Killie Game

[robphil]

A few weeks ago when a small band of us had the temerity to suggest that we were far weaker than at the end of last season we were ridiculed as 'pants wetters'. Can those who 'talked up' our summer signings please explain today's result given that we won 2-1 on the same pitch in the spring

[Woodstock Jag]

Today was utterly abysmal.

 

No fight. No flair. No desire. No competence.

 

Play like that for the rest of the season and we are Donald Ducked.

 

Stevenson can go collect his pension any time he likes and Muirhead and Balatoni should be looking for jobs on farms on that performance because their turning circles are wider than those of tractors.

 

Only bright spot was Lawless, who was trying hard but getting nowhere.

 

The team consistently misjudged the bounce of the ball all day, underhitting passes and through balls virtually all the time. Pathetic.

[Big Dave]

Wasn't one of our better days. I thought the substitutions were a bit odd, unless he's keeping them fit for next weeks relegation decider!

Gallagher needs to come back pronto. He's a lot more vocal and commands his box better. Foxy needs to push out a bit like the German goalie Neuer or whatever his name is.

[Big Dave]

Just read theBBC report. Higgy on crutches apparently. AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!

[jlsarmy]

Just back from Rugby Park, absolutely disgraceful, no heart , no fight , no tactics, no Plan A or Plan B . Archie and Shaggie have now got to be culpable for everything we're watching on the pitch. Both are Thistle legends but they can only live off that for so long , the team has gone flat there doesn't seem to be any spark there at all, Stevenson never in a million years is Captain material probably didn't need a warm down after the game ! . Posters on here slagged off Killie for giving Magennis a 3 yr contract but watching him today he threw Balatoni and Muirhead about like rag dolls , definitely would have been a good signing for us especially when Lyle Taylor didn't sign.

[Guy Incognito]

Just read theBBC report. Higgy on crutches apparently. AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!

 

I hope that's not as bad as it sounds. He is the one player we have who is capable of producing bit of creativity and flair on a consistent basis.

 

By the sounds of it I made the right choice in not going today. The only good thing about today's performance is that we at least didn't repeat our usual trick of throwing away the points in the dying minutes.

[Big Dave]

We started quite well and Dools should have scored a rebounded shot, but once they scored, we seemed to retreat into our shell. Lawless tried hard but alas, they didn't look good at all in the second half. No belief I'd say.

[Garscube Road End]

A few weeks ago when a small band of us had the temerity to suggest that we were far weaker than at the end of last season we were ridiculed as 'pants wetters'. Can those who 'talked up' our summer signings please explain today's result given that we won 2-1 on the same pitch in the spring

 

Pant wetter!

[billko]

There would be a few guys whod take the Thistle job. But there won't be vacancy.

It's probably best to come out and name the guys you think who can take the club forward but like anything else you have no guarantee they could.

I can't think Thistle can compete financially with many teams in this league and are maybe punching above their weight a bit.

 

Every signing is a gamble and even if you were paying good money it is still no guarantee they will be a success and you need some luck when signing players.

Stevenson at first was seen as a great signing but now folk are saying the opposite and probably blaming one person for making such a bad signing.

 

It's very easy at this end to see and cure Thistle's problems.

It's still early days in the league and for the knives to come out and all the negativity surrounding the club is the last thing anybody needs.

 

The promotion year was very exciting for everyone and the feel good spirit was there even though it was a nervy run in.

The prize was getting to mix it with the big boys and Thistle did that and done very well in the end of their first season in my opinion.

Second year will always be harder and it would be a big test for anybody with Thistle's budget at his disposal to match some fans expectation levels.

 

I don't know what fans want for this season but we are not even out of September and everything is a disaster for some of them.

 

Thistle lost some big players and it's easy to criticise the replacements and the management but folk really need a reality check here.

 

I'm not saying Archie is the best answer out there but he certainly doesn't deserve the pi5h he gets on here from folk who are still hurting that he got the job done last term.

It's personal for these folk and they thrive on here on Thistle's poor results and it won't stop until the manager is changed which is a shame in a period where Thistle are at least competing in Scotland's highest tier.

It could be a hell of a lot worse.

.

[Garscube Road End]

 

It's probably best to come out and name the guys you think who can take the club forward but like anything else you have no guarantee they could.

I can't think Thistle can compete financially with many teams in this league and are maybe punching above their weight a bit.

 

Every signing is a gamble and even if you were paying good money it is still no guarantee they will be a success and you need some luck when signing players.

Stevenson at first was seen as a great signing but now folk are saying the opposite and probably blaming one person for making such a bad signing.

 

It's very easy at this end to see and cure Thistle's problems.

It's still early days in the league and for the knives to come out and all the negativity surrounding the club is the last thing anybody needs.

 

The promotion year was very exciting for everyone and the feel good spirit was there even though it was a nervy run in.

The prize was getting to mix it with the big boys and Thistle did that and done very well in the end of their first season in my opinion.

Second year will always be harder and it would be a big test for anybody with Thistle's budget at his disposal to match some fans expectation levels.

 

I don't know what fans want for this season but we are not even out of September and everything is a disaster for some of them.

 

Thistle lost some big players and it's easy to criticise the replacements and the management but folk really need a reality check here.

 

I'm not saying Archie is the best answer out there but he certainly doesn't deserve the pi5h he gets on here from folk who are still hurting that he got the job done last term.

It's personal for these folk and they thrive on here on Thistle's poor results and it won't stop until the manager is changed which is a shame in a period where Thistle are at least competing in Scotland's highest tier.

It could be a hell of a lot worse.

.

 

All I said was that there would be a few guys who would take the job. Nothing else.

[kennymac29]

Missed the game today due to other commitments but just wanted to know how stevenson played? Not a fan but as he was dropped on Tuesday I wondered whether it was due to recent performances or just a change as it was the cup however it would now appear that he's not dropped down the pecking order and continues to start.

 

Was he playing centre mid again or closer to Doolan as a forward?

 

Also was fox still punching everything as per last Friday or has he learned his lesson and trying to catch simple balls into the area?

 

 

[The Cup]

Goals change games and they got theirs and it gave them a lift. We probably had the better chances in the first half but Kilmarnock were more clinical.

 

Aye son, because we have been so good at defending a lead.

 

Your garbage signings were battered. End of.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Missed the game today due to other commitments but just wanted to know how stevenson played? Not a fan but as he was dropped on Tuesday I wondered whether it was due to recent performances or just a change as it was the cup however it would now appear that he's not dropped down the pecking order and continues to start.

 

Was he playing centre mid again or closer to Doolan as a forward?

 

Also was fox still punching everything as per last Friday or has he learned his lesson and trying to catch simple balls into the area?

 

Stevenson played central mid ahead of Osman & Bannigan but no closer to Doolan than previous games. When we went two up he perhaps played slightly deeper. Tbh as the game progressed we lost all width and Stevenson, Elliott, Bannigan and Osman were all over the place.

Can't mind Fox flapping or punching and he possibly did well keeping the score at just three.

[Chachi]

 

I like to think I'm a reasoned fan, but my goodness that was utter garbage.

 

Fox needs dropped immediately - uncommanding and won't leave his 6yrd box

 

Muirhead never at CB again- too slow, too lightweight, looks nervy, powder puff

 

Seaborne ok - looks solid from the intermittent appearances. Injury prone?

 

Balatoni ok - honking beside muirhead. Potentially good with an experienced partner

 

Mcmillan ok - solid, but gives little going forward

 

Carroll jury out - positioning shocking (or instructions shocking), no confidence going forward

 

Osman ok- didn't come off for him today

 

Bannigan ok - tried but can't do it on his own

 

Stevenson should be freed - slow, lazy, unfit, uninterested, unwilling

 

Lawless ok - best today, lightweight but was a menace and gave all

 

Higgy ok - we're lost going forward without him. Pray he's fit quickly

 

Doolan ok - looks peeved and low in confidence

 

Elliott ok - poor today, effective in specific role only

 

Eccy ok - jurys out. I don't think he'll cut it tho

 

 

Gallacher in goal

 

Give keenan a go at LB or move mcmillan and recall SOD,

 

drop stevenson, (fraser back hopefully)

 

play anyone but muirhead at CB should seaborne get injured

 

Give duggan the odd outing up front

 

 

Lastly, and it may be unfair, but I reckon stevenson is not only cack but

is unwanted captaincy/presence is festering negatively through the squad.

 

Meh

 

 

 

[1 John Lambie]

Last season when some fans wanted Archie sacked I was firmly against it as for the vast amount of time we were playing very well but just didn't take our chances. This season we really haven't played that well at all imo, in any match.

 

I don't want Archie sacked, I think he's a very good manager, but it will be harder to defend him if the team doesn't at least play better on a more regular basis. If you're creating chances & playing well there's a belief it will turn, as it did on enough occasions last season. We haven't had that, so far, this season.

[Big Col]

Why was Lawless subbed when he was the best player for us and without him, we had no width at all?

 

Another tactical blunder to add to the growing list.

[Norgethistle]

 

Lastly, and it may be unfair, but I reckon stevenson is not only cack but

is unwanted captaincy/presence is festering negatively through the squad.

 

Meh

 

I was wondering this myself

[stillresigned]

 

I like to think I'm a reasoned fan, but my goodness that was utter garbage.

 

Fox needs dropped immediately - uncommanding and won't leave his 6yrd box

 

Muirhead never at CB again- too slow, too lightweight, looks nervy, powder puff

 

Seaborne ok - looks solid from the intermittent appearances. Injury prone?

 

Balatoni ok - honking beside muirhead. Potentially good with an experienced partnerAs

 

Mcmillan ok - solid, but gives little going forward

 

Carroll jury out - positioning shocking (or instructions shocking), no confidence going forward

 

Osman ok- didn't come off for him today

 

Bannigan ok - tried but can't do it on his own

 

Stevenson should be freed - slow, lazy, unfit, uninterested, unwilling

 

Lawless ok - best today, lightweight but was a menace and gave all

 

Higgy ok - we're lost going forward without him. Pray he's fit quickly

 

Doolan ok - looks peeved and low in confidence

 

Elliott ok - poor today, effective in specific role only

 

Eccy ok - jurys out. I don't think he'll cut it tho

 

 

Gallacher in goal

 

Give keenan a go at LB or move mcmillan and recall SOD,

 

drop stevenson, (fraser back hopefully)

 

play anyone but muirhead at CB should seaborne get injured

 

Give duggan the odd outing up front

 

 

Lastly, and it may be unfair, but I reckon stevenson is not only cack but

is unwanted captaincy/presence is festering negatively through the squad.

 

Meh

Agree with the majority of the foregoing, except I'd be less sanguine about Ballatoni's continual errors and also considerably more critical of Higgy. Although he appears to me to be playing with an injury?

Bottom line is today we were as bad as Jags teams sent out by the Bunnet. To my mind that is the highest criticism I can offer of a relatively recent Thistle team. We were wholly inept, gutless and offered to serious threat to the Kilmarnock goal for the majority of the 90 minutes. In contrast a distinctly ordinary Killie side must have thought Christmas had come early to East Ayrshire, so poor and ineffectual were our efforts in defence. For which the entire side must share culpability, but especial mention was earned by Messrs. Fox, Muirhead and Ballatya for their complete failure to instill even the slightest whiff of competency.

Considering the paucity of trophies won by Partick Thistle over the years, it would be extremely difficult in my opinion to accuse them of lacking patience or of shorter ism: however many more repetitions of today's performance will see calls for a change of manager.

Edited September 27, 2014 by stillresigned

[Metz]

There would be a few guys whod take the Thistle job. But there won't be vacancy.

There won't be a vacancy because there shouldn't be one. I was at the game today and yes I was disappointed by the second half performance however to think we are so far off the pace nobody would want this team is just a prejudice view. We are going to pick up enough points to survive but at the same time lose points that will frustrate the support.

[Third Lanark]

 

I like to think I'm a reasoned fan, but my goodness that was utter garbage.

 

Fox needs dropped immediately - uncommanding and won't leave his 6yrd box

 

Muirhead never at CB again- too slow, too lightweight, looks nervy, powder puff

 

Seaborne ok - looks solid from the intermittent appearances. Injury prone?

 

Balatoni ok - honking beside muirhead. Potentially good with an experienced partner

 

Mcmillan ok - solid, but gives little going forward

 

Carroll jury out - positioning shocking (or instructions shocking), no confidence going forward

 

Osman ok- didn't come off for him today

 

Bannigan ok - tried but can't do it on his own

 

Stevenson should be freed - slow, lazy, unfit, uninterested, unwilling

 

Lawless ok - best today, lightweight but was a menace and gave all

 

Higgy ok - we're lost going forward without him. Pray he's fit quickly

 

Doolan ok - looks peeved and low in confidence

 

Elliott ok - poor today, effective in specific role only

 

Eccy ok - jurys out. I don't think he'll cut it tho

 

 

Gallacher in goal

 

Give keenan a go at LB or move mcmillan and recall SOD,

 

drop stevenson, (fraser back hopefully)

 

play anyone but muirhead at CB should seaborne get injured

 

Give duggan the odd outing up front

 

 

Lastly, and it may be unfair, but I reckon stevenson is not only cack but

is unwanted captaincy/presence is festering negatively through the squad.

 

Meh

so Doolan is looking peeved well I'm sorry but that's not good enough he is paid a wage its up to him to score. The ones who should be peeved are the loyal fans spending hard earned money to travel and spend time watching him and chums not bothering their back sides

[angry gaz]

so Doolan is looking peeved well I'm sorry but that's not good enough he is paid a wage its up to him to score. The ones who should be peeved are the loyal fans spending hard earned money to travel and spend time watching him and chums not bothering their back sides

 

I think Doolan is getting as little service as I've ever seen a Thistle forward getting. We're back to the same as last season where it was Baird or Doolan getting the ball lumped in from wide and trying to out jump two giant central defenders. We score , as do most teams, when we get extra midfielders and attacking players into the box or players are running directly into the box. I felt Erskine was brought back last year to link up the midfield and forward line but this season we are back to having a huge gap between them again. Stevenson should have been the guy to fix this but he's been cak.

I cant imagine how shite it is playing a lone striker role for Thistle.

[Woodstock Jag]

Carroll's positioning is dreadful. He gets turned on that left wing more often than a bloody gyroscope.

 

Our big threat last year was that, when all else failed, we had a go at teams down the wing. Against St Mirren (both games) and today against Killie that just didn't happen. McMillan isn't minded to try to beat his man, and Carroll seems to be utterly piss-poor at it when he tries. There's just no pace at all and no sense in which they're keen to beat a man. The passing we had today was aimless and mostly backwards. No serious attempt in the middle of the park to turn and have a go at them. That's what was most dispiriting.

 

Doolan gets support and does a good job when he has wingers in tight behind him and wing-backs flanking the wingers so they are free to cut inside. That's just not happening any more and it's just compounded by how dreadful Stevenson is.

 

In defence, we have to bring in another centre-back. Muirhead is just miles off the pace. He's putting in performances that are worse than we were getting out of Piccolo or Mair last season by quite a stretch. It's a shame, but he's going backwards and Balatoni is in danger of following him. They're not thinking quickly enough and are slow on their feet.

 

When Higginbotham isn't on his game we are toothless. We are quickly turning into what Killie were with Kris Boyd last year. Lump it to the star and hope he fixes everything for us.

 

It's not good enough.

[Fearchar]

Many of the points about players have already been made, but the problem with team spirit is worth re-emphasising: whatever else he offers, it doesn't look as if the team has any heart for a struggle.

 

The whole game at Kilmarnock was played by a team that didn't seem to have had any practice on a plastic pitch. (Balatoni's comment on the OS suggested that playing on plastic last season was enough!) In the second half, especially, the long ball into space and refusing to dwell on the ball kept wave after wave of Kilmarnock attacks coming, while some of our players were trying to take far too many touches. The best players at adapting to the pitch were Lawless, who managed to get past three Kilmarnock players but then get substituted for his trouble; Elliott, who grasped the opportunity to send the ball on immediately on that fast pitch (perhaps an indication of where he fits into overall cover in the squad), and could use his speed to move into space; and Doolan, who laid off the ball a few times, but was isolated without any service.

 

Stevenson looked like a Clydesdale at Ascot.

 

Some aspects of the coaching are a worry. Bannigan seems to make at least one risky tackle a game, earning a yellow card needlessly. It looks as if whatever coaching he receives with us is making him regress. The same is true of Fox. He's generally a good stopper (and kept out what would have made it 4-0 today) and it's good to see him throwing the ball to defenders to work up the park, but he doesn't seem to have been coached on how to avoid being smothered by an attacking player, how to control his penalty box or how to catch the ball cleanly. Gallacher is a good shot-stopper, but is he a good enough goalkeeping coach? (His own distribution of the ball is a few decades out of date, consisting of a simple big punt up the park.)

 

The choice of team was, as has been pointed out elsewhere, stuck in a rut: on that kind of pitch, Elliott would have been far more effective than Stevenson, and why wasn't Stephen O'Donnell playing, either in midfield or at right-back? Carroll seems to have problems with positioning - again, something that should be made clear to him in training.

 

Archie has shown he's ready to cull players that aren't doing enough. Perhaps he needs to go through that process again, and consider where there are shortfalls in coaching too, or we'll begin hearing about sightings of Owen Coyle in Firhill Road again.

[Rid Skwerr]

Best description of Stevenson yet!

 

He really needs to up his work rate pronto.

 

Probably the most disappointing signing of the last decade or, maybe, we just expected (hoped for) too much.

[Gibberish]

Elliott and Craigen have never been given 6 to 8 games to prove themselves, in my view Archie is destroying the careers and confidence of the so cold fringe players at the club much in the way he did with Lawless last season and Gabby.

 

We know he uses Muirhead, Craigen and Elliott only as a last resort so how must they feel about it, nervous as feck every time they come on knowing they are most certainly dropped the next game regardless.

 

A lot of unrest and resentfulness runs through the dressing room, it's now showing week in week out on the pitch.