FC Union Berlin v Queens Park Rangers, and at Leipzig

Hoping for a better result as Lokomotive are a 4th tier side at best equivalent to league 2, but more like conference level as tier 4 sides are split into 5 regional leagues.

 

I had no idea Locomotive had slipped so low.... Having said all that, they were fast to take advantage of loose balls and turn defence into attack. Most of their attacks though were through the middle, whereas QPR were showing they could use the WBs with Wzsolek and Freeman to utilise the wings too. The errors in our defence centred around not being aware of where opponents were and anticipating moves, but this is something the first choice defenders struggled with last season. The same could equally be said about the attack, where the younger players showed their inability to respond positively to golden opportunities. Credit to Manning and Wzsolek for their efforts! 

Here is the Line Up for take 2 Vs Union Berlin:





Edit:
1-0 down at half time but not a bad display by all accounts

Well Done Matt Smith a good header to make it 1 -1. Our defending is still poor, we have just left a Berlin player totally unmarked in the box  and he has hit the post from about 5 yards. We have some good patches of play but it seems nothing has changed from last season with our poor passing and some dismal defending. 

Final score was 2-1, and there is no doubt that Ollie will put a positive spin on the game. I know that some will say its only a friendly but they don't appear to have learnt anything from last season. Unless there is some vast improvement we are going to struggle yet again, only this time the outcome could be worse!

I would love to see Clint back, we should never have let him go because he always gave 100% and his experience would be invaluable.  I reckon that if he has a fit squad to choose from for the Reading game he will go 4-4-2 purely on the basis that we have so many midfielders. 


Smithies
Perch
Onhuoa
Hall
Bidwell
Manning
Josh Scowen
Luongo
Freeman
Washington
Smith


Whilst I think that this might be Ollies starting line up I would not be adverse to dropping Onhuoa and replacing him with Phillips who has done well in pre season. The trouble is that we are running out of friendlies to try any new defensive partnerships. I would also be radical and make Bidwell captain because he did well in that role for our neighbours. I bet I get some stick for that one!