Albert's Ghost Posted March 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 A game of two halves, as they say. We should have been buried by HT. Good effort in 2nd half, draw well deserved. Arbroath will see that as 2 points dropped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javeajag Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 1 hour ago, sandy said: Not good enough McCall Was he playing ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 (edited) Well, that result reinforced my view that our squad is well short of championship-winning material. And that is reinforced by the continuing run of wins, lack of goals from strikers, and apparent inability to adjust our style of play quickly (persevering with walking-pace and blatantly useless passes --- passing just because a player is beside you or, more usually, behind you). I certainly don't see Arbroath collapsing a-la-Falkirk last year, and good luck to them; all over us in the first half, and snuffed out just about everything we threw at them in the second half. That penalty (and rebound) miss by Graham might well haunt us when the final points tally is in. And maybe Holt's miss near the end of this match could be added to that. On recent form Dunfermline are a match for us: both have one win, one defeat, and three draws in the past five matches. They need a win to pull closer to safety. What outcome would you put money on in this one? ETA: Oops, our next game is of course against ICT, not Dunfermline. ICT are in an even greater slump than us, but still ahead of us. So in fact the same question applies: What outcome would you put money on in this one? Edited March 2, 2022 by Jaggernaut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 Strange game. Don't know what to make of it. Going in only one down at half time should've been cause to celebrate. Narrowed our shape in the 2nd half to suit our personnel if nothing else. Started to win balls and control the game. Think we had Jamie Sneddon to thank for keeping us in it. Draw right result. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End 2 Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 The shape of the team that McCall is sending onto the park proves he hasn't an idea what to do with the players at his disposal. He does sign good players, but he doesn't know he to use them. A half decent manager would get more out of this squad. If we don't win on Friday against Caley I would be confident of us NOT making the play offs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exiledjag Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 1 hour ago, Fearchar said: After Tiffoney went off, only one winger, Turner, was left. When he was hooked, the wing play was left to the full backs and control was asserted over midfield, with two strikers to put on pressure up front. (That much could be heard from the radio commentary.) I am happy with the point but agree it would have been a better point had we beaten Morton, which we should have done! It will be a better point if we can beat ICT on Friday. For me though the two big positives are that in the second half 1. we showed we were good enough to go toe to toe with the best team in the league on their patch and perhaps might have won the game (although that would probably have been unfair on Arbroath given how much they were on top in the first half), and 2. We are now in 4th place and in a play off position - getting out of 5th place was I think becoming a mental block gor the players and the fams. We need to kick on now and that means playing the way we did in the second half for the whole game. So it's over to our management team to get the team selection and formation right from the first minute, not the 46th minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 32 minutes ago, Jaggernaut said: Well, that result reinforced my view that our squad is well short of championship-winning material. And that is reinforced by the continuing run of wins, lack of goals from strikers, and apparent inability to adjust our style of play quickly (persevering with walking-pace and blatantly useless passes --- passing just because a player is beside you or, more usually, behind you). I certainly don't see Arbroath collapsing a-la-Falkirk last year, and good luck to them; all over us in the first half, and snuffed out just about everything we threw at them in the second half. That penalty (and rebound) miss by Graham might well haunt us when the final points tally is in. And maybe Holt's miss near the end of this match could be added to that. On recent form Dunfermline are a match for us: both have one win, one defeat, and three draws in the past five matches. They need a win to pull closer to safety. What outcome would you put money on in this one? What’s the relevance of Dunfermline? We have 4 games (3 at home) and 3 weeks before we play them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 3 hours ago, jaggy said: What’s the relevance of Dunfermline? We have 4 games (3 at home) and 3 weeks before we play them Well spotted! My post now sheepishly edited. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenziejag Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 8 hours ago, Garscube Road End 2 said: Another 2 points gone! Surely it is a point gained. You have been so sure we would get horsed by Arbroath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End 2 Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 (edited) It is indeed a point, but we have thrown away 2 points at Caley, 3 at home to Morton, 2 at aRaith Rovers and when you are talking of a title challenge you expect to get victories over our immediate rivals. And we haven't beaten Arbroath this season. And against the 4 teams around is we have won 2 games all season. We are performing poorly, our January window has been poor. Our manager is still struggling to get the best put of this squad. And 2 victories in our last 10 league games. Definitely not promotion stuff. And this league's standard is chronic. A decent manager would , IMO, further entrenched in play off places. And show me anywhere on this forum where I said we would get horsed I have commented very little on this game until after it. At least try to get your facts right. Edited March 2, 2022 by Garscube Road End 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Dastardly Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 8 hours ago, Garscube Road End 2 said: The shape of the team that McCall is sending onto the park proves he hasn't an idea what to do with the players at his disposal. He does sign good players, but he doesn't know he to use them. A half decent manager would get more out of this squad. If we don't win on Friday against Caley I would be confident of us NOT making the play offs. Not even sure about the signing good players. Not 1 of his January additions started last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Peebles Tackle Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 Despite a rather indifferent few weeks, still well in the hunt. Alegria will cause teams problems (no, not us…) Hopefully see more of Murray & be good to have Foster back starting - he’s like a manager on the park, guides others through the game. Hope the pitch has improved a bit at Firhill - roll on Friday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exiledjag Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 I think we have to keep things in perspective. Granted our form has been poor resulting in games we have lost where we should at least have got a point and other games where we got a point where we should have had 3. But the same can be said of just about every team in the league. Only Arbroath are consistently picking up points but even they are not the prolific winners they were prior to the turn of the year. I haven't checked the stats but would guess Morton, Hamilton and perhaps Ayr have improved recently and in the top half of the table Kilmarnock are a bit better than Raith, ICT and ourselves. However after last night and the dust has settled we are in 4th place, still with 2 games in hand and still able to match anyone in the league ....... for 45 minutes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anniesland Jag Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 Once again young Sneddon kept us in the game when we looked rattled in the first half…he really is a star . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East Kent Jag II Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 49 minutes ago, exiledjag said: I think we have to keep things in perspective. Granted our form has been poor resulting in games we have lost where we should at least have got a point and other games where we got a point where we should have had 3. But the same can be said of just about every team in the league. Only Arbroath are consistently picking up points but even they are not the prolific winners they were prior to the turn of the year. I haven't checked the stats but would guess Morton, Hamilton and perhaps Ayr have improved recently and in the top half of the table Kilmarnock are a bit better than Raith, ICT and ourselves. However after last night and the dust has settled we are in 4th place, still with 2 games in hand and still able to match anyone in the league ....... for 45 minutes! The form table for the most recent 6 games (below) graphically shows Morton as the form team, with ICT & Raith Rovers bottom of the table. A lot of teams in the top half of the league table proper will be glad now of their early season points. The truth is that all of the teams in this league are poor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dl1971 Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 That form table encapsulates just how even the league is in terms of performance. Frustrating that we should have picked up more points, but it is what it is. Zero to fear from ICT as they are in free fall, but of course they have to win sometime. As do we. Need a 90 minute performance that's for sure. Still plenty to play for as things stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End 2 Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 (edited) Brian Graham is obviously a great addition, as is Mayo, Docherty, Tiffoney and Turner. But I am just more and more convinced that McCall doesn't know what to do with them. But hey! At least we aren't Clyde. Edited March 2, 2022 by Garscube Road End 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, East Kent Jag II said: The form table for the most recent 6 games (below) graphically shows Morton as the form team, with ICT & Raith Rovers bottom of the table. A lot of teams in the top half of the league table proper will be glad now of their early season points. The truth is that all of the teams in this league are poor. Akin to above. Show anyone with a gambling mind, who doesn't actually watch 2nd tier football, our statistics and they'd have been backing a home win last night. Just maybe the more speculative having seen the closeness of our recent results might have taken a punt on the draw. Going into last nights game on the back off three draws plus a win and loss against bottom half clubs, would hardly inspire punters' confidence in an away win against the league's top team. My subjective view, which I'm sure I share with the majority of Jags fans, were along the lines...... Arbroath were the best team I've seen play against us this season (0-2 Firhill). The Jags as we know only too well rarely perform at Gayfield and besides Arbroath have a very good home record as it is. We also went to Gayfield after losing to one of the poorest Morton sides I've seen and playing absolutely clueless football at Starks. Either way I believe you look at things, subjectively or objectively, last night's draw being realistic has to be taken as a positive. I've not heard anyone say that Arbroath don't deserve their current league position. Last night's overall display , despite a dreadful first half, was a noticeable improvement on the Raith & Morton attempts at football. I'd like to think of myself more of a realist than a sort of "Happy Clapper" but I was encouraged by the way we turned it around last night and grateful for the one point. Edited March 2, 2022 by lady-isobel-barnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allyo Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 I have to say that I don't think this season has been too bad, considering that we've just come up, and the three seasons prior to our League 1 relegation were all absolute disasters. It's still progress. If the 2013 team is a benchmark for what it takes to win this league then I would say that this team is nowhere near it. But, neither is any other team in this league. So I think we still have a chance in a poor league, but whoever goes up this season is going to struggle next. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laukat Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 13 hours ago, JAG1970 said: Reminded me of our away game to E Fife last season… bottom of the barrel first half and better second to take a point… Let’s hope tonight turns out to be a similar turning point I had a similar thought. East fife was a major turning point last season. Getting a point from that game seemed to install confidence in the players. To my mind we started to believe more in our ability to score goals as our defence looked more solid with Bell replacing Niang and our attack more potent as Rudden started to get a run of games. We have relied heavily on Tiffoney to provide a spark and in general on width to attack teams. When he got injured I genuinely couldn't see how we were getting back into that game and expected another 2-0 loss. Even before he got injured we had what looked like a lopsided team selection and Arbroath looked more likely to win. I don't expect last night to be such as stark change in form but last night forced us to find a way of playing to get us back into the game. Changing to a 4-1-2-1-2 provides a way of playing that doesn't need wingers but gets most of our best players on the park. Not having to rely on wingers on a surface like Fiirhill where the wings are just mud may be a real step forward Key to that system working is Alegria. He looks like he is a proper striker. You can see he wants to get in the penalty box and his movement in the penalty box is something we have struggled with since Rudden left. Might be tempting fate but I think Alegria looks a better prospect than Rudden at the same age. The ICT game on Friday will be interesting. 3 points there and our point last night starts to look very decent particularly if our new formation and team selection bears fruit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenziejag Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 6 hours ago, Garscube Road End 2 said: It is indeed a point, but we have thrown away 2 points at Caley, 3 at home to Morton, 2 at aRaith Rovers and when you are talking of a title challenge you expect to get victories over our immediate rivals. And we haven't beaten Arbroath this season. And against the 4 teams around is we have won 2 games all season. We are performing poorly, our January window has been poor. Our manager is still struggling to get the best put of this squad. And 2 victories in our last 10 league games. Definitely not promotion stuff. And this league's standard is chronic. A decent manager would , IMO, further entrenched in play off places. And show me anywhere on this forum where I said we would get horsed I have commented very little on this game until after it. At least try to get your facts right. I am definitely not confident of being promoted this season. I have looked back at the thread where I thought you had commented on Arbroath and I do indeed owe you an apology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End 2 Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 1 hour ago, Lenziejag said: I am definitely not confident of being promoted this season. I have looked back at the thread where I thought you had commented on Arbroath and I do indeed owe you an apology. Accepted. You have grace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlgarveJag Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 Horrendous to think that Morton are the form team and that we helped to put them there. It does tell us a lot about the quality (or lack of it) in this league this year. Surely we can use the second half turn around against the only consistently decent team in the league to be our East Fife moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 18 hours ago, javeajag said: Was he playing ? Usual nonsense from you 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Peebles Tackle Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 Saw a replay of Holt’s miss - totally cleaned out by the keeper, should’ve been a penalty. How many don’t we get?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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