⚽ Any match day thread today ? [PSF Stoke City (H)]

[Elite_Pie]

I like many others, think we need another CB in, more so now that Aiden Baldwin is out for a while.

If Baldwin is out for a while, I think a new centre back is a matter of priority. With Brindley struggling, our best back three at the moment is Rawlinson, Cameron and Chicksen. If any of those are missing, who replaces them?

[countygump]

I highly doubt LW is naïve enough to think our defence is good enough for league two, but if we are done for transfer business then we'll struggle, simple as that.

I just hope we haven't spend up the budget bringing in midfielders and forwards, only to be left wanting defensively, similar to the season we got relegated under Nolan.

Last I heard, about a week ago, Notts were after bringing in a loan centre back. No name though.

[Davy500]

Last I heard, about a week ago, Notts were after bringing in a loan centre back. No name though.

Williams is aware that our defense will be our weakness, whether he thinks today too many mistakes were made against higher opposition that will punish them, or if our players are on there game will be able to handle L2 teams is unclear, will he stick with what we have or bring in a CB , which on the current evidense would seem to be a wise decision ??

[optipez]

These games are meant to sort out the problems, and on the evidence of this one we have a bucketload of defensive ones to sort! The high line we got away with last season was ruthlessly exposed by Stoke time and time again. We were useless at defending balls over the top, and with decent finishing Stoke could have had double figures. Even considering the gap in divisions, we were woeful at the back. Brindley worries me, he looked a shadow of the player he can be. We had most of the possession and looked ok going forward, but once we lost the ball we were wide open. I never read too much into pre-season games, but I have to say this one threw up more negatives than positives.

Agree about Brindley, he had a shocker today. He's always prone to being a bit negative and playing within himself but today he created nothing going forwards and was all over the place defensively.
People are criticising Mohovo and he did drop a huge clanger for the second and had to swap positions with Chicksen but he is a good footballer and with experience may grow into a first team player.
Cisse has looked pretty decent whenever I've seen him, McG looked the part and just hope he doesn't do all his best work for is too deep.

[Elite_Pie]

How many in attendance. Did they give the crowd figure?

Can't remember the exact number, but it was around 4,300 with 1,300 from Stoke.

[slack_pie]

This is Championship Stoke and we've just come up from non league what did people expect???

True, but it does go to show what happens when our high line comes up against decent opposition. Playing against National League teams you can get away with gifting three of four chances and them getting in behind multiple times, but we'll get found out if we're not careful in L2.

I'm not criticising our approach as it's been highly successful, but I think we need to bring in at least one more defender of sufficient quality to make it work better.

[countygump]

Eng win the U21 Euro Championship after a penalty save in extra time. Quite rightly so as it was NEVER a pen.

[slack_pie]

If Baldwin is out for a while, I think a new centre back is a matter of priority. With Brindley struggling, our best back three at the moment is Rawlinson, Cameron and Chicksen. If any of those are missing, who replaces them?

I agree. I'd rather we stick with the system and style that has brought us so much success and upgrade the personnel rather than defending deeper and losing control of the midfield. But we need to do something. Boreham Wood and Chesterfield showed that average sides had figured us out by the end of last season. Everyone now knows how to hurt us, and it sometimes seems way too easy.

[maddogslater]

Disappointed we didn't bring a quality keeper, this stone sounds no diamond in the rough

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Disappointed we didn't bring a quality keeper, this stone sounds no diamond in the rough

I know you're making a pub but Slocombe will start the season in goal