Micky

Just back - boy am I pizzed off. I went to Derby, we got stuffed 3 nil, went to St Marys' today, got stuffed 3 nil, going to St Marys' next Sunday - just saying. It was indescribably bad really, don't know where to start. You would've thought that when they nearly scored after 30 seconds that would have been the kick up the collective arses that our lot needed. MGB had come to play - unfortunately we hadn't. We were slow, sloppy and lethargic all over the park. Our back line is so bad, if you convince yourself it's another team, you can actually have a bit of a laugh watching them. We look all over the place, we don't know when to hold, when to step up, when to play or when to hoof it. I think we looked to try and keep the wing-backs high today, but they looked confused by the whole system and actually barely managed to get into the oppositions half, never mind get any crosses in. I am a fan of Mario Lamina, but the lad just should not have played today. He's just had a baby, and you could tell that he didn't want to risk busting his stitches. Every time he lost the ball (which was a lot) he made no effort to recover and just threw his arms in the air. I watched him on about 56 minutes and he looked to be blowing out of his ass, really struggling. Seriously, the lad probably is not yet match fit, but even so, he was way under par today. We struggled badly to get hold of the ball in midfield, but more annoyingly, when we did get it, we gave it away so cheaply with aimless poor passing, everyone was guilty. And, more worryingly - there was very little creativity. Charlie Austin appears to me to be Marmite on here. My issue is I can't make up my mind. Today, I don't think he trapped a ball or managed to hold the ball and his flick on's went aimlessly to no one, complete passenger to my mind. Last 10 - 15 we went to 4 at the back and to be honest, we look better, not great, but certainly better. We started getting into their half, got behind them a few times and made some chances. Might need to revise the 5 at the back plan. Difficult to find any positives out of today, good to see Maya back - he got the loudest round of applause from the crowd when he came on and frankly played better than anything that had gone before him today. Could be a big season for him. It's only a pre-season friendly so no need to panic. I've been to 2 friendlies now, we've scored zip and conceded 6. Can somebody please advice me when it would be a good time to panic.

What defending?

Where is this 'refusing to train' story coming from? Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Couldn't agree more. He has moments where he gets over confident, but is also slow and doesn't know what he is going to do with the ball. He ends up losing it in bad areas and while he is out of position. He's ok with the basics - but once he's done that he needs to give it and let others sort it out.

Always said he was class and that we should keep him. His best is yet to come as well. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Only caught the first 25 minutes and the last 25 minutes, but thought we looked ok. Only saw the first and last goal so can't really comment to much. I did notice though that we appeared to have lots more efforts from outside of the box, to no effect in the first half, but set up the winner at the death. Perhaps that's something that Hughes has instilled into them, at least get a strike away. Hoedt worries me when he has more than one touch of the ball, you can hear his brain cells turning over, he's far to slow of thought and ends up giving it away out of position. Just do the basics and give it to somebody who can play. All in all though, a decent run out for most in the end, with lots of positives. Looking forward to coming down for Moenchengladbach on Saturday now. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Hurrah the comeback is on. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Eeerrrr 4 nil actually, and we looked relegation fodder that day too. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Yep Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Which is a real shame because he was very much in the know and had all the latest stories from the club. He obviously had lots of contacts inside the club who confided in him and passed on the very latest information. A great loss in terms of ITK'ers from this site - greatly missed.

I know, I know, I needed a little artistic licence to make my point...! Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Long hasn't scored 12 in his career Gabbi will be lucky to have 15 shots Austin won't complete 6 games Galagher won't make 4 sub appearances We need another striker..!

This. He has more good than bad days. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Can't wait, bring it on. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Which was good enough for 13th - 15th last season. I'll take it.

Ok, ok I'll ask, what is a PITA? Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

I honestly think that our start to the season is crucial, if we start well I think we'll do ok. My real worry though is that I don't think we have any leaders, and when we go behind in games we will struggle to get anything. Good player though he is, Bertrand is not the leader that we need if things start to go Pete Tong, could be a big season for Maya or Verstergard in that case. Ohhh I think we will finish mid to lower table - cant see us getting into the top ten.

Not if you are at the match. Or golf course - obviously!

Roll on 12 Aug 18, FFS.

Yeah - just bought tickets for it myself. 5 quid for my lad - a bargain, and probably helping to shift a few. But I reckon it will pretty much be full, which I think would indicate that season ticket sales have been pretty much on par with last season.

Difficult to tell really - we got badly embarrassed by Augsburg, but then beat Sevilla 2 nil, 3 or 4 days later. We were shocking against Augsburg and moderately better against Sevilla so friendlies can give you some indication as to the sort of form we are going to show. Even at the first game of the season though, West Ham, we didn't look particularly good, got a win, but that was more to do with the fact that they went down to 10 and we got a last minute pen. I was at Pride Park and we were miles off the pace of Derby, poor all over the field, would struggle to take any positives out of what I saw. Had a look at their forum and quite a few were surprised about how bad we were and have us down as certain for relegation. I'm generally a pretty positive person when it comes to the new season, but I really think we have to improve quite markedly over the next couple of weeks or we will be pretty much in for a season similar to the last.

I think Hoedt is probably where Maya was a couple of years ago. Has promise but needs time to learn, there's a 'mistake a game' in him, and some of those will lead to goals against. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

How many tickets are left for the Burnley game. Should give you some idea of the uptake. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

After what I saw at Derby, *a long hard season, much the same as last. *I reserve the right to amend that assessment on a weekly basis depending on what I witness on and off the field.

Exactly, performance, attitude and application are very good indicators. We lacked badly today in all of the aforementioned. Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk