Baggies Friendly

[Bluemachine]

Very frustrating yet again however,
Bowyer commented afterwards for the first goal colin pulled out of a 50/50 which they have all been told to do.

Hard to tell as he has also said he plays all friendlys 4-4-2 not really sure why but I’m not going to start questioning LB as he clearly has a plan in mind and knows a lot more than me.

Leko frustrating again I was optimistic about this season for him. Some forwards the ball sticks to like a magnet and they are very hard to dispossess he is complete opposite like he’s got a negative charge and the ball just flys away from him I genuinely have seen 0 from him pre season.

The back 4 are the same back 4 that shipped a lot of goals last season and a bad blip I fear the worst I really hope Sanderson can come in and make the difference but I think I would have looked for some more competition at the back

Keeper looked crap as feared

Personally against Sheff utd I would play aneke and hogan up top.

When fully fit would love to see

Etheridge
Colin
Sanderson
Dean
Peds

Graham
Woods
Sunjic
Sanchez

Aneke
Hogan

Shame sanchez and Graham both prefer RW but Switching Graham and Sanchez throughout the match as defenders are tiring could work.

[Kristoff]

Hope you are wrong on the last one Kristoff

[Kristoff]

I'm not going to get too downhearted about a friendly, but a few things stood out for me.

I'm not sure why Bowyer has a thing about setting up in a 442 for pre-season. For me, I'd use the opportunity to try some systems that suit the players and experiment with how you're going to go in to the season. Baggies are very good, but the system didn't really work against them all game and ultimately the score reflected that.

On the point of 442... Woods is fantastic on the ball, but I don't think he can play in a flat 442, or certainly not be most effective. I think being the deep lying playmaker in a midfield 3/5, whether that's a 433, or a 352, or even in a 4231. Maybe with the right player beside him he can, but that player isn't Gary Gardner.

Sarkic still fills me with zero confidence. Not just the mistakes, but he isn't commanding at all. I said before, if we're going to be giving someone experience I'd rather have had Jeacock in goal and gaining some experience and then maybe loaned out at a later date although I do understand that there may be limited options to loan out to later in the season.

Final point, Roberts limped off with what looked like a groin strain, which is a bit worrying.

[Bluemachine]

Any updates on Graham?

One of the more exciting summer signings IMO

[Kristoff]

Any updates on Graham?

One of the more exciting summer signings IMO

Think he played in a behind closed door friendly the other night with most of the u23's, so he won't be far off I don't think.