Morton on Tuesday Evening

[Norgethistle]

Lack of depth to the squad and really poor fitness was alarming last night, team was blowing out its arse after 60 minutes last night and with Morton changing formation we had no one on the bench to counter it or any plan-B, we ended up chasing the ball getting drawn further and further back with no out ball, which was night and day from 1st half when we zipped it about with tons of movement going forward. 

We need more bodies urgently and we need to get the fitness and stamina up or we will struggle to stay in this league this year let alone challenge.  Add to the squad, get fit and play like 1st half where we move and  attack and we will do fine, but that’s 2 games on the trot we have fallen back after going 2 goals up, same issue as last year. We have no real cover for any position bar GK, injures and suspensions will decimate a squad so small especially one that’s not fit.

 

Good 3 points if lucky to hold out for them but a hell of a lot of work to do before start of the season.

[Fearchar]

30 minutes ago, Norgethistle said:

Lack of depth to the squad and really poor fitness was alarming last night, team was blowing out its arse after 60 minutes last night and with Morton changing formation we had no one on the bench to counter it or any plan-B, we ended up chasing the ball getting drawn further and further back with no out ball, which was night and day from 1st half when we zipped it about with tons of movement going forward. 

We need more bodies urgently and we need to get the fitness and stamina up or we will struggle to stay in this league this year let alone challenge.  Add to the squad, get fit and play like 1st half where we move and  attack and we will do fine, but that’s 2 games on the trot we have fallen back after going 2 goals up, same issue as last year. We have no real cover for any position bar GK, injures and suspensions will decimate a squad so small especially one that’s not fit.

 

Good 3 points if lucky to hold out for them but a hell of a lot of work to do before start of the season.

This, and it was obvious that the fitness levels of Morton players were much higher - also a newly assembled team, so no excuses there. Their manager read the game and deployed his players effectively after the break to threaten us. Fortunately for us, they are poor finishers.

[westertonjagfan]

Excellent first half with surely a contender for goal of the season . Thought the defence looked shaky at times and the second half was a bit too familiar in outcome for comfort. However, in saying all that, I thought there were lots of positives-Christie was very good, just needs to work on crossing and getting the ball into the box. Thought the new guys looked decent and also thought Miles looked as if he might thrive in this division given half a chance. Thought there was a glaring gap from midfield up to Doolan and we really need to look at getting that link up sorted and/or getting our LB and RB to overlap and get crosses in. Penrice and Christie are more than capable of that, surely. Agree with other posters about the general fitness levels of some of our players. Also thought Morton looked faster and slinkier than us. If they'd had a good finisher on the park, they'd have equalised if not won the game. Early days, of course, and hopefully we'll get some more guys in soon. 

[lady-isobel-barnett]

1 minute ago, Fearchar said:

This, and it was obvious that the fitness levels of Morton players were much higher - also a newly assembled team, so no excuses there. Their manager read the game and deployed his players effectively after the break to threaten us. Fortunately for us, they are poor finishers.

Don't want to encroach on your specialist subject, Fearcher, but Morton were reportedly unfit in their match against Ayr. While I accept there's a strong element of us still being in "friendly mode" I'd put the differential last night down to the team without possession being the team that tires first. I don't believe for one minute that our inability to retain the ball in the 2nd half had much to do with fitness. Shocking distribution out of defence to a midfield that has only a developing rapport with one another may be to blame. Archie stuck McCarthy further up the pitch to attempt to get some shape into the team and counter our deep defending. Probably too little too late tho' we did win and as I said earlier their goal only came about from a defensive error from Storey.

[Auld Jag]

I thought Morton looked unfit and uninterested in the first half.That changed in the second half,but we did win and have 6points out of 6.A lot to be done but we have started better than other teams.

[potty trained]

6 hours ago, Lenziejag said:

He was, but I think it was Erskine that played the ball in ?

I know. But WeeBaw said every attack down our right broke down because of a Christie pass or cross. 

[stillresigned]

14 hours ago, jaggy said:

Might need more than that depending how other groups finish. I think only the best 4 runners-up go through. I suspect we'll need to beat Albion Rovers and at least draw with Ayr in a probable decider

To be honest and I fully appreciate that we are in the midst of a major rebuild job: if we have any pretensions whatsoever ever of being in the top half of the table this, season we have to fully expect to beat Albion Rovers anywhere and also Ayr United at home.

this is far from being arrogant merely a statement of where we ought to be in terms of expected levels. Of course having followed Thistle for 40+ years I would not be in the least bit surprised if we lost both games. Indeed, if memory serves, the last time Thistle in action so far this seasonwe played the ‘Wee Rovers’ in the Diddy Cup at Firhill  we were deservedly beaten. And Ayr are likely to prove a  difficult proposition under McCalll.

for personal reasons, I have been unable to season so have had to rely on second hand evidence or worse  BBC Scotland to form my impressions on the season to date!ee

[Lambies Lost Doo]

Promising results for 2 "pre season" results in mid July.

[gerrybritton9]

I did love the spontaneous Tam O’Ware song from the JL.

 

perfect 

[Norgethistle]

9 hours ago, potty trained said:

I know. But WeeBaw said every attack down our right broke down because of a Christie pass or cross. 

I thought Christie played well apart from a few of his final balls into box, defending, closing and running wing he was great

[Weebaw1]

1 hour ago, Norgethistle said:

I thought Christie played well apart from a few of his final balls into box, defending, closing and running wing he was great

 

1 hour ago, Norgethistle said:

I thought Christie played well apart from a few of his final balls into box, defending, closing and running wing he was great

I think we are mainly in agreement. I thought Christie had an excellent game. 

He played a huge role in the goal but played in Erskine to deliver the cross.  

Despite all his good work however, he failed to deliver any good crosses so most (if not all) of the right sided play ended poorly.

The point I am trying to make is that he is a huge asset but there is one aspect of his play holding him back from reaching a higher level. If he can improve his crossing he could be devastating.

[laukat]

Might just have been me but I don't remember Christie getting the ball in too many positions were he should have crossed bar the goal. To my mind Spital in the first half was the one getting the ball wide right and making a mess of the cross which for a player that's biggest attribute is meant to be his delivery and set piece skills was pretty poor.

Christie had a good game apart from one defensive header were rather than heading it out he headed it blind behind himself and we were lucky Morton didn't take adavantage.

In the second half most of our little attacking play came down the left where Spital was until he was subbed and then Storey came in. Storey put in a couple of decent crosses but then we seemed as a team to hesitate in attacking positions

[jaggy]

Christie had a few poor crosses, I remember at least 2 in the 2nd half. Having said that the percentage of decent crosses by most of our full backs over the past few years must be pretty low