UK Midweek Friendly Madness - 18/22nd July

[kompressaur]

more fixtures to come no doubt but take these for now-


odds from Skybet

I like Cardiff even though ive seen their price has come in lately for them to be relegated this year. Anything been happening at Cardiff?

Hamilton must have bought some players as theyre sitting about 4th or 5th favs for the scots Div1. I like anyone on their plastic pitch against them though.

Sorry here's the rest of the week's-


odds from Bet365

[Beanie]

Stop it man! Some of us are trying to quit you know...

[kompressaur]

Some interesting ties on the 19th too Beanie. You sure your not interested in any of them either? No prices there that you'd be interested in?

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

Could be interested in Cardiff Komp - heres a snippet of their last friendly match. They seem to have made a couple of new signings..

Cardiff opened their pre-season with a comfortable win over Accrington Stanley at the Interlink Express Stadium.
A scorching Richard Langley shot opened the scoring on 12 minutes, and Willie Boland added a sublime lob.

Paul Mullin got one back for Stanley just before half-time, but Cameron Jerome sealed the win after the break.

The Bluebirds gave debuts to Neil Cox and Glenn Loovens, plus trialists Phillip Mulryne and Andreas Ferretti, while Darren Purse was in the stands.

Cardiff have been tracking West Brom defender Purse, 28, who had limited first team chances at the Baggies in the second half of last season.

Don't be fooled by the standard of their opposition either. Accrington had a great finish to the season and were unlucky to maybe not go up. They have a good home record aswell if my memory serves me well so this was a pretty good result for Cardiff, albeit a friendly.

[kompressaur]

Cheers Kiko. I gotta admit to being really interested but then i aint had a chance to read up anything on Hamilton this pre-season. I wondered why they were so low in the betting for Div One mind and i see now it's because they have a few of Clyde's team of last season including wee Harty by the looks of things and that could put a diff perspective on the game. Here's something from pie and bovril regarding their 4-0 win at Queen Of The South at the weekend-

Another good work out for hamilton breezed through the game.

Hamilton 19s and fringe players also came runners up in the oban tournament with teams including dundee utd hearts and dumbarton (who sent there full 1st team) dumbarton won it.

teams

Queens: David Crawford, Brendan McIlduf (Ross Clark 62m), Shaun Molloy (Tony Livingston 79m), Stevie Reilly, Damiano Agostini, Paul Harvey (David Weatherston 46m), Stuart Kettlewell, John Weir, Richard Bowers, Jonny Whelan, Liam McCann (Mark Ferry 73m


Hamilton:: McEwan, Robertson, Carrigan, Thomson, McLaughlin, Neil, Ferguson, Sim, Keogh, Gilhaney, Harty
Subs - Trialist x 4 and Stevenson

Scorers: Keogh 13 and 47, Harty 21 and 41

could be a team thats pretty tight and Harty can always pop up with a goal. I aint so sure wee Harty will get the run and the space that he's used to v Scots Div one clubs and i rate Cardiff a bit higher than the likes of Brechin and Falkirk even.

[kompressaur]

Here this could be a bit telling-
http://www.pieandbovril.co.uk/forum/...howtopic=21017

Looks pretty much full teams to me and it could be a pretty good indication. I would still be interested in Cardiff at Killie :loon

Hamilton trialists were-

Paul Weaver ex Blackburn Rovers,
Tom Bennett formerly Aston Villa, Wolves, Stockport and Boston,
Mikko Paatelainen ex Aberdeen (Mixu's younger brother)
Steven Noble of Hibs.

any thoughts?

[kompressaur]

V Kilmarnock
McEwan, Robertson, Hodge, Thompson, McLauchlan, Trialist,(Carrigan), McArther,(Stevenson), Trialist (Balmer), Jones, (Keogh), Hardy,(Gilhaney), Trialist,(Trialist).

v QOS
McEwan, Robertson, Carrigan, Thomson, McLaughlin, Neil, Ferguson, Sim, Keogh, Gilhaney, Harty
Subs - Trialist x 4 and Stevenson

The defence wasnt that dif v QOS. Were you sayiing Cardiff have some skill up front Kiko?

[kompressaur]

bloody hell no wonder Hamilton seem to have turned into Clyde from last season. They've got Billy Reid. That was 6 weeks ago!!!! where have i been? Nowhere actually. Nah all round the world truth be told. Anyhow i kinda like that Clyde/Hamilton Billy Reid transition. Be great to read whats happened at Clyde especially with this new scheme of theirs where you pay to pick the team or something.

Sorry wrong thread there. Aye Cardiff. I know the name Richard Langley. I wouldnt like to pin my pre season friendly hopes on one man. Who have they got up front? Fcuk its Billy Reid''s clyde of last season. They couldd dour any team to a 0-0 Need something a bit special up front maybe for cardiff. Might just not bother with it

I was wondering how long someone was going to say that. Harty can score but only if he's interested. He won't chase a ball or work to win it, and he'll moan like mad!

I think the biggest problem for Harty this season will be the plastic pitch since the ball skips more on that, he'll have an even harder time chasing the ball.

more on the Killie game here

http://www.acciesworld.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7767

[kompressaur]

Sorry non Scot's fans but im still laughing at all the Clyde fans talking about Reid's defensive approach to the game as being a bit shite and good luck to Hamilton if they want to play that way

Yes, the manner of his departure does influence my opinion of him, however our points on the playing style of Billy Reid i think are not just a phenomenon of his move to Accies. if you could have seen some of the (generally private, cos they are on the Clyde members board) comments in the latter part of last on the Clyde message board, you would see the frustration amongst the fans at the 'entertainment' factor. I know I skipped a few away games i would have went to due to the boring style we had.

In your position, i would be generally be dismissing the comments of Clyde fans as bitter rants, but perhaps we can relive this chat in April and see howit went. If Accies come out as an attacking and entertaining team,i'll gladly eat my words and gladly let you rub it in

I actually think Reid hasnt got Hamilton ready yet and think that if Cardiff play a strong team they'll win this pretty much at a canter i really do. Need to look at loads more on it but with Reid starting from scratch (anyone know how many Clyde players are their this year? I can see at least 3 and the better ones too.

[kompressaur]

Might as well post this here as it answers the above-

Clyde

IN

Joe Miller - ??
Chris Higgins - Motherwell
Neil McGregor - Kilmarnock
Stephen O'Donnell - Boston Utd
Billy Brawley - Selkirk
Craig McKeown - Dunfermline
Michael McGowan - Dundee
Roddy Hunter - ??
Paul McHale - Cowdenbeath

OUT

Bryn Halliwell - Dunfermline
Alan Morrison - Stranraer
Simon Mnsing - St Johnstone
John Potter - St Mirren
Scott Wilson - Raith
Stuart Balmer - Hamilton
Gary Bollan - Brechin
Paul Doyle - Montrose
Jimmy Gibson - Partick Thistle
Mark Gilhaney - Hamilton
Ian Harty - Hamilton
Graeme Jones - Hamilton
Alex Burns - Motherwell(loan ended)
Chris Gardiner - Hearts(loan ended)

[zonker84]

Cardiff have lost most of their better players in the last few months, so personally I'd not touch them at that price in a friendly. Not looked at how they intend to approach it, but wouldn't bank on them winning

[kompressaur]

Aye looking at Cardiff there aint much to enthused Zonker I still think they've got too much for a Hamilton side who i think wont be settled at all. Just noticed Skybet are still the only bloody bookies pricing this up

I could put 1/3 of my vcash on them out of frustration. Its 4/5 though aint it? Nah i still think its a quality bet. I reckon they'll be 2 up at ht and score 4. Aye dont try stop me chaps and i know we same the same every year but i never suffered the Everton/Celtic Saturday and i'm still on a pre-season friendly high. You can all point and laugh but i think Cardiff are pretty solid bet ofr tonight i really do. I think theyre gonna get a bagfull even with Reids defence gameplay.

What am i basing all this on? I just think Hamilton are ready as a team just yet and the pitch etc could play into Cardiff hands a a bit. Suppose if it plays fast then you team needs to be fit and i read that Hamilton faded a bit either v Killie or QOS. They'll be fitter for it but looks like cardiff could be fit too .

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones is delighted with the progress his side have been making in pre-season after seeing them beat Accrington Stanley 3-1.

Jones' new-look side sported Neil Cox and Glenn Loovens for the first time at the Interlink Express Stadium, and Jones was happy with what he saw.

"I was pleased with the performance, but I didn't get three points and that is all we are aiming for - to get everything right now culminating in the team being 100% prepared for our first game," he told the club's official website.

He added: "The goals were very pleasing, especially the second. It's always good as a manager to see something you have been working on in the training ground materialise on the pitch."

At this stage Jones' primary concern is fitness, and while in the north west he has had his squad making the most of the rolling Lancashire hills.

"Considering we have been working together for just two-and-a-half weeks, I thought we did well. You don't get any points from pre-season victories - it's all about fitness. That's why the lads have been running up and down hills." he added.

Is that a new manager at Cardiff? doensnt sound like it. Aye i think they'll enjoy their visit to Hamilton tonight non the less. Quite a few teams did last season.

[zonker84]

Dave Jones took over at the end of last season, no idea how he'll do but he has a difficult job on his hands.

Before him, Lennie Lawrence was manager for about 3 years

[kompressaur]

You really dont fancy Cardiff do you Zonker? You had a bad experience in Cardiff Zonks? (do they have Rent-boyo's in Cardiff? )

They say 2 of Killie's goals came from 'stupid' ref calls for a penalty and a free kick. That stops me a bit in my tracks a bit but come 6pm tonight i could have worked myself into a Cardiff Frenzy especially if Hills price it up.

[zonker84]

Well Cardiff are a class above Hamilton still, but depends on their attitude. If you know they're taking it seriously (I've not checked), then go for it

I just know that I almost bet on Everton in similar circumstances on Saturday, and would've lost. Up to you though