Thursday Excitement - Teams/Hopes/Fears

[Bliki]

Yay, I think result is a victory for us and in a sense Icelandic football. Getting beat by only one goal away in Scotland is a massive feat for a small club like Breiðablik. However the win could have been much greater and if both teams would have met on a equal ground regarding fitness I think the difference between the teams is about 5 goals. I think Motherwell will deffo score in Iceland so for us to score 3 goals will be too much. Still I am very proud and thanks to Motherwell supporters for a great sportmanship.

[mwellhighland]

thanks to Motherwell supporters for a great sportmanship.

 

Wouldn't have it any other way on our Euro travels

[Smalltown]

nice to start the year with a win. it was hard to follow along over here in the States, the text updates on the club page were slow due to server traffic. Hope we can get a quick away goal in the 2nd leg to have some cushion.

[true_steelman]

BBC has the attendance as 5,990 - still decent and a bit more realistic than the 8,000 mentioned elsewhere

 

looked more

[deJaya]

looked more

 

pretty sure it was MFC who mentioned 8000 btw

[Ya Bezzer!]

Interesting to see what the board makes of tonights performance.

 

First of all Breidablik. They were streets ahead of Llanelli and Flamurtari Vlore. I thought they might flag in the second half being only part timers but if anything they looked to have more in the tank than we did. Almost everyone in the team could pass the ball and they weren't a bad outfit at all. I'd go as far as to say if they played in the SPL they would have a decent chance of survival.

 

However....

 

We were miles off the pace in terms of fitness and game sharpness and yet our goalkeeper didn't have a real save to make in the match and we won 1-0. It wasn't the best from us but we will be better by the next game and I'd hope we would be able to score at least once in Iceland making it a difficult task for Breidablik.

 

None of our players were really at top form but most of them tried hard and I'm reasonably confident we will go through. I don't see any reason why we should fear Breidablik on their own patch although they won't roll over but I think we are a bit better than them.

 

Randolph (6) Not much to do, one easy save to make and that was it but looked confident and commanding.

Hateley (5) Looked off the pace even taking into consideration the early start to the season.

Craigan (6) Hasn't got any faster over the summer but looked reasonably assured.

Reynolds (6) Started well but then had a few shaky touches but general on top of things.

Hammell (7) Good performance from Hammell, never really troubled at left back, won lots of balls, looked in good condition

Jennings (6) Obviously not in peak condition but did OK in the midfield role.

Lasley (7) Energetic as ever, even showed some good touches.

Forbes (6) I see the debate going on as regards Forbes. Can't run, doesn't look fit, even looks a little lazy sometimes but all our best stuff came off his foot whether it be crosses, corners, defence splitting passes and of course the goal.

Humphrey (4) I'm afraid I seen nothing from him to suggest he is a player, tonight or most of last season.

Sutton (5) A bit lumbering tonight, needs to sharpen up.

Murphy (7) Very lively, showed some excellent touches but lacks the final ball. Hopefully that will come with more games.

 

MotM: Stevie Hammell for a good, solid performance.

[arbroath55]

Interesting to see what the board makes of tonights performance.

 

First of all Breidablik. They were streets ahead of Llanelli and Flamurtari Vlore. I thought they might flag in the second half being only part timers but if anything they looked to have more in the tank than we did. Almost everyone in the team could pass the ball and they weren't a bad outfit at all. I'd go as far as to say if they played in the SPL they would have a decent chance of survival.

 

However....

 

We were miles off the pace in terms of fitness and game sharpness and yet our goalkeeper didn't have a real save to make in the match and we won 1-0. It wasn't the best from us but we will be better by the next game and I'd hope we would be able to score at least once in Iceland making it a difficult task for Breidablik.

 

None of our players were really at top form but most of them tried hard and I'm reasonably confident we will go through. I don't see any reason why we should fear Breidablik on their own patch although they won't roll over but I think we are a bit better than them.

 

Randolph (6) Not much to do, one easy save to make and that was it but looked confident and commanding.

Hateley (5) Looked off the pace even taking into consideration the early start to the season.

Craigan (6) Hasn't got any faster over the summer but looked reasonably assured.

Reynolds (6) Started well but then had a few shaky touches but general on top of things.

Hammell (7) Good performance from Hammell, never really troubled at left back, won lots of balls, looked in good condition

Jennings (6) Obviously not in peak condition but did OK in the midfield role.

Lasley (7) Energetic as ever, even showed some good touches.

Forbes (6) I see the debate going on as regards Forbes. Can't run, doesn't look fit, even looks a little lazy sometimes but all our best stuff came off his foot whether it be crosses, corners, defence splitting passes and of course the goal.

Humphrey (4) I'm afraid I seen nothing from him to suggest he is a player, tonight or most of last season.

Sutton (5) A bit lumbering tonight, needs to sharpen up.

Murphy (7) Very lively, showed some excellent touches but lacks the final ball. Hopefully that will come with more games.

 

MotM: Stevie Hammell for a good, solid performance.

 

Good post ! Thanks

[Mitch]

See you in the next round. No bother.

[Wellarmy]

Didnt really see much different to what I was expecting. I think we shouldve won by at least an extra goal although if Breidablik had taken one of those two glorious opportunities at the start of the second then we couldve been looking at a different proposition next week.

 

On overall play I think we maybe deserved abit more but cant complain with a lead and a clean sheet to take to Iceland

[Motherwell89]

Humphrey I think could be a very good player for us.. he is full of pace.. and with a little more work and improved fitness he could be a real key player for us!

[Yir Elder]

It was a win without conceding, which is the most important thing in a European home game. Yes we were a bit rusty, and we noticeably tired towards the end, and it was then that the lack of a strong bench was obvious.

 

However, we did play with patience and were defensively solid by and large, except for early in the second half. We missed another striker hugely when we put two delicious crosses in front of goal in the first half without a finishing touch being applied.

 

That said we did miss a creative spark too, someone who could run at them and do something different. That for me is a more important signing than a striker right now.

 

Delighted for Forbes getting the goal, he wasn't great tonight but he seems a confidence player who flourishes when things go well. His goal takes him level with Jamie Murphy on four European goals, only one behind Kirkie.

 

Time will tell if one goal will be enough tonight. Breidablik were a well organised, neat and tidy outfit who linked and passed well. There wasn't too much of a goal threat, but they pose a danger for sure.

 

Mind you, it will be interesting to see how they cope with having to take the game to us next week.

[Andy_P]

Happy enough with that.

 

Clearly the management were clued up on what to expect but as supporters whenever we play any games in Europe the opposition are pretty much an unknown quantity for most of us. I think that adds an element of anxiousness and uncertainty which may or may not be justified.

 

Having now seen Breidablik and taking that in account where we both are in terms of fitness then I'm pretty happy to be heading their with a lead and without anything conceded.

 

We rode our luck a bit at the start of the second half, and once in the first where Hammy put in a great challenge when the boy seemed set to shoot but I think we merited the win over the piece.

 

Would have been nice ofcourse to have got another goal or two - first half we just seemed to be just lacking that wee bit of sharpness that could have seen us home and dry.

 

Was impressed with two or three of the Breidablik players - the centre forward who looked like a bulkier Michael McGlinchey and the guy on the left of midfield, and in general they look quite a tidy side. But I think we have it in us to step up a bit yet and with some further training behind us, allied to the benefits a full ninety of competitive football should bring us, then at this moment in time I'm quite hopeful we can progress.

[Davie boy]

A review of potential opposition in the draw 2moro (1330 CET).........

 

http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/seedel2010.html

[miggy]

The best bit of the game was Craigan's piledriver. I think I would have exploded had that gone in.

[David]

A decent performance considering we haven't played any real football yet.

 

Both Reynolds, and Lasley in particular were excellent. I don't think there was a blade of grass that Lasley didn't cover tonight.

 

The official attendance was billed at just under 6,000, which isn't bad considering it's a pissy Thursday evening in July.

[Brazilian]

a win with no injuries is the most important thing

 

game wasn't any better than a normal pre-season friendly would have been

 

a lot of our team still miles of pace and sharpness, our central defence and right back tried their best to throw away the game at the start of the second half

 

most impressed with Breidablik, always played football and were most certainly not cloggers we encounter much of the time in the UEFA and the SPL/scottish cups

 

they seemed happy to play out the last few minutes at 1 down, I suspect they have enough confidence to know they are still in this tie

[Guest]

We'll be okay. I think.

 

Need a striker dreadfully though, thought Lasley had a good game, nice to see him getting forward more. Hateley looked out of sorts to me, as did Sutton later on, that might've been a fitness thing though. We're crying out for a winger on either side, Humphrey isn't it and neither is Forbes, one capable of a shift, the other capable of something special, but neither a winger. Glad that neither of their strikers turned up.

 

Highlight was definitely Craigan's beast. Clearly heard me screaming SHOOOOOOT.

[Bliki]

Everyone at Breidablik seems delighted with the result and I think the team will score at home, however 3 goals is a tall order. I read that Alfred Finnbogason played his worst game this season, not a good game to do that. Hower I think he will be the key next week for us. Just think its too difficult to overcome. A 1-2 loss would have been a different kettle of haggis.

[Welldaft Mk1]

It all depends who scores first. Motherwell do and we will probably win the tie comfortably. Breidablik do and it is game on. That said not losing an away goal in Europe is pivotal. We could lose next 2-1 and still go through.

 

We played well enough in the 1st half but missed far too many opportunities. BB were a decent team as I suspected. Really got the ball down and passed very well, but it was noticeable as the match wore on who had played 1 competitive game and who had played 11. Boy we got lucky at the start of the second half, but all in all over the piece I think we deserved our win.

 

As Bliki points out Motherwell will be that wee bit sharper next week and I would expect us to score an away goal.

 

Looking forward to the trip up there next week.

[Guest]

If BB score first, we could see any number of goals, a la the hibs game. Forget defending, just go and win.

[dazamfc]

No offence Bliki but I just didn't see Breidablik as a decent team.They liked to pass the ball but after a few passes they ran out of ideas and also I think Motherwell will take 2 or 3 off of them next week

[steelboy]

we played poorly but could have scored five.

 

forbes and humphrey were terrible, if we have to rely on them week in week out throughout the season we'll be struggling.

 

anyone know why mchugh didn't feature?

[Bliki]

No offence Bliki but I just didn't see Breidablik as a decent team.They liked to pass the ball but after a few passes they ran out of ideas and also I think Motherwell will take 2 or 3 off of them next week

 

Non taken, I know we are probably not a decent team by Scottish standards even though we are leading the league in Iceland which is far inferior than the SPL. I hope we will play the game of our lives next week to put pressure on Motherwell. In football anything can happen but.......

[rab_mackinnon]

I thought breidablik were a decent outfit but craig broon got his tactics spot on finnbogason (10) never got a sniff off the ball in the first 5 mins steve jennings clattered him from the back to let him know he was there, craigan has way too many fouls against him by the big number (24) son something i think his name was, we dominated possesion and wre lucky not to get caught out on the counter attack them team worked hard for each other which got us accross the line.

 

from the highlights i've seen of some of your league games in iceland bliki, you have always been given a lot more space to attack than you were tonight, we are an organised and difficult team to break down under craig brown and can't see that changing we were far from our best tonight if we'd had our shooting boots on the score could have been very different.

 

your fans done you club proud though and got behind your team i love seeing european fans at fir park and hope you guys enjoyed the experience.

[fat_tony]

Highlight was definitely Craigan's beast. Clearly heard me screaming SHOOOOOOT.

 

And there was me thinking it was meant to be a pass!

 

Thought we were the better team over the piece tonight but miles away from normal levels. In saying that, a bit of extra training and I think we'll be much sharper next week. I thought the Icelanders were quite a tidy side and certainly passed the ball about very well, although I think the extra experience of playing professionally told tonight.

 

Enjoyed the game though, and I thought Murphy was superb until he tired in the second half, as well as Stevie Hammell who put in a great shift down the wing. Most importantly though, a clean sheet, a goal and no injuries.