Albion Rovers V Motherwell 30/11/13

[Haggischomper]

If we can't replace any released loanees we would surely have the smallest squad to pick from in the SPFL. Not good if we get any serious injuries or suspensions.

 

Very true, but that's the position we now find ourselves in due to financial constraints, failure on the field and failure in the transfer market. Everyone has some level of culpability in that from Dempster to McCall to the players.

[stv]

How fickle we football fans are it was only a few months ago we were celebrating our manager turning down a big move down south to stay with us ..... a club with no budget ,no sellable assets ,loosing over half our first team for nowt and having to live up to finishing second , the only way was down .How many on here would refuse a large increase in wages and stay in their old job with no chance of improving on your previous sucsess?.We knew it was going to be a hard season after the last few great ones because we were loosing most of the team. So ffs get a grip .Some off us can still remember times when we were pish for season after season . Hindsight is a great thing and most football fans seem to have a degree in it .I'm still fecked off getting paped out both cups and watching my team pass back and sideways most of the game rather than the flowing football we had for the last few seasons ,D Utd have been poor for the last few seasons now its came together for them (bastards) its all part of the ups and downs of being a provincial team .A rebuilding season this one Im afraid and by the way we are still 3rd

[ONeils40yarder]

1386177219[/url]' post='400476']

Absolutely. The argument that changing the manager doesn't or won't help is a poor one and in our case our recent managerial changes fully back that up.

 

We ditched Malpas after it was clear he could take us no further after a shocking end to the season and replaced him with McGhee. Two years later McGhee left after making it abundantly clear that he wanted to move on instead of sticking around and rebuild the squad so we brought in Gannon who did just that. After things started to 'happen' off the park with him we replaced him with Brown who steadied the ship...then a year later he moved on and in came McCall who, despite his faults, guided us to a cup final, a 3rd placed finish and then a 2nd placed finish. He knew he would have to rebuild the squad over the summer if he stayed with us and I'm afraid that the players he had brought in aren't good enough because we have an unbalanced midfield and zero pace and are thus an uninspiring side going nowhere and I believe that McCall has done as much as he can with us.

 

In answer to the question of who should be brought in though, I say....Paul Hartley.

 

Agree with you right up until the last two words........fuck that for a carry on, he is a wee wanker of a man.

[East_Stand_Al]

No post match intreviews on MFC TV, the players clearly staying away from Twitter and other than an interview with Las in the ET it's as if it never happened.

 

Are the club waiting until the pre match presser for the Sellik game so they can fill us full of shite and expect us to swallow it?

 

The least I expected was an Email from the manager.

 

 

[fat_tony]

The least I expected was an Email from the manager.

 

I'd rather we get a response on the pitch on Friday night than an email apologising for Saturday. The manager's got enough to do picking the team up and preparing for the next game without having to spend it grovelling to the baying mob.

 

Aside from the fact that I don't think there's any footballing justification for dismissing McCall at this stage, look at it from a logistical point of view. You only have to look at the likes of Morton to see the type of shit situation sacking your manager can put you in. They got rid of Allan Moore and had to blow what little budget they had left paying his compensation. Getting shot of a manager costs money that could be better spent investing in the squad during the next window.

[foghorn]

No post match intreviews on MFC TV, the players clearly staying away from Twitter and other than an interview with Las in the ET it's as if it never happened.

 

Are the club waiting until the pre match presser for the Sellik game so they can fill us full of shite and expect us to swallow it?

 

The least I expected was an Email from the manager.

 

 

 

2 Interviews in The Sun today. 1 from Las and one from Kenny Black ( I suppose he had to come out of hiding at some point}

[ropy]

1386153426[/url]' post='400419']

Im quite concerned that he's saying we have not become a bad team after 1 game.

 

Its blatantly obvious to those of us watching the games that we have been a bad team all season. Im actually very concerned that the players might be thinking they are a bounce here or a kick there away from everything clicking, when the reality is that we are very poor but fortunate that we are in a poor league.

 

Heres a hint Keith.......

 

- No movement off the ball

- No link between midfield and attack

- No players who can pick the ball up and drive forward

- All of the above has resulted in a reliance on long balls over the top to Sutton and hope Anier can break the offside trap.

 

No ability to take a throw in

[Andy_P]

No post match intreviews on MFC TV, the players clearly staying away from Twitter and other than an interview with Las in the ET it's as if it never happened.

 

Are the club waiting until the pre match presser for the Sellik game so they can fill us full of shite and expect us to swallow it?

 

The least I expected was an Email from the manager.

 

 

 

In terms of twitter since there were some supporters tweeting six and seven of them at a time calling an embarassment and the likes I'm not really that surprised they aren't up for the if RT if I shave my pubes style Hammy "banter".

[East_Stand_Al]

I'd rather we get a response on the pitch on Friday night than an email apologising for Saturday. The manager's got enough to do picking the team up and preparing for the next game without having to spend it grovelling to the baying mob.

 

Aside from the fact that I don't think there's any footballing justification for dismissing McCall at this stage, look at it from a logistical point of view. You only have to look at the likes of Morton to see the type of shit situation sacking your manager can put you in. They got rid of Allan Moore and had to blow what little budget they had left paying his compensation. Getting shot of a manager costs money that could be better spent investing in the squad during the next window.

 

Assuming they actually give a toss then the players should be picking themselves up after that shambles, if they cannot lift themselves for a game against the Champions both incumbent and elect then they have no business playing football for a living.

 

Part of the Managers role is to interact with the fans he was quick enough to do so at the Sportsmans dinner where everyone was having a good time and everything was happy and positive.

 

Maybe the big book of excuses has gone missing.

[Yabba's Turd]

No ability to take a throw in

We've always been shite at shies

[Frazzie]

ALWAYS.

 

Jim Paterson even got sent off for taking one at Rugby Park if I remember rightly.

[Tid]

We've always been shite at shies

 

ahem, only after the authorities stopped big Craigan opening the gate into the east stand in preparation for his rocket launcher throw-ins back in the day.......

[johnstone]

No post match intreviews on MFC TV, the players clearly staying away from Twitter and other than an interview with Las in the ET it's as if it never happened.

 

Are the club waiting until the pre match presser for the Sellik game so they can fill us full of shite and expect us to swallow it?

 

The least I expected was an Email from the manager.

 

 

What do you want them to say? Will anything they say lift your deep despair? Will it fuck.

 

Just move on - it's a blip on an otherwise excellent few seasons.

[Ya Bezzer!]

Right.

 

To all the people wanting Stuart McCall to be sacked - tell me who do we replace him with who will do better. (Remember we are currently 3rd the the league)

 

Answers please!

 

I don't want Stuart McCall sacked because he has enough good stuff banked for it to be taken into consideration when placed against the complete cunt he has made of this season.

 

But I think lots of managers could have us playing better football, rebuilt the squad better in the summer and have progressed us in the cups. True, we are currently 3rd in the league but we won't be for long and I think unless things improve quickly we might struggle to stay Top 6.

 

The biggest concern though is fans drifting away now with a 'dead' season and the inevitable financial problems that will lead to.

 

McCall's predilection for making the same mistakes over and over again has alienated a lot of the support. There's no point in saying 'who could do better' the reason McCall should remain, for the time being at least, as manager is 'he has done this, this and this'.

 

Right now he has enough achievements to cancel out the disappointments but no one can live off past glories long and it's down to him, if he wants to stay in the job, to get adding positives before the negatives take over.

[weeyin]

But I think lots of managers could have us playing better football, rebuilt the squad better in the summer and have progressed us in the cups. True, we are currently 3rd in the league but we won't be for long and I think unless things improve quickly we might struggle to stay Top 6.

 

The only manager in recent memory who might have been able to rebuild the squad better was Gannon. And even he may have struggled to replace as many first team regulars as we lost given the fact we had a smaller budget this season than last (and much smaller than when Gannon was boss).

[siebsbarmyarmy]

I don't want Stuart McCall sacked because he has enough good stuff banked for it to be taken into consideration when placed against the complete cunt he has made of this season.

 

But I think lots of managers could have us playing better football, rebuilt the squad better in the summer and have progressed us in the cups. True, we are currently 3rd in the league but we won't be for long and I think unless things improve quickly we might struggle to stay Top 6.

 

The biggest concern though is fans drifting away now with a 'dead' season and the inevitable financial problems that will lead to.

 

McCall's predilection for making the same mistakes over and over again has alienated a lot of the support. There's no point in saying 'who could do better' the reason McCall should remain, for the time being at least, as manager is 'he has done this, this and this'.

 

Right now he has enough achievements to cancel out the disappointments but no one can live off past glories long and it's down to him, if he wants to stay in the job, to get adding positives before the negatives take over.

 

Personally couldn't have put it better.

[texanwellfan]

Sorry, I don't get the " dead" season and nothing to play for.

[Dr.Pepper]

Sorry, I don't get the " dead" season and nothing to play for.

 

Exactly. We are in the same position as last season. Out of Europe and both cups before Christmas and last season turned out fine. We played much better in the second half of last season than the first. Hopefully the same happens this year too.

[Ya Bezzer!]

Exactly. We are in the same position as last season. Out of Europe and both cups before Christmas and last season turned out fine. We played much better in the second half of last season than the first. Hopefully the same happens this year too.

 

I think that since we have not so much as scored a goal in European competition since Stuart McCall took the helm, a lot of the excitement of looking forward to European matches has gone.

 

But the main reason is I think people are realistic enough to look at teams like Dundee Utd, Aberdeen and Inverness and say they are better than us, and suspect for all the will in the world that we won't finish in a European place.

 

More than likely this current squad will be further weakened in the new year.

[Brazilian]

just watched this weeks pre match pressers, on facebook, and when they finish the link loops back automatically to last weeks pre-match press brief

 

I've just about kept a lid on it all week, but that just pissed me right off

 

#professional approach, just a fuckin soundbite obviously, how does that leave us, going forward?

 

Was just about over Ibrox, when he abandoned the Euro-tie at Halftime and wasted the experience, St Johnstone was pathetic, could live with Aberdeen, but messing about in the most important game of the season, not even watching them, not starting strong then resting players, not even filling the bench? LD should be kicking his arse and he should be publicly acknowledging his part in the shambles, not be-moaning the lack of quality, Saturday was all about attitude and he set the tone

[Ya Bezzer!]

The only manager in recent memory who might have been able to rebuild the squad better was Gannon. And even he may have struggled to replace as many first team regulars as we lost given the fact we had a smaller budget this season than last (and much smaller than when Gannon was boss).

 

The proof of the pudding is this - is the current squad good enough? It's not, not only have most of the players brought in have failed to spark (not necessarily McCall's fault) but the make up of the squad, the balance of the squad is completely inadequate and heavily weighted to defensive players and strikers.

 

We had a situation at the weekend where one player, Iain Vigurs, was injured and because of that we couldn't field one creative, attack minded central midfielder in the game.

 

That's beyond shoddy and veering towards incompetence in terms of re building the squad. Law, Ojamaa and Humphrey left and only Vigurs was brought in who you could say would slot into one of those vacant positions.

 

If budgets cuts are responsible when why did McCall sign Lawson? Anyone? He doesn't fit into our system and he's not going to change the system to suit Lawson. We never really needed a player like him in the first place. So why did he bring him in? Lawson is to all extents and purposes a wasted wage with Carswell and Lasley already on the books.

 

The whole McFadden farrago is highly suspect in itself, dragging on all summer before signing a completely unfit and unmotivated player, but besides him we do not have a single attacking wide player in the first team squad bar a loan player who will probably be booted back to his parent club in January and who doesn't deserve an extension any way.

 

It's December and no one has any idea what our best XI is, because the manager doesn't have a clue how to cobble a team together out of the squad THAT HE ASSEMBLED.

 

If you are playing a 4-4-2 you need at least three wide midfield players, we have one contracted. If you are playing a 4-4-2 you need at least two creative attacking midfield players, we have one contracted and nothing else. If you are playing 4-4-2 you need at most 4 strikers. We have 5, including one that has been brought in on loan and is probably taking a large whack of cash out the club.

 

I don't doubt McCall works under difficult financial restrictions but those restrictions will only get worse next season due to his incompetence during the summer to build a balanced squad that was fit for purpose.

[Lobey_Dosser]

Also bear in mind that we pulled out of a loan move for Dylan McGeough, someone capable of carrying the ball and beating a man, because he wouldn't get a game in the middle of the park...

[weeyin]

I agree we lack balance, but I think that's down to players not performing rather than the makeup of the players we signed.

 

Ainsworth was brought in for pace out wide. Vigurs was, presumably supposed to add some guile to the midfield as a ball player, and Faddy was presumed to continue his form from last season. 0 / 3 happening has definitely left us struggling.

 

Sutton has been a decent replacement for Higgy (and would have prospered with equal service) and Anier filled a need at the start of the season - one which I can see Moore moving on to fill in the 2nd half of the campaign.

 

We didn't have the budget to replace the players we lost, so are depending on cheaper alternatives. That usually means lower quality or less experience. Either one brings it's own problems.

 

For all that, I honestly don't think any team can suffer so many changes in key personnel in key positions and not see a significant drop in performance. I wish it was different, but in all the years I've been watching football I can't remember any counterexamples.

 

McCall definitely needs to earn his wages over the next few weeks and work out some sort of system to keep picking up the points (which to be fair we have been doing at home at least). But the key to what's left of this season is what we do in January.

 

We need at least one body in the midfield that has some creativity and equally, if not more importantly for me, we desperately need someone from midfield who can contribute some goals. Our goal return from the current midfielders is woeful. If I was an opposition manager I'd focus on nullifying our front two and feel safe goals wouldn't be arriving from anywhere else.

[Goggles & Flippers]

weeyin is totally on the money here.

 

When Ojamaa signed, he was electric for 8 games because nobody knew how to handle or play against him. When his influence dried up I remember thinking, son you have to reinvent yourself every 10 games or so to keep them guessing.

 

I think we're in a position where the current set up is stagnant mainly due to a number of players under-performing. Whither that's down to being played out of position or unfavourable tactics/instructions to suit their own specific game.

 

The only things I can identify are criticisms from our first pre-season friendly, the midfield in terms of creativity, ball winning and covering back was lambasted. That continued on through the European games and pretty much most of the season. Only thing that has masked the shortcomings was the inability of some of our opposition in the same areas of the park.

 

My mantra with McCall from day 1 is he is more concerned with limiting damage than inflicting it.

 

Still won't punt him, just ask him to explain why he is so slow to change style, formations, subs etc.

[Ian-in-Oz]

The proof of the pudding is this - is the current squad good enough? It's not, not only have most of the players brought in have failed to spark (not necessarily McCall's fault) but the make up of the squad, the balance of the squad is completely inadequate and heavily weighted to defensive players and strikers.

 

We had a situation at the weekend where one player, Iain Vigurs, was injured and because of that we couldn't field one creative, attack minded central midfielder in the game.

 

That's beyond shoddy and veering towards incompetence in terms of re building the squad. Law, Ojamaa and Humphrey left and only Vigurs was brought in who you could say would slot into one of those vacant positions.

 

If budgets cuts are responsible when why did McCall sign Lawson? Anyone? He doesn't fit into our system and he's not going to change the system to suit Lawson. We never really needed a player like him in the first place. So why did he bring him in? Lawson is to all extents and purposes a wasted wage with Carswell and Lasley already on the books.

 

The whole McFadden farrago is highly suspect in itself, dragging on all summer before signing a completely unfit and unmotivated player, but besides him we do not have a single attacking wide player in the first team squad bar a loan player who will probably be booted back to his parent club in January and who doesn't deserve an extension any way.

 

It's December and no one has any idea what our best XI is, because the manager doesn't have a clue how to cobble a team together out of the squad THAT HE ASSEMBLED.

 

If you are playing a 4-4-2 you need at least three wide midfield players, we have one contracted. If you are playing a 4-4-2 you need at least two creative attacking midfield players, we have one contracted and nothing else. If you are playing 4-4-2 you need at most 4 strikers. We have 5, including one that has been brought in on loan and is probably taking a large whack of cash out the club.

 

I don't doubt McCall works under difficult financial restrictions but those restrictions will only get worse next season due to his incompetence during the summer to build a balanced squad that was fit for purpose.

Of the 3 players you mention i think it was Vigurs for Law, Anier for Ojamaa & Aisnsworth for Humphrey. Are these players as good as the 3 they replaced? No they are not. Has it worked out as McCall hoped? No it's piss poor but you can see he did try to match like for like.

Oh and don't suggest Lawson is a waste of a wage i suggested this way back in the Euro ties when he was already a bench player also stating we were already well catered for in his position and got lambasted for such a statement.