So, pre-season and you're not going full belt, wary of picking up any injuries leading up to the big K-O. The tournament wasn't exactly Champions League and the winners trophy wasn't up to much. When booking the trip I didn't think "booze and birds and party time" I thought "football, County, chance to see how the squad has improved" so I cant help but come away from the tournament slightly disappointed about what I had saw from County.
Against Scunthorpe I was expecting a close game with maybe Scunthorpe to edge a 1-0 victory. The first half brought a couple of good chances that should have been put away but we were performing well and I was happy going into the second half.
County did an 'England' and just passed through the second period after a good first half. There was nothing between the two teams as the game ran through and it was Scunthorpe who got the goal.
The goal itself was cheap. Spencer opted to lump Tunnicliffe's back pass forward which hit Goodwin and he scored despite having the clear pass out to our left back. The pass was in no danger of being intercepted; it was just a matter of awareness and keeping a cool head. But bad luck, we lost the match and were to play the Spanish semi-pro team San Jose in the 3rd/4th place playoff.
We were creating chances to level but just weren't putting them away. We are lacking a natural striker capable of hitting double figures this season, and the absence of Jamie Ward and Adam Griffin showed too. Its seems unlikely that we will sign another striker this season, with four already on the books already, and the midfield in need of some serious strengthening so it looks like it is Le Fondre's turn to step up and take his chance to shine.
Two goals from Bramble and one from Dickinson gave County a 3-0 lead going in. The second half continued the same way as County against created the chances but did not have the goals to show for their dominance.
With 10-15 minute to go the game was abandoned after the ‘linesman incident' and the score was kept at that. I came away once again slightly disappointed as you compare the result to Carlisle's performance two nights before when they beat the same team 11-0.
The squad doesn't look too well. Jim has done well to bring in Rose and Gareth Owen who impressed the two other sets of fans who commented on their performances. We are solid defensively and seem to have plenty of options for cover. I took a liking to the young trialist goal keeper Carl Coleman.
He showed such a cool head when he found himself in the same situation as Spencer the night before and played it through the attackers legs out to the left back position. I hope to see more of him during the reminder a pre season as he wasn't really tested but he does look useful.
Midfield looks desperate, Briggs and Malcolm did a reasonably well out wide but we need two wingers in the shape of Adam Griffin and Jamie Ward that brought us the success at the back end of last season. Gregg Tansey in central midfield was a plus coming out of the tournament; he showed some good touches getting away from a quartet of Spanish players with a neat piece of skill sparking muted chants of "take the piss." He is also a very vocal player who always wants the ball given to him. Should make a handful of appearances from the bench this coming season and then be looking to establishing himself in 2007/2008. I don't think much of Woolford but let's see if he can make an impression in the next three weeks.
If we are not to add to the attack then the strikers need to step up a gear or two as I say I don't see any of them hitting double figures next season.
There is great potential there in all four of our strikers and it is this season they need to show what they can do. Dickinson needs to take his Woodley Sports head off and realise he is now a professional footballer. He was out in the clubs the night before the Scunthorpe game drinking and as expected his performance was somewhat quiet and you simply cannot do that and expect to play well the next day. It has been mentioned about Bramble and Malcolm having put in a good start to pre season working on fitness etc and this can only serve us well. Le Fondre had a quiet tournament and I will be expecting more from him as the season progresses.
Away from the football, it was a good laugh meeting the new faces and having a bit of banter with the Carlisle support although the two successive promotions seem to have gone to a minority of their fans heads as they now seem to see themselves as a massive club. The "we've got more fans than you" chants in particular seemed to get on my nerves slightly, cast your minds two seasons back when you were struggling to bring in fifteen hundred........I didn't see much of Scunthorpe. Couldn't have been more than forty of their lot there so they were quiet.
Overall the tour was a success and I would recommend returning there for pre season again, only if it was treated more seriously like a pre season and not just a holiday.
