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Joe Uglow – @Joe_Ugs

Joe discusses the Gulls’ pre-season

1 – SOLID FOUNDATIONS

Surely the biggest takeaway from this pre-season is how strong our first choice central defence partnership look. Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer and Jay Foulston have looked barely troubled so far and when all three have been on the pitch United have only conceded two goals, both of those coming from Championship side Plymouth Argyle. Given that one of those was a penalty after a Brad Ash ‘Striker’s challenge’ that means only one goal from open play has been conceded whilst the trio have been on the pitch in five pre-season outings!

2 – AN ACTUAL PATTERN OF PLAY!

What frustrated me most in the last 3 years of the Johnson tenure was the complete lack of any form of pattern of play. In truth, the team in recent years has looked so poorly coached, but the same can’t be said of Paul Wotton’s side. Setting up each time in Wotton’s favoured 3-5-2 formation, each time there’s a restart the players look like they know exactly how the gaffer wants them to break down the opposition, switching the play across the back utilising the three ball playing central defenders, with wing backs getting high up the pitch offering much needed width. Usually one of Threlkeld or Collins will drop deep allowing the likes of Hayfield, Mussa and Hasani to ‘break the lines’ and join in with the attack. It will be really interesting to see how that continues to work against NLS opposition.

3 – SAM DREYER – STAND-OUT PERFORMER

I think if you asked any Torquay fan who the stand out performer has been this pre season, you would find many saying Sam Dreyer. He’s looked an absolute Rolls-Royce of a defender in the centre of the three. Calm on the ball, rarely flustered, strong in the air, he’s looked the real deal even against the likes of Argyle and Exeter. Maybe it’s because we’ve just been subjected to two years of Ross Marshall but I’m really expecting big things from Dreyer this season, keeping him fit could be key to our success this year.

4 – COMPETITION FOR PLACES

Another luxury we haven’t had in recent years has been competition for places. Often carrying an 18 man squad with at least a couple injuries has meant some players have been able to rest on their laurels even when not playing well. This won’t be the case for Wotton’s Yellows. Two players for each position was his aim right at the start of pre-season and I’m really impressed that he’s managed to achieve that. Players will need to be at it or they’ll know that there’s a replacement waiting to come in.

It’s shown in Pre-season too, Brad Ash in particular has been really up for it both times that he’s been introduced as a sub in the last two games. His performances have probably played him into a starting berth alongside Cody Cooke for August 10th.

5 – EMERGENCE OF MATT CARSON

I’m sure when Wotton made Jay Foulston his first summer signing he planned for him to be starting at LWB on the opening day. The emergence of Matt Carson has meant that those plans have had to be slightly shuffled as he looks to fit both of the impressive left sided defenders into the team. Throughout pre-season Carson has shown how he likes to get forward and make things happen up the pitch, and when paired with Foulston at LCB that side has also looked pretty solid defensively. This looks like a really great partnership that should blossom throughout the season.

6 – SPONSORSHIP FLOODING BACK

Also noticeable at Plainmoor this pre-season has been the increased amount of sponsorship boards around the stadium. I wouldn’t be surprised if the club has at-least doubled the amount of sponsorship brought in this summer compared to previous seasons. Combine that with record sales of the home shirt (Highest single day sales figures for VX3 on release day) and the fact that the away shirt outsold Newport County’s home shirt released on the same day 2:1 then United’s revenue streams can’t have got off to a better start under the new regime.

Hopefully this will go some way to paying back all the outstanding creditors in the next 6 months, and who knows we might even break even or post a profit in the coming years.

7 – OPTIONS UPFRONT

As mentioned earlier in this piece, we have competition for places all over the pitch, and none more so than upfront! Having got accustomed to playing two up top whilst only having two striker options for the last couple of seasons this season we have four actual strikers to choose from!

Cody Cooke has come in and shown that he has the ability to lead the line as a Number 9 and then it’s likely to be either Brad Ash or Ben Seymour to partner him. We’ve also got the young Jadyn Crosbie ready to step in when required, he’s looked bright when called upon in the last few games after overcoming his early pre-season ankle injury. It’s great to have viable options both for a starting place and off the bench!

8 – LESS RELIANCE ON LOANS

Heavy reliance on loans has been the norm in recent seasons and it was refreshing to hear Wotton say recently that he much prefers his players to be contracted to the club. Loans have a time and place, of course they do and I’m sure Paul will be leaning on Neil Warnock’s contact book to supplement the squad throughout the season, but I think it’s a real positive move that we’ve only had one incoming loan so far this summer.

9 – NO MORE GOAL MUSIC

Those at the Exeter City home pre-season game would have noticed that the dreaded goal music has been banished by the new regime. This has irked many of the fanbase for the last year couple years, no-one asked for it, no-one enjoyed it, but the dreaded Edwards and Hayman double act insisted on ruining every goal scored with the awful goal music, personally I feel it belongs nowhere near a football ground and I’m glad it’s been banished along with the £2 matchday surcharge!

10 – BACK THE BOARD!

Finally, What a brilliant refreshing start it’s been for the Bryn Consortium. We’ve seen a packed out Plainmoor, Chairmen engaging with the fans on social media, All members of the board socialising with the fans at all pre-season games, A fans forum (an actual live one, not four twats sat on a sofa on YouTube telling us to be ‘One Club United’). They are all very decent people who love the club just as much as we do, I’m sure there will be tough times this season, and results may not always go our way but I’d implore each and every United fan to carry on coming through the turnstiles, buying the merchandise and hospitality/sponsorship packages because I have no doubt that our new ownership will deliver success to the club over the coming seasons!