Should we be concerned?

[Vetchonian]

Possibly.
If that is the case then it reminds me of the Molby and Billy Ayre link. Molby wanted football coupled with Ayre's sheer determination and fitness manifold.

Who can forget that could night at the Vetch when Ayre came out in a t shirt and shorts, players all wrapped up with 5 layers and beanie hats etc.

Im sure you have made that up

 

[Vetchonian]

Nah.

It seems to me that, other than just for general fitness, Sheehan has mostly been using the pre-season to have a good look at some of the younger players, your Congreves and Wilsons. Trying to see if they can offer us something in the season to come before we make further moves in the market.

I'd say he already knows what his best XI is. Results won't matter as much as their individual performances.

He probably does but at the moment Cabango, Inoussa Eom arent availablle or Santos as a replacement

 

[magicdaps10]

Im sure you have made that up

It's up to you if you believe me or not......its true though.

 

[Vetchonian]

Two defeats against lower league opposition. I know there was a mix of first team and fringe players starting but today’s lineup was pretty strong.
What are we lacking?

Apart from quality of strength in depth a creative manager

I beleive we should be concerned but not because of the results from the last two friendlies but our approach.
At Cheltenham we threw yougnsters on all togehter surely a more balanced approach with a mix of "experienced" players alongisde a couple of the youngsters would give a better view of thir ability to fill hokes in the team.....I wonder how Ben Davies might have looked had he been one of many young olayers thrown into a game.
.

Despite knowing Cabango is out for a while ( apparantly) and Santos injured also leaving us short of recognised CB personnel our manager decides to put a round peg into square hole a player who fits ( Fulton ) but doesnt fit the slot at CB rather than find a system which will better suit the avialble players experience and strengths rather thsan to fit the managers preferred system.

Whilst yes Sheehan has his hands tied due to the injury situation Im sure other coaches/managers would look to adapt to what they have available rather than force a preferred formation.

There as been a great deal of optimism and euphoria becuase we for the first time in ages we have gor done deals early , on the face of things signing some decent players but we still have lack of cover in key areas and despite us bringinin players early to hepl mould the side as someone else maentioned when have Widell, Galbraith, Inoussa, Wales , Burgess played all toghether and with what is remainder core of our "first" X1

 

[Vetchonian]

It's up to you if you believe me or not......its true though.

What game was that? In the Vetch days the players rarely warmed up as they do know

 

[Swans Jack]

Being realistic here...

How many games have Inoussa, Burgess. Widdel, Galbraith, Wales played collectively together before going to Spain !?!

My concern is more depth rather than how much they have played together. That may sound odd, but if you aren't got the tools you can't sharpen them. At present our tool box is bare bone. It needs filling up to then sharpen them all up.

 

[Martyn - Derwydd]

Really? You sure about that chum

Think he may have seen my post making fun of Cardiff's supporters wanting to expand the stadium for when they are back in Premiere League

 

[magicdaps10]

What game was that? In the Vetch days the players rarely warmed up as they do know

Barnet in the 1996/97 season.
Good season that was. I remember going down to Torquay and we lost 2-0 I think, we were sat 23rd in the league after that result. We played Wigan shortly after, Wigan were top of the table(I think) with the hype of the 3 Amigos....won that game and had Marc Clode playing Central Midfield due to injuries.

We went on a decent run from there and got into the play off final and lost to a late John Grain goal.

I also remember the freezing boxing day game up at Hereford......absolutely freezing but warmed up with a David Penney goal to take all 3 points.

 

[Gors Buster]

My concern is that since we’ve lost Piroe and Pato, our work in the final third has ranged from zero to painful.
I, and more than a few others have blamed it on a static midfield and lack of pace/drive from out wide. Others on the manager (I came around to that opinion eventually).
We seemed to have addressed these points in the market but, and I’m being doom and gloom here, it feels like the crux of the problem remains.
I honestly didn’t know that Cullen played against Cheltenham.
As per thread title, I am unfortunately.
Eom will be crucial this season.

 

[magicdaps10]

My concern is that since we’ve lost Piroe and Pato, our work in the final third has ranged from zero to painful.
I, and more than a few others have blamed it on a static midfield and lack of pace/drive from out wide. Others on the manager (I came around to that opinion eventually).
We seemed to have addressed these points in the market but, and I’m being doom and gloom here, it feels like the crux of the problem remains.
I honestly didn’t know that Cullen played against Cheltenham.
As per thread title, I am unfortunately.
Eom will be crucial this season.

Cullen isn't an out and out lone striker.....it doesn't work because he wants to drop deep and get on the ball.
Cullen is a player who has to play in the hole behind the striker and linking midfield. He only works up top with a 2 man strikeforce.

 

[Swans Jack]

My concern is that since we’ve lost Piroe and Pato, our work in the final third has ranged from zero to painful.
I, and more than a few others have blamed it on a static midfield and lack of pace/drive from out wide. Others on the manager (I came around to that opinion eventually).
We seemed to have addressed these points in the market but, and I’m being doom and gloom here, it feels like the crux of the problem remains.
I honestly didn’t know that Cullen played against Cheltenham.
As per thread title, I am unfortunately.
Eom will be crucial this season.

Add Ntcham into this conversation. Unless we get someone who can do a better job than Cullen, Sheehan will be under scrutiny alot and fear this will work against him. Vipotnik doesn't seem to be Sheehans first choice either.

 

[Baron Goblet]

We should be a lot better with Franco, Eom and Ronald in their second seasons. Cooper also needs a good season. I cannot see much more quality coming in to the fold maybe a few squad players. Pre season is a lottery with neither side going all out for obvious reasons.

 

[Swim (A)]

Cullen isn't an out and out lone striker.....it doesn't work because he wants to drop deep and get on the ball.
Cullen is a player who has to play in the hole behind the striker and linking midfield. He only works up top with a 2 man strikeforce.

Is this a good time to say that I don’t think
Cullen should appear as much in a championship side as we let him

And if he wasn’t from round this neck of the woods more would say it

 

[T8AD365]

We should be a lot better with Franco, Eom and Ronald in their second seasons. Cooper also needs a good season. I cannot see much more quality coming in to the fold maybe a few squad players. Pre season is a lottery with neither side going all out for obvious reasons.

Cooper is nowhere near good enough. Considering he's supposed to be an attacking midfielder, his stats are:

22/23: 6 goals and 2 assists in 44 games
23/24: 1 goal and 3 assists in 38 games
24/25: 1 goal and 2 assists in 29 games

Total: 8 goals and 7 assists in 111 games

Admittedly, he's either been subbed on or off in a lot of those games but he had one purple patch under Martin and he's always been too lightweight to compete. Him and O'Brien looked very similar on the pitch (from where I sit anyway), but one could hold his own physically, whereas the other would always end up covered in mud because he was constantly on the ground.

Add to that, he's 26 in December. It's not like he's a youngster anymore, he should be coming into his prime.

If/when we sell him, I'd be very surprised if he went to another Championship club

 

[magicdaps10]

Is this a good time to say that I don’t think
Cullen should appear as much in a championship side as we let him

And if he wasn’t from round this neck of the woods more would say it

I don't totally agree with you, I think it helps him he is a local lad.
He gets 8-10 goals a season but he doesn't appear to be a player who could get much more. If we play a midfield 2 with Cullen ahead of them and behind a decent striker.....I think between Cullen and a striker that we would be looking at a guaranteed 20+ goals.
He's not a lone striker.