Just In....11 Hours Ago!

[Lindau]

 

Higgy - full of effort and it is just not coming off for him at the minute. Think he is missing ATS big time.

 

 

 

I think that is a very valid observation. We have changed our style. No more bombing full backs with ATS gone and SOD benched. Despite this league being full of poor sides, I think our defence is gonna put us in severe danger this season. We need Galls back and an injury free Danny for the rest of the season.

[AndyMac]

Is it just me? How did Jake Carrol get man of the match? I thought he was rank rotten too!

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Couldn't figure out why Fox was punching/slapping the ball so often. Three out of four times very poorly at that. On his off days he tends to get caught out with quick shots from far out rather than anything like that. But I'm not meaning to single him out for what was largely a team failure.

Anyway blaming the keeper or indeed central defence is all very well but that's hiding the fact the whole team (McMillan excepted) failed to turn up in the 2nd half. Comparisons with the collapse against Accies are accurate to the point that we caved in all over the pitch. The forwards and midfield are just about as blameworthy for the goals as the defence.

If you take the ICT and last night's games together you see the good and the bad in something approaching equal doses. I felt on Saturday our 2-1 first half lead was extremely flattering whereas after the break we were commanding, professional and well worthy of extending that lead. We then take that same level of performance into the first half last night and again are worthy of at least a goal lead. The 2nd half was considerably worse than anything on Saturday but just as we did in the first half then we were too easily run over in midfield. And thru the middle rather than down the flanks, which is worryingly rather a new development.

At the moment we're playing with an attacking line up and as long as they are scoring and keeping a decent amount of possession we'll probably be OK. Missing goal chances and losing possession up field and we're in for repeats of last night.

Edited September 20, 2014 by lady-isobel-barnett

[Willjag]

If ever a substitution changed a game, St.Mirren's did the trick. I thought Balatoni was cruising his way through the game till the big centre came on and then Conrad just couldn't raise his game to handle him. Terrible for the first goal, he looks from the highlights like he was actually in front of the guy, then went away from the ball whilst the centre went for the ball. I think he got caught out trying to match the guys run instead of intercepting the ball. Very unlucky to get a free kick against him in the lead up to the second goal though. One of our side got a free kick against him earlier in the game for not jumping, however this time Colum decided to give it the other way. Inconsistent and truly awful. Osman is then unlucky again. Jumping to try and block the cross, your arms are naturally going to come up and from a few feet away you have no chance of getting them out of the way.

 

People rightly mentioning Doolan's chance in the first half, but I thought our best chance was in the second half when the scores were at 1-1 when a good move so Higgy get free in the box and looked like he got caught in two minds as to shoot or cross to the unmarked Doolan at the far post for a tap in and ended up doing neither. It was a simple looking option to play in Dools but it was passed up.

 

I know folk are having a go at Stevenson, but at least he doesn't hide. I don't know how Craigen manages it, but he has loads of energy and gets about the pitch, but he doesn't really seem to contribute very much. All I can remember from him is a very tame shot from distance, a poor pass and a very poor volleyed clearance from just outside the box that ended up going back towards our own goal. I'd rather have a fit Ryan on for the full 90 minutes, in fact I'd rather bring SOD on in midfield at the moment rather than James.

[One t in Scotland]

With the Fox / Muirhead / Balatoni triangle of death you always need to score at least 2 to get a result. Muirhead in particular is a mile out his depth.

[AndyMac]

To be honest, I'm not blaming Scott Fox as he is doing his best, it's just obvious that he is very poor keeper compared to Paul Gallagher. If you add that to the strange decision of Ryan Stevenson being played at centre forward for the first few games, then it's little wonder Doolan is rusty and is missing chances?

 

Last season we were unlucky to lose games, this year we have not been unlucky we have been (for the most part) poor. In fact, we were lucky against ICT, the defence was a shambles we were fortunate to not get punished.

 

The question has to be asked, is the current team better or worse than the one Alan Archibald inherited?

[Garscube Road End]

Compared to last season its a poorer squad.

[Lindau]

Compared to last season its a poorer squad.

 

I think the fully fit first team is pretty good but the back up is average at best. We are gonna hit suspensions soon with the amount of bookings we are getting especially Banzo and Higgy and we have already been hit with injuries to key players

[twinny]

First half both teams were shaky, but after we scored it was all us until half time and we should have taken advantage. In the ten minutes after our goal we had seventy percent possession and two great scoring opportunities.

 

Second half St Mirren started to look like a football team and played the ball on the deck and we couldn't cope. They weren't particularly effective but you just knew foals were coming.

[kni]

First half both teams were shaky, but after we scored it was all us until half time and we should have taken advantage. In the ten minutes after our goal we had seventy percent possession and two great scoring opportunities.

 

Second half St Mirren started to look like a football team and played the ball on the deck and we couldn't cope. They weren't particularly effective but you just knew foals were coming.

 

We got horsed in the second half, couldn't ride our luck and got pipped at the post.

[Winter of '63]

Jittery, poor handling, a bad goalkeeping performance - that's me just in from Saturday Morning 5-a-sides so I have some empathy with Scott Fox. From the first cross ball, he struggled to judge the flight of the ball thoughout and the free kick at the end looked a fairly simple catch. I was a long way from the action, but my instant reaction was it was a penalty - if a player has his hands up at face level, it's hardly a surprise when the ref gives it...not as blatant a hand ball as Jim Goodwin's at Firhill last season mind you.

 

My thoughts at half time were that we were playing some good stuff but had got away with some dozy defending. That changed round completely in the second half. Bannigan who had run the game was anonymous in the second and St Mirren just looked more determined rather than being a particularly good side.

 

I was never a big fan of Balatoni even in the Promotion Winning side. He made a few decent challenges last night but he invariably makes one awful blunder - stupidly caught in possession in the first half - but it's a lack of concentration which is the biggest concern...poor defending for their equaliser. I've always thought Muirhead had the potential to be a top class defender but I'm beginning to doubt it. I thought he was ok last night and provided Seabourne doesn't have another unannounced mystery injury, I'd like to see Muirhead given the chance to form a partnership with an experienced defender - Conrad's had his chance but I don't think he is good enough.

 

I did think that the main problem was that, not for the first time, we were over-run in midfield despite Osman's best efforts. We seem to be playing a 4-2-4 formation which might explain the space in midfield St Mirren began to find.

 

Doolan scored a typical goal, drifting away from the defender but he looked a bit tentative with his chance soon after and when he got behind their defence in the second half. I love watching Higgy but for a player who regularly tries over-ambitious shots, why did he try the chip to Doolan when he was clean through?

 

Lawless was sharp & clever and Carroll much better than last week. And even Stevenson's slow motion style got him in to some good positions early on before he reverted to form - he made a stupid pass which gave possession away with several team-mates bursting upfield followed by waving his hand in frustration rather than chasing back. He wouldn't be in my side.

 

Subs were pretty ineffective...though I never expect Christie to change a match.

 

Throughout last season, I never thought we would be relegated and didn't think we would have deserved to go down. This season...I'm not so sure.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Winter of '63

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Subs were pretty ineffective...though I never expect Christie to change a match.

 

I think Christie is a useful sub but I agree not likely to change a game. Always glad to see him come on when we're seeing out a game. Not his fault these occasions are few and far between. Craigen is similar in that respect. Altho' we've been suspect to being overrun in the middle of the park of late I think SOD could come on and be both effective in attack and midfield. The team might lose a bit of shape but gotta face it towards the end last night we had lost any semblance of shape anyway.

[PTFC1942]

First time I have seen Thistle this year, thanks BT.

 

This is a very poor Thistle team with a manger who does not know how to change the style of play or make a timely meaningful substitution. It was obvious to everybody that the team were completely out of it after half time and yet the manger did not make a substitution until nearly 30 minutes had been played and St. Mirren had already equalised.

Last year the manager kept saying we deserved better and we should be taking our chances, I was so fed up hearing this after almost every game and now here we go again.

This team looks like a definite candidate for relegation without even the playoffs.

Hopefully they will improve by the time I come over from Canada in December.

[Lindau]

Well at least Dross are already 2 down after 25 minutes!

 

[Lindau]

 

 

I think Christie is a useful sub but I agree not likely to change a game. Always glad to see him come on when we're seeing out a game. Not his fault these occasions are few and far between. Craigen is similar in that respect. Altho' we've been suspect to being overrun in the middle of the park of late I think SOD could come on and be both effective in attack and midfield. The team might lose a bit of shape but gotta face it towards the end last night we had lost any semblance of shape anyway.

 

Elliot and Craigen are ok players. My problem is that Archie very rarely changes the team without bring one or the other on and most of the time it's both. Any manager doing their homework, must notice this. We have no element of surprise coming off the bench and again that can be put down to the weakness in squad numbers

[angry gaz]

Elliot and Craigen are ok players. My problem is that Archie very rarely changes the team without bring one or the other on and most of the time it's both. Any manager doing their homework, must notice this. We have no element of surprise coming off the bench and again that can be put down to the weakness in squad numbers

Yes, agree with that,hopefully Eccelson might help that. Thought he looked useful when he came on, one good run into the box with pace was more than Stevenson did the whole second half. I'd bench Stevenson and start NE next game if fit .Lets see what the guy has got

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

It was a pretty poor performance overall. I think like a lot of games in the early part of last season, we were in control and then lost a goal and suddenly feared for our lives and became jittery and started passing badly, making unnecessary tackles giving away cheap free kicks. Both Higgy and Bannigan need to stop getting booked needlessly as both their performances dipped after being booked. Carroll did okay and a couple of times tried to push up. It was interesting that he won a lot of headers at the back and yet we never allowed him to go up at corners where he could become useful.

Hey but nevermind, Sean Welsh is no doubt only six weeks away!

[Richard Nixon]

This is a very poor Thistle team

 

Calm down, dear ... this team isn't even in the top 100 of shite Thistle teams ... of the past ten years.

 

This team looks like a definite candidate for relegation without even the playoffs.

 

There's a team called Ross County who are so dross we'll have to go bust to finish below them.

[Winter of '63]

Elliot and Craigen are ok players. My problem is that Archie very rarely changes the team without bring one or the other on and most of the time it's both. Any manager doing their homework, must notice this. We have no element of surprise coming off the bench and again that can be put down to the weakness in squad numbers

My heart sinks when Elliot comes on - as I have said before on here, he's a non-impact sub...he justs runs up & down the wing without really getting involved in the game.

 

Craigen has clever feet and lots of energy but hasn't really improved that much over the two seasons he has been with the club. As Willjag commented, for all his willingness, he doesn't seem to influence the game that much. Like Elliot, his role has frequently been to come on as a sub to protect a lead...we haven't been very successful at that.

 

I would rather have seen Stephen O'Donnell coming on last night. I have only seen David Wilson very briefly on the TV against Celtic but he looked strong and composed on the ball. Is he worth a run as a sub? At least it would be some game experience for him and he would shore up midfield.

 

Too early to make any judgement on Eccleston but he was smaller than I expected - not a Lyle Taylor clone. Is Doogan not a bigger guy? Again I haven't seen him but would he not have offered a different option?

[Third Lanark]

Is it just me? How did Jake Carrol get man of the match? I thought he was rank rotten too!

Dont get me wrong he wasnt great but I thought he was our best player. Dont forget this is only something like his third game for us. By contrast the way Balatoni, Fox and Muirhead played you would think that was their first ever game for us.

I know some think there is not much difference between Fox and Gallacher but I am not convinced we would have lost that game if Gallacher had been in goal.

After they had scored the penalty Muirhead went belting up the pitch ready for us to start again and ran up to try and contribute for last chance saloon. Sorry Aaron that was far far far far too late - you should have been showing that attitude from kick off in the second half.

Only other players who at least tried the 90 minutes were Osman and Lawless.

While Higgy is our best player he was sadly awful last night.

Good goal from Kris but other than miss some complete sitters the rest of the game he did nothing else

 

Very very disappointing and these players have to give a hell of a performance on tuesday night to make up for last nights disgraceful performance in the second half

[Lionel J. Botch]

 

 

Calm down, dear ... this team isn't even in the top 100 of shite Thistle teams ... of the past ten years.

 

There's a team called Ross County who are so dross we'll have to go bust to finish below them.

Aye magic, disnae matter that we're sh1te cause there's somebody sh1ter.

 

Teams of the past do not matter, this current team is poor, very poor and we have a management team who look lost at best.

We were poor against ICT, the just in thread confirms that. ICT were just worse. If any team in that league puts us under pressure we crumble.

St Mirren were rank, but brought on a the son of Yardley and our defence bottled it. Bullied all over the place.

[The Cup]

St Mirren were woeful in the first half.

We have better players than them and Ross County, and possibly Hamilton and Kilmarnock.

 

We just have an utter buffoon of a manager who absolutely does not get the best out of players.

[clarencegarter]

Was so angry leaving the game last night. Utterly disgusted with the second half performance put in by the players. They just didn't turn up.

I have never been in the "Archie out" camp but as a manger he doesn't seem to be learning. What was said at half time for the side to come out and play like that? The same subs game after game that will not affect our game for the better. St mirren make 3 subs early doors in the second half (one forced due to injury) but that won them the game. Changed their style and resorted to their plan B. But yet again we have no plan B.

Stevenson has done nothing since arriving and doesn't look fit or even intrested. He doesn't look motivated but Archie makes him captain. If he can't motivate himself how can he fire up the other 10 players on the pitch?

Fox is goals is another rediculous decision when on the bench is a much better keeper in shot stopping, decision making and organising the back line in the form of Gals.

Balatoni and muirhead well the less said about that the better. Doesn't work will never work. Both poor defenders that make each other poorer by playing together.

Unless Archie changes it big time we are in trouble this year and I have no faith in him whatsoever.

To move to the next level we need the consistency. It is unacceptable beat the league leaders then 6 days later lose to the worst st mirren side in a long time. I personally feel that to move to the next level a change in personel at the top is needed.

[dougie247]

Stevenson has done nothing since arriving and doesn't look fit or even intrested. He doesn't look motivated but Archie makes him captain. If he can't motivate himself how can he fire up the other 10 players on the pitch?

 

This

[falklandal1]

Couldn't agree more.