Just In - Boxing Day

[Lindau]

Was the ref today Madden or Midden?....I know what I would choose!! Shocking display. To send a guy off for two soft tackles was ridiculous and he gave us nothing all game Re Erskine and Doolan the very fact that Chris has went off the boil and Dools aint even getting on the pitch nowadays makes me think both are for the offski in January. Cant believe Dools wasnt brought on before two guys that were clearly unfit. Dont say it very often but....you got that all wrong Jackie!! Sad to lose the home record but we are still top with a game in hand and a run of winnable games coning up. January is gonna be a vital month for us!

Edited December 26, 2012 by Lindau

[peagreenboy]

On a side note im almost certain doolan must have signed/agreed to sign elsewhere. Have to think he would have come on even for the last 5mins when we needed a goal

 

Great. Another kick in the baws tonight! Be nice if you are incorrect but that sounds like sense.

[little_miss_jag]

The referee is why we lost today, not Smith. But whatever he was doing for their second goal, only he knows. And he doesn't appear to be able to take a kick. We're skint, and I refuse to believe Scully, or the under 12 goalie for that matter, is any worse. So why bother with the wage?

When their goalkeeper flops over for a laugh and the ref books our player you know you're absolutely scunnered.

What if the choice is paying his wage until May, or using that money to keep someone like Erskine at the club instead of him being nicked by twits like Hibs?

 

I think it highly disrespectful to Smith to say he has been shit for us. Since Smith joined us he has conceded 6 goals and I highly doubt that he was to blame for all 6 considering we have had injuries. His wage wont be much and I would much rather keep a keeper like Smith in goals than Scully. Apart from his mistake at Hamilton, Smith has played for well for us. You clearly have made up your mind up though - it's all the referees and Smiths fault today!

 

I suggest you go have a lie down - a wee defeat was clearly too much for you to handle.

Edited December 26, 2012 by little_miss_jag

[johnkebab71]

As per previous comments

 

Poor ref, Poor substitutions and ultimately too many missed chances

 

Should have had the game wrapped up by half time.

 

I though Forbes was good today but there was no need for him to dive in like that.

 

Really don't understand the substitutions, didn't help with the red card but neither player looked got enough to come into that type of game a d O'donnell head looked to go down straight away

 

Erskine and lawless were the two worst performers but to take them both off at more or less the same time was not the correct call given there was still a fair but of time to be played.

 

Confident we will take 6 pts from the next couple of games.

 

 

[peagreenboy]

I suggest you go have a lie down - a wee defeat was clearly too much for you to handle.

 

I'll be honest, this is the first game I've seen with Smith in goals. And yes, I am raging mad at what I would not call a football game.

 

If you don't think he was arse about tit for the second goal then fair enough. If you think he's worth keeping on then fair enough too. However you directly quote me saying I think it was the referee's fault we lost, Not the keeper. I personally would rather take Scully any day of the week, but that's just me. By all means pay Smith whatever he's on and not use that money to try to keep the players who aren't useless.

 

Please do not patronise me though. I've been supporting Thistle since 1993 and have witnessed more than enough godawful teams and defeats, and don't need to be told how to react to a loss, thanks very much. If you celebrate the wins you have to hurt when beaten... and I'll take getting halved by a better team. That was not the case today.

 

Maybe a wee lassie like you shouldn't be posting on a football website about a man's game.

 

Not nice being patronised is it? How about we discuss the game instead?

[Trotter]

The ref was poor & his first yellow for Forbes considering everything he let go previously was a joke. The disallowed goal was nothing short of a joke. If anything their keeper fouled Craig. The 2nd ''foul' on their keeper was possibly up there in most ridiculous fouls ever given considering there wasn't a jags player close to him.

 

Only other thing I'd say was he was inept for both sides- denied Morton a stonewall penalty. That said the decision to send Forbes off cost us the chance of taking anything from the game.

 

That said the substitutions we made possibly did that.

 

Out of curiosity who makes the sub decisions when Jackie in stand?

[Lin1876]

Out of curiosity who makes the sub decisions when Jackie in stand?

 

I imagine Jackie still has some say (if only in the form of shouting to get someone off), but otherwise it's Donnelly's show I suspect.

[little_miss_jag]

I'll be honest, this is the first game I've seen with Smith in goals. And yes, I am raging mad at what I would not call a football game.

 

If you don't think he was arse about tit for the second goal then fair enough. If you think he's worth keeping on then fair enough too. However you directly quote me saying I think it was the referee's fault we lost, Not the keeper. I personally would rather take Scully any day of the week, but that's just me. By all means pay Smith whatever he's on and not use that money to try to keep the players who aren't useless.

 

How much do you reckon he is on? It can't be much and certainly not enough to keep the players who are out of contact.

 

Please do not patronise me though. I've been supporting Thistle since 1993 and have witnessed more than enough godawful teams and defeats, and don't need to be told how to react to a loss, thanks very much. If you celebrate the wins you have to hurt when beaten... and I'll take getting halved by a better team. That was not the case today.

 

Maybe a wee lassie like you shouldn't be posting on a football website about a man's game.

 

Not nice being patronised is it? How about we discuss the game instead?

I have been to every game this season, seen us win, seen us draw see us lose. Aye it might sting but the thing is I can take a wee beating now and again and not throw a tantrum about it. I guess I just need to support the team for a few more years and I will become a bit more bitter and angry when we lose.

Oh and don't you worry I have heard all the jokes about women going to football before so don't waste your time thinking them up, after all you need to pick up all those toys that you have chucked out your pram.

 

We were discussing the game - my opinion having been to every game Smith has played in is that he is decent enough to play if Fox is injured. Your opinion having seen him play once is he is shit and we should let Scully play. Out of interest have you seen Scully play?

[briogadh]

The ref was poor & his first yellow for Forbes considering everything he let go previously was a joke. The disallowed goal was nothing short of a joke. If anything their keeper fouled Craig. The 2nd ''foul' on their keeper was possibly up there in most ridiculous fouls ever given considering there wasn't a jags player close to him.

 

Only other thing I'd say was he was inept for both sides- denied Morton a stonewall penalty. That said the decision to send Forbes off cost us the chance of taking anything from the game.

 

That said the substitutions we made possibly did that.

 

Out of curiosity who makes the sub decisions when Jackie in stand?

The second half was a bit frenetic. Sometimes players leave refs little choice other than to blow for fouls. As for Forbes - to dive in like that with a late tackle moments after having been booked for repeated fouling ( ref made it very obvious to everyone) was just idiotic. We've had more players sent of this season at this stage than I can remember. Jackie has to sort this out immediately.

[broomhilljagsfan]

How can you blame the substitutions when Forbes stupidly dived in to that challenge?

 

Shape of the team was completely gone thanks to him.

 

Both bookings were soft, but when you're on a yellow and have a terrible ref you just don't dive in.

 

I was right in line with the tackle - Forbes clearly got the ball, the force of the tackle meant the ball drove of the ankle of the Mosrton player. Perfectly fair and legit tackle. Don't think the Mosrton player cheated by the way - it was a sore one, but it was the ball not forbes that hit him

[Lenziejag]

As has been said, should have been out of sight at HT. We must have had at least 5 chances before Craig scored and 2 in the first 5 mins of 2nd half. For me, the 1st half performance was at least as good as against Dunfermline except we didn't make the correct decisions when in on goal. Some glory hunting going on?

 

 

[stuart_adam]

I must admit the ref cost us the game. We didnt take our chances and ultimately the sending off cost us as it has most times this season. Interestingly for those blaming Smith he wasnt at fault for either goal, infact the only time he made a mistake Balatoni cleared it off the line, first goal nobody picked up Hardie after Smith made a good save! 2nd goal the ball hit the muddy patch in front of Smith and led to him not being able to catch the ball due to a horrible bounce. Im not willing to blame anyone for today, as the Ref made some huge ccalls and got most of them wrong. Hardies rugby tackle went unpunished and i lost count the amount of times Forbes was fouled by their right back. Interestingly enough, that wasnt a bad performance at all, were due some luck, and it looks like Falkirk have finally hit form with 5 wins in their last 5. Morton arent the best opposition we have had in the league, but perhaps the most physical.

 

Overall all the players get pass marks from me today apart from the subs, mainly because they werent fit, yes Erskine and Lawless werent great but both put in a shift. Interestingly, We have lost 3 league games and 2 cup games and in all but 1 we had a man sent off.

[alx]

why didn't we win... -referee- morton being quite handy- jags a bit sluggish. I thought Smith was ok, not bad fair play. Paton was reasonable but totally top marks to Archie and Conrad.

[Winter of '63]

Not quite sure what to make of that...other than we are are not good at playing with 10 men, despite the practice we're getting.

 

We were very much in control in the first half though in fairness in the second half, Morton were finding space in midfield and a pin-ball scrambled goal was always on the cards. Another when we were a man short was predictable. Bachirou looked a good player and they have some decent First Division journeymen. They might be stronger challengers that Dunfermline because of that experience but I think we are a better team - they weren't that impressive.

 

We all got distracted by the refereeing nonsense particularly after Sinclair's booking - it looked like the Morton guy deliberately ran in to him. Forbes was brought down 5 or 6 times in the game and then was booked for what seemed a good interception. We lost our rhythm following the substitutions and sending-off.

 

Erskine, Lawless and Craig combined well for the goal but I think Doolan links up play better.

 

Spoiled Christmas a bit...Ho Ho Hum.

[GinolasBald]

Most of what I say will be echoing what most folk have already said but I'll say it anyway.

 

I was not a happy man walking out of Firhill this evening. The worst refereeing performance I may have ever seen and I have seen some shockers (most of them involving Thistle). Most, if not all, of his decisions were baffling to say the least. Most of you have highlighted particular game-changing decisions but the one I feel the most aggrieved about is the one to chalk off the goal at 0-0 for a "foul" on the keeper. From where I was sitting in the North Stand, I had a near-enough perfect view of it and thought that there was minimal contact, if any, from Craig and it was the keeper's lack of ability which made him fumble and allow Craig to knock it in. Every decision after that was just atrocious, constantly breaking up play which doesn't help a team like us who knock the ball around and play football.

 

Forbes was stupid when on a booking but he lost the rag after everything seemed to go against him so I'm not going to be too harsh on him and we should've had the game wrapped up by half-time but what chance were we given to finish the game off in the second half with decisions like that? That's both games vs Morton that we've had to contend with dodgy refs. I hope the club pursue the SFL to get today's ref to justify some of his decisions.

 

The criticism of Smith, I feel is unjustified. Hamilton aside, he has come in and done a real job for us- he's made a few stunning saves to keep us in games. Maybe was at fault for the second but he wasn't helped by largely shoddy defending - I don't think I saw Balatoni win a header today.

 

To end on a positive, despite the dodgy defending around him, I thought Archie was outstanding. Not really been too impressed with him this season but put his body on the line all game. Plus, we've got Airdrie at the weekend while Morton and Dun5erm1ine play each other at the weekend. We'll still be top of the league at the start of 2013!

Edited December 26, 2012 by GinolasBald

[Norgethistle]

I think it highly disrespectful to Smith to say he has been shit for us. Since Smith joined us he has conceded 6 goals and I highly doubt that he was to blame for all 6 considering we have had injuries. His wage wont be much and I would much rather keep a keeper like Smith in goals than Scully. Apart from his mistake at Hamilton, Smith has played for well for us. You clearly have made up your mind up though - it's all the referees and Smiths fault today!

 

I suggest you go have a lie down - a wee defeat was clearly too much for you to handle.

 

Sorry I think Smith was poor today apart from the touch over the bar, parried it to Hardie for the 1st and never came close to commanding his box. Maybe abad day at the office for him, only seen him once this season on a full game but wasnt convinced today, but wasn't convinced with Craig either looked lazy (not tracking back, prefering to stand on the keeper for a kick out), and selfish with the one he should have laid on for a screaming Erskine, again maybe just a badday at the office

[Gordie]

Forbes has 5 fouls per being booked, then dives in for 2nd yellow, stupid. Nothing to do with ref on that one. Craig's first should have stood, no foul on keeper from what I saw. I said to my mate and brother when the subs were being made, that o wanted Forbes off b4 e was sent off regardless of how good he was playing. Thistle were ok today, need to take our chances and stop these stupid sending offs. Archie was mom for me. Smith was fine, some undue critisism on here. Muirhead wasn't at hs best, but out of position. Disappointed but hey I'd have taken being top of league at Xmas back in August had you offered it.

[distel]

Bah Humbug!

Controlled the first half but lacked that cutting edge in front of goal.

Keeper had a bad day. Rest of the team didn't play well either. Archie one of few to get a pass mark.

Ref was so bad it beggars belief. Bad day at the office but we can find form again come the end of January I think we'll still be top. COME ON THISTLE!!!!!!

[Stewarty]

Right, I've just about calmed down now. We were good in patches today but the absence of key players again hampered our performance. We don't stretch the pitch as much with Muirhead at right back, which means that the centre of the pitch becomes congested. I'm not sure why we didn't move Paton to RB and use Shuggie in the holding role. Forbes' positioning was better today but he is useless when the opposition break with any pace. I'm also concerned that we play too many high balls when Craig is in the side.

 

The best news of the day is that Welsh, O'Donnell and Fox are back in contention for a starting position. Their return will make a big difference.

[JeanieD]

Sendings off are costing the team a proper challenge for promotion - every time we have a player sent off inevitably and predictably we do not win - hardly rocket science and it is happening too often for it to be totally the fault of referees.

 

The league is now a 3 way fight (with Falkirk as a dark horse) - Morton-Dunfermline on Saturday (if it goes ahead) will tell us a lot about the most immediate challengers but it's about time the team got itself in some kind of order to re-establish a challenge - preferably with 11 players on the pitch at the end of the game.

Edited December 26, 2012 by JeanieD

[GinolasBald]

I'm not sure why we didn't move Paton to RB and use Shuggie in the holding role.

 

I agree with Paton at RB but Shuggie has been useless this season. I daresay if he was on the pitch today that he would've gotten himself sent off (again). The only reason I can fathom that Paton hasn't been moved back to RB in SODs absence is that he is so effective as a holding midfielder and that Muirhead has been played RB before for previous clubs - Aaron is nowhere near as effective there and is sorely missed at centre half, especially today when his height would have come in handy since Balatoni didn't seem to win much in the air today.

[Stewarty]

 

 

I agree with Paton at RB but Shuggie has been useless this season. I daresay if he was on the pitch today that he would've gotten himself sent off (again).

 

A tad harsh I would argue. He put in some decent performances early on in the season. I agree that Pates would be a loss to the midfield though. I wonder if Bannigan could play on the right.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Sendings off are costing the team a proper challenge for promotion - every time we have a player sent off inevitably and predictably we do not win - hardly rocket science and it is happening too often for it to be totally the fault of referees.

 

The league is now a 3 way fight (with Falkirk as a dark horse) - Morton-Dunfermline on Saturday (if it goes ahead) will tell us a lot about the most immediate challengers but it's about time the team got itself in some kind of order to re-establish a challenge - preferably with 11 players on the pitch at the end of the game.

Would I be correct in saying we haven't even scored a goal when we've been down to ten men?

 

I've seen all the orderings off. Wouldn't be critical of Murray at Forfar or Muirhead in the Cup, these things happen, but the rest have all been silly. Murray at Cappielow & Forbes today similar in that no matter how hard they feel they were done for the first booking shouldn't have risked a second in areas of the pitch where there was no great urgency to tackle.

Factor in both Craigen and Elliot getting reds when out on loan and I feel we've got an obvious weakness. That's compounded with our inability to score when down to ten.

[jagfox]

Game of two halves, or three half hours even.

The ref wanting to be the centre of attraction gave Morton more and more of the ball than their play deserved. Suited their style and got Bachirou involved eventually.

We should have been out of sight by halftime, with Forbes having a great 45-60minutes. Craig could have won the game himself but for bad decision making, missing a golden opportunity and a questionable refereeing call. Don't think he was lazy and we seem to ignore the fact he stays on his feet from hefty challenges. Ones which opposition forwards readily fall under. These challenges take their toll, especially playing alone up front on a heavy pitch.

Keeper was a bit dodgy for the winner, but couldn't blame him for the first as the ball should have been cleared when he parried the ball.

MOTM -Booby Madden. Well he gave me that impression with his look at me style of refereeing

Anyway, still top and we created enough chances to win three games today. Morton scored two from their four or five chances. We had little luck in front of goal today. I feel the boys will make up for that on Saturday.

[jagfox]

We scored against Cove with ten men, but not in the league.

Forbes was silly going in for that challenge today when on a yellow. We are not a dirty team and the more interesting fact is the ratio of yellows to reds. Lowest and highest in the division?