Optimism after today, not 1 weakness

Potnbear said:
Only pre season but there's a totally different arrogance about us already. We are a different beast to last season from the onset. We are winning this by a canter
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Durrant made similar comment during commentary today, we have a swagger and a confidence that comes from winning games and having a positive mentality.

Winning, scoring goals, clean sheets...............it's infectious..........we're nearly there, just need a really positive start when it counts.
 
Agree, we’re looking very good.

I want to call out George Edmunson after today as well. Plenty of the more attacking players taking plaudits and rightly so when we’ve just fired 4 past Marseille but I thought he was excellent first half and by god, is he a cocky fucker :)) he was playing for Oldham last year and swanned about that half today like he owned the joint. He’s got some passing ability too.
 
LiviLoyal said:
Agree, we’re looking very good.

I want to call out George Edmunson after today as well. Plenty of the more attacking players taking plaudits and rightly so when we’ve just fired 4 past Marseille but I thought he was excellent first half and by god, is he a cocky fucker :)) he was playing for Oldham last year and swanned about that half today like he owned the joint. He’s got some passing ability too.
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Agreed, mate. He was pinging those 50/60 yard cross field balls as though he’d played for us for years. Very confident lad.
 
Rangerstillidie said:
Honestly I think when Barasic plays it’s pretty obvious he’s a weaklink defensively, especially with the ball down his inside. It will cost us at some stage this season however I do think we are going to give him the chance.

It’s wrong to say there isn’t a weakness. We played very well today though and overall you are right. We look strong and there is much reason to be optimistic about the season ahead.
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Barasic did ok today. I did feel Jones never track back to help him out.

Davis looks a different player to when he arrived.

Candeias seems up for the chalengel! Which is a fantastic response to being omitted from Europe squad.
 
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Kilmarnock away followed by Hibs at home is all that matters to me at the moment. Two of our toughest fixtures in recent seasons and as tricky a start to the league season as we could've asked for.

If we manage to come through those 2 unscathed I'll have reason to be optimistic. At the moment it's very early days but the signs are good. Good to have options all over the pitch.
 
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What a difference 2 years make. I thought we looked incredible today, from back to front. When you think that Arfield and Helander have still to come in (and possibly Kent) then we’re in the best shape we’ve been in since Walter left. The tempo we played at was fantastic, and everyone looked fit & hungry. If we stay unbeaten at the start of the league, then get a solid victory against the Mhanks, the belief in this team will only get stronger. We’ve got great leaders in that dressing now. Can’t wait for it all to begin
 
I can understand the criticism of Borna at times and he is sometimes caught out with the ball on his inside. However, let's see if this is as much a problem when he has a natural left sided centre half beside him. Helander might be able to see that danger earlier and be more natural at getting across to cut it out. We can also work on this with Barisic. It isn't something that can't be coached.
 
BlueSkiesAtNight said:
Our back line looks solid & there's a real direct attitude going forward, as opposed to fannying about letting a team get back behind the ball.

Jones really impressed & Barisic is showing promise too. Candias is on fucking fire, I just hope that form doesn't disappear. Being able to roam a bit seems to suit him more than being stuck on the wing though. Edmonson, Ojo, Aribo, Davis (wtf?), everyone looks fantastic! Buzzing. :))o_O
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What is with the wtf? after Davis all about?

Steven Davis, when fit is quite simply the most complete midfielder in Scotland, even at his advanced age. He finished the season on fine form, has obviously worked hard once again in pre season and looks in phenomenal shape.

Apologies if I have taken that out of context, but it would appear you are shocked at how good Davis looks!
 
TNT said:
Barasic did ok today. I did feel Jones never track back to help him out.

Davis looks a different player to when he arrived.

Candeias seems up for the chance GE! Which is a fantastic response to being omitted from Europe squad.
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just discussion that with my mates
twice barasic was shouting an pointing for the cover

but to br fair jones uped the cover in the second half
 
Its plain to see we have so many options now and they are all at a good level.

Only weakness I saw was the 2 full backs as cover and an additional striker. Nobody for Barasic and Polster is alright but there would be better options. I am nitpicking with that but we definitely need another striker.

Still have time for transfers but its looking evidently bright for next season.
 
TNT said:
Barasic did ok today. I did feel Jones never track back to help him out.

Davis looks a different player to when he arrived.

Candeias seems up for the chance GE! Which is a fantastic response to being omitted from Europe squad.
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That was a weakness I saw in JJ at Kilmarnock, and he did it today & got a bollicking. He did it after that to be fair.
 
Widdenheed said:
Exactly mate. He was left 2 on 1 3 times in the first half due to jones not tracking back. Barisic, candeias and Edmundson all gave out to him about it

What do they know. I bet if I can be arsed scrolling back through the match thread it’ll be barisic fault
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True. Saw the manger having a go too. Not acceptable for our club any more.
 
AzorIbrox said:
Kilmarnock away followed by Hibs at home is all that matters to me at the moment. Two of our toughest fixtures in recent seasons and as tricky a start to the league season as we could've asked for.

If we manage to come through those 2 unscathed I'll have reason to be optimistic. At the moment it's very early days but the signs are good. Good to have options all over the pitch.
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Yes, 6 points from those 2 matches will be a big message.
We’ll beat the scum, I’m sure of that. Wouldn’t even rule out 3.0 ;)
 
I thought we looked like this in pre-season last year too but somewhere along the line we lost the intensity.

I’m not sure if it was tiredness because we couldn’t rotate important players or just the freshness wearing off or something else entirely but I thought from September through until April we played with less tempo and our pressing game lacked intensity.

If our summer recruitment provides us the depth to maintain this intensity as well as adding some flair I think we’ll take some stopping.
 
BrownBrogues said:
Brilliant signs. Ojo off the ball today showing more of his game, chasing back using those long legs to try win the ball back, made two phenomenal slide tackles that Madden blew for despite him clearly taking the ball, his vision and weight of cross for Defoe was perfect. I think Arfield, Defoe, Ojo is my preferred front line. With Aribo, Davis, Kamara in the row behind that is some frightening legs to press with.
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Alfie starts,if he's here.
He offers so much more than Defoe in terms of leading the line.
 
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We were excellent today against, all be it, a very poor Marseille team. We’ll get tougher tests against Blackburn and Derby in the coming fortnight..
The two friendlies have seen both oppositions NOT sitting in.. Its when the league starts and you’ve got your Kilmarnock Motherwells sitting in, we now have players to unlock that tactic.
 
steve1873 said:
What is with the wtf? after Davis all about?

Steven Davis, when fit is quite simply the most complete midfielder in Scotland, even at his advanced age. He finished the season on fine form, has obviously worked hard once again in pre season and looks in phenomenal shape.

Apologies if I have taken that out of context, but it would appear you are shocked at how good Davis looks!
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No apologies necessary. I knew he was real quality the last time he was with us but I thought with the game time he got at the end of last season we'd seen everything he had left in his locker. He seems to have stepped the quality up again though & tbh he's looking just as good as pre-2012 Davis, which is where the wtf comes in.
A 2nd spell at a club rarely seems to produce the kind of form they had the first time around, so I'm always hesitant at bringing old players back. At best I'm content they'll 'do a job' until we can get better in. I'm delighted to be proven wrong on this occasion.
 
Padddington Bear said:
I'd been weighing up the value of us at 9/4

i.e. Level playing field great value , usual cheating refs mmm maybe some value.

Today tipped me over the edge, £140 on at 9/4 and if that's still available going forward I'm nearly certain I'll be putting more on.
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TBH, the league is a 2 horse race. Guaranteed.
The fave is 1/3 and that is terrible value so I believe 9/4 are great odds. I emptied my betting pot yesterday but will be adding to my bet today. I fancy us very strongly (as Jock Wallace once said) but certainly take your point on the ref`s.
We now have the players to punish ANY team that wants to play 11 men behind the ball.
 
I was taught to be cautious, and will remain so until we have silverware in the cabinet, We do look very good, and strong in every area, but Oxford, St Joe’s and a Marseille side beaten by Accrington is no real yardstick, I do feel we are on the verge of something, but after so many recent false dawns, I will remain cautious. Miserableauldtwat loyal.
 
If we'd been beat soundly yesterday we'd have accepted it was a training match and not put too much emphasis on it, so can't do the opposite after a cracking win.

However what is clear is that the squad is stronger and hungrier, the domestic players we've added give us much better options coming off the bench and Aribo and Edmundson look to be absolute steals, really well scouted.

He's kind of gone under the radar Edmundson, but he looks quality, his range of passing has really surprised me. Early days of course.
 
I take my hat of to Stevie G. We now have a solid spine and defence. I can only see that part of the team needing drilled to iron out the wee faults we've seen so far where a better team or more practised outfit will take advantage, but that's simply what happens in competitive football.

There's certainly good competition now for places. That in itself has given us a powerful bench too and something, we fans, can see actually helping to change games to our advantage.

It's going to be intriguing to watch which formations we might use and how certain players who we ourselves are scratching our bonce over in our fantasy teams actually fit in and work out over fhe first few months ahead.

I still see some weaknesses but so far they just seem to be things you'd expect in pre-season. Daft stuff like losing concentration, missing the odd runner and letting the press drop occassionally.
 
The team looking really fit
Bags of energy an hunger

Just hoping for more goals an assists from the 3 central midfielders
An Jack has started really well in that department
 
I don't want to be a downer but I will never get optimistic about our season based on Pre-Season friendlies. They are not a good judge.

We are looking stronger and better than we were last season but our first test is not not drop silly points early in the season.

I always point to Strachans first season in charge, Celtic fans were wanting Strachan him sacked before the season started and yet he went on to win the league. I think we walked all our pre-season friendlies that year.
 
Barisic looks like he's getting better with every passing game. Our manager's patience with him looks like it could finally pay off.
 
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