Pre-Season 2025

Of course, I've heard O'Neill slag off Carvalho and he gave Yates his (league?) debut, i think. I'd have guessed Carvalho left that summer but, apparently, he was around for the whole Sabri season.

Yates made his league debut as a late sub in the glorious one game reign of Simon Ireland at Reading, back in those heady days when getting away tickets was easy, but O'Neill gave him his full debut shortly after. Yates seems to have much fonder memories of O'Neill than I imagine Carvalho does.

(Karanka actually gave Yates his senior debut in the League Cup against Bury, subbing him at half time)

I keep forgetting about Karanka.

Did he actually happen?

V Estoril 7pm.

Sels, Abbott, Williams, Boly, Morato, Yates, Sangare, Ando, MGW, Jesus, Wood.

About 60% of the team I expect to start against Brentford

No sign of Moreira pre-season. Has Abbott leapfrogged him in the RB queue?

He’s injured (with the German U-19 side in the Summer)

11 changes at HT again. Aina and Murillo unused subs.

We aren’t exactly free scoring in pre season.

I was thinking of going to the Saudi friendly next Saturday evening. I just looked at ticket availability and doubt even 1000 have been sold.

Yeah this. Not even like we're creating lots and missing. It's a bit concerning. I'd like to see at least a goal against Birmingham.

On the positive front, Sinclair had another good 45 minutes. Some great runs. He could be a proper player.

Defence.... Has looked fine. Estoril had better chances than us. Should probably have scored.

CHO seems to be being used more as a MGW replacement in pre season. Free role. Not convinced.

Goals, who needs em. Very overated in general by people who know nothing about football.

On the plus side it seems Ndoye is done. He looks exciting.

Which I suppose he should for 40M euros plus 5 in bonuses and a 10% sell on, but looking forward to seeing him play.

Rule of thumb. Any game where we change the entire 11 at half time is 100% a training & fitness exercise.

Every year we hear “don’t read anything (good or bad) into pre-season friendlies”… and sure enough, every year people do exactly that.

I seem to recall we were 'a bit shit' during last season's pre-season, before starting with a 5 match unbeaten run (and only losing 1 of the first 10).

See also: declaring young wingers as the second coming of Stanley Matthews.

No pressure on Jimmy Sinclair then next season off the back of zero experience of competitive men's football and a couple of substitute appearances in pre-season.

It was a bit of a mixed bag.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E2%80%9325_Nottingham_Forest_F.C._season

If we're doing comparisons, it was 11 'points', 10 goals for, 6 against, across 6 games.

Currently we're 3 'points', 1 goal for, 3 against, from 4 games.

Hard to really judge anything from much of that. Bar, as I've said, I'm concerned we're looking a bit blunt. Even despite the line ups I'd feel better if we'd scored a goal or two against Chesterfield and Estoril.

Hopefully we save them up and smash Brentford for 3-4 to nil.