The midfield is still lacking any sort of enforcer, so that is still a problem.

The attack has been improved, with Miller and Molyneux. The verdict is out on Griffiths and we havn’t really seen enough of Andrews.

This pre-season has gone, so far, pretty much the same as last summer’s, with a flurry of quick signings and then not much else! Still time, of course, but not that long before we have the first meaningful game.

It’s to be hoped we get no more injuries, otherwise we are going to be struggling to name 18 players for Bradford.

[Sammy Chung was King]

I don’t see the coaching staff improving the defence unless Steve Eyre can sort them out. So we need recruit players that organise themselves. We miss a dominant organiser centrally, someone who can tell people you need to do more .