Quote ="Pat Bateman"Surely pre season games are an indicator as to where we are within our preparation as both a team and individually. It’s ok training the house down, but if it can’t be applied on the field against competitive opposition than that’s pointless. I agree we shouldn’t read into friendlies too much in regards to results as they are obviously times to learn and gel etc. I think what everyone can agree on is that there is definitely room for improvement both with skill and attitude before the season starts. As Poching said on the podcast he’ll have to decypher through what went wrong in that performance because I don’t think any coach or player goes into any game happy to lose friendly or competitive.'"
In part yes. It's just my opinion but a friendly cannot replicate a real game and I'd be annoyed if the players tried. Players get injured more often when stretching themselves to the limit, I don't want TJ or Fifita doing that in a worthless game and I don't think they do, they go through the motions.
So yes you can see formations, moves and general fitness. What you won't see is the commitment you will in a real game, certainly not when your living depends on it. TJ, for example, needs a real run in SL to regain his hopes of international honours, his performance against Fev won't count so he's not going to risk overdoing it.
It's different for up and coming players, it's a chance to shine. But we have to be realistic, no established player will put his neck on the line in these games, well I wouldn't if it were me. I'm not saying they don't try I'm just saying they don't push it to the max and it's the max that sets SL players apart from Championship players IMO.
I don't even think Fev were playing to their peak tbh but I suspect they had the let's get a scalp motivation.
A number of teams have lost to lower league opposition pre-season yet I doubt that would happen in any real games.
If you look at us, the best performance of three friendlies was against Leeds with a team missing many first-teamers, why? The motivation of players wanting to get noticed IMO.
