Well that was a bit frustrating. Not all of the pre-season hope is lost though, plenty to take away as positives.
Team-wise pluses and minuses.
James Shea preferred in goal to Ross Worner was harsh on Worner I thought and Shea did little to convince me that he's ready for League 2
Barry Fuller, steady, signed a 2 year extension this week so that's great news. He's had better games but he did nothing wrong.
Alan Bennett, not great. Lacked pace and it showed. Shrewsbury got through far too often. Worry late on when he was stretchered off with a head injury. Centre backs seem to be falling at an alarming rate. Especially with the scum coming up on Tuesday.
Adam Barrett - OK, but you could tell there's work needed on the defensive partnership.
Jack Smith - I thought he did well and he was instrumental in Tubbs goal.
George Francomb - did ok, i think he's quality and he hasn't really shown it since his initial loan spell with us, really hope he has a good season because when he plays well the team does.
Sammy Moore - here, there every-fucking-where. Well no, not really but he played well and didn't go down injured once....no, really!
Dannie Bulman - Experienced but off the pace consistently and was not impressive at all.
Sean Rigg - Scored a debut goal after good work from Akinfenwa and Francomb. Good running down the left and i think he'll be real quality this season.
Matt Tubbs, good headed goal after cross from Smith. The partnership with beast should be good this season.
Ade Akinfenwa, man of the match by a country mile, flawless performance other than missing from 8 yards after some good work by himself to create space.
Kevin Saint-Luce(On for Francomb) - Entered the fray far too late, should have been brought on when we went 2-1 up.
Mark Phillips (On for Bennett) - Not on for long enough to comment as was an injury replacement late on.
Considering how much experience there is in the side now, we seemed to get bullied for long periods and the referee was appalling again. We need to be stronger and quicker so as to not try to rely on refs being good enough because they never are.
2-2 was a fair result but we should have been 3-1 up at one point and we'd have been a lot more confident at 3-1 up. Ah well, i don't care about the result on Tuesday as long as we kick lumps out of the franchise scum bags. would like to beat them though....
Sunday 10 August 2014
Sunday 13 July 2014
It's Only Pre Season
Thank God. It's only pre-season.
All of the hope that Dons fans had about this season seems to have evaporated already after the 3-0 loss to Margate on yesterdays first pre season friendly.
Let's not overreact peeps, it is only pre season, did you all really think that we'd start playing as a team straight away?
We've had some great plays join us this year and the calibre of them suggests that Neal is going all out this season. Lets have a look at the squad we have this year...so far.
Goalies
Ross Worner(1) - we al know he's a quality keeper and should be first choice again this season after seeing off Seb Brown last year....if he turns up on time!
James Shea - NEW SIGNING Apparently brought in to give RW a bit of competition, at 23 he's still a bit green in goalkeeping terms. We'll see what Neals thoughts are for the Chelsea game as i think he'll probably put out his strongest team..
Joe McDonnell - NEW SIGNING Brought in for the development squad which means he may get some game or bench time in the London Senior Cup. one for the future.
Ashley Bayes (20) - Bayso will probably just be coaching this season and by all accounts he's quite good at it so lets hope that's all he's required for!
Rabidbarfly's opinion : Good quality there, can't see Shea dislodging Worner though unless there's a catastrophic loss of form and confidence. 4/5
Defence
Barry Fuller (2) - Right Back - Player of the season last year, quite rightly personally he's the Captain i would choose for the squad, legend & leader after just one season!
Jack Smith - NEW SIGNING Left Back - Experienced left back will probably get the no.3 short this season after being released by Millwall.
Andy Frampton (5) - Surely a season long starter, he's a warrior and leader, we looked really vulnerable last season without him and even at 35 from September he'll be a vital player to keep fit.
Alan Bennett (6) - He's our club captain and he's a good player but a bit too injury prone. If he stays fit he'll be useful. If he does keep picking up injuries i can see him retiring at the end of the season.
Mark Phillips - NEW SIGNING Solid central defender but by all accounts lacking a bit of pace. We'll see how he pans out, Neal is pretty shrewd so another case of in Ardley we trust?
Will Nightingale (32) - Yet to start a first team game, not even sure he's come off the bench but by all accounts was impressing in the development squad last year, just as assured in midfield too.
Chris Arthur (19) - Left Wingback/Midfielder. If 'Beast' can stay fit he'll be useful again, bombing down the left, could do with being a tad more defensively minded but he's very effective going forward.
Rabidbarfly's opinion : We need more defensive cover in the right back position. If Barry Fuller (do do de do do) gets injured it'll be Francomb at RB and i think he's more effective in Midfield. 3/5
Midfield
George Francomb (7) - Right midfielder - Much in the Ardley mould, oozes quality when he's on form but not good at centre midfield where he was played far too often last season. I hope we can keep him fit and in form.
Sammy Moore (8) - Longest serving player now, has survived the cull due to putting himself about last year, passes it sideways too often to a lot of fans dislike but we need someone who can play a simple ball and keep possession. Underrated for my money.
Dannie Bulman - NEW SIGNING From Crawley, a lot of people got excited about this one, he's a bit of a hard man and may well pick up a lot of cards, could well keep Sammy out of the side. stat 35 he's going to want to start a lot of games for us this season and will probably be getting the no.4 shirt vacated by the injury prone Peter Sweeney who was released earlier in the summer.
Harry Pell (12) - He's sublime or he's awful. Hopefully the former this year, lost form half way throughout the season and only showed glimpses of his talent last year. I really really hope he's bang on this year because he'll be a real force if so.
Jake Nicholson (29) - Can be elusive but didn't really get a chance to shine last year, hopefully the quality will come through this year. Notoriously played, and scored against Cheltenham last season when unregistered, not his fault.
Kevin Saint-Luce (16) - Mercurial winger who is still yet to convince people that he can really penetrate a defence, unlikely to start a lot of games but great at coming of the bench and making an impact.
Chase Jacquart (25) - Unlikely to get many games with Rigg and Arthur in front of him, must have some talent for Ardley to keep him on, likely to go out of loan to the Conference.
Tom Beere (30) - Attacking midfielder - has shown quality and deserves a chance, unlikely to get it unless there are injuries, another case of possible loan out to get experience.
Harry Cooksley (33) - more a case for more development squad experience or loan out, unlikely to get any starts.
Rabidbarfly's opinion - Lots of quality, lots of potential, lots of experience, good midfield that. 5/5.
Attack
Adebayo Akinfenwa - NEW SIGNING - Likely to get the no.10 shirt that was vacated by Jack Midson a couple of months ago. He's all muscle apparently! Experienced, exciting and will provide a perfect partner to the on loan Matty Tubbs.
Matty Tubbs - NEW SIGNING (SEASON LOAN) - Another exciting attacker who will get into the box and score a hatful of goals, we can only hope there's no crisis at his parent club that gets him recalled. Will probably get the no.9 shirt that so many wanted Kedwell to wear again.
Sean Rigg - NEW SIGNING - Lots of quality here, left winger that is likely to be starting a lot of games if fit. Exciting to have him at the club. Will probably inherit the no.11 shirt from the crisp packet.
Adebayo Azeez - NEW SIGNING Apparently a speed demon. Will probably be used as an impact sub this year. Spent most of the last couple of years on loan from his former parent club, Charlton.
George Oakley (34) - hit 5 goals against the Franchise u-18s last season so he's already a legend, hopefully he'll do well in the development squad again and get a couple of sub appearances.
Rabidbarfly's opinion : pretty good attack although Azeez and Oakley are unproven at League 2 level. I think there may be another loan coming to bolster the attack. 4/5
Overall i think we have a pretty good squad although a lot of the players that Neal has brought in are ageing and may pick up easy niggling injuries that younger players recover more quickly from. There is scope to hope that the play offs are realistic this year should they start playing as a team by season start on August 9th. If we finish mid table i fear we'll lose Ardley to a bigger club. If we see real progress then the fans will be happy and the Manager will probably stay.
until next time, it's only Chelsea next week!
All of the hope that Dons fans had about this season seems to have evaporated already after the 3-0 loss to Margate on yesterdays first pre season friendly.
Let's not overreact peeps, it is only pre season, did you all really think that we'd start playing as a team straight away?
We've had some great plays join us this year and the calibre of them suggests that Neal is going all out this season. Lets have a look at the squad we have this year...so far.
Goalies
Ross Worner(1) - we al know he's a quality keeper and should be first choice again this season after seeing off Seb Brown last year....if he turns up on time!
James Shea - NEW SIGNING Apparently brought in to give RW a bit of competition, at 23 he's still a bit green in goalkeeping terms. We'll see what Neals thoughts are for the Chelsea game as i think he'll probably put out his strongest team..
Joe McDonnell - NEW SIGNING Brought in for the development squad which means he may get some game or bench time in the London Senior Cup. one for the future.
Ashley Bayes (20) - Bayso will probably just be coaching this season and by all accounts he's quite good at it so lets hope that's all he's required for!
Rabidbarfly's opinion : Good quality there, can't see Shea dislodging Worner though unless there's a catastrophic loss of form and confidence. 4/5
Defence
Barry Fuller (2) - Right Back - Player of the season last year, quite rightly personally he's the Captain i would choose for the squad, legend & leader after just one season!
Jack Smith - NEW SIGNING Left Back - Experienced left back will probably get the no.3 short this season after being released by Millwall.
Andy Frampton (5) - Surely a season long starter, he's a warrior and leader, we looked really vulnerable last season without him and even at 35 from September he'll be a vital player to keep fit.
Alan Bennett (6) - He's our club captain and he's a good player but a bit too injury prone. If he stays fit he'll be useful. If he does keep picking up injuries i can see him retiring at the end of the season.
Mark Phillips - NEW SIGNING Solid central defender but by all accounts lacking a bit of pace. We'll see how he pans out, Neal is pretty shrewd so another case of in Ardley we trust?
Will Nightingale (32) - Yet to start a first team game, not even sure he's come off the bench but by all accounts was impressing in the development squad last year, just as assured in midfield too.
Chris Arthur (19) - Left Wingback/Midfielder. If 'Beast' can stay fit he'll be useful again, bombing down the left, could do with being a tad more defensively minded but he's very effective going forward.
Rabidbarfly's opinion : We need more defensive cover in the right back position. If Barry Fuller (do do de do do) gets injured it'll be Francomb at RB and i think he's more effective in Midfield. 3/5
Midfield
George Francomb (7) - Right midfielder - Much in the Ardley mould, oozes quality when he's on form but not good at centre midfield where he was played far too often last season. I hope we can keep him fit and in form.
Sammy Moore (8) - Longest serving player now, has survived the cull due to putting himself about last year, passes it sideways too often to a lot of fans dislike but we need someone who can play a simple ball and keep possession. Underrated for my money.
Dannie Bulman - NEW SIGNING From Crawley, a lot of people got excited about this one, he's a bit of a hard man and may well pick up a lot of cards, could well keep Sammy out of the side. stat 35 he's going to want to start a lot of games for us this season and will probably be getting the no.4 shirt vacated by the injury prone Peter Sweeney who was released earlier in the summer.
Harry Pell (12) - He's sublime or he's awful. Hopefully the former this year, lost form half way throughout the season and only showed glimpses of his talent last year. I really really hope he's bang on this year because he'll be a real force if so.
Jake Nicholson (29) - Can be elusive but didn't really get a chance to shine last year, hopefully the quality will come through this year. Notoriously played, and scored against Cheltenham last season when unregistered, not his fault.
Kevin Saint-Luce (16) - Mercurial winger who is still yet to convince people that he can really penetrate a defence, unlikely to start a lot of games but great at coming of the bench and making an impact.
Chase Jacquart (25) - Unlikely to get many games with Rigg and Arthur in front of him, must have some talent for Ardley to keep him on, likely to go out of loan to the Conference.
Tom Beere (30) - Attacking midfielder - has shown quality and deserves a chance, unlikely to get it unless there are injuries, another case of possible loan out to get experience.
Harry Cooksley (33) - more a case for more development squad experience or loan out, unlikely to get any starts.
Rabidbarfly's opinion - Lots of quality, lots of potential, lots of experience, good midfield that. 5/5.
Attack
Adebayo Akinfenwa - NEW SIGNING - Likely to get the no.10 shirt that was vacated by Jack Midson a couple of months ago. He's all muscle apparently! Experienced, exciting and will provide a perfect partner to the on loan Matty Tubbs.
Matty Tubbs - NEW SIGNING (SEASON LOAN) - Another exciting attacker who will get into the box and score a hatful of goals, we can only hope there's no crisis at his parent club that gets him recalled. Will probably get the no.9 shirt that so many wanted Kedwell to wear again.
Sean Rigg - NEW SIGNING - Lots of quality here, left winger that is likely to be starting a lot of games if fit. Exciting to have him at the club. Will probably inherit the no.11 shirt from the crisp packet.
Adebayo Azeez - NEW SIGNING Apparently a speed demon. Will probably be used as an impact sub this year. Spent most of the last couple of years on loan from his former parent club, Charlton.
George Oakley (34) - hit 5 goals against the Franchise u-18s last season so he's already a legend, hopefully he'll do well in the development squad again and get a couple of sub appearances.
Rabidbarfly's opinion : pretty good attack although Azeez and Oakley are unproven at League 2 level. I think there may be another loan coming to bolster the attack. 4/5
Overall i think we have a pretty good squad although a lot of the players that Neal has brought in are ageing and may pick up easy niggling injuries that younger players recover more quickly from. There is scope to hope that the play offs are realistic this year should they start playing as a team by season start on August 9th. If we finish mid table i fear we'll lose Ardley to a bigger club. If we see real progress then the fans will be happy and the Manager will probably stay.
until next time, it's only Chelsea next week!
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