Scarecrow Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I agree with the vast majority of your post MJC, only bit I'd disagree with is the 'dreadful side' part. We are not the best or the worst side in the SPL. We are set up to play one way and find it very hard to adapt to teams changing their shape against us. Our manager doesn't help matters when he is prone to changing our shape for no apparent reason. Todays result flattered us no end. Anyone who sees that result will think it was a close game, it was anything but, on another day it could have been embarrassing, Celtic missed a load of chances, missed a penalty, should have had another two. We scored twice through right howlers by Boruc and Hinkel, credit to Lukas and Marky for sticking them away but they should never had the opportunity to do so. Line-ups, tactics and substitutions continue to be baffling, McHugh and Meechan should have been on the bench today albeit they played well, you need a bit of experience going in against any SPL side nevermind the one of the OF. JG sees the players on a day to day basis, he gets paid to get what he sees as the best team on the park every match. What is abundantly clear over the last half dozen or so games is that we are not as good as some people would appear to think we are. Next weekend is another one of those 'anything we get is a bonus games', but the festive period games are going to have a big say on how the rest of the season is going to pan out for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decorator Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 we will be nowhere near the bottom at the end of the season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaka Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Wasnt a great performance, we didnt start at all. Had a good end to the 1st half but entire second half was shocking. Ruddy kept the score down and the experience in this kind of game will only benefit Saunders,McHugh,Pollock,Juke,Meechan etc. However This was not the game to debut Meechan + Pollock! were chasing a goal and JG puts on a 17yo debutant instead of our 2nd top scorer? Crying out for someone (apart from Hateley) to put their foot on the ball and Forbes just gets 15-20 mins? We need Hutch back in defence sorely and had absolutely no creativity out wide. I fear a humping at Ibrox next week and the 3 games after that we need 7 points at the very least. Think Gannon needs to forget his one man crusade on referees and sort his team a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellmanandy Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I actually enjoyed the match today despite the scoreline. Good to see Jennings in midfield, I thought he gave us a bit of 'dig'. Another cracking performance from Ruddy - deserved the MOTM. Didn't agee with bringing Pollock on, Sutton would have done a better job linking up with Lukas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I agree with the vast majority of your post MJC, only bit I'd disagree with is the 'dreadful side' part. We are not the best or the worst side in the SPL. We are set up to play one way and find it very hard to adapt to teams changing their shape against us. Our manager doesn't help matters when he is prone to changing our shape for no apparent reason. Todays result flattered us no end. Anyone who sees that result will think it was a close game, it was anything but, on another day it could have been embarrassing, Celtic missed a load of chances, missed a penalty, should have had another two. We scored twice through right howlers by Boruc and Hinkel, credit to Lukas and Marky for sticking them away but they should never had the opportunity to do so. Line-ups, tactics and substitutions continue to be baffling, McHugh and Meechan should have been on the bench today albeit they played well, you need a bit of experience going in against any SPL side nevermind the one of the OF. JG sees the players on a day to day basis, he gets paid to get what he sees as the best team on the park every match. What is abundantly clear over the last half dozen or so games is that we are not as good as some people would appear to think we are. Next weekend is another one of those 'anything we get is a bonus games', but the festive period games are going to have a big say on how the rest of the season is going to pan out for us. If McHugh was on the bench we wouldn't have scored. When did Gannon change the shape for no reason? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East_Stand_Al Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I thought we started slowly and as many have said had our best spell in the latter part of the first half. Throughout the game Hinkell and McGeady were given way too much space with Meechan looking like he was trying to mark the two of them. I can't understand why we insist on giving opposing players so much space, we don't seem to tackle or challenge players until they get close to the 18 yard line, that's where we could make a massive difference. I don't know where these so called stonewall penalties have come from I certainly didn't see cause for any penalties and the ref allowed the game to flow . Perhaps we should remember we are a young side who are still developing their skills but have bucketloads of heart and enthusiasm. A top 6 finish would be a great achievement for a side who were predicted for relegation at the start of the season , we have come a long way from the side which was decimated in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 I thought we started slowly and as many have said had our best spell in the latter part of the first half. Throughout the game Hinkell and McGeady were given way too much space with Meechan looking like he was trying to mark the two of them. I can't understand why we insist on giving opposing players so much space, we don't seem to tackle or challenge players until they get close to the 18 yard line, that's where we could make a massive difference. I don't know where these so called stonewall penalties have come from I certainly didn't see cause for any penalties and the ref allowed the game to flow . Perhaps we should remember we are a young side who are still developing their skills but have bucketloads of heart and enthusiasm. A top 6 finish would be a great achievement for a side who were predicted for relegation at the start of the season , we have come a long way from the side which was decimated in the summer. There was a stonewall handball but I don't know the second one that people are going on about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 If Boruc hadn't ballsed it up we wouldn't have scored. Fixed it for you!! Accies, Aberdeen and United, Forbes was subbed and the shape went pearshaped on each occasion. We seem to have a much better balance when he is on the field, this seems to disappear on his almost inevitable substitution. If he can't last a full game he should have been on the bench, or better still, being in for double sessions on his fitness levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwullie Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 There was a stonewall handball but I don't know the second one that people are going on about. Reynolds had a really clumsy tackle on Samaras early on which no-one claimed for but was a clear penalty on the telly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 A top 6 finish would be a great achievement for a side who were predicted for relegation at the start of the season , we have come a long way from the side which was decimated in the summer. A top 6 finish would a good achievement (maybe not great) but we are as close to team above us as we are 11th right now - 7 points in each direction. 7th placed Hamilton Accies are only 4 points behind us and we are at Ibrox next week - not a happy hunting ground. Meanwhile we have 1 win in the last 8 league matches. We need 4 points out the next 9 at least or we will likely fall out of the Top 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Grew Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 - Undoubtedly the better side won and probably should have won more comfortably. - We only really competed from when Samaras scored until half-time. - Man of the match and the best goalkeeper seen at FP in years John Ruddy. - It took 3 goals right out of the top drawer to beat us. - The guy who came off the bench (the bench mind you) to score the winner cost £4M!! - Jim Gannon inherited a playing staff that had been sorely neglected by previous managers and deserves great credit for getting us into 5th in the SPL with a team of boys. - Disappointing to note that yet again (as in too many games this season) we capitulated far too easily in the second half. - We badly need to look at our two full backs who couldn't defend for toffee. - Jim Gannon will need a wee bit of financial help from the board to try and get a few more experienced players in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazamfc Posted December 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 - Undoubtedly the better side won and probably should have won more comfortably.- We only really competed from when Samaras scored until half-time. - Man of the match and the best goalkeeper seen at FP in years John Ruddy. - It took 3 goals right out of the top drawer to beat us. - The guy who came off the bench (the bench mind you) to score the winner cost £4M!! - Jim Gannon inherited a playing staff that had been sorely neglected by previous managers and deserves great credit for getting us into 5th in the SPL with a team of boys. - Disappointing to note that yet again (as in too many games this season) we capitulated far too easily in the second half. - We badly need to look at our two full backs who couldn't defend for toffee. - Jim Gannon will need a wee bit of financial help from the board to try and get a few more experienced players in. Spot on mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blakey Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Celtic's performance was a joy to behold today and typified everything about what makes that football club so special in the world of football. They play football, that's the Celtic way and do it in the way it should be done. The Brazil of Scottish Football and that's why I have always had a soft spot for them. It was absolutely no shame to lose to them today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickoza Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 If you are going to be honest, then a team which cost a massive amount in comparison to ourselves struggled to beat us. Three outstanding finishes beat us today, and they played to their abilities in the second half to get the points. We did superbly to score two goals and get close to them. No 6-1 gubbing as was mentioned previously, no humiliation. Some very good posession football but with a lacking cutting edge.Delighted to go in ahead but we are still someway short of the finished article. Once Gannon has moulded the team he wants then we'll be fine. Bigger picture far as I am concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 - Jim Gannon will need a wee bit of financial help from the board to try and get a few more experienced players in. How are they going to do that? Today was one of our biggest home games of the season and there was just over 7,000 at the match. The corresponding fixture 5 years ago had 11,000. Both OF games have failed to clear the 10,000 mark and other than that we've only had ONE 5,000+ attendance against Hibs (5,221) all season. That's 12 home matches this season and THREE 5,000+ crowds. Our crowds have been dire this season. Here's the 8 home league match attendance aggregates and a comparison with the corresponding 8 fixtures from the last two seasons... 09/10 - 45,903 08/09 - 47,038 07/08 - 52,711 We could probably bring two players on that lost revenue of about £150,000. If the trend continues we might be £300,000 down on turnstile money over the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 we were dire for the first 25, great for the next 20 then dire for the full second half. great shifts from jennings, ruddy and hateley. at the end of the day we started with 6 u21 players and they started with 10 full internationalists, there was only ever going to be one result and we were lucky the score stayed low. there wasn't a great deal of difference between today and the 1-7 game, a few great saves from ruddy, a shite pen, a favourable penalty decision and a couple of great blocks. we didn't look like a team trying to win a game against celtic, we looked like a team trying to tick boxes. i don't think anyone expected much today but after halftime when we had something to hold onto i thought we'd try to grind it out. meechan did well but there's no way he should have lasted 90 minutes and from what i saw of pollock in the u19 cup game he looks a great prospect but today wasn't his today. if we were actually going all out for the three points o'brien and sutton would have been much better options but to be honest i don't think we were. we constantly tried to play the ball out from the back and got zero success from it. any time we looked dangerousit was through either breakaways or getting the ball forward early. we look like we've no clue what we're doing when we play it long, goal kicks go straight down the middle, the strikers are static and not in tandem when the defenders have the ball and the defenders only play it long as a last resort under pressure. when they have time to pick out a decent ball they knock it sideways and the ball only goes long when they've put themselves under pressure and it's a hit and hope. it's well and good having principles but on a saturday i just want to win the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellmanandy Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 On a lighter note - can we get the Scottish Rocks Cheerleaders at every home match? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nethertonwellfan Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Fixed it for you!! Accies, Aberdeen and United, Forbes was subbed and the shape went pearshaped on each occasion. We seem to have a much better balance when he is on the field, this seems to disappear on his almost inevitable substitution. If he can't last a full game he should have been on the bench, or better still, being in for double sessions on his fitness levels. But it didn't happen today. I agree with you about boruc but was it not a good cross by McHugh and a good finish. So again if McHugh was on the bench we wouldn't have scored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Grew Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Ya Bezzzer, I understand your point and it is well made. However, the board do need to make up their minds whether they want to be in the SPL and competing at a reasonable level or whether they want to go down to SFL 1 and let some others with ambitions have a go. I'm certainly not advocating reckless spending of the like we saw when John Boyle arrived at the club but there is a medium to be struck without going tonto with the club's finances and future. Jim Gannon needs to be given a bit help to bring in a couple of more experienced players to help him bring the youngsters on. If a few of the younger ones continue to progress then the club can reap the benefit of the revenue from selling them on. That's the way it has to be for clubs like us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 the idea of boyle standing aside to let someone else come is a joke. when the club was up for sale the only interested party was a crook was probably planning to flog fir park. the only future for the club is living within our means and i can't see a situation arising where boyle isn't our best option as the guardian figure of the club. who do you think boyle should step aside for? it's also very difficult to estimate how much we're spending on the squad just now as no one knows how much we're paying in loan fees and wages for yassin, ruddy and lukas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deaddogman Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Absolutely no positives to take from that today. Despite Celtic being streets ahead and scoring three excellent goals, 3-2 completely flattered us over the ninety minutes and we could have had no complaints had we lost by a far higher scoreline. With a trip to Ibrox coming up it really is starting to look a bit bleak for us. Bollox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellAyrshire Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 who do you think boyle should step aside for? You Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC_MKI Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 Bollox I'll admit my earlier comment about there being no positives to take from today was off the mark, as I made it immediately after the game and in the 'heat of the moment'. There were positives to take from today, most of all another top drawer display by John Ruddy and another goal from Jutkiewicz who is really starting to be a key player for us with the goals he's chipping in. However I'm afraid the positives from today were outweighed by negatives and that plus the fact that Celtic were clearly miles ahead of us is why I stand by my belief that the end result of Motherwell 2 Celtic 3 completely flattered us. That was a hammering in everything but the name today and we could have had no complaints had Celtic beaten us far, far more convincingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 You if he throws in his missus i'll consider taking the reins at fir park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellAyrshire Posted December 12, 2009 Report Share Posted December 12, 2009 if he throws in his missus i'll consider taking the reins at fir park. Depends what one your wanting. The one he's married too or the big hairy bloke i seen him winching in the horse shoe bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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