Pre-season

Thought this was quite interesting

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6919549.stm

Particularly this:

'Bolton did not win a pre-season game last year but went on to pick up 20 points out of the first 27 available when the Premier League season started. '

How important do people think pre-season is? Is it more important to play with formations and check out new signings, and prove out fitness, or do a few wins help players psychologically? Or is it all about the Asian cash?

I think Pre season has two main aims, which is to get player's fitness levels up and to gel the the XI together, esp if you've brought in a few new players.

Other than that the players confidence can only get better by scoring against amatures

Robert made a good point the other day. Fitness is good but playing against good opposition is what really gets you ready for competitive games.

We played 4 games in the Far east and apart from the first one breezed every game. Then returned to play Inter and we're all over the place in the first half. The game last night against Glentoran was almost like a practice game as well.

I'm glad we got to play Inter and Chelsea to really get us sharp.

The fitness work is paramount but the results mean far less. One pre-season we lost to Barnet and Peterborough Utd 1-0 and draw 1-1 against a Celtic team that four days previously lost 4-0 to Man Utd. We went on the win the league without losing a game.

This year we won the Emirates Cup and Amsterdam Cup, its a bonus for the team to put them in a winning state of mind, but it only goes so far. The integration of the likes of Eduardo, Sagna and Bendtner is far more important. The experimentation may also serve for the long term like using Hleb as an attacking playmaker and Eboue as a right winger. Both were successful but as it was pre-season it didn't matter if it did fail.

Cesc wrote:
This year we won the Emirates Cup and Amsterdam Cup, its a bonus for the team to put them in a winning state of mind, but it only goes so far.

You mean you won't be counting them as official trophies? Looks like another potless season for L'Arse then...


Pre season is about physical and mental preparation - getting players focussed once again after a break.

Roger Hunterrific wrote: Pre season is about physical and mental preparation - getting players focussed once again after a break.

Absolutely true. But I'm not sure if winning a few easy friendlies is a plus. If anything, going into the first game of the season with a 'something to prove' mentality might help.

No - Not for me.

Hopefully I can quote your second sentence in nine months time.

Pre-season means nothing - last year we went unbeaten in pre-season and were languishing in 12th by Febuary.

Parky's right - you do need quality opposition. in 2005 we played the likes of Lyon, Boca Juniors & Porto and started off strongly in the league campaign.

Last year the only team of note that we played was Inter.

This time around, we've had literally no-one, apart from Torino. I am quite worried in this regard.

Roger Hunt wrote:

Roger Hunterrific wrote: Pre season is about physical and mental preparation - getting players focussed once again after a break.

Absolutely true. But I'm not sure if winning a few easy friendlies is a plus. If anything, going into the first game of the season with a 'something to prove' mentality might help.

So Bolton had bad pre season results but a good season, i am sure more teams have bad pre season results and bad seasons, so of course winning them is better, but they can be irrelevent. Winning mentallity also can come with it.

Roger Hunterrific wrote:

You mean you won't be counting them as official trophies? Looks like another potless season for L'Arse then...

So we haven't even played a single game yet and you've alread written us off?

There wouldn't be any point in the 18 other teams tunring up if everyone had that attitude.

Pre season isnt about results as much as its about preperation for the new season. Getting the team fit, working on its shape, set peices and working out the best 11 etc

Tweedle wrote:

Roger Hunterrific wrote:

You mean you won't be counting them as official trophies? Looks like another potless season for L'Arse then...

So we haven't even played a single game yet and you've alread written us off?

Yes.

There wouldn't be any point in the 18 other teams tunring up if everyone had that attitude.

I didn't say everyone should have that attitude. I'm no Kantian.

There's a point in the other teams turning up - they might actually achieve something of note. Arsenal will either stay where they are (4th and trophyless) or go down a spot (5th and trophyless), all while charging the highest ticket prices in the league.

But hey, that's the wonder of capitalism!