Frazzie Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 The "heavy" investment came after we were up shit creek. It's rare for any team to be able to buy itself out of that kind of trouble. You don't ever get the best players in the January window. However, I think the only strange thing about this season was the timing. We had a massive rebuild 2 seasons ago, and it was likely that was going to have a negative impact on the team. What happened last season was, by any stretch, remarkable. I have no idea how you can lose so many first team players and win as many games as we did. What we're seeing now is what I expected then. But, win the play-off and it will still be one of the sweetest ever I agree with every word of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punk_in_drublic Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 End of season analysis, where to begin. It's been a season full of massive disappointment. From last season, I always felt we weren't as good as our 2nd place finish suggested. So this season, I expected a lesser finish, but I think I expected something no the region of 8th to 6th. With the 11th placed finish, we've seen some real lethargy from some of the players. One thing that sticks out in my mind is the number of injuries. I remember when the physio left, we were all thinking it wasn't a massive problem. It was more dissapointing because he'd been here for so long. Maybe it was just coincidence, but for me this season has been a case of missing men. When you think about it, the following players have effectively been missing the whole season: Paul Lawson Iain Vigurs Jack Leitch Zaine Fraincis-Angol Stevie Hammell Craig Moore All of the above have had quite serious injuries over the course of the year. Goalkeeping wise it's been another disaster. It seems like we've rotated our way through some right mince over the last wee while. I think most would agree that Twardzik, Nielsen and Long don't bring much confidence. Of them all, I reckon Twardzik is the best, but he's not good enough to be a Number 1 with a Premiership team. There's been some right dodgy signings, Law and Straker are the two prime examples. For me, both are playing in a league way above their ability. Long hasn't exactly been great. Then we have the boy Nathan Thomas, what's going on with him! These are my on the park memories of this season, bad injuries, bad goalkeepers and questionable signings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 A season of 2 managers.... One who failed to prepare us for this season...no pre-season friendlies, lazy signings (Wee Dan and Nickys brother spring to mind), a disjointed and lop-side squad (no real back up for Hammell, no real left-midfielder, 2 year deals handed out to veteran midfielders, no replacement for Hutch). McCall started this mess.... ....Baraclough took it to new lows. I genuinely think that he totally underestimated the level of football that he was coming into...some of his signings would certainly suggest that. Also, his insistence on sticking by a 442 has cost us umpteen points 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 I have some sympathy with the 4-4-2 dilemma. We have proved over the past few seasons that we are pretty useless at any formation that involved Higdon or Sutton as a lone striker, and Skippy doesn't really suit that role either. I don't think Baraclough underesitmated the level of football in the SPFL so much as not realising how poor we were. He likely thought a team that finished 2nd the prior season couldn't be that bad. The guy has had a lot to deal with, from being handed Black as an assistant to a complete restructuring of the club from top to bottom. Not to mention having to bring in a large number of players to integrate into the team with zero time. His hit rate there isn't too bad with Laing, Johnson, Pearson, Skippy and Grant (when he plays in centre mid) all having fitted in pretty quickly. Giving Dom Thomas and Erwin more playing time was also a bonus compared with McCall's attitude to blooding youngsters. Would love if it those 2 made a big impact in the play off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 A season of 2 managers.... One who failed to prepare us for this season...no pre-season friendlies, lazy signings (Wee Dan and Nickys brother spring to mind), a disjointed and lop-side squad (no real back up for Hammell, no real left-midfielder, 2 year deals handed out to veteran midfielders, no replacement for Hutch). McCall started this mess.... ....Baraclough took it to new lows. I genuinely think that he totally underestimated the level of football that he was coming into...some of his signings would certainly suggest that. Also, his insistence on sticking by a 442 has cost us umpteen points Can't really fault any of that. I'd also add that McCalls substitutions were always left too late in games and, while Baracloughs are timed better, they are generally bonkers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Wispy Flossy Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 Can't really fault any of that. I'd also add that McCalls substitutions were always left too late in games and, while Baracloughs are timed better, they are generally bonkers. Barraclough not yet realised that bringing Fraser Kerr on at right midfield is a game changer. Why the fuck did McCall subject us to that nearly every week? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 A season of 2 managers.... One who failed to prepare us for this season...no pre-season friendlies, lazy signings (Wee Dan and Nickys brother spring to mind), a disjointed and lop-side squad (no real back up for Hammell, no real left-midfielder, 2 year deals handed out to veteran midfielders, no replacement for Hutch). McCall started this mess.... ....Baraclough took it to new lows. I genuinely think that he totally underestimated the level of football that he was coming into...some of his signings would certainly suggest that. Also, his insistence on sticking by a 442 has cost us umpteen points Good post overall but I don't know that Barra does play 4-4-2. More often than not Sutton or Erwin plays up front with MacDonald or Moore playing between them and the midfield. That formation just doesn't suit Moore or MacDonald. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderpig Posted May 26, 2015 Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Good post overall but I don't know that Barra does play 4-4-2. More often than not Sutton or Erwin plays up front with MacDonald or Moore playing between them and the midfield. That formation just doesn't suit Moore or MacDonald. For me 4-4-2 would be the preferred option, with Skippy / Moore and Sutton / Erwin up top, combine this with Ainsworth and Johnson as good old fashioned wingers and we could have a very effective formation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yabba's Turd Posted May 27, 2015 Report Share Posted May 27, 2015 For me 4-4-2 would be the preferred option, with Skippy / Moore and Sutton / Erwin up top, combine this with Ainsworth and Johnson as good old fashioned wingers and we could have a very effective formation. You need a better midfield two than Lasley and Pearson to play with two wingers, Johnson being slightly better at tracking back than Ainsworth who is an empty jersey when trying to defend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted May 27, 2015 Report Share Posted May 27, 2015 A season of 2 managers.... One who failed to prepare us for this season...no pre-season friendlies, lazy signings (Wee Dan and Nickys brother spring to mind), a disjointed and lop-side squad (no real back up for Hammell, no real left-midfielder, 2 year deals handed out to veteran midfielders, no replacement for Hutch). McCall started this mess.... ....Baraclough took it to new lows. I genuinely think that he totally underestimated the level of football that he was coming into...some of his signings would certainly suggest that. Also, his insistence on sticking by a 442 has cost us umpteen points I'm certainly no Baraclough fan boy, I think he has made a lot of mistakes but I think you are wrong that he has taken us to new lows. I think he needs to improve to dramatically but we have been better in the second half of the season than the first. The performances under McCall were truly woeful. We have been better under Baraclough, even if we haven't been good enough overall. Also we don't play a McCall style 4-4-2. Baraclough has improved us formation wise and 'modernised' us by playing quite a flexible 4-2-3-1 base. We can play it as a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 and switch about as the match demands it. That's how we should be playing and how most of the rest of the league plays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted May 28, 2015 Report Share Posted May 28, 2015 To be fair, under McCall during the good times, we did play 4231 with McFadden, Ojaama and Humphrey behind Higdon in what was his best six months. Regards whether things have got better or worse under Baraclough, fitness has certainly improved. No longer do we seem to have players struggling after 60 minutes of games. Strikes me that under Baraclough, we're either great or dreadful. We tend not to lose or win games by the odd goal but by wider margins. What that points to, I'm not sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohwulliewullie Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Good season. Don't know what all the fuss was about. Next! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJ-94 Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Last two games have shown just how much we've missed hammell this season IMO , different league from our other left back options . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.