Excellent opposition, gave us a thorough testing. Betis took advantage of some defensive lapses and Ajax exposed our lack of pace, but our defense was much more solid against Villarreal. We are giving the ball away a lot. I know this is common in pre-season, but it affected our ability to control the games. Our first half against Villarreal was the best. Bamford looks fantastic, and Klich is showing why he is so important to the way we play. Rodrigo and Raph will cause problems, but it is noticeable that when Roberts and Costa are on the pitch, we lack sharpness. If we can hold on to the ball a little more next week, we can cause Man U problems. Although they beat Everton 4-0 today, they were gifted a couple of goals, and I can’t see Bamford turning down the chances that Iwobi missed today.
It’s been a strange pre-season for English teams, with no stand-out performers, apart from Brentford, who beat Valencia. I think we are on a par with other teams in our pre-season preparations. Injuries are a worry. I hope Llorente isn’t going to spend much time in the treatment room. Every time a player goes down, I get worried. We all know what we need to buy, but even if we don’t bring anyone else in, I think we will at least hold our own in the Premier League this season.
Pre-season summary
posted on 8/8/21
The Under 23s will get a great flag in the ground of how they are developing in the PL 2 division against some of the best Under 23s side around. They have been involved in the pre season games supplementing the first team and some may have been involved more than that but for injuries.
We also have an opportunity in the early stages of the league cup to give some of them minutes as we know from 3 years of Bielsa that a close to full strength team will not be played so you'd hope to see some of them feature. If they don't feature, the fringe first team players some of whom have been mentioned, should be stating their case and putting in a performance. One of these days it will happen.
Bielsa is fiercely loyal to his squad and seems to always back himself over many seasons to improve a player like some kind of project unless there is some kind of issue where the relationship breaks down.
What may end up happening is we get quite a few injuries in one area(and we have seen this happen) and Bielsa has his hand forced to blood some under 23s who in normal circumstances he might not have played. I feel like there was an element of this with Struijk and I am sure it will happen again . Then it's up to the player to take the chance and then we find out if they are ready.
posted on 8/8/21
comment by Lubo - Struijk of Genius (U14008)
posted 2 hours, 54 minutes ago
It's more important that Costa gets minutes in his legs this preseason than Summerville. Costa is going to play, and rightly so, before completely untested options. It's not Bielsa picking from his "clique" of players. It's him picking players from the first team unit. The unit that is likely to take 95% of minutes next season. Greenwood and Shackleton have both played senior minutes so far, and I suspect Gelhardt would have too had he not got injured in the first U23 friendly.
People always feel the need to rush young players into the team, but to frame it as Bielsa not trusting them is just wrong.
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We know Costa isn't good enough, incidentally, did you not hear the way Dorigo talked about him in the commentary yesterday, it was hardly positive.
Why do you take it for granted that Costa should play when he proves time and time again that he is not up to the role.
What better time than pre-season to explore your options to see whether some of the kids have got the potential to step up to the plate. Does Costa need more time in pre-season than he has already had to get up to match fitness when, unless things go badly wrong, he will continue to be starting from the bench and playing twenty minutes or so. If when he comes on Costa is still a little leggy, the first U23 game is on Monday week, give him minutes there.
And where does that leave Poveda, he will surely get some minutes, doesn't he need to get "minutes in his legs".
I think there is definitely an inner circle from whom Bielsa picks he fourteen or fifteen he knows at some point will feature regardless of the match position and he is rather stuck in his ways in this regard.
posted on 8/8/21
Clearly bielsa thinks Costa IS good enough or he wouldn’t be here. Bielsa is quick to clear the floor with players he does not see as part of the future.
Ask Gotts, Huggins, Kamwa, Stevens and Hoasannah about that!
posted on 8/8/21
Personally Costa defensively drives me crazy.
Attacking I think he’s a decent outlet.
posted on 8/8/21
Can you not speak for what "we know", because think I've iterated enough on here that I think Costa is.perfectly good as far as squad players go. Do I think we can have better? Sure. Do I think that doing so is worth the expense right now? No, not really.
Your narrative is all over the place. We give U23 minutes in pre-season, and then Costa builds his match fitness in the U23s? That's just nonsensical. Poveda supposedly came back from the summer with Covid, so possible that his limited preseason minutes has something to do with this. I don't know. I'm not a physio nor a coach at the club.
I get you want to see U23 players get chances, but chances for chances sake, especially when they come at the expense of members of the first team unit, is not the way to go in achieving that. It's not Bielsa not trusting them, it's them being behind our senior professionals first and foremost.
posted on 8/8/21
I thought Costa started last season pretty well. His 2 goals v Fulham were crackers. Didn't look as good after Raph came in, but if he gets some form back he's perfectly fine.
posted on 8/8/21
comment by Lubo - Struijk of Genius (U14008)
posted 6 hours, 49 minutes ago
Can you not speak for what "we know", because think I've iterated enough on here that I think Costa is.perfectly good as far as squad players go. Do I think we can have better? Sure. Do I think that doing so is worth the expense right now? No, not really.
Your narrative is all over the place. We give U23 minutes in pre-season, and then Costa builds his match fitness in the U23s? That's just nonsensical. Poveda supposedly came back from the summer with Covid, so possible that his limited preseason minutes has something to do with this. I don't know. I'm not a physio nor a coach at the club.
I get you want to see U23 players get chances, but chances for chances sake, especially when they come at the expense of members of the first team unit, is not the way to go in achieving that. It's not Bielsa not trusting them, it's them being behind our senior professionals first and foremost.
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OK, the general impression from reading posts here and elsewhere is that Costa isn't good enough, let me tell you Lubo, if you believe Costa is good enough then you are very much in the minority, as I said listening to Dorigo's commentary last night it isn't just the fans who are concerned about him, he may not have said it directly but his comments were dripping with negativity.
You surely cannot tell me that when he brings Costa on you are expecting him to positively influence the game. It's a shame really, I want him to play well, after he signed permanently he was playing well, I can probably find the post saying just that.
As for the narrative jibe, I think it's clear, Costa has had plenty of opportunity to get game time, shouldn't need it as he is at best a bit player, KP and Cooper will start having had less time in pre-season. Missed an opportunity to see whether Summerville was up to playing some time for the first team in a game when it didn't matter so much.
If you argument is that Costa needs time on the pitch pre-season so he can get used to playing with his colleagues so he is more effective in a real match, passing, familiarising himself with what team-mates do I accept that but it would be concerning.
As for Poveda where did you read that, plays 90 minutes against Fleetwood and against Ajax U23's on Wednesday, but doesn't get selected for the first team against Ajax or Real, is it a Covid issue or something else.
posted on 9/8/21
comment by Sol (U2745)
posted 6 hours, 44 minutes ago
I thought Costa started last season pretty well. His 2 goals v Fulham were crackers. Didn't look as good after Raph came in, but if he gets some form back he's perfectly fine.
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What if he doesn't, have you seen any signs that he is improving?
posted on 9/8/21
I don't really care what the 'majority' think tbh. Not that long ago that the same people who slag off Costa for "not being good enough" were doing the same to Bamford, Cooper, Dallas etc etc. For some reason, certain elements of the fanbase always need a couple of players that they endlessly go after and blame. It's not being a supporter. And I'm saying that Costa needs to play the senior games to build his fitness and march sharpness. That's why they play preseason friendlies. They aren't about giving players opportunities. They are about Bielsa working with the core squad to build up their fitness.
You do this constantly, and not just about Summerville. I've seen McCarron also mentioned as someone who should get an opportunity in preseason. Your having a laugh, mate. McCarron was consistently the weakest member of the U23 team last year, and that was just for the games he played!
Let Bielsa, a man who has been coaching for decades, decide the best path for these players, and who is best placed to effect a game off the bench with the big boys.
posted on 9/8/21
I do worry that we are lacking a bit in the AM/Winger place.
If we are losing a game we have Roberts and Costa who can come on to change the game. Still think we need another player in there who you can bring on to change the game. Although Pablo didnt play much last season it was always nice to know he could come on. Problem is that type of player isnt cheap!