23 Aug 2026 08:45:32
First half, it looked like nothing had changed and Palace looked like they could score with every attack. Got to say that Wharton is a tidy player. But we rode our luck and, thanks to Pickford, we stayed in it.
As the game went on, though, we settled down and the two young lads in midfield started to get a grip of the game. An absolute blinder of a goal by KDH lifted the team and you could see the confidence grow in them from there. What was particularly pleasing to see was when their keeper had the ball, we had a high press and stopped them from playing out.
Nice to see Barry score even if it did come off the back of the defender's shoulder.
So decent first game; still things to work on defensively, but hopefully getting a proper right back will help there. Yes I know Rohl played ok there, but we need more than ok if we want to progress. As for a striker, we’ll get one who can hold the ball up and score goals and we’re sorted.
My MOTM Pickford, but for him we would have lost that game.
23 Aug 2026 09:23:53
Rate Wharton highly (not within our price range) .
23 Aug 2026 10:13:45
We had a chance to buy him before he went to Palace. Another of our past blunders.
23 Aug 2026 10:54:46
Warton came from Blackburn in the Championship, straight into Palace's first team, and bossed most games he played. Got an international call up, so all this not ready for the prem nonsense that Moyes and Dyche give is crap. Heard Moyes using Tim Cahill as an example, but he was signed 22 years ago.
Maybe if you put them straight in, then they will be prem ready. Think dibling should've been brought on yesterday, as Moyes is killing his confidence. Maybe if he was 6 foot 6 then he would love him.
23 Aug 2026 12:25:00
There is obviously a big difference to both leagues. Hackney himself said he was surprised by the physicality of it yesterday, and that you get punished for a single mistake. But you never know how a player will take to it until you play them.
23 Aug 2026 13:04:49
Surely that's how you learn. You don't learn by being on the bench, although Moyes seems to think differently, as he said last season that it would do Rohl good to sit on the bench for a season.
I agree over Dibling too. The lad's knuckled down and had a good pre-season and deserved to come on, plus he's a better player than Johnson anyway.
23 Aug 2026 13:46:48
Done so so in pre-season. Maybe try him against North End (Dibling) . Think RB is covered now, Patterson (nobody wants him) , Rhol, Garner, O'Brien. An absolute must is a striker Barry as support. We are looking stronger as a squad.