Alarm Bells again

[PAULCAFC]

Chester result says it all, weak team just in time for the new season ready to concede an avalanche of goals yet again and be outplayed in all depts, Davis has had all Summer to do something and yet again doesn't seem to have got it right, question is why and why again? Vale could become a disastrous opening game.

[Timmy58]

Most people have been lamenting the standard of opposition we have played preseason. Personally, I think it is a complete irrelevance

[MikeSB]

Match report below.

Not sure these pre-season games have ever given any clue to how we start the new campaign though. - view external link

[lyndongrange]

Would help if we employed a decent defensive former player within our academy?

No good expecting silky midfield coaches to produce strong, physical defenders.

[KennyLuntsFanClub]

Dave Artell?

[lukcour]

Read the match report on the OS. Sounded like Chester could have easily won 6-2. Was this actually the case? If so what was the problem with our team? Interested to know.

MikeSB your link to the Sentinel match report does not work. And they call these changes to this site an update. More like the destruction.

[David_De_ Garratt]

Was Steve Davis at the match yesterday? From what I have read on twitter, it appears as if he was on holiday but it's hardly the most reliable of sources... Two things I hope management took away from the game yesterday;

1. Numbers - Reinforcements are a must! 2 Injuries completely deteriorated the side yesterday and it seemed like one or two of the academy graduates had their hands full yesterday.
2. Confidence. Maybe this might be the kick up the back side one or two players may need. It hard to engage what levels are like coming out of pre-season but I hope the results enlightens one or two that they need to perform this season.

[Blue Cap Dog]

I went yesterday and wasn't very impressed. Apart from the makeshift back-four (no Davis or Ray with Turton at left-back), one would assume that the team would be fairly close to our starting lineup next Saturday. If it hadn't have been for Ben Garrat ,6-2 would have been the final score. Going with a 4-3-3, it was immediately apparent that our midfield couldn't protect the defense the way that the 4-4-2 did last year.

This wasn't just down to the formation. Neither Fox, Bingham or King ( apologies if I've mis-identified any of these as it's the first time I've seen any of them play) seemed to be able to tackle or win the ball in the way that Grant did. If I'd have been managing the team instead of James Collins (?? - the whereabouts of Steve Davis was a major topic of conversation), James Jones would have been on at half time. Admittedly, young James was sat in the stand with his arm in a sling but at least he shows a bit of passion and commitment when selected to play so couldn

[lukcour]

Thanks for the match report. Kind of what I suspected. Hope to goodness it is different next Sat.