Darlo Uncovered

Losing 1-0. Jeff Smith goal.

Players not in the squad tonight for various reasons...

Craig Turns, Gary Brown, Jordan Robinson, Johnny Davis, Terry Galbraith, Amar Purewal, Stevie Johnson, David Dowson.

People need to bear this in mind before pressing panic buttons.

3-0

OK fuck it, changed me mind, 3-0 not really acceptable!

I'm hoping that this pre season has all been about experimenting for Gray i.e. he knows what his best team is, he's just trying people in different positions etc... so that he knows what to expect if called upon.

So far, it's slightly concerning though! We really need to sort out our defence once and for all.

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Have to say the lack of depth in defence is concerning - but maybe the players just aren't available within our budget right now? If that's the case then really, what can we do?

3nil against Bishop ?????
WTF Bishop have no players themselves ...I know its a a friendly and dont matter but most of our pre season has been shocking

Hmm. Not ideal, and the lack of cover in defence (a back 4 of Hunter, Robinson, Brown, Scott would be more than fine) is worrying me, but we've still got a week and a half to get somebody in. Whether we can afford to get someone experienced in is another question.

Maybe all about fitness etc, but we've been shocking this pre-season.

Hopefully we are much better come the start of the season!

Any news on Gott's injury?

Quakerz wrote:I'm sure I cracked the joke last season about if we still had Tom Bott (now Spenny), we'd have had Cocks and Bott...

However...I'm sure there is nobody on planet earth with a name as embarrassing as "Cocks" and I'm pretty sure the lad is probably actually called "Cox"

If so, sort it out Darlo FFS!

He is called cocks, his dad Danny plays in my over 40's team, good little player and a Richmond lad

That sure is unfortunate.

Mind it could be worse, there are actually people out there named "Dickshit", "Lillicrap" etc, out there.

Lawman3 wrote:Any news on Gott's injury?

He'll miss the start of the season with an ankle injury.

Well that is us without 4 members of defence then!?

Hunter can play RB/CB
Robinson can play RB/CB
Scott can play LB
Galbraith can play LB

We're one short, unless Gray trusts Mitchell to start at RB in the league?

Ah the AJ conundrum. Having watched him for two seasons saw nothing different in him last night than to many other nights. For me it is all about his confidence, but if getting a bagful of goals over the last two seasons and being in demand over the summer before signing for the "big" non-league side is not enough to raise his confidence then nothing will. As for the suggestion that his goals are inflated by free kicks and penalties that is not so. Rarely scored from a free kick for Bishops and missed more penalties than he scored. Remember he didn't take the spot kicks in the last league game between the clubs.

Personally, I stand happily by the comments made in the programme last night. Teams who go up from the Northern League walk the NPL First Division. Many informed observers think you have gone into a league that's at best on a par than the one you've just walked. Others think you're now in an easier division. History and games between teams from each league suggests as much.

What's the problem? You lost last night to a better team who deserved their win. Be gracious. There are no league points lost in a pre-season friendly.

Delirius wrote:Ah the AJ conundrum. Having watched him for two seasons saw nothing different in him last night than to many other nights. For me it is all about his confidence, but if getting a bagful of goals over the last two seasons and being in demand over the summer before signing for the "big" non-league side is not enough to raise his confidence then nothing will. As for the suggestion that his goals are inflated by free kicks and penalties that is not so. Rarely scored from a free kick for Bishops and missed more penalties than he scored. Remember he didn't take the spot kicks in the last league game between the clubs.

Personally, I stand happily by the comments made in the programme last night. Teams who go up from the Northern League walk the NPL First Division. Many informed observers think you have gone into a league that's at best on a par than the one you've just walked. Others think you're now in an easier division. History and games between teams from each league suggests as much.

What's the problem? You lost last night to a better team who deserved their win. Be gracious. There are no league points lost in a pre-season friendly.

Agreed (except I wasn't there, so can't comment on who was the better team).

It is slightly false to say teams who go up from the NL walk the NPL1 though - when was the last time a team took promotion from the NL?

AndyPark wrote:Maybe all about fitness etc, but we've been shocking this pre-season.

Have we? True, last night sounded poor but before that the general consensus seemed to be that we have been playing ok. People certainly seemed positive enough after the Sunderland, Boro, Gateshead games despite the results.

Spyman wrote:when was the last time a team took promotion from the NL?

I think it was Durham a few years ago. They won the Evo1N in their first season.

lo36789 wrote:Well that is us without 4 members of defence then!?

Hunter can play RB/CB
Robinson can play RB/CB
Scott can play LB
Galbraith can play LB

We're one short, unless Gray trusts Mitchell to start at RB in the league?

Galbraith has also played CB for us.
Not exactly ideal mind but while we are talking options.

Wonder if we are going to win a few early games by 4-3....the defence may be weak but our attack should be strong.

MikeinBlack2 wrote:Wonder if we are going to win a few early games by 4-3....the defence may be weak but our attack should be strong.

Great to see you flapping on Facebook again. No doubt you won't reply when called out on it.

Keep up the good work.

WeAreDFC wrote:

AndyPark wrote:Maybe all about fitness etc, but we've been shocking this pre-season.

Have we? True, last night sounded poor but before that the general consensus seemed to be that we have been playing ok. People certainly seemed positive enough after the Sunderland, Boro, Gateshead games despite the results.

It's the back 4 that is worrying for me, we seem to again have no problem going forward.

Suppose time will tell when the season progresses.

Darlofan97 wrote:

MikeinBlack2 wrote:Wonder if we are going to win a few early games by 4-3....the defence may be weak but our attack should be strong.

Great to see you flapping on Facebook again. No doubt you won't reply when called out on it.

Keep up the good work.

??....??

Can we not re-sign Arjun Purewal? He'd be plenty good enough to cover at the back.

AndyPark wrote:Losing 1-0. Jeff Smith goal.

Was that carvery-dodging pea heart Jeff Smith from the Staunton era?

fat tony wrote:

AndyPark wrote:Losing 1-0. Jeff Smith goal.

Was that carvery-dodging pea heart Jeff Smith from the Staunton era?

Yep, once signed by Sam Allardyce's Bolton from Whitley Bay I believe.

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I remember we 'missed' out on Jeff Smith a few years before he actually joined. He had about a 10 year professional career I reckon in total...unbelievable!

Jeff Smith signed for Bolton from Bishop Auckland for 35k about 12 years ago it was the time where Bolton had Jay Jay okacha etc he played few games but for some reason could force his way in to the squad he played against Sunderland MOM 9/10 but got dropped for bigger names