Inverness away

[JAG1970]

56 minutes ago, javeajag said:

Having seen all three goals we conceded ….

We cant  defend like that and expect very much…..it really is poor. We have conceded 3 times as many goals as DU…..reduce that by a third and we would be challenging for the title.

sneddon is at fault you can argue for all three or at least two of the goals.He clearly won’t come off his line ever but to lose a goal on the line when all he has to do is jump and catch it is amateur. How the third goal went in is awful, sneddon tried to kick it and missed.

if you want to score against us simply pack the box and cross the ball you will get lots of chances. Teams have not surprisingly worked that out. We need a central defender who can both head the ball and command the six yard box.

the space for their first goal was unbelievable, you wonder if we ever work on defending at all during the week. The midfield not properly defending the back line has long been an issue.

we need to change the goalkeeper we had two on the bench yesterday, one needs to start on Friday. I would also either go to three at the back as we ended up yesterday or drop muirhead and play o’reilly. Then spent three days working on defending !

Doolan seems too nice after games like this …..it’s mostly positives…..

graham on the other hand was clearly fuming and correctly saw it as two points dropped.

I’m sure Doolan was fuming but it’s not his style to criticise his players in public. 
 

I’d be amazed if Sneddon starts on Friday, I don’t think his defenders have any confidence in him anymore when it comes to cross balls and set pieces. Muirhead was (again) fuming at him yesterday.
I’d also like to see OReilly get a start, whether that’s a back 3 or dropping Muirhead who himself can be rash at times, but I think he’s been carrying a niggling back injury for a while so could maybe do with a rest anyway. 
Either way we need a change to see if we can improve on goals conceded. 

[lady-isobel-barnett]

12 hours ago, partickthedog said:

Just in from Inverness. Mixed bag of thoughts.

Poor first 20 minutes, but then we came into the game. Strangely we conceded all 3 goals at times when we were actually playing well.

I am generally supportive of Jamie Sneddon, but sadly he did look to be at fault with at least the first two goals. The first goal was a speculative long ranger which had good direction but nothing like the power Kerr McInroy generated last week. Jamie seemed to scoop his hand over or round the ball. A solid shovel of the ball to the side looked to be eminently possible. The second goal was at the far end so harder to comment on, but it appeared that an Inverness player had an unopposed header from 2 yards in front of the centre of the goal, in an area you would expect the goalkeeper to be commanding.

First half we were very slow and ponderous, shuffling the ball from side to side with no pace or creativity and then launching a long diagonal ball. Even when well directed, by the time the target player had got the ball down, the initiative had been lost.

McMillan's absence seemed an ideal opportunity to start O'Reilly, and move Muirhead to right back where he has always been decent, plus adding the long throw option. Williams did not play particularly badly, but he kept checking back and could not get any link up going with Lawless. I would agree with the poster who said that Lawless was off form, but only as regards the first half where he was anonymous. In the second half we stopped playing the long diagonal balls and began passing much more quickly and incisively through the midfield. Lawless came right into the game and had an excellent second half.

McBeth really grew into the game and was particularly good in the second half. He was harshly penalised on occasion, so perhaps has to learn the dark art of winning the ball strongly without apparently committing a foul. Fitzpatrick was not on his best form, but kept trying (as witness his goal) and was unusually passionate in trying to galvanise the rest of the team into action.

Scott Robinson was the real difference maker today. He is nimble and quick thinking on the ground as you might expect (as in winning the penalty), but also has a spring heeled leap to win unexpected and well-directed headed passes. We really need several consecutive injury-free performances like that.

Graham took the penalty well and his volley for the third goal was brilliant.

Great credit to the fans today. They really stuck with the team and inspired the fightbacks. For all the shortcomings in the team today, you do also have to credit their fighting spirit in keeping coming back, especially when the goals lost could easily have been dispiriting.

Not quite sure where O'Reilly was playing when he came on, but he seemed to be everywhere, not least in the attack. Looks like a quality and committed player who should be starting.

I am such a slow typer, 6 others have posted since I started. Apologies if I have duplicated anything they have said!

 

Thanks p the d. Much appreciated.👍

Obviously getting his first start was a big step up for McBeth. Hopefully he's a quick learner as I strongly believe both plugging that midfield gap and building from centre mid will be crucial if we are to improve. 

[laukat]

If Mitchell is fit I would like to see him back in. He's not perfect and I think Sneddon is the better shot stopper but to my mind he's a more commanding keeper than Sneddon and a much better distributor of the ball. The second goal yesterday is surely on its own enough to merit Sneddon being dropped.

Also think O'Reilly for Muirhead is due although I suspect didn't happen yesterday because McMillan didn't make it and changing half the defence away from home was perhaps too much change at one time.

Graham has been a very good signing. The guy is just a natural leader and should be our next manager. I think we may face a dilemma in the not too distant future of sticking with Doolan or running the risk another club offers Graham a player/manager or managers post. 

Good to see McBeth getting a full game. If he can protect the defence it should release McInroy and Robinson to play their more natural positions.

[AirdrieJag]

12 hours ago, AirdrieJag said:

Because it takes the media team at least 5 hours after the final whistle to do post match interviews, pack up their equipment, drive back to Firhill and start working on uploading interviews, match footage and highlights onto Jagzone.  

That's after they've driven up to Inverness in the morning, set up their equipment etc., recorded the game, done interviews with manager and a player etc.

At least a 16 hour shift for some of them today, so maybe we should give the guys a break? 😂

Match highlights went live around 00.45 this morning so one of the guys was still working at that time !! 

[Gary Peebles Tackle]

Watched the highlights, better keeper & we don’t lose any of those goals. 

Edited February 18 by Gary Peebles Tackle

[javeajag]

40 minutes ago, Gary Peebles Tackle said:

Watched the highlights, better keeper & we don’t lose any of those goals. 

Correct

[Auld Jag]

14 hours ago, JAG1970 said:

Doolan tends to focus heavily on the positives in post match interviews, so it’s refreshing to hear Brian articulating the frustration he - and no doubt his manager - really feel.  

We have seen what happens when the manager publicly slates players, Ross County for example. Being captain and a senior player i would think gives you more leeway to say what you feel.

[exiledjag]

graham on the other hand was clearly fuming and correctly saw it as two points dropped.

 

Apparently he is the same with the ladies team. At a recent post match interview in addition to lots of praise and constructive comments he mentioned he is "always banging on about hitting the target" 

[sabbath]

Utterly shocking, the team run around like weans chasing a poly bag about in a breeze. The non-existent midfield, watch play like additional referees only taking part when the ball runs over their toes. What is Doolan`s instructions on the pitch?.  Do they work on anything in training or do they just run around the park in preparation for a poly bag blowing across the pitch. We are unbelievably third in this league, which would suggest that a team that is organised, a team who have a game plan, a team who are structured who work on set plays. would walk this league. Step down son 

[Fawlty Towers]

36 minutes ago, sabbath said:

Utterly shocking, the team run around like weans chasing a poly bag about in a breeze. The non-existent midfield, watch play like additional referees only taking part when the ball runs over their toes. What is Doolan`s instructions on the pitch?.  Do they work on anything in training or do they just run around the park in preparation for a poly bag blowing across the pitch. We are unbelievably third in this league, which would suggest that a team that is organised, a team who have a game plan, a team who are structured who work on set plays. would walk this league. Step down son 

Having been brought up to remember the 4th commandment all I will say is I respectfully disagree sir.

[jaggy]

I think with hindsight Dools should maybe have appointed a more defensive minded assistant? I mentioned earlier in the season we needed a defensive coach but I suppose finances might not allow it. 

[JAGSMAN1968]

replay of first goal, what is the defence doing?? line dancing??   How is this Sneddon's fault??

[Muscat Jag]

13 minutes ago, JAGSMAN1968 said:

replay of first goal, what is the defence doing?? line dancing??   How is this Sneddon's fault??

That's Primary School standard. 

[partickthedog]

On seeing the replays I am slightly less critical of Jamie Sneddon as regards the first goal than I was when watching this from behind the goal at the time. Firstly he was totally abandoned by both defence and midfielders. Secondly the shot was sclaffed in such a way as to carry it away into the far corner and out of his reach, even though not hit very hard. If it had been a true hit shot, Jamie might well have saved it.

In the reverse, I am more critical of Jamie's involvement in the third goal than I was at the time. I thought that he might have deflection, forest of legs, hard shot from point blank range or other similar excuses. However, it would seem that the ball went too easily right through him at the near post.

No change of view on the second goal, which was exactly as I saw at the time. Jamie failed to command his 2 yard box, far less the 6 yard box.

I really like Jamie and hope that he can come good again and go on to a successful career, preferably at Thistle. However, for the moment, I think that he has run out of chances and that either Stewart or Mitchell should be handed the gloves for the next league game.

[Jaggernaut]

5 hours ago, JAGSMAN1968 said:

replay of first goal, what is the defence doing?? line dancing??   How is this Sneddon's fault??

It's not Sneddon's fault, as the shot was simply beyond his reach. Like McIInroy's goal the other week, which nobody thought their keeper should have got it.

[Jaggernaut]

By brother was at the game, said that our right back had a nightmare from start to finish. 

Basically, our defense is hopeless. We know that teams simply crowd Sneddon is the 6-yard box, but he gets ZERO protection from the defenders, who usually don't even jump.

Sneddon should definitely have done better with their third: no need to fall back and stab at it with a foot; get the body down to block it instead.

[JAGSMAN1968]

 Meant to post this earlier

Not trying to do Camallain’s job BTW!!!

Edited February 19 by JAGSMAN1968
.

[Third Lanark]

12 hours ago, Jaggernaut said:

By brother was at the game, said that our right back had a nightmare from start to finish. 

Basically, our defense is hopeless. We know that teams simply crowd Sneddon is the 6-yard box, but he gets ZERO protection from the defenders, who usually don't even jump.

Sneddon should definitely have done better with their third: no need to fall back and stab at it with a foot; get the body down to block it instead.

Our whole defence including Sneddon has been poor.  Sneddon is causing us at least a poorly conceded goal every 2 games sometimes more than that.  It’s time for either Stewart or Mitchell to be given a shot.  
o Reilly needs to start also and Muirhead benched

i also hope that Doolan is trying to get Ashcroft on a pre contract already.  We know that Neilson will be away and Muirhead and Williams are only really at best good enough as backup.  Ashcroft is capable of playing at championship or premier league so it’s not as though we need to really wait - just offer such in such a fee on proviso for championship and premier league. We were left playing massive catch up last summer in the transfer market so hopefully we don’t have the same again 

Edited February 19 by Third Lanark

[lady-isobel-barnett]

1 hour ago, Third Lanark said:

Our whole defence including Sneddon has been poor.  Sneddon is causing us at least a poorly conceded goal every 2 games sometimes more than that.  It’s time for either Stewart or Mitchell to be given a shot.  
o Reilly needs to start also and Muirhead benched

i also hope that Doolan is trying to get Ashcroft on a pre contract already.  We know that Neilson will be away and Muirhead and Williams are only really at best good enough as backup.  Ashcroft is capable of playing at championship or premier league so it’s not as though we need to really wait - just offer such in such a fee on proviso for championship and premier league. We were left playing massive catch up last summer in the transfer market so hopefully we don’t have the same again 

Be careful what you wish for. I doubt we're going to win the league so the best we can hope for is to be involved in another play off final on May 26th! Kinda hard to make signings etc when you don't even know what division you'r gonna be in.

[Third Lanark]

2 hours ago, lady-isobel-barnett said:

Be careful what you wish for. I doubt we're going to win the league so the best we can hope for is to be involved in another play off final on May 26th! Kinda hard to make signings etc when you don't even know what division you'r gonna be in.

My point is that Ashcroft for example is competent of playing at both championship and premier league so could be offered a deal with say so many £ for championship and so many £ for premier league.

 

obviously we can’t do that with every signing but there are those presumably on the radar who are good enough in both divisions.

Otherwise we run the risk of last summer with a lot of the best players already signed up elsewhere 

[Dick Dastardly]

4 hours ago, Third Lanark said:

Our whole defence including Sneddon has been poor.  Sneddon is causing us at least a poorly conceded goal every 2 games sometimes more than that.  It’s time for either Stewart or Mitchell to be given a shot.  
o Reilly needs to start also and Muirhead benched

i also hope that Doolan is trying to get Ashcroft on a pre contract already.  We know that Neilson will be away and Muirhead and Williams are only really at best good enough as backup.  Ashcroft is capable of playing at championship or premier league so it’s not as though we need to really wait - just offer such in such a fee on proviso for championship and premier league. We were left playing massive catch up last summer in the transfer market so hopefully we don’t have the same again 

Ashcroft is contracted at Dundee until 2025. I suspect that he is on significantly more wages than we can afford even at Premier league wages

[Third Lanark]

4 hours ago, Dick Dastardly said:

Ashcroft is contracted at Dundee until 2025. I suspect that he is on significantly more wages than we can afford even at Premier league wages

It was rumoured that he had been told by Dundee he could find a new club which was why ourselves and raith were being linked

[exiledjag]

Firstly let me say that I like Jamie Sneddon and consider him to be one of the best shot stoppers in the Championship. I also think Marshall is a competent keeper.

 Shot stopping is the big box to be ticked in the modern game. The other is good distribution. The ideas that keepers should dominate their 6 yard  box, command their penalty box and catch everything in the air are old hat. Coaches take the view that these are now the responsibilities of the defence.  This is why you see very few keepers wandering too far from their line.

To the ICT game.

1. First goal. Jamie was left totally exposed as the left side of our defence , including Fitzpatrick, completely abandoned that side of the Park. While recognising the above my first thought when I saw where Jamue was positioned was that he had got it all wrong. He was far to close to his near post and IMO needed to be at least another yard towards the middle of his goal. From that position he could cover both sides of the goal more effectively. So regrettably my conclusion is that he was partly at fault and would have saved the shot had he been correctly positioned.

2. The second goal. Again partly to blame. The ICT Player blocked him but he got little support from his defence. We should have had two defenders between Jamie and the ICT player who sould have jostled him out of the way even to the extent of forcing the referee to  delay the corner kick and warn all concerned.. Also IMO the ref should have awarded a foul against the ICT player for obstruction. With hindsight Jamie has to be much better at dealing with these situations.

Third goal. I didn't see Jamie at fault here. The defence though allowed ICT to make too many passes in our box  Jamie moved to his left than to his right going with the flow of the game. He was moving from his right back towards the middle of his goal (again following the flow of the game) when an unmarked ICT player received and then  passed the ball into the side of the  goal Jamie was moving away from. That was why he couldn't get his body down to the ball but he was a whisker away from blocking it with his foot. No blame for Jamie with this goal but poor defensively especially in failing to mark a player standing 12 yards or less from our goal.

In summary I feel Jamie was partly to blame for the first two goals and our defence for all 3. Who would want to be a Thistle Goalkeeper playing behind that defence?

Get O'Reilly in and let's be more aggressive in dealing with opposition players trying to block our keeper.