27 Aug 2026 21:53:28
We look decent and move the ball so much quicker than we moved it under that rat Maresca. Barco, what a talent he looks, never saw that coming. Estevao looks a little lost at times. Gusto did well, Lacroix is a Rolls Royce and that Gittens cameo looked good. Bottom line, I like Alonso and a huge upgrade on that slime ball Maresca.
28 Aug 2026 17:59:19
Was at the game last night and was watching Barco closely. He mostly kept his very many passes short and simple, almost as if he was what the Italians would call a regista or someone who tries to dictate play from a deep-lying position. Jorginho tried something like this for us, but worked hard off the ball too. There was at least one excellent defence-splitting pass from him, though he also got caught in possession a couple of times. Overall, a very decent debut, but very early days and this was against League 1 opposition, of course.
I thought Estevao looked pretty sharp, and helped to create our first goal by putting Gusto through for DW to head home, plus his fierce shot turned in for our second. On many other occasions he showed off his wonderful close control skills, and did wonderful interchanges with the likes of Cole Palmer. I was in the West Stand Lower, block 3, row 22, and so enjoyed this at fairly close quarters. But yes, there were also moments when he almost tried too hard to impress or needed to have kept a slightly cooler head. What he did show more of in a positive way last night was defensive work, tracking back on many occasions.
This work rate expectation from all players, and greater energy over all 90 mins, looks set to be a hallmark of an Alonso team - or I hope so, and with no European football we can afford to expend it throughout every match of our season you'd think.
Completely agree about Lacroix looking that impressive last night, and he does seem to be a v good signing. Reads the game v well, and his one-on-one defending looked v good, though again this was 'only Luton'.
Gusto's cross for DW goal showed something of a player who started his career so promisingly for us. Hope he will rediscover that mojo.
Gittens didn't make much of an impression on me either way, though given where I was sitting - the Shed end side of halfway - and he came on second half when we were attacking down the Matthew Harding End, I wasn't best positioned to judge, perhaps.
Danny W looked a good option off the bench for us as a sub for Joao Pedro, or possibly thrown on late on alongside him.
CP looked again far more like first season CP, and Morgan Rogers had one or two brilliant dribbles, plus Josh defending and some Lavia passes also impressed.
28 Aug 2026 21:05:16
Jbs, nice post, mate. Much appreciated.