Just In V Dumbarton

[Lanarkjag]

Very impressive 3-0 win.

 

I have to admit, before this game I was worried - was this going to be typical Thistle, great start to the season and blow it against a side that we should be beating.

 

I'll get the bad points out the way first.

 

We had a shakey start to the match, we didn't look to comfortable from the kick off at the back and the first few minutes looked a little nervy.

We did allow Dumbarton into the game towards the end of the first half, and there was some slack defending, especially for Dumbartons big chance that they really should have scored. Super save from Fox.

Didn't start the 2nd half particularly well - Dumbarton came out with a bit of fight and when hassling us just forced long aimless balls forward.

The big no 9 did well against us - he won more than his fair share in the air and caused Muirhead all sorts of problems. Was surprised when he was taken off.

 

That is me being hyper critical, although I feel better sides might just punish our occasional defnsive slackness.

 

RIght - on to the good stuff.

 

Some of the football was outstanding. There is a real confidence on the ball and the players are wanting it. We are patient in the build up, but we are also a very direct side with the choice of long ball being well executed. The movement of players when we have possession is excellent and they are all working hard at getting the ball back when we lose it. The latter point is probably more significant, we didn't give Dumabrton time on the ball and it paid dividends.

 

We seemed to be happy in the second half to allow Dumbarton a bit of possession and hit on the break, and it worked superbly. When we got forward it was in numbers and more importantly we looked very dangerous. Defensively, apart from the points above, we were pretty sound, and they really only had the one effort in the first half for Fox's save and a half chance near the end.

 

First goal was superb. Paton (I think - it could have been O'Donnell) put a brilliant long pass out wide to Bannigan who planted it on Doolans head.

If Erskine's effort had gone in before half time that would have the best goal I have witnessed at Firhill. Awsome passing and movement all from our own byline!

Great play by Paton for the second and a good finish from Erskine - who wasn't his best but worked his socks off today and still got a goal and an assist.

The third was just a brilliant counter attack and Bannigan deserved the goal - he was immense today.

 

We could at least have had a couple more today as well.

 

Bannigan for me was a different class. If he keeps on improving he could go on to be something special!

 

edit: If we can perform like this against Hamilton in the cup and at home, then I will start believing. As it is, I am getting uncharactaristically optimistic for a Thistle fan

Edited August 25, 2012 by Lanarkjag

[Lin1876]

Agreed with pretty much all you said there. We looked convincing, especially in the 2nd half, despite our occasional defensive frailties. Fox's save at 1-0 was something else, despite that being about his only save of the day.

 

To be honest, I'm amazed we didn't score more than three. That move from O'Donnell to Erskine was superb, and it was good defending which kept us out. Grindlay in the Dumbarton goal made some decent saves and denied a few people goals. On another day, we could have had about 4 or 5 goals.

 

We'll doubtless play much better teams this season, but this was still a good win. Now, onto Hamilton...

[Santana]

Good display. Paton was outstanding.

[Collins Out!]

Murray's pass to Doolan in the build up to the third was sublime.

[kni]

A good result and the league table looks great this evening. We can't be complacent about Hamilton despite their poor start. A decent cup run will keep the confidence up and bring in some much needed cash. Let's hope that we don't get any offers for our top players before the transfer deadline.

[johnkebab71]

Good performance and Paton was man of the match for me.

[sandy]

Paton, Bannigan, Erskine & Doolan all caught my eye.

 

More importantly, this feels like a TEAM. Jackie's philosophy is finally paying dividends.

 

Well done to the North Stand for singing their hearts out again

[Steven H]

Paton was man of the match for me too, but O'Donnell deserved the award too. I'm really enjoying the way we're playing this season and our ability to mix between silky football, patient build up play, long ball and 'dig in' styles. The movement at times is phenomenal and the ability to create space and use it wisely has been very evident. More of the same on Tuesday night please

[Lenziejag]

I think we totally bossed the 1st half until the rain came on. Should have been 2 or 3 up by then. We had a nervy half hour at the end of 1st and start of 2nd until he 2nd goal which pretty much came out of nothing. After that the result wasn't in doubt. Lawless and Welsh were a bit off the pace today. Muirhead and Archie were solid. Fox had one excellent save and one moment of near madness, kicking from he shyline to a Dumbarton player whose shot was deflected past by Archie. I too am feeling positive about this team. By the way is Jackie superstitious - still not playing in the home kit. Waiting until we don't win,perhaps ?

[jags on tour]

thought we were better last week to be honest, Dunfermline are a better team than Dumbarton so thats probably why. great cross field ball from Paton to Bannigan who put in a great cross right on Doolans knapper. Welsh wasn't his normal self today, not read any after match reaction yet but I think Jackie will probably say hes been suffering with the flu from yesterday or wasnt well this morning, I think thats why he was subbed early. Paton,Archie and O'Donnell,Shuggy were quality,Bannigan came on to a game but was caught out by their no.7 who was gliding by him but the wee man kept going and looked even better when moved into the middle.there was a few times Erskine could have played the pass a bit earlier but kept going with ball and lost it but fair play to him he didn't hide and kept running at their defence, very happy for him getting a goal. great 3 points for us aswell, really impressed with the workrate and fitness of our guys.so impressed that me and my bro both bought season tickets with hospitality before the game, another £570 to the Jags, first season ticket I've had in about 15 years.

[Stewarty]

Have to agree, I thought we were excellent today. Some of our build-up play was sublime at times - quick short passing moves that were cutting the Dumbarton defence to shreds.

 

One minor gripe concerns the handful of fans who seem to think a backwards pass to retain possession is a sin punishable by death, even when we're 2-0 up! I've no problem with us controlling the game at such a stage and drawing out opponents who were often content to sit back and try and hit us on the break.

 

As I say, though, this is the best we've played in a long time.

[Sam Leitch Loyal]

Not in yet but good news, everyone: the Carnarvon Bar has re-opened.

[The Earl of Hathaway]

Went along today with my downstairs neighbour (St Mirren) and his nephew, and a school friend of my son's dad (Scouser and Liverpool) and his son and daughter, all the kids under 10. As usual, really worried that we'd be piss poor as usual if you bring people along. All of them totally into it, really enjoyed it, coming back next week. That's how it works. Football, bloody hell.

[chunky jag]

Really impressed by start to season. Everyone played their part,but for me, Paton was motm, he's been different class this season so far. Murray was solid too. Really like the shape of team, and i can't wait for the day it properly clicks for us, we will tank a few teams this season.

 

We need to sign up erskine and doolan pronto, i think a few teams could be sniffing around given they're in the last year of contracts if im not mistaken?

[uberteeb]

We probably weren't as good today as we were in the first 2 games but we were still excellent and the result today was never in doubt. I don't see us not winning this league comfortably.

[kennymac29]

I was a huge critic of odonnells last year but he's such an improved player so far this term. His final ball has improved and he seems much more comfortable on the ball whereas last year he seemed to panic whenever he had the ball. Paton motm by a mile this week, thought brannigan was a bit slack but saying that the games against the pars and Falkirk I thought he was brilliant.

 

Also good to see jackie use his subs and save Doolan etc for the accies game.

[patrick bateman]

Really enjoyed today . We're trying to play a very unscottishlike way I.e passing . Thought the move just before half time we started from our own corner flag was sublime . Calm , crisp short triangle passes , superb . Draw them out then a zipping pass from Paton to completely slice him open . That boy has improved immeasurably . Always liked his workrate and effort but now he's added a good final ball to his game . Like the balance althrough the squad with mostly young hungry players . Our defence hasn't really been tested yet but have done well so far . Excellent

[Big Col]

Hugh Murray has been a fantastic signing for us, and he and Paton were stand outs for me today.

 

A wee bit of slackness at times in the team with giving the ball away, but good chasing after it to make amends.

 

We are playing some really good stuff and all credit to the management team, coaches and players.

 

Long may it continue!

[Winter of '63]

Dumbarton - who were a better footballing side than I had expected - did get through our defence a few times. It took a fantastic save from Fox to preserve our lead.

 

But some of our football was superb - quick incisive passing, good movement and real pace. If only Chris Erskine had buried that chance, there might have been a contender for the best goal ever seen at Firhill. I like watching Erskine although he had a day when things weren't quite comimg off for him...and Lawless in particular and Walsh were subdued. Bannigan looked better in midfield, Doolan was quietly effective and O'Donnell was excellent.

 

I always thought Paul Paton was a committed but limited player as a right back ...but today he was outstanding...the raking crossfield passes to put Bannigan and O'Donnell through were magnificent.

 

Maybe the test will come when the pitches get heavier and the wind is howling ...and if we lose players through injury or suspension - I'm unconvinced by Elliot as back-up - but there are real signs that this might just be the best Thistle side for some considerable time.

 

An entertaining day.

[Lambies Lost Doo]

so impressed that me and my bro both bought season tickets with hospitality before the game, another £570 to the Jags, first season ticket I've had in about 15 years.

 

That helps the club more than you can imagine. Onwards and upwards.

[Mister Brown]

, another £570 to the Jags,

 

It's only another £456, unless we decide to follow the Govan Blue Tits strategy of not opening envelopes with the initials HMRC on them.

[thistledave78]

Well yesterday was my first time at Firhill for a few seasons. Had a season ticket in the past but due to work and family commitments havent been able to get to many games over the recent years.

Have to say i was very impressed with the style of football that jackie has the team playing - thoroughly deserved the win and it could have been 4,5 or 6 easily. Was impressed by paton in particular and thought odonnell also had a good game. Attacking wise we are the best ive seen us for many a year and the possesion play is great, yet we are still able to play the long diagonal ball if and when required.

Both within the stadium and on the forum there just seems to be so much more optimism this season - less whinging and moaning about the team and the club and everyone just seems to be getting right behind them.

Hopefully we can keep the good form and be challanging for promotion come the end of the season and ill certainly be making it along to firhill as much as possible this season. Mon the jags!!!!

[alx]

First things first, lets have a yay..... YAY!!!

Secondly, we have an actual settled team for once, I for one think that's brilliant. It seems years since we had a settled first team lineup. Great stuff all round, O'Donnell, Muirhead and Murray are fitting in really well. Lawless and Welsh look like they could run for a while. My motm was Paton yet again (I see there's a motm thread, I'll read it shortly, bet it says the same thing). There's occasional mistakes (eg Archie & Erskine) but hey all teams do, even the likes of Real Madrid lose the ball some times on the very odd occasion I watch footy on the telly). Sometimes it seems we are sending waves of forwards towards the opposing defenders scaring the beejesus out of them, passing the ball about.... maybe just a fantasy exaggeration. Just enjoy it while we can, it's not that often we go on an out and out winning streak, yahoo!

[potty trained]

Where to start? Well, I was quite nervous before the game, with all the banana skin stuff. I didn't want to get too carried away with our start to the season, but yesterday I thought we were outstanding in many different ways.

 

Fox: solid at the back, pulled off a great save in the first half, solid straight kicking finding their man up the park, accurate short passing when we played from the back and was available for a back pass to move it on when required to play as a sweeper.

 

O'Donnell: had a great game bombing forward on the overlap, comfortable on the ball when passing and whipped in some great crosses, had a great run in the first half bombing into the box in the first half should have ended in a goal.

 

Brannigan: not one of his best games in defence, as my dad said, he needs to judge his time and distance better, ie, how far you can stand off the winger without being out of position, to be close enough to be on top of him when he receives the ball. Moved into midfield and added the graft and forward running once legs were tiring. I love having him in our team, one of my favourite jags players and must be one of the first names on the team sheet every week. What a cross for the first goal!

 

Muirhead: what a great find, comfortable on the ball and wins nearly every high ball pumped at him.

 

Archie: one of his best games for us, in my opinion. His punts usually go to no one, yesterday they were perfectly weighted into space. He strolled through the game at the back, showing maturity and not lundging into challenges. He's adapted so well to the passing game, loved seeing him moving out wide into space when shug dropped back, to keep the passes going.

 

Shug: quiet game by his standards, but some of his forward passing into space was inch perfect. Drops deep to take a pass and just moves it on to the next guy. Never hides, always available, and my god is he tough in the tackle, what a difference he has made to this team.

 

paton: where do you start! Hands up, he drove me crazy in seasons past at right back, Jackie started giving him a run in midfield last season and it was sort of working. With Shugie beside him, it's like we have signed a new player. Some of his passes out wide were like watching Charnley or Shaggy, inch perfect right onto the wide players boot. His pass for the first goal was jaw dropping. Tough as fck in the tackle yesterday, gave away 2 passes in the second half, the first thing he did was chase the ball down and win it back. Bombed forward in the first half, at times working as a right winger.

 

Welsh: quite game yesterday, but what an asset to have, worked tirelessly.

 

Lawless: tricky wee guy, lovely touch and great passing, adds an extra edge to the team that means we are more than just a passing team.

 

Erskine: things were just not coming off for him yesterday in the first half, wasn't beating his man and should have buried the sitter. Thought Jackie would give him 15 in the second and swap him for Sinclair moving brannigan into midfield. He kept him on and it paid off. He worked his socks off in the second and some of his defensive work meant we kept a clean sheet. Like Lawless,adds more to the team.

 

Dolan: what a great performance, ran all day, great finish for his goal. Chases everything, the boy has some touch when controlling a long high pass.

 

Paton for me was man of the match, typified everything that this squad and our play stands for.

 

6 goals for, in our first 2 home games. You can't argue with that. Do we have enough depth? I don't know, no ones had enough time on the pitch to show, but what a first 11 we have!

 

 

[Armand2]

Like a few people, I was a bit apprehensive before the game yesterday. I thought if we could get an early goal, we would win relatively comfortably but was worried that we may have struggled to break down a team who I suspected would have sat in.

 

We got the early(ish) goal but never really capitalised on it in the remainder of the first half, apart from Erskine's chance, and Dumbarton really came into the game in the last 15 minutes before the break. Again, at the start of the second half, I felt an early goal was important as Dumbarton started quite brightly; once we got the second goal, it knocked the stuffing out of them.

 

I thought the Dumbarton manager did us a favour by taking Lister off as the big man won everything in the air against Archie and Muirhead which is no mean feat. Had he retained it a little better and had better support, he could have done more damage. Indeed, it was only a miraculous stop from Fox that prevented him getting on the scoresheet.

 

Paton was outstanding yet again. His pass for the first goal was terrific, the driven ball for O'Donnell in the build-up to Erskine's missed chance was a beauty and his run for the second goal was excellent, particularly how he delayed his cross until he could pick someone out. I heard that Stuart McCall was there yesterday - with performances like that, teams will begin to take notice of Pates.

 

O'Donnell was excellent, didn't think he was Man of the Match but he wasn't far away. His defensive game has noticeably improved and he seems a lot more composed on the ball; there was an occasion in the first half where he was under pressure deep in our half and he never panicked and eventually played his way out of trouble. His pace is also a great asset to have.

 

As I mentioned above, I thought Archie and Muirhead allowed themselves to be bullied a little bit by Lister at times but they are developing a good understanding. I do like Muirhead - his no-nonsense "'ave it" clearance in the second half was delightful.

 

Bannigan is developing a habit of having a distinctly average first half followed by a tremendous second. Thought he got caught out a few times in the first half by Gilhaney but in the second half, and particularly when he moved into the middle, he was full of energy; his fitness levels must be amongst the highest at the club.

 

Welsh was very quiet by his standards but appeared to receive some treatment when he went off so was perhaps carrying a knock. Shug was quiet but extremely effective; I think he'll be more prominent in away games and will take a slightly more reserved role in home fixtures. Erskine had one of his frustrating afternoons where his final ball often let him down but he took his goal well (with his right foot too). Doolan's header was a peach - number one priority, before any new arrivals, should be to extend his contract.

 

I thought this was going to be Christie's season but I've reverted back to my close-season thinking that he needs to go out on loan. His movement needs to improve; he was looking right along the line and still couldn't stay onside. Same when a cross was about to be put in from the right side and everyone and their granny could see that it was going to be towards the back post...apart from Christie. A short emergency loan spell where he's playing every week will do him the world of good, in my opinion.

 

In terms of squad size, I think we're still two, arguably three, players short. Would like a left-sided centre half, another versatile midfielder and a striker. I don't expect us to make any more than one signing, if any, before the close of the window though.