CliftonCliff

and oil…

Absolutely right. I thought Joe Williams was starting to show the benefits of getting an injury-free (so far) pre-season under his belt. Had a busy game today, which was encouraging to see. I would love to think that we might yet see the player that we signed when he joined from Wigan, before all his fitness problems.

Wouldn't get too excited about the goal tally - it simply reflects the quality of the opposition. Just about getting minutes into the legs at this stage, though that said, it never does confidence any harm to bang a few in. The remaining friendlies might tell us a bit more. In the meantime, you can only beat what's put in front of you, and they've certainly done that.

I have never been entirely convinced he would leave this summer and I'm still not. They are playing him in the way they are - in my opinion - as part of our preparations, because, for now at least, they expect him to be part of the team.

As with the Swindon game, there is clearly an emphasis on trying to get Scott into more attacking and potentially goal-scoring positions.

Hat Trick Wells (1 pen). Definitely his day.

4-0 now with a very well worked team goal finished by Vyner. Lovely interchange between Scott and King. City look like they could beat this lot in their sleep.

3-0 Wells yet again. I know it's hard to judge on these pre-season warm-up games and, like the Swindon match, City do look far too strong for the opposition, but that said, Nakhi really has had a very good first half.

Yep, good to see. As I type, Wells just had a second goal ruled out for offside, as well.

Nakhi looking very lively. One very good through ball for Bell to score, a well taken goal and, a moment ago, an impressive solo run - robbed of a second goal by a last moment challenge.

Got into potential scoring positions maybe five, six times in 60 minutes. OK, finishing not quite there, but the fact that he had so many goal attempts gives a strong hint as to how we might see him used if he remains here for the coming season. Get him scoring maybe 7-8 in the season and the transfer value starts to rise still further.

I’m as much an admirer of Scott as anyone else: he’s by far the best young prospect that I’ve seen in my six decades or so of following City. However, I do think we’re sometimes in danger of getting a bit carried away. Predicting the course of a young player’s career is not an exact science and even the experts don’t always get it right - Stephen Caulker, Deli Alli…. Sometimes factors come into play that nobody can foresee. The lad hasn’t turned 20 yet. It’s a good job he seems to be very level-headed for his age, because there are some very heavy expectations hanging over him. Let’s see how he goes next season: he’ll come in for some pretty close attention from the opposition after all the media exposure he’s getting. Not that he wasn’t a marked man before, but in the unlikely event that anyone wasn’t aware of him until recently, they certainly will be now.

Spot on. Our stand-out player for me in the late stages of last season. Very underrated by some. I’ve said before on here that you might not notice him sometimes when he’s playing, but you bloody well notice when he isn’t. When he plays well, the team plays well. I don’t care who else is available: if he’s fit and on form, he anchors that midfield for me, and the rest can fit in around him. Pep wasn’t just being polite when he singled him out after the Man City game. He’s a very good footballer.

Thanks, Dave. Don't know why it hasn't updated on my Sony smart TV, which is of recent manufacture and reasonably high- spec.

Sorry, I missed that and had just spotted it when your post landed, but thanks very much for the heads-up, anyway. ?

I have read this elsewhere on the thread, but when I check the schedules on the my smart TV's programme guide it is not showing, which seems odd. Can I ask where people have seen that C4 is screening this game?

Straightforward. Did it just before KO. Quality (of the stream, that is, not the game itself) distinctly unpromising at first, but quickly settled down and has been quite satisfactory. Apart from one or two very brief moments from Portugal, England appear to be in almost complete control. Playing some very slick, confident, possession-based football. Lovely bit of one-touch stuff to set up the goal. Worth a watch.

England just scored an absolute cracker of a team goal. 1-0

Strong bench.

I do, on the whole, agree with those who say league tables don’t lie, especially over a 46 game season, but SU are a win-ugly, grind out results sort of team who often rely pretty heavily on a strong element of physicality to get them through games. If they finish second and go up, fair play to them, but I can’t say I’d relish watching them every week.

Kind of the points I was trying to make. I have even seen a few comments from their own fans expressing surprise at their league position. Having said that, I have just watched them score a very well taken goal… 2-1

Anyone watching this? Poor game, from what I’ve seen of it. Not much quality on show from either side. You’d expect Cardiff to be underwhelming, but SU look very ordinary. Not the first time this season I’ve seen them and thought they are over-achieving. On this evidence, I would fancy us to give them something to think about.

Yes, I wondered about that too. Bit strange, isn’t it? Maybe it’s just become ingrained in the culture of the club under the previous regime. Will be interesting to see if Lowe makes any attempt to change that over time.

Couple of Norwich suspensions would certainly help our cause, but maybe we won’t need the extra assistance. Norwich are 3-0 down now and, whilst they have some good players and are up against a very strong side today, they look short of confidence and self-belief. A lot depends on our game this afternoon. There is a bit of a feel-good factor about us at the moment, and if we go into the Norwich game with some momentum on the back of a positive result against Preston, I would fancy us to take at least a point. First things first, though: a win at Deepdale is long overdue.

So many teams at all levels trying to play like this these days, arguably with keepers and defenders who don’t have the ability to do it well - and safely. We’ve seen Atkinson, O’Leary and Naismith, among others, cause self-inflicted damage in the same manner. Watching it is not good for the blood pressure, when it’s your own team doing it, but I’m always encouraged when opponents try it on, for precisely the reasons you mention.