Just In

[Big Dave]

he had an assist for Lawless' goal and he headered the ball onto Lawless who laid on for Higgy's goal. if that's bad link up play then I'll settle for that! he'll get a goal soon enough.

Exactly. He also holds the ball up very well and has a great understanding of where his fellow team mates are.

[ThickAsThieves]

We were good, not great. And we won 3-1 - magic.

 

Higginbotham, Seaborne and Lawless were my top three. Stevenson was so frustrating, looks quite slow, but then he did get an assist and play a part in the third. Carroll's trying to get a game at CB by the looks of things - just stay wide, man.

 

Good goals today. Always good to see us score from a corner!

 

That was never a penalty and Doolan's effort was piss weak. Don't think he had a great game today but needs a run in the team, it's better than playing Stevenson up top.

[Winter of '63]

A strange day...must have been the heat. Just about every game at Firhill last season, I left wondering why we had failed to beat teams we looked better than - today we won against Inverness who had as much of the game and as many chances as us though I was never really that concerned that they would pull us back. It wasn't that gripping a game...the low crowd and few opposition fans didn't help.

 

Higgy is certainly worth the admission money and scored a cracking goal. I like Lawless but didn't think he was having his best game though scoring an excellent goal and a clever assist is not bad. Bannigan was both busy and calm...Big Osman and Seabourne very solid.

 

Although Stephen O'Donnell is almost guaranteed to do something a bit daft every game, he is a far more exciting option down the right flank...McMillan is a real competitor but he tends to tuck in beside the centre backs allowing too much space for the opposition down the wing and he offers not a great deal of an attacking threat.

 

Conrad's distribution was poor but he got away with his usual blunder when he gave the ball away in a dangerous position. He seemed to have given his slippery boots to Doolan...Kris didn't have a great game and his penalty was poor but the team had a better balance with his movement and energy. He also looked better when Craigen came on.

 

Carroll looked very ordinary - regularly out of position and failed to stop crosses coming in - I don't remember him making a successful tackle and did nothing going forward. It was his first home game but Keenan looked better in his first outing.

 

And Stevenson - what a transformation from an unfit & lazy looking lone striker who didn't look as if he fitted in to our style of football...to exactly the same as an attacking midfielder. An absolutely woeful attempt to play Higgy in as well. Maybe he will come good...I think he might be the type of player who has an inspired game every so often but Craigen was far more effective in the 10 minutes he was on.

 

Maybe too much sun but we have comfortably beaten the League Leaders and I'm still a bit underwhelmed.

[Veejag]

Was it not Higgy with the assist for Lawless?

[Lenziejag]

Was it not Higgy with the assist for Lawless?

 

No it was Stevenson who played the pass to Lawless

[thebiglemon]

Stevenson needs to play a few more games in midfield before we, or Archie can judge it.

 

Ditto what folk have said re: Higginbotham- So much ability I can't believe he's made it into a second season with us.

 

Agree regards Carroll's positional sense- seemed unsure.

 

Can't be at St Mirren game- a bit pissed off about that but knowing Thistle we'll f**k up when we've the chance to go 10 ahead - Saints have got to get a point soon.

[westertonjagfan]

I would pay again at the gate, even though I have a season ticket, to watch Higgy. He is a brilliant player...petulant yesterday, agreed, but for me he represents all that is good in the game. A guy in love with football who happens to get paid for it.

[ifu03340]

For Stevenson having such a bad game he laid the first goal on to Lawless and won the header on the half way line for the third goal. I also think he was the one in the middle of the park who created the shooting opportunity for Bannigan but cant be sure.

 

He is not a player for craft. He is in there to do a job. To make us more solid, to win headers, to make tackles, to be 'box-to-box'. His role is to let the likes of Fraser, Bannigan, Higgy et al. get on the ball and create things. Yes, he will need to contribute with goals but lazy is not a word I would use to describe him

Edited September 14, 2014 by ifu03340

[Lambies Lost Doo]

I'd agree with everything said by Winter of '63 minus felling of underwhelmed. I love watching this team. Remember we are Partick Thistle not Bayern Munich so sometimes it all works out and other times we lack that bit if quality but at least we try and we have the right philosophy at playing the game.

[potty trained]

Interesting that we beat the league leaders 3-1, miss a pen and I still feel disappointed.

 

I don't know if it's a combination of the postponed Celtic game and the international game, but we are far from up to pace. Our passing was slow, really slow at times.

 

I can understand why we have Carroll, he's similar to Sinclair, but a Sinclair of 2 or 3 years ago. Worth noting that him coming inside might be a game plan, it's just that Higgy didn't cover for him enough. As on the right, Mcmillan drops inside and Lawless comes back to cover. Hence the introduction of Elliott late on.

 

whilst Seaborne is commanding, his clearing headers are piss poor and at least 7 landed at a Caly player. But again, our manager might be telling him, just get it clear, it's the midfields job to get on top of the second ball. Which we did well.

 

As much as I love Pantofola boots, big Conrad needs to change them, like a lot of players he spent a lot of time on his arse.

 

Osman and Banzo were solid together, both really getting in about it. Banzo his usual self, including a bloody stupid booking.

 

Stevenson, jury is still out, he was more effective behind the striker, but Craigan was head n shoulders above him, when he came on. I hope he comes good as on form he is one of the best midfielders in the league.

 

Higgy was outstanding. Tam Cowan later on described him as the best "footballer" in the league. It's hard to argue with that.

 

Lawless had a strange game. Scored one, set up one, but they were the only two occasions he actually beat his man in the whole game. 5 times in the first and 3 times in the second, he just ran into their full backs and they just brushed him aside.

 

Doolan looked like he's just short of match fitness, but then again, the vast majority of his work was done outside the box. I'd be surprised if any player hits a worse penalty in Scotland this seasons from the NS it was obvious he should be going to the keepers left.

 

Away from the game, interesting to note the Bing end missing the advertising, is this due to the latest Firhill Developments news. By the way, the Trust have a 10% share in the club! the Club has a 50% share in the bing and main stand development, so time for the trust to get involved.

 

Also noted the new sponsor across the main stand roof, one of our director's company's. Are we that shit at finding sponsors, we have to rely on directors to fill one of the best advertising spaces in the ground?

 

Also, who is the new logo on the headrests in the dugout? Not BCCS, as it was last season. So is our charity of the year actually getting any financial help, of note, from the away strip?

 

Hats off to G4S who again stewarded at arms length in the north stand. Night and day from last season. Keep up the good work

[Jagtastic]

A good, hard fought win. Standard Inverness team full of big strong guys but they are also well drilled at their short sharp passing and it works well when they are allowed to hold their shape and possession of the ball. Without it however I think we stretched them and they didn't like it. We had to work very hard for that win and fully deserved it imo.

 

Higgy is class. He was getting booted all over the place, including a very sly knee in the ribs right in front of the JH and although he shouldn't react it's not hard to see how it can be frustrating for him. He had their right back on toast in the second half, the nutmeg being particularly enjoyable, and took his goal brilliantly. I'd love to see a compilation of his best goals!

 

Absolute shocker that both the referee and linesman "missed" the elbow on Seaborne.

[BowenBoys]

Interesting that we beat the league leaders 3-1, miss a pen and I still feel disappointed.

 

I don't know if it's a combination of the postponed Celtic game and the international game, but we are far from up to pace. Our passing was slow, really slow at times.

 

I can understand why we have Carroll, he's similar to Sinclair, but a Sinclair of 2 or 3 years ago. Worth noting that him coming inside might be a game plan, it's just that Higgy didn't cover for him enough. As on the right, Mcmillan drops inside and Lawless comes back to cover. Hence the introduction of Elliott late on.

 

whilst Seaborne is commanding, his clearing headers are piss poor and at least 7 landed at a Caly player. But again, our manager might be telling him, just get it clear, it's the midfields job to get on top of the second ball. Which we did well.

 

As much as I love Pantofola boots, big Conrad needs to change them, like a lot of players he spent a lot of time on his arse.

 

Osman and Banzo were solid together, both really getting in about it. Banzo his usual self, including a bloody stupid booking.

 

Stevenson, jury is still out, he was more effective behind the striker, but Craigan was head n shoulders above him, when he came on. I hope he comes good as on form he is one of the best midfielders in the league.

 

Higgy was outstanding. Tam Cowan later on described him as the best "footballer" in the league. It's hard to argue with that.

 

Lawless had a strange game. Scored one, set up one, but they were the only two occasions he actually beat his man in the whole game. 5 times in the first and 3 times in the second, he just ran into their full backs and they just brushed him aside.

 

Doolan looked like he's just short of match fitness, but then again, the vast majority of his work was done outside the box. I'd be surprised if any player hits a worse penalty in Scotland this seasons from the NS it was obvious he should be going to the keepers left.

 

Away from the game, interesting to note the Bing end missing the advertising, is this due to the latest Firhill Developments news. By the way, the Trust have a 10% share in the club! the Club has a 50% share in the bing and main stand development, so time for the trust to get involved.

 

Also noted the new sponsor across the main stand roof, one of our director's company's. Are we that shit at finding sponsors, we have to rely on directors to fill one of the best advertising spaces in the ground?

 

Also, who is the new logo on the headrests in the dugout? Not BCCS, as it was last season. So is our charity of the year actually getting any financial help, of note, from the away strip?

 

Hats off to G4S who again stewarded at arms length in the north stand. Night and day from last season. Keep up the good work

 

Great post pt.

 

It was a strange game. Probably the most passes in a game ever, mostly in the defensive areas. At times I thought I watching a game of chess.

 

Conrad, and to a lesser extent Dools, really need to sort out their boots.

 

Not sure about Stevenson. He seems heavy and sluggish. Archie has his reasons for making him captain but I'm not convinced. I don't think he should be assured of a start at the moment. I would like to see Dan given the armband.

[potty trained]

 

Not sure about Stevenson. He seems heavy and sluggish. Archie has his reasons for making him captain but I'm not convinced. I don't think he should be assured of a start at the moment. I would like to see Dan given the armband.

 

I think his leadership is the best aspect of his game just now, constantly gee'ing up everyone around them, especially after our first two goals telling them to keep focused.

 

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

I'm still recovering from the fact we held on to a lead to see out the game for 67 minutes. When was the last time we did that in the League?

[BowenBoys]

Noticed that we were defending corners very deep. 21 players in our third of the pitch. Keeping Dools on the halfway line would tie up a couple of opposition defenders and give us a target for a ball out.

[Winter of '63]

For Stevenson having such a bad game he laid the first goal on to Lawless and won the header on the half way line for the third goal. I also think he was the one in the middle of the park who created the shooting opportunity for Bannigan but cant be sure.

 

He is not a player for craft. He is in there to do a job. To make us more solid, to win headers, to make tackles, to be 'box-to-box'. His role is to let the likes of Fraser, Bannigan, Higgy et al. get on the ball and create things. Yes, he will need to contribute with goals but lazy is not a word I would use to describe him

He's not a player for graft either. He was unchallenged when he nodded the ball on to Lawless who, as with his goal, still had the difficult part to do. I don't remember Stevenson winning a header in the rest of the game...or making a decisive tackle...or holding the ball up to link up the play. Box to box running? He can't shift himself to close down big centre backs. It's Osman's role to win the ball for the flair players- I'm not sure where Stevenson fits in. I want any Thistle player to do well but Craigen looked a far better option yesterday as did Doolan in the lone striker role.

[potty trained]

 

He's not a player for graft either. He was unchallenged when he nodded the ball on to Lawless who, as with his goal, still had the difficult part to do. I don't remember Stevenson winning a header in the rest of the game...or making a decisive tackle...or holding the ball up to link up the play. Box to box running? He can't shift himself to close down big centre backs. It's Osman's role to win the ball for the flair players- I'm not sure where Stevenson fits in. I want any Thistle player to do well but Craigen looked a far better option yesterday as did Doolan in the lone striker role.

 

The Alba highlights showed at least one example of Stevenson tracking back making a key tackle infront of our box when they were countering.

 

I think all the basics are there for him to fit into our team, and with a run of games he will begin to fit in in the midfield 3.

[allyo]

I'm delighted to see us winning a game quite comfortably without being at our very best. That could be the difference between a comfortable season in the top league and another nail biter. The feeling I got yesterday, possibly more than at any point in the last year and a bit, is that we definitely belong here.

[Lindau]

He proved at Hearts that he is more than a half decent player. I thought he did ok yesterday. Sometimes it just takes a player a while to settle in (Higgy last season!) In saying that, the guy does still look as if he is carrying excess weight, which is surprising considering the comments from some of the players before the season started stating that the training was the hardest that they had ever experienced in pre season

[madcapmilkdrinker]

Every pre-season for any player in any country in any sport is 'the hardest they've ever done', they all agree to say this when signing their contract.

[Willjag]

I thought Stevenson did a great job all day of holding up the ball and trying to play the ball to our guys coming up in support. I think I was the only person at his signing that questioned why we needed him or where he was going to play. Yesterday was the first time I seen what he brings to the side. Never hides and uses his strength well. I don't think he's unfit either. I think it's just his style. Unfortunately, Thistle fans don't like this type of player. Too many want to see guys run about and throw themselves into tackles all over the pitch, but it takes all different sorts of players to make a good team and Ryan could well be the piece that was missing from last season that sees us finish a bit further up the table.

[Lindau]

Every pre-season for any player in any country in any sport is 'the hardest they've ever done', they all agree to say this when signing their contract.

 

Higgy was quoted as saying in all the years he has been playing, that was the toughest pre season ever. He also stated that one thing the team won't lack from this season, was fitness!

[stillresigned]

A good professional performance, whilst certainly still not at our best. Thought the first half was fairly even, but over the 90 minutes we deserved our win. Up front having Dools back gave us a focus for our attacks and as usual he chased everything. Thing about Dools is that his work rate creates real gaps for others to exploit, which was shown yesterday. Thought wee Lawless had his best game for a long time and Higgy was his enigmatic self. Defensively, not the best, but to be fair not the worst either. Conrad had his, what is rapidly becoming his bombscare moments, however I thought the majority of the problems posed by Inverness, emanated from the lack of defensive midfield cover provided by Higgy to Carrol, which left our left back outnumbered as often as not. Finally, I must say a word about big Abdul in midfield fast becoming a fans favourite with his stalwart midfield performance, he'd another super game and scored with a great header(when did we last score an old fashioned goal like that?).

All in all a very satisfying performance, which reflects great credit on the squad and coaching staff after the deep disappointment of the Acies and Aberdeen games.

[jaggybunnet]

 

Also, who is the new logo on the headrests in the dugout? Not BCCS, as it was last season. So is our charity of the year actually getting any financial help, of note, from the away strip?

 

 

Was that not the whole point of it, companies paid for there logo to go on the seats and all or some of the cash from that went to BCCS

[Alan Murray]

After watching the highlights I thought Brill should have saved Abdul's header.

 

Seabourn should have been sent off and penalty awarded for his tug on Mckay. Little bit of good fortune with that.