Just In....from St Mirren Park

[jaggybunnet]

Is he sure to get back in the team ? Last year, Archie's approach was to keep the same team, if the performance merited it . By all accounts Osbourne has had 2 pretty decent performances .

 

He is the club captain so i think that would go for him if nothing else

[Mr Bunny]

I think the only thing St Mirren have got going that most out of town grounds don't have is the rail link but that's more a benefit for away fans.

 

It's hardly an out of town stadium. It's not that far from Love Street. A bit of a Toy Town stadium but then that's not a bad thing if you are not a big-support club - your fans can make more noise and it can look pretty filled. My one criticism would be they've been a bit stingy with the facilities - I think there was a long queue outside the toilets which lasted right through the half time break.

 

But if their team was doing well they wouldn't be too bothered.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Good problems and bad problems, eh? Sean will join Fraser on the bench methinks.

[Mr Bunny]

Good problems and bad problems, eh? Sean will join Fraser on the bench methinks.

 

Hard to remember a time when we had such options. For years we'd have been happy to have a good first 11 and a few subs who weren't too awful. Now we're in a position where we have guys in the bench who could easily be regulars in the first eleven if they got the chance.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Mr Bunny

[Alan Murray]

That was a well-deserved victory for us. Just like the Hearts game we battered them in the first half and did not get the goal we deserved.

 

I thought Danny Lennon was a manager with potential but after watching that I think I have changed my mind. They let us dictate the game and the space they gave Bannigan was unreal and let him totally dominate the game particularly in the first half.

 

Feel sorry for Baird, I thought he was good first half. He really needs a goal and after his miss he seemed to let it affect him and Archie swapped him for Doolan. Was surprised he was selected in front of Doolan, I think Archie was keen to make sure we did not play into the hands a big commanding centre back like Goodwin and get him turning and chasing rather than letting him use his strength. Baird could have easily scored a couple of goals yesterday. Let’s hope he does start to find the back of the net and get his confidence up. I feel his movement is better that Doolan but kris is more Clinical in front of goal.

 

The question is after both Osbourne and Bannigan playing so well is what to do with Welsh expected back for the Aberdeen game? I think Welsh has been outstanding in the games he has played this year. Welsh could play in the same role as Craigen however that would be harsh on him and I feel he could really progress as the season continues. He will score goals for us this season I feel.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Alan Murray

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

Just in . . . well not really from the game as I was in Corfu on the beach during the game trying to keep up with things on my near obsolete kindle. I do admit that I lost faith at one point thinking we were going to lose but I forgot " We are Partick Thistle, we score when we want ". One of the first things I did when I got home was watch the highlights. I can't add much to what's already been commented but I believe we will score quite a few goals this season if the chances we create are anything to go by and will indeed give a team a right good stuffing on our day. I think like last year the majority of outfield players will chip in with goals, although neither Baird nor Doolan will get into double figures, as both have let a few go begging already but their contribution will be as important as others. As it suggests on another thread - I love this team.

[madcapmilkdrinker]

trying to keep up with things on my near obsolete kindle.

 

Owning a Kindle isn't a very Thistle thing to do but I own a bookshop so I might be a little biased. ******* Amazon.

 

Another great result, hoping that the useless gits at Setanta in Australia choose to show at least a couple of our forthcoming runs of games on telly here.

 

When does the big Mexican warrant a run, I know how good Conrad was last year but I get nervous when attackers are running at him.

[Paulo]

So I thought Baird ran himself into the ground trying, but the guy isn't cut out for a lone striker role. As others have said, he's more comfortable running towards the corner flag, pulling a defender out of position for someone else to make use of the space. Too many times he was on the touchline instead of in or around the box.

 

Doolan gives us a much better option in that position. Every time a defender or midfielder gets the ball, he's giving an option into a channel, or spinning off a defender to look for the ball to feet. His assist on Saturday summed up to me why he should be first choice up there. In the thick of things always looking for the ball. With Baird up there, we were forced to play the ball across their defence too much, without the option of a through ball unless a midfielder takes a gamble.

[stillresigned]

So I thought Baird ran himself into the ground trying, but the guy isn't cut out for a lone striker role. As others have said, he's more comfortable running towards the corner flag, pulling a defender out of position for someone else to make use of the space. Too many times he was on the touchline instead of in or around the box.

 

Doolan gives us a much better option in that position. Every time a defender or midfielder gets the ball, he's giving an option into a channel, or spinning off a defender to look for the ball to feet. His assist on Saturday summed up to me why he should be first choice up there. In the thick of things always looking for the ball. With Baird up there, we were forced to play the ball across their defence too much, without the option of a through ball unless a midfielder takes a gamble.

Spot on.

[Alan Murray]

So I thought Baird ran himself into the ground trying, but the guy isn't cut out for a lone striker role. As others have said, he's more comfortable running towards the corner flag, pulling a defender out of position for someone else to make use of the space. Too many times he was on the touchline instead of in or around the box.

 

Doolan gives us a much better option in that position. Every time a defender or midfielder gets the ball, he's giving an option into a channel, or spinning off a defender to look for the ball to feet. His assist on Saturday summed up to me why he should be first choice up there. In the thick of things always looking for the ball. With Baird up there, we were forced to play the ball across their defence too much, without the option of a through ball unless a midfielder takes a gamble.

 

I think this was the plan – to drag Goodwin out of position and take him out his comfort zone.

 

Two bad misses from Baird so far this season – he really needs a goal.

[read'n'yell]

Due to our lack of game this weekend, and Scotland's inability to play any kind of football, I watched over our highlights again.

 

Things I didn't quite pick up the first time, was Craigen's sublime flick for our first goal - it's these small touches that make the difference to carving out a chance in the premiership. Combined with his flick at County, it is clearly something he is capable to re-producing on a regular basis.

 

I also love how Forbes sets himself up for his goal - he is ready to hit the ball on about four occasions, so when Dools eventually touches the ball to him, he can just smack it straight in. Much like playing snooker when you feel the weight of the que and have a few ghost shots before following through.

 

One slight issue - I think our defense isn't dealing particularly well with balls crossed into the box. Maybe this is an area where the premiership has considerably better crosses into the box than the championship. Balatoni and Muirhead need to start attacking these. Watching it over again, Muirhead seems to be out of position when most balls are crossed, and Balatoni is a little slow to react - maybe he needs to improve his anticipation skills. You would think with Archie and Patterson that we have two players well placed to iron out these problems.

 

I don't think Baird's miss was that bad - it was a good chance but not necessarily a bad miss.

Edited September 8, 2013 by read'n'yell

[Mr Bunny]

I also love how Forbes sets himself up for his goal - he is ready to hit the ball on about four occasions, so when Dools eventually touches the ball to him, he can just smack it straight in. Much like playing snooker when you feel the weight of the que and have a few ghost shots before following through.

 

It also occurred to me: isn't this what the players were practicing in the warm up before the start of the game?

 

One slight issue - I think our defense isn't dealing particularly well with balls crossed into the box. Maybe this is an area where the premiership has considerably better crosses into the box than the championship. Balatoni and Muirhead need to start attacking these. Watching it over again, Muirhead seems to be out of position when most balls are crossed, and Balatoni is a little slow to react - maybe he needs to improve his anticipation skills. You would think with Archie and Patterson that we have two players well placed to iron out these problems.

 

I wonder if Gabriel may find his way in if this doesn't improve? OK I know it was against lower league opposition but he seemed to win everything in the air and what is important it was as much his judgement of the flight of the ball as his heading ability. Admittedly they didn't get behind our defence that much but he looked as if he was strong in this area of the game.

 

I don't think Baird's miss was that bad - it was a good chance but not necessarily a bad miss.

 

Agreed but the worry is he may be letting misses like that get to him anyway. At least if we are getting results it maybe won't prey on him as much as if were were getting beat and he was missing.

[stillresigned]

I think overall our defendinging hasn't neen too bad this season, unfortunately both our central defenders have a tendacy for stucatto defending at times and that has led to soft goals being conceded agaist Hearts and also St Mirren. I have no boubt Archie and his staff will be drilling our boys at the back internibly before we face the Don's. Against the better sides we could be heavily punished i.e. Sellick, Inverness and perhaps Aberdeen

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I think overall our defendinging hasn't neen too bad this season, unfortunately both our central defenders have a tendacy for stucatto defending at times and that has led to soft goals being conceded agaist Hearts and also St Mirren. I have no boubt Archie and his staff will be drilling our boys at the back internibly before we face the Don's. Against the better sides we could be heavily punished i.e. Sellick, Inverness and perhaps Aberdeen

 

I thought the Motherwell goal and the St Mirren goal were very similar. The Hearts goal was down to a midfielder not clearing the ball tho' he had been impeded and the shot was for goal was exceptional. The lesson will have been learnt. The only other goal was a deflection so I feel we're in good shape defensively. Just need to work on defending that attacking move from deep in the box on our left.

[Jaggy1967]

I thought the Motherwell goal and the St Mirren goal were very similar. The Hearts goal was down to a midfielder not clearing the ball tho' he had been impeded and the shot was for goal was exceptional. The lesson will have been learnt. The only other goal was a deflection so I feel we're in good shape defensively. Just need to work on defending that attacking move from deep in the box on our left.

 

Think the fact we have lost so few goals speaks volumes about our team and tactics.

 

If only we had a target man lol ....

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

Just In . . . from St. Mirren Park. Did you take the long way round?