Morecambe is easy to sum up. It's kind of like Blackpool except people don't go there on holiday any more at all. The beach is muddier but you can see the lakes. It's kind of like if the top bit of Fleetwood was mashed up with Blackpool. Sort of. It used to be a resort but then they demolished everything that made it a resort, even the Polo tower, which was, exactly as it sounds, a big tower that was made up like a giant tube of Polos. Now you can go for a day out and wander in what has been left behind which is a kind of dreamworld of faded things and occasional magic with sunsets to die for.
My intrigue about the game is somewhat diminished when the club announce we've got another secret game where half the squad are playing. The players I want to see are mostly playing in that one. Two games in a day is a bit weird. I go to a good chippy though, so it's ok.
Critch is as Critch does and all that. Minutes in the legs. The group. Back on the grass. Great pitches. Respecting the opposition. Not expecting an easy game etc. All of that sort of thing.
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The first half is really dull. Morecambe are a bit better than Barrow and we're exactly half as good as we were there. The side that's playing this game isn't exactly filled with flair players and it shows.
We launch it at Beesley who runs around gamely but he can't get the ball to stick to him. Note to self. Do not mention Madine. (It takes about 30 minutes for someone near me to say "when's Madine fit again?" which as someone else said it, doesn't count as me saying it in any way. I'm just reporting things here.)
Stuart Moore (who has played more games against us than for us, despite being with us for 3 years) makes a couple of good stops. Virtue has a shot blocked. Very little else happens apart from Thommo out of nowhere hits one of the best crossfield passes in the history of football and then a little bit later, again out of nowhere concedes a free kick for having a pointless scrap when we're in possession and he's not fighting for the ball.
Thommo's luck dictates that Morecambe score from it. The ball is looped to the far post and a free red shirt puts it across the goal, past a statuesque fake Gary Goalkeeper and in off the near post. Were this a real game, rage would have ensued on three fronts but it's not so angst is limited to mild grumbling.
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We weren't great. It wasn't great, but it's preseason and all that.
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The second half picks up a bit. Norburn is controlling the game. He's balanced and has time. Virtue has a few nice touches but he looks a yard off the pace to me. Morgan delivers a good ball and seems to have worked out the pressing he needs to do.
We start quite well but the goal comes after a bit of Morecambe pressure and a break. The sun is right in my face, so all I can tell you is a silhouette wins the ball (Norburn?) and another silhouette (Morgan?) slides it through for Lavery who spins, loses his man, draws the keeper and dinks it home with a deft touch.
We have the better of the remaining play. CJ has a shot on the half volley that whistles just wide, Luke Marriete comes on and is very tidy. Jack Moore comes on and is really good. His delivery is something to behold. He has Kieran Trippier vibes for me. I'm not saying that I'm certain he's going to be England's right back in two World Cups and a European Championship but he's compact, has an economy and purpose about the way he plays and he makes crossing look devastatingly simple in a way that leaves you wondering 'why don't all players just do that?' He whistles in two sensational fizzing balls and also sends Morgan away who nearly puts in Lavery at the near post. He's also filled out a bit (and grown a beard) since I last saw him in the flesh and did ok in the physical battles too. I was impressed. If only he was a left back.
The game ends on a sad note, with Holmes challenging for one of Moore's whipped balls and clattering into his defender, then lying prone on the ground. The treatment time takes up the remainder of the game, so we never see the corner that would have been and despite there not being a particular sense of anxiety amongst the players, Brad is strapped down and stretchered off as the rest take the applause.
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What did we learn here? I'm not sure. There's no point drawing conclusions from this game given the nature of the split squad thing. There's rarely much point in drawing conclusions from a preseason game full stop but it's difficult to escape the fact we're currently a bit light up front (until Joseph appears at least) and we don't really have a left side to match the right side.
Morecambe were well drilled and probably offered a challenge not dissimilar to the kind we'll face from some teams next year. This 11 weren't really able to find a way through it very often, but this 11 isn't the best 11, it's just an 11, so there's no point in making sweeping statements about anything. Maybe that's the point of all this. Keep everyone guessing. We did play 5-3-2 again though...
Onward!
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What did we learn here? I'm not sure. There's no point drawing conclusions from this game given the nature of the split squad thing. There's rarely much point in drawing conclusions from a preseason game full stop but it's difficult to escape the fact we're currently a bit light up front (until Joseph appears at least) and we don't really have a left side to match the right side.
Morecambe were well drilled and probably offered a challenge not dissimilar to the kind we'll face from some teams next year. This 11 weren't really able to find a way through it very often, but this 11 isn't the best 11, it's just an 11, so there's no point in making sweeping statements about anything. Maybe that's the point of all this. Keep everyone guessing. We did play 5-3-2 again though...
Onward!
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