Archie Must Go ?

[Garscube Road End]

Yeah but they were up against a Morton team. What happened to them? How good did they turn out to be?

 

You're right about McNamara but at the same time if Archibald was in charge at the start of the season it would've been very unlikely we would've had a lot of the boys that goes us there even at the club.

 

As much as it pains me to say it, it was McNamara's contacts that brought in a lot of them.

 

The Cup's right. Archie as a player did exactly the same as McNamara as a manager. Archie as a manager would do the same thing if he was a half decent manager. We all would.

 

But at the same time if we weren't doing well at a job, then a review may well see us lose our job.

 

Football a results driven business. I'm been unconvinced about Archie for a good while in terms of tactical awareness, the ability to change things during a match, his signings (more true in Summer than January) and integrating players into a system that doesn't bring the best out of them (Banzo up to Xmas). I also said I'd give him the season but after yesterday, if I were Beattie & co I'd be looking for answers as to why he left it until we were 2-1 down minutes after HT before making a change.

 

Said it before...

 

WTF did he say to the players at HT?

 

If he was so confident in that team with that system then why change it 3mins into second half?

 

Why make a change then to take off one of our most creative players when arguably Bauben should've been on & possibly Taylor off just before HT?

 

Why take Erskine off after an hour (again) to put on Lawless? If Erskine not fit enough to play 90mins why did he not come off in 48minutes?

 

Someone....?

 

A few fair points. Regards the players brought in,yes they were McNamaras,but it was Archibald who guided those players onto even greater things than McNamara achieved.

 

Yes, I was surprised that Buaben was benched. I put it down to being extremely adventurous, and it seemed to be working, but then fell apart. The side that started picking up good results since January are mostly Archibalds signings. Some, like Moncur seems a baffling signing, but I think we will be in the play-offs as our confidence will be wrecked after yesterday, as mine is. The play-offs will be a very telling time for all.

[Trotter]

 

 

I put it down to being extremely adventurous, and it seemed to be working, but then fell apart.

 

It didn't work in the Hibs game though. Be honest, we got a little lucky that day. Doolan spent most of the first 45 mins that day behind Bauben & Fraser. After we got the goal they went to pieces- something they have done all season, something Hearts haven't.

 

There's an article in the Evening Times a while back with Archie being quoted he'll use Dools & Taylor up front together 'when the time is right'.

 

He hasn't done it. He's shoe horned Doolan into the same system we've used all season & effectively leaving us a body short in the middle.

 

I'm under no illusions that Archibald will still be there at the end of the season, but personally I don't think he's the right man to take us forward in the long run unless he starts to show he can change matches when things not going well.

 

Gary Locke (& Billy Brown) were able to do that. Derek Adams in the County game at Firhill after going 3-1 down was able to. Alan Johnstone (& Sandy Clark) on a couple of occasions at Firhill have been able to. & mentioned behind all of that company is worrying enough!!

 

Archibald? Always same starting formation then maybe plays 2 up with 15 to go if still only one goal down. More often than not the subs are usually Doolan for Taylor then Elliot/Craigen/Lawless for Erskine/Higgy. Like for like.

 

ETA: 2 home wins all season the first of which in March doesn't inspire confidence either.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Trotter

[Duke Gekantawa]

Bad game yesterday, certainly, but I think being only 4 points off 7th with 5 to go is laudable with our resources. That we've done it while playing attractive football for much of the time means that I remain in the Happy Clappy brigade.

[Norgethistle]

 

 

Archibald? Always same starting formation then maybe plays 2 up with 15 to go if still only one goal down. More often than not the subs are usually Doolan for Taylor then Elliot/Craigen/Lawless for Erskine/Higgy. Like for like.

 

ETA: 2 home wins all season the first of which in March doesn't inspire confidence either.

 

What options did Archie have yesterday?? Ballatoni is injured, SoD has been poor, Osbourne & Welsh both crocked, apart from starting with the Prince or Jimmy C instead of Doolan, or Doolan instead of Taylor his hands were somewhat tied

[Duke Gekantawa]

 

Hindsight is 20/20. The tactics would have been far more successful, I suspect, if Higgy, Taylor and Erskine played anywhere near what they are capable of. Playing an attacking formation, Archie was relying on more from these players. But for whatever reason they did not perform and we were left exposed as a result.

[JaggyMad]

 

 

The 3 players you've mentioned there are probably 3 of the best players at the club. Who would you have started instead if those 3? Craigen Elliot and lawless? Today was terrible all round, both from the management and the players but your point about him having "favouritism" towards those players is crazy. They start every game because they're the best we have, not because they're Archie's mates.

 

You must be Archie's love child if you think they have to start every game. If they were outstanding or even played well, then yes they deserve to start, but Taylor has been pish the last 3-4 games, erskine hasn't been anything special since coming back and Higgy is as always been, a greedy barsteward who only plays for himself 90% of the time. Time to take the blinkers off.

As for them being the 3 best players at the club, (LOL). 1 canny get a game at utd because of young boys, another canny get a game because of Jamie Murphy and also stephan Scougal can get into that team.and another is a journeyman. So if indeed these 3 players are the BEST as you suggest, then we are ****** as a club and will spend the next 5 yrs competing in the lower divisions.

[Norgethistle]

Our goal this year was to stay up,

• we have avoided the automatic relegation spot (Check)
  
• We still have a chance of ending 10th or above (Check)
  

 

Staying up by the play-offs is still a success, getting 10th is a bonus anything above 10th is way beyond what anyone in reality believed we could get.

 

Remember we were favorites to go down (Even after Hearts got docked 15 points by some media punters)

[JaggyMad]

 

 

So, basically say " Thanks for taking us out of the wilderness of the lower leagues, and for keeping us in with the big boys, now **** OFF?"

 

Great way to demand loyalty.

 

Loyalty you say. Well where was the loyalty shown by Archie to The players he dropped when Taylor, erskine and Buaben arrived.

If he isn't any good in the top league, just like some players aren't, then he should be shown the door.

It seems that the ones defending Archie are also the ones telling us certain players ain't good enough for this league, well it looks like Archie ain't good enough for this league and he should also go at the end of the season. Canny have 1 rule for the shit players and another for a shit manager.

[potty trained]

 

Higgy is as always been, a greedy barsteward who only plays for himself 90% of the time. Time to take the blinkers off.

 

 

And yet before kick off ESPN stats showed Higgy top of the assists table for every player in the premiership, with 9 assists this season.

 

But I'm more inclined to believe your opinion, rather than a fact.

[Duke Gekantawa]

 

 

Loyalty you say. Well where was the loyalty shown by Archie to The players he dropped when Taylor, erskine and Buaben arrived.

If he isn't any good in the top league, just like some players aren't, then he should be shown the door.

It seems that the ones defending Archie are also the ones telling us certain players ain't good enough for this league, well it looks like Archie ain't good enough for this league and he should also go at the end of the season. Canny have 1 rule for the shit players and another for a shit manager.

No, the ones defending Archie are the ones who are realistic enough to appreciate that being 4 points away from 7th place at the split is reasonable going on our resources and budget.

[Andynptfc]

 

 

You must be Archie's love child if you think they have to start every game. If they were outstanding or even played well, then yes they deserve to start, but Taylor has been pish the last 3-4 games, erskine hasn't been anything special since coming back and Higgy is as always been, a greedy barsteward who only plays for himself 90% of the time. Time to take the blinkers off.

As for them being the 3 best players at the club, (LOL). 1 canny get a game at utd because of young boys, another canny get a game because of Jamie Murphy and also stephan Scougal can get into that team.and another is a journeyman. So if indeed these 3 players are the BEST as you suggest, then we are ****** as a club and will spend the next 5 yrs competing in the lower divisions.

 

I'll ask you again, who would you have started in place of erskine higgy and Taylor?

 

As for higgy being greedy and playing for himself? As someone else picked up on, most assists in the entire league. Anyone who has seen us this year would be able to see that without higgy in the side we would be in a far worse predicament than we are currently. He's also probably (and I'm just guessing here) most peoples pick for POTY.

 

As for him being a journeyman? That's probably the most ridiculous comment I've seen on here.(and that takes some doing) he's 24 years of age.

 

[Garscube Road End]

Loyalty you say. Well where was the loyalty shown by Archie to The players he dropped when Taylor, erskine and Buaben arrived.

If he isn't any good in the top league, just like some players aren't, then he should be shown the door.

It seems that the ones defending Archie are also the ones telling us certain players ain't good enough for this league, well it looks like Archie ain't good enough for this league and he should also go at the end of the season. Canny have 1 rule for the shit players and another for a shit manager.

 

Maybe dropped them because we were struggling and bringing fresh blood in worked to a certain degree. We are far better off than a lot of people think. Yes, Archie has made mistakes but who in any job doesn't? As being a shit manager, then he done some bloody job with a side last season who he inherited and improved to the title.Remember he has been a manager for just over a year.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Hindsight is 20/20. The tactics would have been far more successful, I suspect, if Higgy, Taylor and Erskine played anywhere near what they are capable of. Playing an attacking formation, Archie was relying on more from these players. But for whatever reason they did not perform and we were left exposed as a result.

 

Agree with this. Anyone I spoke to before the game was excited about the attack minded line up. I didn't think it would be too much of a gamble and the way the game started backed that up. The gamble being that Hearts wouldn't be able to establish midfield superiority as we'd have them on the back foot.

The attack let the defence down to a large degree tho' individual defenders made too many errors to get pass marks. I think we could've carried one of the four forwards easily enough but not three (I thought Doolan did OK). Not wanting to play ifs and buts, as absolutely no way were we unlucky, but had Taylor scored in the first half Archie could've least taken two of the four off from a relative position of strength. Hearts well deserved equaliser and Gallacher's cracking save earlier were enough warning.

 

The hindsight thingy is easy. I don't know of anyone, certainly not myself, who didn't think Higgy in for Elliott would strengthen the side. I'm not saying Elliott should necessarily have come on but the battling qualities typified by Christie were sorely missed. Higginbotham and Erskine aren't exactly lightweights but when off form they offer little. Pity it's Doolan that'll probably be benched but playing both Kris and Taylor requires Higgy & Erskine to be right on their game. I don't think Archie can risk that from now on in.

[stillresigned]

Like I've posted elsewhere we've got to assume that yesterday was an aberattion and that the management and players adopt a suitably chastened attitude for the remainder of the season.

If for some reason this isn't a one off, then we can look forward to the Championship, next season.

I'm fully aware that the support is hurting and embarrassed at yesterday's result and performance, as I am, however our only alternative is to hope Archie gets it sorted by the time we play Kilmarnock. Our only advantage lies in the fact that our obituary will be being written in many quarters, and that Archie and co can use this to motivate the players.

In days past yesterday's performance would have resulted in being called in today to be bawled out by Lambie and finding the joys of circuits of Ruchill Park!

However given today's more enlightened (?) atmosphere, I suspect that is a non starter, however I can assure Archie and Co. that any repetition of such a gutless performance will not be acceptable to our support. A support that has by and large kept faith with this team and their manner of playing football the correct way. However, yesterday's abject surrender will change that, at least for me it did. No longer will I accept failure to put teams to the sword when we have the opportunity to do so. The only thing that will really put the seal on things will be swing Sevco win their first ever national cup today!

[Trotter]

 

 

What options did Archie have yesterday?? Ballatoni is injured, SoD has been poor, Osbourne & Welsh both crocked, apart from starting with the Prince or Jimmy C instead of Doolan, or Doolan instead of Taylor his hands were somewhat tied

 

Think I said previously that I don't rate Piccolo but needs must when no one else available.

 

SOD not been great but even if he was injured would you play Doolan at right back? Of course you wouldn't. McMillan is a right back and slots in there. By the same token, if Taylor injured would you play Lee Mair up front?

 

Options... You've answered your own point. Jimmy C or Prince Bauben should've started in the MIDFIELD as MIDFIELDERS especially when the team being overrun in the MIDDLE!!

 

Not rocket science but it's very naive management to admit this was happening after 20 mins. Do nothing to change it. They equalise. Nothing done to change it at HT then 3 mins later after 2–1 down he does.

 

 

 

 

[Charlie Endell]

 

Hindsight is 20/20. The tactics would have been far more successful, I suspect, if Higgy, Taylor and Erskine played anywhere near what they are capable of. Playing an attacking formation, Archie was relying on more from these players. But for whatever reason they did not perform and we were left exposed as a result.

I've never understood the Erskine love-in - yes, he provides the odd flash of inspiration but I think he's a luxury we can ill afford in the Premiership.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I've never understood the Erskine love-in - yes, he provides the odd flash of inspiration but I think he's a luxury we can ill afford in the Premiership.

 

Maybe a case of being right and wrong. We should be able to afford Erskine but we shouldn't build a team around him. A Jags squad that includes Chris should be all the better for it.

I'd agree with you if we are so strapped for cash we can't afford a flair player or two. Personally I feel we should have a solid enough squad with enough depth that nobody could think of him as a luxury.

[avie-man]

I think there is enough ability in the team, but who are the leaders or the communicators? Who are the Steven Thompson and Jim Goodwin types who take lead the dressing room and organise every one? As far as I can see, no one. I hate to say it but the likes of Sinclair come across as shitebags.

[JaggyMad]

 

 

I'll ask you again, who would you have started in place of erskine higgy and Taylor?

 

As for higgy being greedy and playing for himself? As someone else picked up on, most assists in the entire league. Anyone who has seen us this year would be able to see that without higgy in the side we would be in a far worse predicament than we are currently. He's also probably (and I'm just guessing here) most peoples pick for POTY.

 

As for him being a journeyman? That's probably the most ridiculous comment I've seen on here.(and that takes some doing) he's 24 years of age.

Doolan up front on his own instead of Taylor, Buaben in for Higgy to give our midfield a better chance of not being over run, or even moncur.

As was shown yesterday playing the above 3 and dools leaves our midfield too lightweight.

As for Higgy not being a journeyman.... 8 clubs so far and counting, and at the grand age of 24 as you point out. 9 clubs if you count Oldham who he started with but never played for the 1st team.

 

So who would you have started or are you fine playing a team that gets HUMPED off the team that are relegated?

Edited April 6, 2014 by JaggyMad

[Auld Jag]

More than a bit concerned that Archie says we were playing with fear yesterday.If this is the case how are we going to cope with the next 5 games?As the managerial team it is up to him and Paterson to get our team up for the next 5 games and playingwith some confidence.If after the remaining 5 games have been played we have only added a couple of points we will have no chance in the play offs as our confidence will be very low.

[Lindau]

.If after the remaining 5 games have been played we have only added a couple of points we will have no chance in the play offs as our confidence will be very low.

 

Sorry imo that's utter rubbish. Are you honestly saying that if say draw 2 and lose 3 of our next 5 games we have NO chance of beating a team from the division below us in a 2 legged final. Can't quite get my head round that at all!

Edited April 6, 2014 by Lindau

[javeajag]

 

 

Sorry imo that's utter rubbish. Are you honestly saying that if say draw 2 and lose 3 of our next 5 games we have NO chance of beating a team from the division below us in a 2 legged final. Can't quite get my head round that at all!

Yesterday's defeat could have a big negative effect on the squad yet oh be seen . .... Archie's post match are a bit concerning but let's wait and see

I really worry about us in the playoffs if we have the fight we showed yesterday ... The team we could play will be used to winning, fighting for their lives with not a lot to lose

The key thing Archie needs to do is in midfield ghats where the games lost

[Yellow & Redneck]

Just started to calm down from yesterday. Shambolic performance reminiscent of the Motherwell game at home a few months back. Score in the opening 5mins, then we shipped five goals.

To be honest, that was as bad as I've seen Thistle in years. Apart from the first 20mins we couldn't string a pass together, and Fraser was evidently having a nightmare in CM, as I lost count how many times he gave the ball away. Also Jordan McMillan seemed hell-bent on giving Hearts as many free-kicks in dangerous positions as possible; he is unbelievably clumsy at times.

My opinions and facts are these: Archie isn't going anywhere this season, and the Chairman has already stated regardless of the division we play in next season, he'll still be in charge. I personally don't think Archie is capable of consolidating our club in the SPL, but I'd be delighted to be proved wrong. I don't blame Archie for yesterday as I'm sure he will have stressed over and over again this season not to ship stupid goals. The players themselves carry the can for their display yesterday.

 

And as a side note as I can't find anywhere else to post this: when we go 4-1 down, and I wish to leave the game as a paying season ticket supporter, myself and everyone else could do without the heckles and jeers from a few moronic people who feel it the act of unconditional loyalty to stay until the final whistle, and give everyone else a hard time for leaving. If I hadn't been in such a dejected mood, I'd have probably told the old bat to refrain from rattling his jaw. Absolute imbecile!

Edited April 6, 2014 by Yellow & Redneck

[Lindau]

I will say it again, IF we end up in the play offs and can't beat the likes of Dundee, Hamilton, Falkirk or A N Other then we deserve to be in the Championship. Would be more worried if it was a one game, winner takes all final. The Championship team that ends up in the final will have a minimum 10 games to play with 6 of them being high pressured play off games. If we end up in the play off we have 7 games left. For me anyway, that is a big advantage to the top league team. Either way time will tell and it's gonna be a helluva exciting and knicker wetting end to the season...lol

Edited April 6, 2014 by Lindau

[Andynptfc]

 

Doolan up front on his own instead of Taylor, Buaben in for Higgy to give our midfield a better chance of not being over run, or even moncur.

As was shown yesterday playing the above 3 and dools leaves our midfield too lightweight.

As for Higgy not being a journeyman.... 8 clubs so far and counting, and at the grand age of 24 as you point out. 9 clubs if you count Oldham who he started with but never played for the 1st team.

 

So who would you have started or are you fine playing a team that gets HUMPED off the team that are relegated?

 

Buaben in for higgy? That's what to do, drop one of the only 2 guys in the team who will run at people, take people on set up goals and score goals and replace him with prince buaben. One of the slowest players we have. If we were to play dools up front on his own as you suggested, who is going to go and support him if you drop higgy? And did you express your doubts at the starting 11 at 2:45 when we seen the teams? I doubt it. I think we all know that with that starting 11 yesterday, if the players play like they can, and the first 20 minutes proved this, we would quite comfortably beat hearts. The players didn't perform it's as simple as that. Tactics, formation and personnel aside, if 8/9 of the starting 11 have a shocker, we will lose the game.