Bluegrass Bairn

Been much better in last 2 months. Earlier in season was nothing more than a fidget, now notably upped his contribution and work-rate, and has undoubtedly become a legitimate threat; but not consistent or physically strong enough for step up IMO.

2 league goals in the last four seasons...Sounds like the boy for us, no doubt!! Swapsies for Craigan?

If its the Fir Park game I'm thinking of, the ref should've had his head on a pike that day - an abysmal display at a time when Motherwell were as favoured by the SPL as the Glasgow Twins for absolutely "impartial" treatment. Anyway, as it turned out, even without Stokes the following week, we DID indeed embarrass the Guards of the old Derry Wall. Ha fecking ha. Twaddle's finest hour.

He scored the winner that game didn't he? Makes him a great guy for me.

Sadly BB I think the reality was we got totally shown up in that game for the lightweights we were. We were completely over-run in midfield and out-paced down the wings; legitimately bullied & outmuscled, and ultimately outplayed by a supposedly rank Premiership team. They were coming at us in waves and at pace and we had no answer to it; trying to slow the game down was all very well as an idea but we had no-one capable of breaking up their possession in the middle where it really counted. A real lack of physical presence in midfield (someone like e.g. Davie Nicholls in his prime) was a major problem that day, and still is this season; we had - and have - too many of one type and build of midfielder, guys that lack a bit of height and dig. McGrandles I fear would have been as ineffective as the rest that day, and he could have played as a 12th man and been just as easily brushed aside. Houston has yet to solve the problem, and if by some fluke we did get that far again this season it would surely be the same end result.

am assuming that's a whoooosh.

utter, utter gash yesterday. Apart from the (great) move for the goal, a couple of decent crosses from hyppolite across the face of goal, and the last five or so mins, that was woefully inadequate... much like the games v StM & QoS, so hardly a blip. Or a surprise. We're dire right now; snail's pace slow, utterly predictable going forward and soft as shite all over the park. Getting bossed by Kilmarnock was bad enough, but this season had been a new low for our embarrassing lack of any real physical presence. We spent most of the game playing impotent hoof-ball and chipping piss-poor, floaty free kicks into nowhere in particular. WTF is that all about Houston? A team of tiny tots up front, receiving chest-high passes with their back to goal, and look-alike midfielders who play square when we have possession and get brushed off the ball with ease when we don't. This doesn't bode well.

v. surprised at Ludo's comments that Loy hasn't looked interested - always one of the hardest working on the pitch when he played for us. Also effective - if not scoring then he did his fair share of creating for others. Sounds like Championship is his level. Would certainly have him back if on previous form, it's not "nostalgia" for me. Loy/McHugh dream team, no more aimless lumping high balls up the middle. Otherwise, Ryan Flynn?? No thankyou. Another lightweight in midfield is exactly what we DONT need.

that Morton pinstripe strip is a belter by the way - miles better than any of the other 4 recent design options.

As a Bairns fan, I've seen 8 of them score against us. Doesn't make me feel at all youthful, I can tell you...

the red tartan one looks like a pyjama top; think the team should go for that with red leggings and furry slippers - sorted. the third one looks like a 3rd-rate Govan cast-off so feck that; the grey/silver is a good idea but would look better if the print image was toned down like on the yellow one. Think you need a 5th choice, tbh...

Oh, we can only hope so. Please please make it happen.

admittedly only 5mins worth of highlights but Craigan did look pretty impressive when he featured; someone playing positive box to box link up is what we've badly needed for long enough. Great build up for the goal, movement off the ball, and unlucky to hit the post 2nd half. Surely now deserves a chance for regular start - in that position. Looked a different player.

exactly. the NFL draft is a superb system for achieving a competitive set-up. in recent times e.g. the 49ers/Giants/Bears have gone from top to bottom, while eg Carolina/New England/Seattle have done the opposite...plus pretty much every team has a superstar player, from New Orleans to Atlanta. of course what happened here in the past is the ugly sisters bought up anyone from any other team who has a big game against them, stick them in their reserves, then to top it off complain about lack of competition from the rest... You couldn't make it up.

Absolutely spot on.

As soon as posted I thought, yeah, dare say there's bound to be one recently. Missed that game; obviously dribbling down the chair in the old folks home. But before that one then?

so; when DID we last score with a header from a corner?

earlier in the season Tom Taiwo slung in some decent corners, can't remember which game it was but it was such a novelty it was remarked upon. Might be an idea to practice corners during training... On Saturday - & generally over the past, what, decade maybe? we've been noticeably gash at this. Kerr's daisy-cutter effort on Saturday, for one, was lamentable.

tonight we are all QotS. good luck chaps...

...Ideally! But to do that, (at the very least) a different type of midfielder would need to be acquired in January... Something Houstie did not resolve over the summer.

It wasn't just the second leg at Rugby Park, we were lucky to win the first leg. Totally out-muscled in midfield and one on ones, & came off second best to every 50-50 ball in both legs. We're still too wee and too slight for a battle. Which is assuredly what we'd get if we were lucky enough to get to the PO Final again.

This picture taken at Westfield, incidentally. "I will always be a Falkirk Bairn". Remind the big fella (either) about that quote when you see him...

Finally got round to watching the highlights - not too much incentive for me after all - and the first goal is just a fantastic piece of skill. No wonder you chaps are all moist this week. If he stays fit, he's clearly the factor that will have QoS somewhat higher in the league than er...8th, apparently. Which just goes to show what the BBC cares about the Championship without their beloved tax dodgers.

Its midfield we need to bolster imo. A different kind of player to those we already have, to give us a better balance, i.e. someone a bit stronger - and taller. A Stuart Taylor / Davie Nicholls type.

Looks quite a bit like a steeple on yr jerseys there chaps. 😀