R.R.FC

It’s almost impressive that even when you think it can’t get any worse, each East Fife vs Raith Rovers thread somehow manages to be more horrific than the one before it.

Agree with what has already been said. Dumbarton were worthy winners, they were the better team first half and got the goals they deserved. Second half they were very organised and professional and saw the game out comfortably. The back 4 looked like the patchwork effort it was. I thought Dave McKay was excellent at Falkirk but I thought yesterday showed his weaknesses. He barely won a header and was bullied physically at times by the striker backing in. We’ve looked weak at set pieces the last two weeks but I’m happy to write that off to only having one centre back on the pitch. Hopefully that will improve once Anderson and Bene return. Going forward was a real concern. We huffed and puffed second half without ever feeling a goal was coming. 4 goals in our last 6 tells its own story. We were obviously missing our natural full backs yesterday and it showed but that shouldn’t completely hamstring us the way it has. We have a lot of good players in the front 4 positions but none of them are in good form just now. McGlynn needs to find the right balance there and quickly. I’d imagine a centre forward will be near the top of the shopping list in January with Baird’s contract unlikely to be renewed. Finally, a small thing but a big frustration yesterday was the amount of times second half we got the ball wide to Watson and he had to turn back inside on his right foot, killing the momentum dead. Not his fault as he isn’t left footed and was doing his best covering there. However, I would have liked to see McGlynn swap Watson and MacDonald for the last 20 minutes. Would have given us a threat down the left and Dumbarton were happy to sit on their lead with little intent to attack at that stage so the risk of being caught out at the back was minimal.

These injuries are insane. Who would have thought we could end up weaker defensively than the makeshift line up we finished with against Falkirk last week. My guess of the back 4 is Watson at left back, McKay and MacDonald at centre back with G. Anderson at right back. Only one player in their correct position and that is our 4th choice centre back. Wild.

This feels like another huge game. We’ve faired much better than I thought we would against Airdrie and Falkirk but we need to follow that up with a win on Saturday. With the rest of the top 4 playing away from home there is potential for dropped points and we really must take advantage of that. Missing opportunities like that killed us last season. I said pre season I didn’t expect Dumbarton to finish bottom despite that being the expectation of many. However, they have still performed miles better than my expectations. They seem to perform better away from home so expecting a really tough test. Is Layne likely to be fit for Saturday? Thought that would be a big loss but his replacement scored 2 on Saturday and Crossan has always looked a threat against us. Really have to hope Steven Anderson is fit, if he is we look okay defensively. Watson was poor going forward on Saturday but did a solid job defensively so fair play to him for that. I thought McKay was excellent too. I hope to see some changes in the attacking areas, we just don’t seem to have the right mix going forward just now with 4 goals in our last 5. Although McGlynn is, quite rightly, unlikely to make wholesale changes to a team getting results. I like Bowie but I don’t think he’s particularly well suited to being a lone striker. I prefer him on the wing or as part of a two right now. Grant Anderson gives us good width too so I would keep him in the team. I rarely come away from a game thinking Gullan has been a standout but you can’t argue with his goal scoring record. He really wasn’t happy at being subbed at the weekend though. I’d bring Baird back in place of Dingwall. With Bowie and Anderson on the wings and Gullan behind Baird. Going for a nervy 2-1 to set us up nicely for another huge weekend on the 28th. After 6 red cards in our last 2 games a quiet game on that front would be nice. Let’s face it, it makes thing exciting but we really can’t afford any more suspensions.

This thread is fucking dire from both sides. I think both teams are quite entitled to be pleased with a point. We were away to, on paper, the best team in the league with 5 first choice players missing and one player playing his first game in 8 weeks having only returned to full training on Thursday night. We played the last 25 minutes with a back 4 consisting of our third choice right back, our fourth choice centre back, our first choice left back at centre back and our left winger at left back. Falkirk obviously played most of the game a man down and finished with 9 but at no point did we play them off the park. They hung in the game and were better in spells, the only time we really got on top was between our goal and half time. Pretty sure they would have won if it stayed 11v11 which was the pre match expectation. Telfer’s red card looked harsh, was expecting the ref to produce a yellow but there was no intention to play the ball, he just kicked Hendry. The other 2 reds were definite. Can’t remember Bene’s first yellow but the second was stupidity, both Gomis yellows were obvious. Wish we took the game a bit more by the scruff of the neck second half. It looked like we tried to play side to side looking for spaces but going nowhere against the 10 men and trying to tire them out to take advantage later in the game. A reasonable idea in theory but totally backfired when we went down to 10 men ourselves. Falkirk were well organised though and made it difficult, McManus was fantastic at holding the ball up and with his work rate defending from the front. Sounds weird when we are the top scorers in the league but I think we are missing a bit of quality in the final third just now. Hendry will help, as will Miller returning. Lost count of the amount of times we got the ball wide to Watson in space in an attacking area and he just took a touch turned inside and passed it backwards. I like Bowie too but he just doesn’t hold the ball up well enough as a lone striker to bring our attacking players into the game. I think the Falkirk fans calling him a diver are wrong, he’s just turned 17 last month, despite how he looks, I think he’s still quite weak and needs to develop physically and learn how to hold the ball. Both sides entitled to be happy with a point. Bit frustrated not to win having played against 10 for so long but I thought we’d lose when it went 10v10 and to be honest, we didn’t deserve any more than a point. I don’t think either side will be fearful of the other going into the second half of the season. Still expect Falkirk to win it but more confident we will at least make a contest of it. Finally a special mention to the Rovers fan shouting ‘Just f**k off now McGlynn before you cost us the league’ as he applauded the fans at the end of the game. Fanny.

I’ve been told Davo signed on reduced terms and in the expectation of being more of a back up this season. Obviously the loss of Murray and the rawness (putting it kindly) of Mendy have meant he has ended up being a regular again. When he’s been on the pitch he’s been excellent this season. I wouldn’t of minded him going at the end of last season but based on his performances so far (since East Fife away) we would have been unlikely to get anyone better on the same wage and I’m glad he’s stayed. However, it was absolute stupidity on Saturday, it was a tackle that didn’t need making. His sending off at Peterhead was totally needless also so he deserves all the stick coming his way. Gary Neville said earlier this season that Granit Xhaka was the least experienced, experienced player he’d ever watched. That’s how I feel watching Davo. He is never going to learn which is a shame. I still think the good has outweighed the bad this season though, just about.

Yeah I said in my post he is better going forward. However, without Miller, Hendry, Matthews or even Davidson we have no choice. It’s either Tait or a more attacking player played out of position. I was on holiday a couple of weeks ago but as far as I’m aware, when Spencer was out Tait came straight in for him. I don’t see why it would be any different here.

Would have been reasonably optimistic going into this at full strength. However, with the young, patch work side we will have out I am kind of fearing the worst. I keep thinking that things will eventually click for Falkirk. Don’t see any point appealing either of the red cards, they were both nailed on. Would be a huge boost if any of Hendry, Anderson or Miller were available but that doesn’t look at all likely. Hopefully Armstrong is back fit, would be a good option off the bench after his last performance against Falkirk although he hasn’t really done it since. Think we will go with: Munro Watson McKay Bene MacDonald Spencer Tait Anderson Gullan Dingwall Bowie I’ve been a big critic of Watson and him playing away to Falkirk gives me the fear. However, he did well when he came on Saturday and I’d love him to prove me wrong with another good performance. Gomis dominated the game first half at Starks and we‘ll need a big performance from Spencer (who has been excellent this season) to stop it happening again. Tait is neat and tidy and looks a good prospect at 17/18 but he looks to do his best work going forward and he’ll need a lot of help from Spencer to stop us being overrun in midfield. Hopefully take a big crowd through, would bite your hand off for a draw right now but expecting a defeat by a couple of goals.

Question for the Airdrie fans, I notice Colin Cameron’s arrival as assistant manager seems to tie in with your upturn in form. I know it can be hard for fans to know the true impact of an assistant manager but just wondered if there were any noticeable changes since he came in? Does he deserve much credit for the turnaround or is it just coincidence?

Would be surprised if it was anything other than Watson for Davo and a straight swap with Tait and Matthews. Tait is obviously more attacking than Matthews but anyone we bring in would be unless Miller can make a miraculous recovery. McGlynn showed when Spencer was suspended he’s quite happy to start Tait in there.

Well that was eventful. Brilliant result, we are nowhere near our best just now but the level of resilience we are showing is great to see and can only bode well when Hendry, Miller and the rest come back. No complaints with both our sending offs. Davo’s in particular was sheer stupidity when he was having a great game up to that point. Thought the Airdrie sending off was very harsh. Looked a pretty standard booking to me. Didn’t really see much improvement in Airdrie from our last game tbh. They look defensively solid and work hard but not much quality in the final third. It was a lesson in how not to play against 10 men most of the second half. They never got the ball down and try to pull us wide or stretch the game and test the full backs. It was long ball after long ball added to long throws. Bene was magnificent and we dealt with it well. Munro wasn’t overly worked in goal. Looks like we’ll have 4 youth team players playing next week and 6 players aged 19 or under which doesn’t look particularly promising but a huge result today means we will still be ahead of Falkirk no matter the result.

McGlynn’s preferred formation is 4-2-3-1 so I assume that’s what we’ll see here given Anderson’s injury. The back 4 and midfielder 2 pick themselves, if Bowie is fit again he plays. The other 3 attacking positions could go to any of Armstrong, Gullan, Dingwall, Tait, Anderson, Baird, Allan. I don’t think any of those are in good enough form to be considered a guaranteed starter. We really need to find the right formula upfront but there is no doubt they will have been hampered by poorer service without Hendry and the outlet provided by Miller. We also have Smith and Victoria but I don’t think McGlynn will consider starting them. I think we will go with: Munro McKay Bene Davo MacDonald Matthews Spencer Bowie Gullan Armstrong Baird Subs: Thomson, Watson, Tait, Anderson, Dingwall, Victoria, Allan Am I right in thinking this will be the first time we will have a fit player not able to get on the bench? I would assume it will be between Victoria and Smith, will be interesting to see who misses out. Airdrie are on an excellent run and I get the thinking behind a point being a good result given our injuries and their form. However, if we have any aspirations of winning the league it’s the type of game you have to win, even though that will be very difficult. We have already drawn at home to East Fife and Falkirk, do the same (or worse) on Saturday and 3 points or less from 3 home games against the other challengers is disappointing although not particularly surprising given the key players we have missed.

Andy McNeil Kevin McHattie Ross Perry Craig Wedderburn Reece Donaldson Scott McBride Martin Scott Darren Petrie Scott Roberts Yaw Osei Jon Daly Subs: Graham Smith David Syme (does he count? Signed, loaned to Cowden almost immediately then released). Robbie Crawford (Again not sure if he counts, another Gary Locke special released after playing 1? game). Jordan Thompson Chris Johnston Rudi Skacel Craig Wighton Gary Locke edges John Hughes for the management job IMO.

That’s great news. Think he’s been one of our more underrated players this season. I was also fully expecting him and Miller to be announced as out for 6-8 weeks given Allan, Victoria and Hendry are close to returning. Crazy to think McGlynn has been back for over a year now and I don’t think he has ever had a fully fit squad to choose from. Obviously Vaughan is out long term so that isn’t going to change but everything crossed we could be in the situation in a few weeks where some decent players don’t even make the bench.

Yes they have. They’ve all started games for us this season. Watson is out of his depth and has been pretty much every time he has played. Any shouts to recall him to the team ahead of Miller are absolutely wild. Tait is a 17 year old kid. As noted above, he isn’t currently better than Matthews, Spencer or Hendry which is why his time has been limited. There is plenty time for him to get games and develop. At 17 this season is far from make or break for him. He’s a had a couple of starts and minutes off the bench, that is the perfect amount of game time for his development at this stage. He doesn’t need to be starting 30 plus games a season right now at his age. McKay, quite simply, isn’t as good as Bene, Davo or S. Anderson and he hasn’t performed recently when given a chance. He would probably benefit from a loan spell away but we can’t just loan Tait, Watson and McKay out because they aren’t starting games. Not unless we want to run with only 2 or 3 players on the bench and no defensive cover. That’s why he hasn’t ‘shipped them out.’ We would all love the starting line up to be full of players that have come through our youth team (and on occasions this season a number of players in the team have). However, not every youth player is going to be good enough and unfortunately that means some young players will be nothing more than squad filler. Given McGlynn’s background as a youth coach and experience of developing young players at us (both on loan and our own) I’d be inclined to trust his judgement and the way he is handling those 3 is to the benefit of Raith Rovers. Ultimately what is to the benefit of Raith Rovers may be different to what benefits the individual players, for example, I have no interest in us making our defence considerably worse by playing someone like Watson just to give him minutes when the clear facts are he will never be good enough for us. McGlynn has shown if they are good enough they will play.

Last week was the first time we had fielded the same 11 in back to back games since August. That was a different starting line up 8 games in a row. Every player in our squad has had minutes. We are in early November and we have already used 24 players. I don’t think ‘pounding the same old group’ is a criticism that can be levelled at us this season. If anything I think we would benefit from being able to field a settled starting 11 week after week. Unfortunately injuries have robbed us of that chance so far. McGlynn has shown with Bowie and to a lesser extent Smith that if the youngsters are good enough he will give them time. The average age of our midfield and strikers against Peterhead and East Fife was 21. I rate Tait from what I’ve see but McGlynn sees him every day and the reason he isn’t picking him won’t be anything other than he hasn’t shown, either in training or games, that he is better than those ahead of him.

The Munro/McGurn thing is hardly comparable to McNeil/McGurn. McGurn was outstanding and the best keeper in the league at that point. McNeil was a flappy mess who was making regular mistakes without any real redeeming features. McGurn has made a couple of mistakes recently. I’d hardly call the East Fife goal a howler but I can understand why people think he could have done better, similarly with Clyde’s first goal. However, he has also made excellent point saving stops against Clyde, East Fife and Falkirk. So I can understand why McGlynn decided to stick with him. Munro has been decent but I wouldn’t go as far to say he’s been brilliant. He was number 1 but got injured. McGurn got the jersey and hasn’t done enough in McGlynns eyes to warrant being dropped. Munro only played against Glenavon as part of McGlynn’s policy to rotate the keepers in the cup. He made an excellent save in that game but also was partly at fault for the goal conceded. I’d put Munro back in on Saturday but it’s hardly like we are persisting with a dud when we have a superstar waiting in the wings. There’s not a great deal between the two of them IMO. It’s a long way from the McNeill/McGurn disaster in McGlynn’s previous spell.

Must win game for us but will be difficult against a Stranraer side off the back of an excellent win against Clyde. They have only lost one of their last 5 including draws at Airdrie and East Fife. However, I made the point before the Peterhead game that after a run of draws a defeat could change the outlook pretty quickly and that has happened. Suddenly we are off top spot no wins in 4 and with key players out, things don’t look particularly great. It’s 3 weeks after this till our next league game (away to an in form Montrose) and with other teams still playing in the league whilst we are in Challenge Cup action we really have to win here to avoid our season unravelling pretty quickly. Few players needing a kick up the backside and assuming Allan isn’t fit I would go with the following: Munro Miller Bene S. Anderson MacDonald Matthews Spencer G. Anderson Dingwall Bowie Baird Back 4 and middle 2 pick themselves. Bowie has struggled in recent weeks as a central striker but I’d still like to find a place for him in the team. Baird hasn’t been great since he came back but we don’t have many other options. I’m hopeful once he gets one goal more will follow. Also just read Gregory Tade will be in hospitality on Saturday and presumably doing the 50/50 draw, will be great to see him back at Starks.

Agree 100% with this. I know he isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but I think we are missing Allan upfront. He’s not a goal scorer but his hold up play is excellent and he brings our other attacking players into the game. We don’t have anyone else in the squad capable of doing the job he does, certainly not to the same level. It was the same in spells last week, East Fife were pressing high and it looked like taking a more direct route may be beneficial but we can’t play that way with Bowie. The ball just doesn’t stick with him. He’s an excellent prospect but he is better when he is attacking and running into space, he struggles playing with his back to goal.

Callachan would be a fantastic signing but I don’t really see how it’s possible until January. The loan window is closed till January and I’m pretty sure you have to be a free agent before the transfer window shuts in order to sign and be registered with another team before January. Not sure if signing as an amateur may be a work around? Hopefully there is a way, we badly need someone of his quality to replace Hendry.

Would agree this is very big game for us. We’ve drawn our last 3 league games and given different circumstances faced in each of those they can all be viewed as decent results. However, as always with a run of drawn games the next result is very important. A defeat on Saturday and suddenly we have gone 4 league games without a win, almost certainly knocked off top spot and will possibly only be a point or two ahead of 4th/5th place. Add that to the injury to Hendry and the positivity around the place can change very quickly. However, win it and we are still top, unbeaten in 9 games since August and everything is positive going into the home game against Stranraer.

McGlynn has said his preferred formation is 4-2-3-1 but with Sando returning I’d like to see us revert to the back 5 here. With the players available at the moment I think we are probably better suited to a 5-4-1 than the 5-3-2. I’d like to see us line up: McGurn Miller-Davo-Sando-Bene-MacDonald Armstrong-Matthews-Spencer-Dingwall Bowie Subs: Munro, McKay, Tait, Gullan, Smith, Baird, G. Anderson. Centre of midfield is obviously very light but despite the injuries we still have a lot of very decent options in the wide and attacking areas.

Also credit to East Fife for an excellent away crowd. It always annoys me when the Old Firm get praised for taking 3-4k to away games when in reality it is a tiny fraction of their home support. Must’ve been close to 500 East Fife fans which, without sounding patronising, is about 90% of their regular home crowds. Very good effort. Quiet second half but made plenty of noise first half and added a lot to the atmosphere. Good turnout from our side too. Surprised to hear the crowd was almost 3000 too. Comfortably bigger crowd than the Falkirk game which I didn’t expect.

We were indeed. Only had Victoria, Smith, Vaughan, Dingwall and Thomson missing that day. S. Anderson, Baird and Armstrong still to sign at that point too. But aye apart from that we were full strength...

In what way is it pish? And in what world can you possibly say ‘supposedly thirty years superiority’. There’s nothing ‘supposedly’ about it. You literally didn’t beat us for 30 years. Most of that is because we were at least one league apart during that time (showing our superiority) but that was still 14 games we were unbeaten. Including a couple of pumpings in that run. There was a whole generation of Raith fans (myself included) who had never witnessed a defeat to East Fife until last year. It is no wonder the derby suffered as a result and a lot of Rovers fans don’t or didn’t see much of a rivalry. However, East Fife’s win last year was probably the best thing that could have happened to the fixture and there is definitely something extra about the games now that we’re both more evenly matched. If we were lucky enough to win the league, I would want East Fife to join us through the play offs, I’m not sure I’d be thinking the same if we were in that situation with Dunfermline. Unfortunately, I think Falkirk will stretch away comfortably from us both leaving us to battle it out in the play offs. A play off semi final or final between the two teams may be exactly the thing to escalate the rivalry again and have it near the level of the pars games which I believe used to be the case. On to tomorrow’s game, given our missing players, I’m not particularly confident. Steven Anderson, in particular, is a huge miss. Davo and Bene have both been playing much better since he arrived, interesting to see if they continue that form without him in the side. I’d imagine East Fife fans will be filling their boots with the 5/2 odds on offer from the bookies. Very generous odds for an evenly matched game. We have a bad habit of only turning up for one half (or 15 minutes in the last derby!) against East Fife. I don’t think we have played well both halfs since the 5-0 game. All credit to East Fife and Young for that, they seem to have our number recently. I’ll go for a 2-2 draw. Baird and Bowie for us. Baird missed a few chances last week but at least he’s getting in the positions. Hopefully the past two weeks will have got rid of the rust and he can find his shooting boots again. Dunsmore and Agnew for East Fife because...well obviously.