Lukemfc1 Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Decided to go on Saturday against my better judgement. Ultimately left the stadium fuming.On the way home I eventually calmed down a bit. I thought for the most part we were excellent on Saturday. It is the same old story against the old firm but I really think we need to take the positives from Saturday. Couldn't fault any of the players at all. Thought Chalmers & Clay in particular were terrific. Our use of the ball in the midfield was very calm and assured especially in the first half. I thought Lasley and McDonald were terrific with this. McManus done better than usual at the back too. Make no mistake the team we were playing on Saturday will struggle to get top 3 this year but that doesn't take away from the performance we put in. If we can play like that we will beat the majority of teams in the league. Only criticism i would have is we should have made a sub earlier, I get what McGhee said about lack of depth but I think at that stage of the game it was more about legs than quality. A lot of the players had put so much into the game they weres simply exhausted. Overall I was really encouraged by the perfomance and still believe if we can play like that most week and with Moult back in the squad we can easily achieve top 6. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshillWell Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 The substitution,or lack off, cost us. Clay was running on empty and needed off and McDonald wasn't far behind. Blyth doesn't look the most mobile, but dropping McDonald into midfield was crazy. We had McFadden on the bench who could have slotted into midfield and used his experience and also Thomas who could have retained the ball too. Lee Lucas was another option. Ultimately, we lost a point by lack of managerial action, after putting in such a performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Am I being incredibly harsh in saying that our defender on the line (I think McManus) looked like he was beaten very easily for their first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underboyleheating Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 We could have used one of the teenagers to come on and give us fresh legs in midfield... ...If we don't have a midfielder in the u20s who can put in a better 15 minute shift than a knackered McDonald it's a bad reflection on everyone involved. Agreed. Lesser teams with young inexperienced players have managed to hold Rangers for a lot longer than 15 minutes. I know it’s an intimidating atmosphere, however, they need to start somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Thomas who could have retained the ball too. Thomas who? You can't be talking about Dom Thomas, as giving the ball away is all he does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshillWell Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Lasley made his debut against Rangers at Ibrox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couttsy Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Decided to go on Saturday against my better judgement. Ultimately left the stadium fuming.On the way home I eventually calmed down a bit. I thought for the most part we were excellent on Saturday. It is the same old story against the old firm but I really think we need to take the positives from Saturday. Couldn't fault any of the players at all. Thought Chalmers & Clay in particular were terrific. Our use of the ball in the midfield was very calm and assured especially in the first half. I thought Lasley and McDonald were terrific with this. McManus done better than usual at the back too. Make no mistake the team we were playing on Saturday will struggle to get top 3 this year but that doesn't take away from the performance we put in. If we can play like that we will beat the majority of teams in the league. Only criticism i would have is we should have made a sub earlier, I get what McGhee said about lack of depth but I think at that stage of the game it was more about legs than quality. A lot of the players had put so much into the game they weres simply exhausted. Overall I was really encouraged by the perfomance and still believe if we can play like that most week and with Moult back in the squad we can easily achieve top 6. Agree with all of that Lukemfc1. Also went against my better judgement and also left in a rage, but having time to cool off there were many more positives than negatives. We are clearly miss Louis and with his goals back in the team we'll be ok this season in my opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonehouse well Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Not a disaster just a bit of calamity. Dick at no 2 reasonable going forward but not now, and never will be a right back. Positioning is absolutely horrendous, I don't know if he can tackle because he's yet to be in a position to catch a player. Louis Lang - great potential but made the mistake of arguing with the mighty McManus and that was his last appearance. I actually think from the middle to front we have a decent squad. We also have great potential in the under 20's. I, however see a team scared to make mistakes and scared to express them-self. Ainsworth is told to track back and start off deeper, constantly by the dugout. His game is on the shoulder of the last line ready for a ball over the top into space to run on to. Last point - do you trust and believe in a manger that plays Skippy up front on his own ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milo Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Not a disaster just a bit of calamity. Dick at no 2 reasonable going forward but not now, and never will be a right back. Positioning is absolutely horrendous, I don't know if he can tackle because he's yet to be in a position to catch a player. Louis Lang - great potential but made the mistake of arguing with the mighty McManus and that was his last appearance. I actually think from the middle to front we have a decent squad. We also have great potential in the under 20's. I, however see a team scared to make mistakes and scared to express them-self. Ainsworth is told to track back and start off deeper, constantly by the dugout. His game is on the shoulder of the last line ready for a ball over the top into space to run on to. Last point - do you trust and believe in a manger that plays Skippy up front on his own ? Some good points. I'd have Laing in the team before McManus any day. Worrying lack of faith in the subs. Surely anyone of them could've been trusted to come on for even the last 5 and chase and close down?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Louis Laing was utter shit at centre back. Let's not turn him into a mythical creature who is better than he is. Kennedy and Ferguson rightly ahead of him in the pecking order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellowell Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Be Intetesting to see if Kennedy plays today for 20s because if fit why is he not on the bench at least which makes me think he is injured Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 From what I understand Kennedy got a really bad virus during pre season which floored him for a couple of weeks. As far as I'm aware he has been back training for a while since then right enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Louis Laing was utter shit at centre back. Let's not turn him into a mythical creature who is better than he is. Kennedy and Ferguson rightly ahead of him in the pecking order. Disagree. He did well enough to earn a two year deal in his first six months here and i've no doubt that you were posting it was a good move (probably by 'Barra'). He then had a poor start to the season with the club descending into chaos off the park and Law outside him on the park. After East FIfe he put in two decent performances in the home draw with Ross County and win at KIllie. After that he played one more game at centre back up at Ross County in a defence with Kennedy, Law and Marvin at left back. Ferguson is in the final year of his deal, didn't get great reviews in League One and is nowhere near the first team. Kennedy is a likeable guy who will go in where it hurts but is a complete bomb scare. It astounds me that anyone would think either of the two of them are better options than Laing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshillWell Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Let's just see how he gets on on loan. Personally, I'd rather have seen us play Heneghan with anyone other than McMannus this season. I don't see this 'great leader at the back' that both Barraclough and McGee refer to and I don't think he's one of the better defenders in the SPFL. If he was, plenty of teams with bigger wages to offer than us would have been circling him last January. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshillWell Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Forgot that Laing was out of contract in June. Maybe he'll get a permanent deal with Notts County and negotiate a release in January, rather than coming back here. Good luck to him. I think he has been mismanaged and if we see him in the English Championship in the future I won't be surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Disagree. He did well enough to earn a two year deal in his first six months here and i've no doubt that you were posting it was a good move (probably by 'Barra'). He then had a poor start to the season with the club descending into chaos off the park and Law outside him on the park. After East FIfe he put in two decent performances in the home draw with Ross County and win at KIllie. After that he played one more game at centre back up at Ross County in a defence with Kennedy, Law and Marvin at left back. Ferguson is in the final year of his deal, didn't get great reviews in League One and is nowhere near the first team. Kennedy is a likeable guy who will go in where it hurts but is a complete bomb scare. It astounds me that anyone would think either of the two of them are better options than Laing. We'll have to agree to disagree then I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Disagree. He did well enough to earn a two year deal in his first six months here and i've no doubt that you were posting it was a good move (probably by 'Barra'). He then had a poor start to the season with the club descending into chaos off the park and Law outside him on the park. After East FIfe he put in two decent performances in the home draw with Ross County and win at KIllie. After that he played one more game at centre back up at Ross County in a defence with Kennedy, Law and Marvin at left back. Ferguson is in the final year of his deal, didn't get great reviews in League One and is nowhere near the first team. Kennedy is a likeable guy who will go in where it hurts but is a complete bomb scare. It astounds me that anyone would think either of the two of them are better options than Laing. Can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think I agree with a steelboy post word for word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 It's not like we are comparing Laing to Maldini and Canavaro here. Out of Laing/Kennedy/Ferguson at centre back, in my opinion, he is back of the queue. There's not much between all 3 of them though... I did think he started to show a bit at right back after a shaky first 45 there up at St Johnstone. Hopefully he does well on loan and stays injury free to get a run of games. Scored at the weekend I noticed. His confidence and sharpness need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshillWell Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Strangely, I'm completely the same. I'm sure the holiday and taxi chat will come back now. Can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think I agree with a steelboy post word for word. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelvinBragg Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 I'd have Laing ahead of Kennedy and Ferguson too. I suspect that he's the one that's been shipped out partly because his wages are higher than Kennedy's and we're watching the budget. Personally, I'd also have him ahead of McManus. Laing has the potential to improve. McManus' performance levels are only going to go one way at his age. With Kilmarnock and Inverness in meltdown, I reckon we could have afforded to use this season as an opportunity to develop a team for the future rather than rely on the same old faces to keep us safe. Potential for us to do that in midfield with Clay, McHugh and Cadden but half of the back four will not improve as time passes... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt_oats Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 +1 on the Laing chat here. I'd have him slightly ahead of Kennedy and Ferguson as well. Inclined to agree with MelvinBragg that it could be as much about wages though equally it may well simply be the case that Laing was the player that other teams were interested in and willing to take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Laing is miles ahead of Ferguson. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superward Posted August 23, 2016 Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Wrong thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellfan1984 Posted August 24, 2016 Report Share Posted August 24, 2016 Laing is miles ahead of Ferguson. Aye, almost 4 years worth. But hey, in Scotland if you're naw a first team regular by age 21 you're naw good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted August 26, 2016 Report Share Posted August 26, 2016 Looks a poor result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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