purestate Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 Chalmers did ok. Indeed and if McG isn't sure where to play him he could try striker. At least two shots on target from JC tonight (one from own half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistandshout1983 Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 Glad of the win tonight and of the 3 goals though it could have been so much more if we could have took some of those chances. Welcome back Faddy as well for the 5th time. The guy is MFC through and through and quite happy to have him in his new role. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 I left with a lingering frustration that we weren't able to put more gloss on the scoreline and a little apprehensive it that might come back to bite us on Saturday, but I suppose we'll deal with that when it comes. As for tonight, obvious as it sounds, I suspect if we had been able to put away one or two of those early chances then the result might have been somewhat more than three. Get that early goal and the confidence begins to flow for us and ebb away for 'Shire. Instead they had much to hold to for a good bit of the game whereas we had an increasing amount of pressure to get a goal and an increasingly edgy support looking ever more readily at the clock. When they came all three of goals were pleasing on the eye. Just a pity there weren't a few more of them. It's perhaps significant and worth remembering though that when the glut of first half chances came against Rangers in the opening tie and across the ninety minutes tonight our most prolific striker was either sitting on the bench or in a hospital bed. Similarly I notice that despite some scepticism about the calibre of our displays we've managed to replicate the winning margin of Rangers over both Annan and East Stirlingshire. Were we to repeat that again on Saturday I would like to think that would be sufficient to see us through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shire Greats Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 Trialist Craig Clay won't be getting an offer I thought he looked quite tidy......whether he will get an offer is up to manager , but Thought he did fine for his first game 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 No problem with the booing at half time as perfirmance was howling and pedestrian there was more urgency 2 nd half so no idea why booed at end never noticed that. Have to say I never heard any booing at full time either but I am going a bit cornbeef in the left lug hole! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 Regarding Dom Thomas, I expect McGhee and McFadden to work him hard between now and the end of August before deciding whether he should go out on loan. Look how far Marvin has came on over the last 9 months. He's a machine now oozing with confidence. If Dom is as dedicated, we'll have a fine player on our our hands. Personally mind you, I'd like to see him play centrally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al B Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 He needs to keep his game simpler if he's to play in the middle. He can just about get away with losing posession if he's wider, but the amount of times he does too much and gets caught would absolutely kill us in the middle of the park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 It's not preseason. Except it is. The only difference being that (as McGhee pointed out) in a real pre-season he doesn't have to keep easing back on (or missing) training sessions because of the games. The only other difference is that we are winning games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 Playing far far too narrow. Dom & Caddentucking in alongside Las & Clay(pointless). Need to get support up and two wide players to spread the play. McDonald having a howler I think. Never a lone striker. Only plus point I really like the blue top. Didn't make the game tonight. Very, very interesting comments. Its a frequent feature of our play that if we field 5 midfielders we still play very narrow - I don't know why, and it caused us terrible problems against Rangers. I realise that we're short of strikers but never for a moment did I think we'd play McDonald on his own up front. I had assumed he'd be partnered by Johnson, Ainsworth or Mackin. As you say Skippy simply can't play on his own up front. I thought we'd binned that idea. A lone striker against East Stirling at home??? The BBC stats maybe reflect our set up - 23 shots at goal with 11 being on target and hitting the net 3 times. Finally playing 2 central defensive midfielders (on the assumption that Clay is a holding midfielder)? Given the gulf in class a poor result but yes, we did win. However the scoreline and pattern of the game would seem to reflect our set up. Maybe Mark McGhee used the game as a warm up for Killie? Worth noting other Premiership sides experienced problems tonight - no doubt reflecting lower league teams enviable fitness at this time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 I thought he looked quite tidy......whether he will get an offer is up to manager , but Thought he did fine for his first game Agreed. I was impressed actually. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWeegieDosser Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 I hope Dom Thomas can learn from Faddy. Clearly has all the skill necessary, but doesn't seem to be developing in terms of decision making or game awareness. Needs to be guided better for me. The other concern is just lack of core strength, not needing to turn into the Hulk or anything like it. See Skippy for a benchmark of how to use whatever physique you have . If squad makeup permits I would agree that a loan spell may be the best way forward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 Did fine. Thomas hasn't got it, whatever 'it' is. Johnson is magic, scored three good goals. Tait's touch and cross for Cadden's was perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellarmy Posted July 26, 2016 Report Share Posted July 26, 2016 I'm with her Aye nae bother pal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 I hope Dom Thomas can learn from Faddy. Clearly has all the skill necessary, but doesn't seem to be developing in terms of decision making or game awareness. Needs to be guided better for me. The other concern is just lack of core strength, not needing to turn into the Hulk or anything like it. See Skippy for a benchmark of how to use whatever physique you have . If squad makeup permits I would agree that a loan spell may be the best way forward I suspect Thomas will receive the same Sports Scientist treatment this season that Cadden & Hall received last season to beef (and sharpen) them up a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilwell86 Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 I too think Craig clay looked good, wasn't wasteful with the ball, done what you'd expect a player in that position too....you also have to remember that it's not a pre season friendly, there is actually something at stake so trialists can't afford to try and show off, they have to play for the team and the 3 points, so that said....good 'debut' and hopefully see more against a better opposition on Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 We started off like a train but after a couple of minutes it just seemed to peter out to fairly long passing sequences without any inclination of end product. It was one of these games where most of them had decent games without anyone being outstanding however a couple of sources for concern in the 1st half were Dom Thomas's continual desire to give away possession and throw in that when he looked like the ball that was on he seemed to run behind players and effectively hide. I really want him to do well but he was making so many clearly wrong decisions he was getting right on my wick. Other issue was Ben Heneghan's distribution. Absolutely fine winning the ball but two or three really careless passes in the first half that if we were playing someone a bit better we'd have been in all sorts of bother. Bringing on Ainsworth broadened the pitch and turned it from a game we were plodding through to one that we played through and Clay and Cadden in particular should have done better with chances that were cleared from the line in the second half. The goal Cadden scored was by far the toughest of the three chances he had. He looked like a real player in the second half, driving, crossing, making good runs and he looks like he has beefed out again. Thing about Ainsworth coming on was that it suddenly meant that they couldn't double up on Johnson and he was in the game much more too. I liked the look of Clay in midfield - he seems to have that all too rare gift of keeping the ball and a good tackle in him. I don't think Heneghan will be a stranger to a yellow card the way he played that game! However winning 3-0 is a good result, other than a freak result at Dunfermline most top flight teams struggled to get anything last night and it was the same on Saturday so we should be seeing the positive that we have done a professional job on these two. Stranraer was always going to be the toughest of the non-seeded teams and it is beginning to look like a winner takes all shoot out (except a shoot out will probably see us both out!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kmcalpin Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 Any idea why Stevie Hammell was substituted last night? Was it simply tactical to give Joe Chalmers some game time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 It was a decision at half time, as soon as the second half started Joe was sent to warm up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Bremner Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 Have to say I never heard any booing at full time either but I am going a bit cornbeef in the left lug hole! Didnt hear any booing as well wonder what stand the ones who heard it were in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 I was absolutely bored rigid watching that last night...a combination of a shit crowd (which is understandable given, the type of night it was, the time of year it is and not being on the season book), very poor opposition and a bit of a turgid display. I quite like the format of this tournament as it gives a bit of interest at the start of the season, but the downside of it is games like this, where it really is a struggle to get excited about it. On the team itself, its hugely apparent how much we miss Louis Moult when he is out, even against lowly opposition like East Stirling McDonald can never be a loan striker. I thought Samson dealt with the little thrown at him well, and unlike most I'm relatively comfortable with him being our No.1 In defence, again very little to deal with I thought Heneghan and McManus were comfortable throughout, although I agree with Tweed that the formers distribution needs a fair amount of work as he was wasteful at times. Hammell, looks a bit away from fitness to me, or is it just his age? He struggled on the overlap and keeping up with the pace of our team. Tait for me, looks to be the most solid addition we have made over the Summer, hardly put a foot wrong and looked competent on the attack also. Midfield looks like it is going to be our big issue again this season. Clay looked composed and never really lost possession, but alongside Lasley (and I'd imagine even more so alongside McHugh), we lacked any sort of inventiveness. Cadden for me has a terrific engine and presence, but his final ball lets him down along with his decision making...which leads me onto Dom Thomas, the wee fella, needs to get out on loan asap AND bulk up a bit, the amount of times he loses possession by over-doing things must be absolutely infuriating for the more senior players. Marvin Johnson, was the stand-out player on the field and Scott McDonald would be better served trying to rein in his temper tantrums a wee bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 Cadden's ball to McDonald wasn't bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 it was a smashing ball, but he wasted far more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 It's funny how after Johnson's poor start to last season a lot of us were wanting Thomas to be played instead of him at one point (myself included), when you see how their fortunes have differed since then. Johnson looks to be adding a product now to his pace and his play is oozing confidence. Whereas for me, the excitement that Thomas getting on the ball once provided seems to be slowly disappearing. He looks a lot less confident and indecisive. He probably should have been sent on loan by now, but it's a catch 22 of needing him for backup in a small squad. It's been a while since I seen him make a difference in a sub appearance and thought last night, a start against a lowland league side was his chance to prove himself, but unfortunately not. Thought we were solid, if untested at the back. McDonald had one of his huffing and puffing nights where it's everyone's fault but his. Sadly, for all the great benefits he brings you in a season, this is going to happen now and again. Clay seemed decent but for me, didn't show anything that different to what we have. Booing was ridiculous, we missed a couple of frustrating chances early on, but yet were patient and continued trying to play the right way until the goal came, with no panic stations. On another night we'd have won by several more, but with practice that touch will come. I can't believe anyone has thinks we have the right to be angry with a 3-0 victory against anyone. Some of our fans are total weapons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 A lot of what I was gonna say has been said. I thoguth Clay was decent. nice few touches and loved a pass and move. Dom Thomas should have been loaded out a year or two ago. Skippy and Hammell gonna be the boo boys choices this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al B Posted July 27, 2016 Report Share Posted July 27, 2016 The thing I'm most happy about with out recent additions, is that in Richard Tait we now have a full-back who when we get a throw-in, goes over and takes the throw-in, without needing 8 days to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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