Raith Rovers on Saturday

[Barney Rubble]

Was surprised that we lost as heavily as we did v Aberdeen, but expected the loss.

What's happened since then against our direct competitors has been an implosion.

1-4, 0-4, 2-4, 0-3 in eleven days isn't justifiable, and cannot be possibly hidden behind the loss of Docherty and Holt. There are clearly other issues there.

McCall goes in next Saturday against another manager who is on borrowed time. A maximum of one will survive that game, I reckon.

[Yellow & Redneck]

Not a chance in hell McCall will go regardless of the result. Low and Co will never break up the wee cabal she has going. Unfortunately no inroads have been made by TJF, so we are stuck with the status quo.

[milhouse]

31 minutes ago, Barney Rubble said:

Was surprised that we lost as heavily as we did v Aberdeen, but expected the loss.

What's happened since then against our direct competitors has been an implosion.

1-4, 0-4, 2-4, 0-3 in eleven days isn't justifiable, and cannot be possibly hidden behind the loss of Docherty and Holt. There are clearly other issues there.

McCall goes in next Saturday against another manager who is on borrowed time. A maximum of one will survive that game, I reckon.

Perhaps not next Saturday but games at Firhill v bottom of the table Arbroath then Kelty Hearts at the end of November, I think it would be difficult to appease the Thistle support if these go badly.

Edited October 29, 2022 by milhouse

[Auld Jag]

I know not many if any will agree. For me he should get the 3 league games in November. Dundee (h), Morton (a) and Arbroath (h), if we are still struggling after these games the whole management team should go. 

As already mentioned it would not be the biggest surprise if Brian Graham was brought in. For me if this happens it should not be as manager but as an assistant.

[The Legend Blows]

Canny see Low sacking him unless we hit the bottom of the league. Wouldny surprise me if Archibald got the job to the end of the season if McCall went.  

[a f kincaid]

Cumulative aggregates are notoriously difficult to identify electronically so happy to stand corrected if anyone wants to have a go!  A visual check back over goals conceded (excluding friendly matches) suggests you have to go back to September 1974 to find more than the current 15 goals conceded in 4 consecutive matches. 16 was the tally (Rangers 2-3, Airdrie 2-5, Hibs 1-5 and Morton 1-3). That's around 2,350 matches ago. But, as I say, if anyone knows of a more recent 16-goal run, happy to hear about it.

[laukat]

Just watched McCall post match interview and it gets more worrying for me.

Rightly says its unacceptable and a capitulation but doesn't know why. Is it not his job to know why? Is it not the same problems we've had all season and since the Queens park game have become obvious? Has he looked at if he has the right defensive coaching in place and if not why not?

Says McMillan and Milne have played a lot of games look a bit tired and Muirhead is playing 60% fit. So we are recognising the defence is knackered and 3 players are currently carrying others? If we are playing a player who's 60% fit aren't we running the risk of him getting injured for a longer period? Have we looked for any free agents who could help out?

No recognition that his team selection was bizarre. I don't expect him to say "I now realise Cammy Smith isn't a winger, a starter or good enough and Akinola had a mare again" but he could have said "a few players have shown they aren't good enough and I know who I can and can't trust". 

No explanation on why if the Ayr game had positive signs that we changed formation again. If the answer was Brownlie can't cope with 2 games he could have said that but equally he could have started with Hodson in the middle of the 3. He should know by now that he can't play Akinola without playing a sweeper.

I hope this is just a horrendous month and he reverses our fortunes in November but he's now in the last chance saloon as far as I am concerned.

[javeajag]

3 minutes ago, laukat said:

Just watched McCall post match interview and it gets more worrying for me.

Rightly says its unacceptable and a capitulation but doesn't know why. Is it not his job to know why? Is it not the same problems we've had all season and since the Queens park game have become obvious? Has he looked at if he has the right defensive coaching in place and if not why not?

Says McMillan and Milne have played a lot of games look a bit tired and Muirhead is playing 60% fit. So we are recognising the defence is knackered and 3 players are currently carrying others? If we are playing a player who's 60% fit aren't we running the risk of him getting injured for a longer period? Have we looked for any free agents who could help out?

No recognition that his team selection was bizarre. I don't expect him to say "I now realise Cammy Smith isn't a winger, a starter or good enough and Akinola had a mare again" but he could have said "a few players have shown they aren't good enough and I know who I can and can't trust". 

No explanation on why if the Ayr game had positive signs that we changed formation again. If the answer was Brownlie can't cope with 2 games he could have said that but equally he could have started with Hodson in the middle of the 3. He should know by now that he can't play Akinola without playing a sweeper.

I hope this is just a horrendous month and he reverses our fortunes in November but he's now in the last chance saloon as far as I am concerned.

That was my reaction…..I wasn’t convinced he knows what to do …

I guess he has November to turn it round 

[lady-isobel-barnett]

There's definitely a parallel with the last time McCall was in charge. He's probably equipped, as he was back then, with enough savvy to keep a club with a relatively reasonable budget in this division. But that's not good enough. He'll have to be replaced eventually, certainly from coaching and matchday duties, so the only question is a matter of timing.

My problem with sacking him just now is I've no trust that the Board have contingency plans to deal with such. The pay off on three contracts may well mean that to finance a new management team coming in we'd be in the shit. New manager but depleted squad etc., so no further forward. Much as I realise that a more tactically aware manager/coach with an eye for fitness issues will  be necessary, maybe now's not the time.

Also I'd be concerned with the quality of applicant we may currently attract. That's mainly to do with widespread doubts over the authenticity regarding who is and who should be running our Club. Even saying that McCall still needs to get things turned around pronto.  

[Lambies Lost Doo]

1 hour ago, The Legend Blows said:

Canny see Low sacking him unless we hit the bottom of the league. Wouldny surprise me if Archibald got the job to the end of the season if McCall went.  

,

Archibald is our most successful manager in 4 decades.

[Barney Rubble]

1 hour ago, a f kincaid said:

Cumulative aggregates are notoriously difficult to identify electronically so happy to stand corrected if anyone wants to have a go!  A visual check back over goals conceded (excluding friendly matches) suggests you have to go back to September 1974 to find more than the current 15 goals conceded in 4 consecutive matches. 16 was the tally (Rangers 2-3, Airdrie 2-5, Hibs 1-5 and Morton 1-3). That's around 2,350 matches ago. But, as I say, if anyone knows of a more recent 16-goal run, happy to hear about it.

Not sure that was the most appropriate choice of words afk!!!

Been reading Michael McEwan's excellent 'The Ghosts of Cathkin Park' this week, which is about the background to the sad demise of Third Lanark in 1967. I recall the news stories at the time, and the book was chilling reading regarding the difference in the governance of football clubs generally then and now.

Translating the lessons from that experience strongly implies that whatever may not be working on the field of play right now, more than anything in the interests of PTFC, Jacqui Low needs to be removed from any influence as a matter of priority.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Barney Rubble

[Barney Rubble]

22 minutes ago, Lambies Lost Doo said:

,

Archibald is our most successful manager in 4 decades.

Seriously, is that a sufficient standard to aspire towards?

Edited October 29, 2022 by Barney Rubble

[milhouse]

17 minutes ago, Lambies Lost Doo said:

,

Archibald is our most successful manager in 4 decades.

Thistle's most successful manager since 1982? Surely your mistaken there.

[Lambies Lost Doo]

He won us promotion.

Stayed in top league for 5 seasons.

Highest finish (6th) in decades.  The football we played that season was a joy to watch.

[laukat]

28 minutes ago, Lambies Lost Doo said:

He won us promotion.

Stayed in top league for 5 seasons.

Highest finish (6th) in decades.  The football we played that season was a joy to watch.

Just don't mention his last his last 2 seasons or that he is our current defensive coach and you might just get away with it

[Big Col]

I wouldn’t trust Low or Britton to make a managerial appointment. They gave us Caldwell and we all know how that worked out
That said, that doesn’t mean that the current managerial team shouldn’t be offloaded if things don’t quickly improve.

[Garscube Road End 2]

2 hours ago, Lambies Lost Doo said:

,

Archibald is our most successful manager in 4 decades.

Utter pish.

[Muscat Jag]

3 hours ago, laukat said:

Just watched McCall post match interview and it gets more worrying for me.

Rightly says its unacceptable and a capitulation but doesn't know why. Is it not his job to know why? Is it not the same problems we've had all season and since the Queens park game have become obvious? Has he looked at if he has the right defensive coaching in place and if not why not?

Says McMillan and Milne have played a lot of games look a bit tired and Muirhead is playing 60% fit. So we are recognising the defence is knackered and 3 players are currently carrying others? If we are playing a player who's 60% fit aren't we running the risk of him getting injured for a longer period? Have we looked for any free agents who could help out?

No recognition that his team selection was bizarre. I don't expect him to say "I now realise Cammy Smith isn't a winger, a starter or good enough and Akinola had a mare again" but he could have said "a few players have shown they aren't good enough and I know who I can and can't trust". 

No explanation on why if the Ayr game had positive signs that we changed formation again. If the answer was Brownlie can't cope with 2 games he could have said that but equally he could have started with Hodson in the middle of the 3. He should know by now that he can't play Akinola without playing a sweeper.

I hope this is just a horrendous month and he reverses our fortunes in November but he's now in the last chance saloon as far as I am concerned.

Played lots of games and look tired????  What the ****!  It's not even November.  That would be a ridiculous statement to make about part-timers never mind full-time footballers.  As for Muirhead being 60% fit, well I suppose it's better than Brownlie at about 5%.  What the hell is going on at Firhill.  Queen's Park and Ayr were a shambles, but that was a different level of shite today.  Looked little more than a disinterested pub team.  Thank God Raith settled for what they had at half-time.

[Norgethistle]

5 minutes ago, Muscat Jag said:

Played lots of games and look tired????  What the ****!  It's not even November.  That would be a ridiculous statement to make about part-timers never mind full-time footballers.  As for Muirhead being 60% fit, well I suppose it's better than Brownlie at about 5%.  What the hell is going on at Firhill.  Queen's Park and Ayr were a shambles, but that was a different level of shite today.  Looked little more than a disinterested pub team.  Thank God Raith settled for what they had at half-time.

The tiredness one is a worry, as the parks currently are in decent nick, wait till they start getting heavy as winter comes in.

Playing Aero at 60% shows that where the squad may have depth, it’s not balanced in that depth. 
We have loads of forwards, but center of park (midfield and Centre Half) we are light.

[sabbath]

McCall is a good spotter of talent, as a manager he is clueless. I am happy for him to step aside for a proper manager, but if he is not content with that then F@#k off.  Archibald took over from someone who built a team for him, he then subsequently ran the team into the mire.  John lambie kept his pigeons in a coup, McCall keeps his pigeons on the staff. Archie F@#k off along with super Scally.  This is not a case for going up its a fight to stay in this league. As always Thistle leave it too late. We have a squad that should walk this league and challenge for a European spot. If this is not our aim then we should just close the doors and shut up shop.

[Gary Peebles Tackle]

4 hours ago, sabbath said:

McCall is a good spotter of talent, as a manager he is clueless. I am happy for him to step aside for a proper manager, but if he is not content with that then F@#k off.  Archibald took over from someone who built a team for him, he then subsequently ran the team into the mire.  John lambie kept his pigeons in a coup, McCall keeps his pigeons on the staff. Archie F@#k off along with super Scally.  This is not a case for going up it’s a fight to stay in this league. As always Thistle leave it too late. We have a squad that should walk this league and challenge for a European spot. If this is not our aim then we should just close the doors and shut up shop.

Was with you all the way until the European spot! 

[Thistle88]

We are either good or absolutely ******* awful. Really isn’t an in between with us at all. 
 

January is already looking like it’s going to be make or break for that squad. Especially with that absolute shambles of a defence. 
Needs rid of a good few players.

Akinola, Brownlie, Smith and Mullen can go imo! I’m dying to see a CB that can actually organise the defence. The way McCall plays with McMillan and Milne so high he really needs A Osman type in midfield who will help the defence, without one I can see us on the wrong side of another few pumpings. 
 

I’d much rather see one of the young players like Lyon or Stanway get game time than playing that **** Cammy Smith. 

[Dick Dastardly]

13 hours ago, laukat said:

Just watched McCall post match interview and it gets more worrying for me.

Rightly says its unacceptable and a capitulation but doesn't know why. Is it not his job to know why? Is it not the same problems we've had all season and since the Queens park game have become obvious? Has he looked at if he has the right defensive coaching in place and if not why not?

Says McMillan and Milne have played a lot of games look a bit tired and Muirhead is playing 60% fit. So we are recognising the defence is knackered and 3 players are currently carrying others? If we are playing a player who's 60% fit aren't we running the risk of him getting injured for a longer period? Have we looked for any free agents who could help out?

No recognition that his team selection was bizarre. I don't expect him to say "I now realise Cammy Smith isn't a winger, a starter or good enough and Akinola had a mare again" but he could have said "a few players have shown they aren't good enough and I know who I can and can't trust". 

No explanation on why if the Ayr game had positive signs that we changed formation again. If the answer was Brownlie can't cope with 2 games he could have said that but equally he could have started with Hodson in the middle of the 3. He should know by now that he can't play Akinola without playing a sweeper.

I hope this is just a horrendous month and he reverses our fortunes in November but he's now in the last chance saloon as far as I am concerned.

If that interview doesn't convince those listening that McCall is not the man to fix the problems then I don't know what will. Claiming that he doesn't know what the problem is has to be the most damning indictment on our current management team. We need to get someone in NOW to identify the problem and fix it. Leaving it until after we have been beaten by Dundee and Arbroath will be too late.

We are currently in freefall (BBC's word) and the combination of McCall, Archibald and Scally don't know what to do. 

[jlsarmy]

48 minutes ago, Thistle88 said:

We are either good or absolutely ******* awful. Really isn’t an in between with us at all. 
 

January is already looking like it’s going to be make or break for that squad. Especially with that absolute shambles of a defence. 
Needs rid of a good few players.

Akinola, Brownlie, Smith and Mullen can go imo! I’m dying to see a CB that can actually organise the defence. The way McCall plays with McMillan and Milne so high he really needs A Osman type in midfield who will help the defence, without one I can see us on the wrong side of another few pumpings. 
 

I’d much rather see one of the young players like Lyon or Stanway get game time than playing that **** Cammy Smith. 

How many transfer windows has McCall had now and our Club is no further forward .

We’ve got some good players at the Club but not getting the best from them .

Get rid of an assistant manager and get a fitness coach back , not sure Junior Mendez was ever properly replaced when he went back to St Mirren.

IMO with the style McCall wants us to play with 2 full backs high up the pitch , the rest of the team aren’t fit enough to play a pressing game .

[exiledjag]

Sorry gor stating the obvious but we are clearly on a very bad run so it's not a surprise the management team are under pressure.

I think this pressure, which has been there  even prior to our bad run and has now increased, is in part down to the fact that as fans we have never been convinced of the effectiveness of the  current management structure.

Two assistant managers just doesn't seem to work and especially when one of them is Archibald whose recent tenure at Firhill has been one of failure. 

We also as fans are becoming immersed in the politics associated with the ownership of the club, the influence of Jacquie Low and of course the abject failure of the team on the park.

We have to bear in mind we are without, arguably, our 4 best players at the moment -  Graham, Docherty, Tiffoney and Holt! In addition we are  playing others who are not fully fit. Any team in the league would miss their 4 best players.

What is not acceptable is the total lack of spirit, fight and the attitude that defeat is inevitable.

I have been a supporter of IMC and still am but even my clock is ticking. If this run does not stop soon he shouldn't be with us at the end of November. I wouldn't be against Graham being given a chance.