muir on tour Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 Cause some people obviously feel he is past it, would like a replacement or would like someone else to play at centre back. That so hard to believe? Nah not really, quite expected from a lot of folk tbh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizoxy Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 He's not Motherwell class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burn_Broomfield Posted January 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 The initial point of the thread was to highlight his downright amateurish distribution of a football, a point which the vast majority seem to have side stepped. Yesterday and for the vast majority of this season, Craigan has consistantly found touch or given it straight back to the opposition when aiming hopeless punts up the park. My main gripe with it is that there is no excuse for it. A professional player, let alone one with 15 years experience, Club Captain and 50 caps, should never be persisting with these type of terrible and counter-productive passes, yet he is continually allowed to get away with it. If one of the boys in our amateur team passed the way Craigan does every week, he would get crucified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewarkfanclub Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 The initial point of the thread was to highlight his downright amateurish distribution of a football, a point which the vast majority seem to have side stepped. Yesterday and for the vast majority of this season, Craigan has consistantly found touch or given it straight back to the opposition when aiming hopeless punts up the park. My main gripe with it is that there is no excuse for it. A professional player, let alone one with 15 years experience, Club Captain and 50 caps, should never be persisting with these type of terrible and counter-productive passes, yet he is continually allowed to get away with it. If one of the boys in our amateur team passed the way Craigan does every week, he would get crucified. With you on that one BB. I'm not one of the dreamers who thinks we can get by without Crags as he is a good organizer and, on the whole, reads the game well, however, he is a much more effective player when he stops thinking he is a footballer trying to spray passes that are beyond his ability. He should be experienced enough to know what his strengths are and play to them, and any manager worth his salt should be giving him the message! I think the other big problem with him is that he is crap in the air and doesn't win anywhere near enough headers in the box, hence our woeful record of conceding goals from set pieces and cross balls. This is compounded by the fact that Reynolds is no better. I accept our defensive record is not the worst, however, it's the type of goals that we are conceding that is so frustrating! I would try and move Reynolds on and get some money to improve the squad with as I think, given an injury free run, Hutchison Saunders or Paige would all provide a better pairing than we have just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 The initial point of the thread was to highlight his downright amateurish distribution of a football, a point which the vast majority seem to have side stepped. Yesterday and for the vast majority of this season, Craigan has consistantly found touch or given it straight back to the opposition when aiming hopeless punts up the park. My main gripe with it is that there is no excuse for it. A professional player, let alone one with 15 years experience, Club Captain and 50 caps, should never be persisting with these type of terrible and counter-productive passes, yet he is continually allowed to get away with it. If one of the boys in our amateur team passed the way Craigan does every week, he would get crucified. Doubt that, I'm still alive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcalf Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Doubt that, I'm still alive! We just cut you down early Joe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymfc Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 totally agree,he is a liability.you just know he is going to make a balls up,he cant pass,has no pace.just a poor player.hopefully mcall will see what gannon saw and bring hutchison in,or move saunders to centre half.he is the reason reynolds is having a poor run of late.he is having to cover for craigan.in summary he is rank rotten and has not improved since he was first at fir park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siebsbarmyarmy Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Doubt that, I'm still alive! You do score similar amount of og's aswell young Joe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sand Dancer Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I dont think the answer is within our ranks tbh. I would prefer next season Saunders and a new signing at the back.But we'll end up with Craigan and Saunders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 You do score similar amount of og's aswell young Joe. The resemblance is uncanny. Just aswell I don't play with a big team, don't think I could cope with three pages of abuse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underboyleheating Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Just aswell I don't play with a big team, don't think I could cope with three pages of abuse! To be honest, the only people who can tell Craigan it’s time are himself or the manager. Until then, it will be business as usual for our Captain. I just hope that if any professional footballer stumbles across their teams fans forum (and I’m pretty certain they do) they don’t take any criticism to heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al B Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Maybe he should take it to heart though, and stop trying passes that he doesn't have the ability to pull off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 To be honest, the only people who can tell Craigan it's time are himself or the manager. Until then, it will be business as usual for our Captain. I just hope that if any professional footballer stumbles across their teams fans forum (and I'm pretty certain they do) they don't take any criticism to heart. Let's hope he would take it as constructive criticism and change a few things. Mind you, you can't teach and old dog new tricks.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underboyleheating Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 and stop trying passes that he doesn't have the ability to pull off? I think we need to invite our Captain to the next fans forum so we can ask him directly on his ability to pass a ball. My football playing experience is kicking a ball in the park with my 9 year old kid, so I’m in no position to judge anyone’s ability to play the game. I still dish out my words of wisdom every Saturday, but if pushed I would have to admit I know fuck all about what is required to play football at a decent level. Craigan must have some ability, or he would not get paid to play full time football, even for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al B Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I'm not saying he doesn't have his strengths and abilities. He's obviously made a decent career both domestically and internationally, so he has plenty to offer a side. However like every footballer at every level it's important to know your own strengths and weaknesses. You don't need to have played at a high level or be a coach yourself to know that ideally, passes should stay in the park. And unless you can hit an area of 25 square feet from 30 yards away 100% of the time...you probably should learn that trying to curl a ball and drop it right into the path of a striker from the edge of your own box, isn't for you. Pick another option. I'm not saying he's shite, because I don't think he is. I'm just saying he, like every footballer, should be wise enough to know what's beyond his ability, and then stop trying to do it 84 times in every game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobey_Dosser Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 With regards to Cragan's distrubition, we should be playing in a manner where we have a water carrier in front of the two centre halves. The sooner we move back to a 3 man midfield the better. Think it would be best suited to the players we have at our disposal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siebsbarmyarmy Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 With regards to Cragan's distrubition, we should be playing in a manner where we have a water carrier in front of the two centre halves. The sooner we move back to a 3 man midfield the better. Think it would be best suited to the players we have at our disposal. I agree 100%. A three man midfield would work well. I might got a tonne of abuse here but I would play Forbes in the there in a position where he doesnt have to do the dirty work and let his ability on the ball be his main weapon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busta Nut Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Ton of abiuse cos Forbes is shite, not only that that is something we can't afford, not even if it was Gheorghe Hagi playing in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I agree 100%. A three man midfield would work well. I might got a tonne of abuse here but I would play Forbes in the there in a position where he doesnt have to do the dirty work and let his ability on the ball be his main weapon. As you know - I totally agree sieb. I think this would turn us into different proposition altogether Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 Yeah it would be something different anyway. I at least think if we played Murphy wide of a 4-3-3, it would certainly be a lot more effective than a 4-4-2. Ross Forbes deserves a chance in my opinion, every game he's started since Brown took over has been at left wing, which just isn't his position. As for Craigan, I think we'd see a further decline if we dropped him. His distribution has always been gantin', but he's a good centre half overall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siebsbarmyarmy Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 My midfield/forwards would be, thinking Nick is away, -------- Jenno ------- Lasley---------- ---------------Forbes------------------ Humphrey---------------------Murphy ----------------Sutton------------------ Murphy was playing well when he was further forward on the left of the strikeforce. The past few games under Young and the weekend with Mccall he was more of a Orthodox left winger/left mid which isnt his position. This would be a strong team with plenty of creativity. What Forbes would provide is the actual ability to bring Humphrey and Murphy into the game with his passing ability and use there strengths, running into space at pace. Recently Murphy and Humphrey have had to drop back to collect the ball and not been able to really get down and get at players. Dont give them as much defensive duties. What we are playing just now is Humphrey---- Lasley----Hately---Murphy --------------------Gow--------------------- ------------------Blackman----------------- This isnt allowing our two natural attackin wide players to get at teams. Half they time they are two far back. P.s. Sorry if I dont agree with your ooh so well thought out and educated post Busta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeboy Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 That was my thinking, similar to the formation we played in the season we finished third, with Forbes playing a similar role to what Stephen Hughes did that year. He has the footballing ability to be in our team every single week, he just needs to work hard on having the athletic ability to be in the team every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadywellToi Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 As discussed if Nick is away and Gow's jacket is on a shakey peg, then we should play to our strengths. At present we have pace in abundance however it would appear that the other 11 in the league have sussed out how to combat that threat from us. Therefore I'd suggest: -------------------- Randolph --------------------- Saunders -- Craigan -- Reynolds -- Hammell -------------------- Hateley ----------------------- ------------ Jennings -- Lasley -- Fitzpatrick -- -- Humphrey -------------------------------------- --------------------- Murphy ----------------------- If Reynolds goes in the next few weeks then the next bit is non-existent. If he goes, then Saunders takes his position, Hateley RB and I'd move Forbes into midfield and ask the other three to do the running and allow him to do the pretty stuff. However at present, I'd have Hateley sitting in front of the back 4 while defending, pushing forward diagonally into the RM during an attack. I'd rather he was responsible for distributing the ball than Craigan. It's also the position he's rarely played in since Gannon left and lets not forget, where he won all the plaudits that won him young player of the year. While 4-3-3 appeals to my appreciation of attacking football, it doesn't when we have a defence that's shipping goals compared to only 10 months ago, despite no change in personnel. I think we need to bolster our midfield. Humphrey allowed a free role as to whatever wing he gets the most success (he did that during a few games earlier this season but it hasn't been tried again - really don't know why). I'd tend to start with Murphy against the top 6 teams and with Sutton against the bottom 6. Sutton is more suited to grinding something out at teams who's goal is to stifle and upset. Murphy coming on with 30 minutes to go offers a rapid and fresh pair of legs. Casagolda, Forbes and Page as subs in order of preference for each area of the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el-pidge Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I would go for a more attack minded midfield with: --------------------------Casagolda-------------------------------- Casagolda-----Casagolda----Casagolda----Casagolda---------- -----------------Casagolda----Casagolda-------------------------- --------------------------Casagolda--------------------------------- ---Casagolda---------------------------------Casagolda----------- --------------------------CASAGOLDA!!----------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelmaninOZ Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 I would go for a more attack minded midfield with: --------------------------Casagolda-------------------------------- Casagolda-----Casagolda----Casagolda----Casagolda---------- -----------------Casagolda----Casagolda-------------------------- --------------------------Casagolda--------------------------------- ---Casagolda---------------------------------Casagolda----------- --------------------------CASAGOLDA!!----------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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