While all the talk on Saturday afternoon was about Anis Ben Slimane’s first goal in a red and white shirt and another fine strike from Iliman Ndiaye, the manner of the second goal really pleased manager Paul Heckingbottom. He also knows they will need goals from as many areas of the team as possible to ease the pressure on the forwards, so the sight of the defensive pair combining went down well. They will need to see more of that when the campaign gets under way in a little under two weeks’ time against Crystal Palace.
Paul Heckingbottom said: “That was good and it came from a left wing-back cross. There were some moments and some things that were really, really good which pleased us. We would have liked to have been more clinical with the chances that we had but watching the goal back George’s touch is really good as well, having the confidence to hit it with his left. I am really pleased about that rather than delaying and trying to set the ball up for someone else.”
It was another good workout for his players, with nine of the starting XI on Saturday getting 90 minutes under their belt for the first time. Physically he feels his players are in good shape and the fixture is another step in the right direction.
Paul Heckingbottom added: “They have all been working hard. There is no issue with the fitness, it’s just that mental sharpness and staying switched on in a game for 90 minutes. That’s the thing you are really practising and you don’t really feel 100% comfortable until you are six games into the season. Fitness wise there will be no issue, it’s more a case of getting used to that mental test.”
There is just one more fixture of pre-season remaining, at home to Stuttgart on Saturday, before the Premier League curtain raises the following week at home to Crystal Palace.
