Archie's Substitutions

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

I'd absolutely LOVE to us line up that way, not likely though is it?

Yeah, Forbes in for Craigen . . dream on.

[Shuggie]

I read elsewhere that all three players subbed were injured

[potty trained]

I read elsewhere that all three players subbed were injured

 

Been mentioned a couple of times, but it seems this fact has been lost on folk.

[Noel Edmonds]

I think Taylor and Doolan as a partnership is definitely a viable alternative to the forward line of Higginbotham and Lawless on the left and right, which has been mostly ineffective up to this point in the season. It would mean abandoning the 'width' we have through having two wide players, but then we don't really get much width from them anyway as we do from the full backs, so I don't think that's a big issue. What is an issue though is that it leaves our midfield looking incredibly bare and vulnerable, so would probably mean leaving Muirhead in a midfield 3 with Erskine just behind the front two, unless we sign another defensive midfielder in the next week which I've a horrible feeling we won't. Not that I expect us to deviate from the highly effective way we've lined up since August anyway.

[potty trained]

Yeah, Forbes in for Craigen . . dream on.

 

It would be forbes in for higgy.

[briogadh]

Dundee v Elgin. Now there's a thing. O Maryhill is wonderful ?

[Metz]

The substitutions today displayed that both Craigen and Elliott are ranked far higher in the team than their contributions and general ability suggest they should be. Both players act as more of a hindrance than a help to us, and the manager's over-loyalty to them is concerning. Lucky for them they have their Star & Garter fanclub within our ranks otherwise they'd be getting hounded in a similar manner as Kerr and Baird have done, despite the latter two featuring far, far less across the season.

It's amazing how some players get criticised for just trying their best, it's probably ok to suggest we could have better players in the team than Craigen and Elliott however to suggest Baird and Kerr are those players, is stretching the imagination a great deal.

Craigen seems to be the latest scapegoat in the team, not sure why he puts in a power of work and has set up a considerable amount of our chances and goals, Higginbottom is better on the eye but what does he actually contribute?

Elliott isn't an SPFL player however I can't see anyone in the current squad that deserves the impact role any better, simply because they have all had their chance and not taken it.

Great to criticise give a realistic option rather than a dent to hard working players confidence in future.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Metz

[Z88]

Well said Metz

[p12tfc]

 

I agree. In fact, in the St. Mirren thread I said this...

 

For Dundee Utd...

 

4-4-2

 

Gallacher

 

McMillan

Muirhead

Mair

Taylor-Sinclair

 

O'Donnell

Fraser

Bannigan

Forbes

 

Doolan

Taylor

 

I can't see him changing a back 4 that kept a clean sheet

[Noel Edmonds]

It's amazing how some players get criticised for just trying their best, it's probably ok to suggest we could have better players in the team than Craigen and Elliott however to suggest Baird and Kerr are those players, is stretching the imagination a great deal.

Craigen seems to be the latest scapegoat in the team, not sure why he puts in a power of work and has set up a considerable amount of our chances and goals, Higginbottom is better on the eye but what does he actually contribute?

Elliott isn't an SPFL player however I can't see anyone in the current squad that deserves the impact role any better, simply because they have all had their chance and not taken it.

Great to criticise give a realistic option rather than a dent to hard working players confidence in future.

Try again, I haven't once said that either Kerr or Baird were superior alternatives to Craigen or Elliott: rather that they should all be grouped together in the same useless category and should be kicked out of the club ASAP on grounds of their lack of ability. I literally couldn't care less how 'hard-working' a player is if he offers us as little as any of these players have done this season.

[Mr Bunny]

Higginbotham had to go off - he got six stitches across his knee joint. Erskine took a bad one and wasn't moving well when he came back on after treatment. Taylor looked as if he was running out of steam. First two, the manage has no choice, last it's a risk not to replace him - if you sub someone else and he's then too knackered to do anything then you're effectively playing a man down (or half a man down). Don't forget the conditions yesterday, really energy sapping. You needed 11 fit players on the park.

 

So basically this whole thread is nonsense, the manager had practically no choice in his subs. Doolan for Taylor. Two wingers on for two wingers (I'd say Elliot is more of a winger than centre forward). Only slight argument might have been over whether he might have brought Forbes instead of Elliot on but given that the conditions meant you needed 11 hard workers on the park I think Elliot was probably the right call.

[jlsarmy]

Try again, I haven't once said that either Kerr or Baird were superior alternatives to Craigen or Elliott: rather that they should all be grouped together in the same useless category and should be kicked out of the club ASAP on grounds of their lack of ability. I literally couldn't care less how 'hard-working' a player is if he offers us as little as any of these players have done this season.

Are you trying to be controversial again ?,all these players have different levels of ability or they wouldn't be playing professional football,did you watch James Craigan at Parkhead ? , was that a lack of ability ? or Inverness when he made the goal for Doolan,granted his form has slipped as with all young players tends to happen but to to write him off at 21yrs old is beyond belief, Mark Kerr has played for good teams throughout his career Aberdeen and Dundee Utd to name 2,he's played at a higher level than the majority of our team so he obviously had something, how many times have you seem him play in a Thistle jersey to form an opinion ( think he's only played 4 times and 3 of them were in the League Cup ), thought he might have been worth a shout for the experienced midfielder we were looking for to help the younger ones but maybe Archie thinks his best days are behind him. John Baird has scored goals mostly in the first division so maybe that's where his future lies, Elliot's form has shaded also but it wasn't that long ago there was a clamour for him to be playing because his pace was causing teams problems,it's wrong to put all these players under the one " no ability thread "

[brick_top]

It's ok, I'm sure Noel is just about to furnish us with a long list of players who are available, within our price range, and willing to come to Firhill who are all just stacked with ability.

 

Any minute now.......

[The Sunnylaw Jag]

. . . . still waiting . . .

[Barney Rubble]

It's ok, I'm sure Noel is just about to furnish us with a long list of players who are available, within our price range, and willing to come to Firhill who are all just stacked with ability.

 

Any minute now.......

 

In which case you have missed his point.

 

Which is a very good one, if you take the view that collective mediocrity is not acceptable.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Barney Rubble

[brick_top]

In which case you have missed his point.

 

Which is a very good one, if you take the view that collective mediocrity is not acceptable.

 

No I understand his point fully, which is that the players he mentioned are "useless" and should be "kicked out of the club" because of their "lack of ability".

 

Now, I disagree to an extent, however let's put that to one side for a minute.

 

Say I agree, I am merely asking that should he get his wish, then which talented players are out there who are available, willing to come to Firhill and would accept the money we would be able to offer?

 

It's not difficult to just say "Aye, he's pish, and him, and him....."

[Barney Rubble]

No I understand his point fully, which is that the players he mentioned are "useless" and should be "kicked out of the club" because of their "lack of ability".

 

Now, I disagree to an extent, however let's put that to one side for a minute.

 

Say I agree, I am merely asking that should he get his wish, then which talented players are out there who are available, willing to come to Firhill and would accept the money we would be able to offer?

 

It's not difficult to just say "Aye, he's pish, and him, and him....."

 

Now, I happen to believe that the players we currently have are talented, as many of them proved last season.

 

However, 1 win in 15 league games is blatantly clear. Something isn't working as well as it should do.

 

In my view it isn't the manager, so it must somewhere fall to the players, who good though they are, seem to fall short (not scoring, losing goals in the last minute, chucking away two goal leads etc).

 

So where exactly is it going wrong?

 

We've tried taking Foxy, Aero and Gabby out of the back four and - guess what - we still can't win.

 

The only thing that's been proferred on here that has yet to be attempted is Kris and Lyle up top ensenmble. Certainly worth a go, in my view.

 

But maybe there is not enough steel in the team, anyone thought of that?

 

We have a midfield of youngsters, and even when Sir Isaac of Osbourne was in the midfield, guess what - we won the grand total of one game, at Inverness due mostly to a clanger from their goalie.

 

We need to get wiser on the field of play, and cut out all the other crap about budgets and the average age of the team. We need to compete better than we have been doing since October.

 

Or else........

[brick_top]

Agree with most of your points there. Only thing I would say is that I don't think you can completely discount the issue of our budget, and I think Tom Hosie hit the nail on the head about Premiership experience being an issue, rather than average age.

[The Cup]

Agree with most of your points there. Only thing I would say is that I don't think you can completely discount the issue of our budget, and I think Tom Hosie hit the nail on the head about Premiership experience being an issue, rather than average age.

 

I think everyone probably can agree on this, but it must also apply to our manager and not just rest with the players.

[Heelan'jag]

team idea.

 

Gallacher

 

McMillan Mair Aero ATS

 

SOD Lawless Bannigan Erskine

Dools Taylor

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I don't think Dick Campbell even got slated for substituting injured players. Admittedly didn't realise Taylor had picked up an injury but he was showing signs I took at the time to be tiredness. Erskine had come to a near stop two or three minutes before being replaced and was moving rather gingerly between then and finally going off. The stretcher was probably the biggest clue re Higginbotham being subbed.