Alan Murray Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 (edited) A poor performance from us but no need to panic about it! We looked a bit week at the back with only really Penrice getting pass marks for me. Keown being back will help but we really need a centre back in the mould of Lindsay. There can be little doubt we missed him today. Positives were Spittal looks a good signing. He caused them plenty of problems. Livi looked much more up for the game and there must be questions marks about our fitness. Livi looked sharper and wanted to win more than us. Archie was very animated from the bench today and I think he will be pretty unhappy about some of the players performances. We went 3 at the back during the second half to try to cope with livi. Penrice moved into the centre with Elliot moving to the left and Spittal going the right wing back slot. Spittal looked comfortable there – one of the positives with him is he is versatile – looks a good bit of business from Archie on this evidence. We could have done with either Osman or Barton in Midfield. Edwards and Banzo did not work well for us in my opinion. Doolan was poor today – he really should have done better with the chances he had. I would not be too negative about us – we have a strong side here and hopefully we will have some players back for next week. Edited July 15, 2017 by Alan Murray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paukea Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 Certainly no need to hit the panic button yet and I am certainly not one of the doom and gloom brigade but I don't as yet see us learn from last season. Our problem was goals last season. Yet again today we scored first then hung on and eventually lost on penalties. A serious case of de ja vu in my opinion as last season we lost countless points on needless draws and last minute losses be because we failed to finish off teams. So let's have less of the left sided defender is the priority chat. Even if we don't get another defender in when Abs and Booth return I guarantee we don't loose many goals this season. We need Goals Goals Goals so let's get that striker/forward player or two in which will sort this issue for once and for all..PLEASE ARCHIE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toffee crisp Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 Just watching the managers interview it's clear this guy works hard and cares as much as us if not more (at the end of the day results put food on his table) didn't hit us with the usual rubbish managers give you after a defeat. I for one trust Archie is doing all he can to make us a better team and it's clear that he is frustrated with the performance and the injury situation. The team need us right now back them and they will come good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 We've returned to being a team of wee players that are easily outmuscled all over the park. Underselling Lindsay and selling Azeez with no replacement has left us weak and lacking pace. Absolutely nothing to argue with there apart from the "underselling" bit, but that's irrelevant. I reckon it's logical enough to say if we don't replicate the height, strength and pace we had last season then we're unlikely to progress. Whilst it's fair enough to say Spittal is better than Amoo it's also fairly obvious that Blair's lack of pace rules out any chance he'll be played willingly as a left wing back ever again. Amoo in that role was marginally better. Tho' the other side of the park from my view I thought Penrice played the central defender part OK. I wouldn't particularly want to see him deployed there but at least we know he wouldn't be anything like a failure there. Apart from Spittal, when played in a more orthodox role in the first half, and Penrice showing maturity I can't say I can come up with any other positives. Even with so little to go by re positives I've gotta say I'm sure we're in a good bit better position now as we were this time last season. A downside tho' would be I can't be anywhere as positive re our chances of winning our LC section this time round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Brent Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 I know injuries forced it but I never want to see Barton as a central defender in a flat back 4 ever again. He is not suited to it at all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 (edited) I know injuries forced it but I never want to see Barton as a central defender in a flat back 4 ever again. He is not suited to it at all. Spot on, but having seen Adam at Dumbarton I've got to say that's the manager's fault. Having to change to a three at the back against Livi simply to hold on to a point is pretty damning. Barton's best position is in midfield. Play him in the centre of three at the back is almost as good provided he's got a genuine centreback either side of him. Edited July 15, 2017 by lady-isobel-barnett 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 I am sorry but there is no excuse for us to be losing to a team like Livi, live on past glories all you like - top six has been and gone and you are only as good as your last game. Since the last month of the season we have been sorely lacking in spirit and fight and it seems from pre season until today nothing has changed. Time for these players to step up or **** up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 Why have we got so many injuries this season, especially after last season. Is something wrong with the pre-season training or is it bad luck? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead Posted July 15, 2017 Report Share Posted July 15, 2017 Why have we got so many injuries this season, especially after last season. Is something wrong with the pre-season training or is it bad luck? good point, seems to be every season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted July 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2017 Utter pish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marco77 Posted July 16, 2017 Report Share Posted July 16, 2017 1st game of the season and we got a draw against a team from league below. Not the ideal start but we only lost the bonus point on penalties. Clear we need some new players in defence and attack. No point signing players that are not better than what we have already or just to fill the bench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roque Posted July 16, 2017 Report Share Posted July 16, 2017 I am sorry but there is no excuse for us to be losing to a team like Livi Just as well we didn't, then. Poor performance today, but not an entirely unexpected one. I thought Spittal and Lawless played well, and Cerny kept us in it at times, but the rest of them were miles off the pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevRod Posted July 16, 2017 Report Share Posted July 16, 2017 I pretty much predicted the outcome of yesterdays match before a ball was kicked, but hoped of course that I would be wrong in my assessment. When I saw the team line up, it did nothing to alleviate that sense of foreboding, particularly looking at our bench. As expected the doom and gloom merchants have been out in force after it. Granted, those that we could expect to be up to speed were far off the mark, which will have to be quickly rectified, but given our injury situation and with the loss of Lindsay in particular coupled with Keown not being fit yet and our full back issues, we were in no way going to be stable at the back, which in turn spreads to concern in our midfield having to attempt to cover for these deficiencies, which in turn means not enough support for our forward play. Azeez and Amoo may be seen as no great loss by some, but their speed and Azeez's physicality reduce our options and incisiveness breaking forward. In saying all that....I fully expect Archie to bring another 3/4 players in shortly, and hopefully Booth, Osman, and Keown will be back sooner than later. In short, I would rather take that sort of result and some of these issues at this stage, rather than later when it really begins to count! It could be worse... We could have actually lost like Kilmarnock did to Ayr, or struggled like Hamilton did against East Kilbride So, lets not get too down yet.... there is still plenty time to get things sorted. . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted July 17, 2017 Report Share Posted July 17, 2017 (edited) Off topic somewhat but while our 1st team was struggling to get a point our development lads were earning a respectable away draw at Selkirk. Can't really call them the U20s as it looks to me that most were far younger. Selkirk played a youngish side themselves (av age circa 22yo). I don't know the standard of Selkirk (bottom end Lowland League) but it still was a men v boys occasion. The opposition made seven substitutions while we were able to make only two (our "older" youngsters being on the bench at Almondvale). Things at the Academy continue to look most positive. Edited July 17, 2017 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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