lady-isobel-barnett

thanks for these stats, afk . As I read that in the 87 games the opposition has scored first only on 25 occasions (29%) have they failed to take full 3 pts. I've no idea what the league norm would be but it doesn't look too clever from our point of view.

Got to agree. It may well be our strikers aren't good enough but we'll never find out till they get some service. On the basis of our last two games their talent, or lack of, is academic.

I'm not too sure what these stats really tell us tho'. What about the games we've come back to get a draw? It's more the number of times the opposition has scored first and go on to win that would tell us more.

If I was Stewart or Doolan I'd be complaining about the lack of chances. Erkine is probably the only one seriously guilty of wasting chances. Had he squared the ball with pace from the right in the first half against Berwick, see the above with Dundee and not dithered going thru on goal last night Jaggernaut's question (see other thread) might be redundant. Ironically the area we looked strongest on paper with, midfield, is looking like causing the biggest concern. Usually in previous seasons Rowson worked quietly away in the background, breaking up attacks and a quick short pass to another midfielder to push on. This season he's still doing what he does best but now he's also the midfielder most likely to move the ball forward. That shouldn't be and if Rowson gets injured or suspended it'll be like losing two midfielders. I've got tremendous respect for Rowser but even at that I feel we've got a real problem when David's our most creative player.

I did question that after Saturday but to be fair Scott got down for that one last night.

The only positive I can take out of the last two games is on play we don't seem to be far behind two of the fancied teams. Put another way, soft penalties or whatever aside, Hamilton and Dundee can't score against us and we can't score against them. If this is what the season has in store it's gonna be a painful experience but at least not just for us. Any of our players who did well, or at least were largely free of criticism, tonight all got pass marks from a defensive point of view. I can't think of one single player who anyone could say did well going forward.

I'd be extremely upset if PTFC wasted money on Sky TV packages. Most pubs with turnovers at least twenty times that of an establishment only open a handful of times a year can't afford that.

Tis highly probable if you're a regular in the Aitken Suite.

I don't read the Sun and I'm a moron.

I heard it was the Propco boardroom.

Why?

Not too concerned about injuries as I'd rather see players rested tonight especially as we'll be playing them a week on Saturday. Forgot all about Doolan getting a knock against Dundee. A back four of Campbell, Robertson, Lindsay and Sinclair would be interesting .

Not strictly true, tho'. Being a bit voyeuristic when those clubs like Dundee, Livingston & Gretna have run into bother I've noticed their websites are peppered with posts along the lines of "don't care what division we're in as long as we've still got a team to watch". I'd find it hard to believe fans of other clubs are not influenced by the trials and tribs of those three. In fact posts on Falkirk & Q o S websites are more often or not revolving around finance. According to the Board this season is planned as to be break-even. I hope to hell that they have factored in the customer satisfaction element. Personally I don't get the impression that our fans sights are set that high but the views of season ticket holders are more academic than pay at the gate punters.

Not that you're necessarily saying it but I wouldn't say football has stood still. It's just moved forward in a wrong direction. Besides moving sport forward need not involve gentrification. For instance a lot of us would advocate the return of terracing or standing area enclosures but that doesn't mean that we'd want uncovered toilets or wish to use those covered ones at Central Pk, Ayr or Morton as a template. We're repeatedly told by football authorities that providing terracing would be a backward step where I'd argue providing safe standing areas would be part of the way forward. Sorry all that's off on a tangent but no more than discussing the pros and cons of the Sun newspaper and its readership.

Might be wrong but I thought Campbell ended up in central mid when Flannigan came on so he was only out wide for half the time he was on. Campbell can play as a fairly orthodox right winger and give the team either a bit more width or at least allow Paton & particularly Sinclair, who had to be tiring, to stay back. For all the games he's now played (or played part of), end of last season, friendlies and so on Jamie hasn't really had a continued spell at possibly his best position as a winger. Because he's got a bit of bite, can track back and tackle, unlike recent previous wingers (Murray, Strachan, Erskine, Corcoran etc) I don't see much of a risk factor playing Jamie from the start.

You didn't enjoy the previous league match at Firhill?

Incidentally there was good piece of PR on the Cowan/Cosgrove radio prog yesterday. I know the kids go free has been mentioned a few times but not accurately. After evidently erroneously in midweek saying it was a £1 for kids to get in Cowan appologised and got it spot on. Probably for the first time it was mentioned that unaccompanied kids could also get in foc. Obviously either someone from the Club or a Jags fan got in touch with BBC/Cowan/Cosgrove to put them right. Well done to whoever it was.

Plays mostly centre mid or at a push left mid. No great pace or anything. Best attribute is often his worst in that he's always looking to make Xavi style passes and too often gets either intercepted or caught on ball dithering. Comes across as he'd be a good player in a good team but certainly not the sort of player to dig you out a hole. Hodge is definitely Div 1 standard provided your club has not trimmed its budget down to the bone, but being left sided he should've been picked up before now, which kinda makes you wonder .

Great photos as always, Tommy. Particularly like the one of Rowson after his header . If only that had gone in

I'll turn it round and say Doolan is well suited to being a second striker. His first touch is usually excellent and probably the best since Britton. His lay off play and awareness may not yet be of Gerry's quality but is improving all the time. I'd say Doolan is winning a fair amount in the air and on par with Britton on head flicks. All of that is positive and imo makes Doolan an automatic selection even if his goal rate isn't necessarily that of an out and out striker. I think then the key guy is Stewart and it's maybe too early to really know if he can play as a striker as opposed to an attacking midfielder (in a sort of Hardie type role). Meantime for balance I'd rather see the right sided Fraser coming off the bench than Grehan.

My main gripe is the lack of pace that staff move at. I realise that kinda comes over a bit yours, angry, Tunbridge Wells but the service is very slow in comparison to many other grounds. I go shortly before half time and won't join the queue if there's maybe into double figures in line waiting to get served. So my only experience is of very short queues, which are still an annoyingly long wait. It's hardly surprising if takes so long for me to get served with only a handful of folk in front that those that venture along at half time spend so long queuing. Whoever is doing the catering must be losing out as I can only imagine a lot of folk will just give it a miss when they see the size of the queue.

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear when I said Fox was one of the best in the division. I wouldn't want to swap him for Arthur or Tuffey at their best. But that doesn't make him above criticism and I'd certainly wish he was less statuesque at spot kicks. When either Arthur or Tuffey were facing a penalty I always thought they had a sporting chance of saving but Scott appears the opposite. I don't see what's so bizarre about raising this point tho' I do concede if it was only based on two or three penalties it would be silly. I'm sure tho' it's far more than that. Maybe a statto could let us know.

Was shocked but certainly shouldn't have been when that imbecile ref gave the penalty. But to say we deserved to take something out the game I'm a little less sure. I've always advocated a league system where a goalless draw results in both teams getting no points. If you can't score why should you get the same as teams drawing 1-1, 2-2 and so on? I'm seething that Dundee came away with three points more than we lost a point. It was a reasonably entertaining second half but in a game where scoring chances were few and far between I thought we were the more organised side attack wise. Putting thoughts into others is rather presumptive but after today's performance I think that those who reckon we're a likely bottom of league team should be more encouraged whilst those who fancy our chances of being in with a shout will be more than a trifle disappointed. Just to end this post on a negative point (so as I can feel more positive later on) I can't remember seeing a keeper who looks less likely to save a penalty than Scott Fox. Don't get me wrong he's probably one of the best keepers in the division (along with Cerny) but when it comes to a penalty Mr Fox looks clueless. I can't remember him getting even close to stopping a penalty kick and that's good half dozen or so I've seen him face.

Comparing like for like most away grounds are generally none too clever with their catering but we seem to be able to have taken it to a new level of ineptitude.