Diamonds are Forever

First I heard of this was reading their statement, and it comes across as a half arsed attempt to deflect blame when they know they have no real grounds for complaint. Whether that's actually the case I've no idea, but that's how the statement comes across. A half-baked explanation of what happened followed by a meek acceptance.

If a relegation threatened Queens Park was the best job he could get on the back of winning the double then it's hard to see how adding a relegation to his CV and then getting out would result in a better job than Queens Park. If QP go down it would mean probably Hamilton coming up, meaning League 1 should be shooty-in for a side with QP's budget next season and someone like Paton under contract. It would be a really attractive job and I think he'd be daft to walk away at that point.

That's true, I also think the issue is one of stagnation in terms of the same teams being in the league year on year because of less movement up/down. Due to the play-offs there are some years when only the league winner goes up and 10th place goes down, so 80% of the league stays the same. If you had what we used, 2 up 2 down, then 40% of the league changes every year. So even if you stay in the league for a few years by year 2 or 3 the league is significantly different from the first season, so you're not as bored by playing the same team multiple times. Plus in that scenario you'd lose the possibility of the extra 2 games due to no play-offs. Obviously the Premiership is even more 'stagnant' in that sense, but as you say not having play-offs within the league and having the split means you're only playing teams 3 or 4 times maximum, plus no Challenge Cup. I think the key to all of it is getting 2 teams automatically relegated from each division, that creates a much higher turnover of teams in each league which gives more variety.

Yeah I'm not having the first one as a foul, he just collapses in a heap, the contact isn't enough to be a foul. Even if someone thinks it is, there's no way it meets the 'clear and obvious' threshold to be overturned so I don't blame the ref or VAR for that one. Like you I think some of the handballs that are getting given now are absurd, but that today is a penalty. Very similar to the Wan-Bissaka one which was given. That said, there seems to be so much inconsistency regarding what gets given for handball that I'd not be too critical of that if it was in isolation. But the third is just a horrific decision and one of those ones you genuinely can't find any excuse for. I know VAR is still individuals making decisions and they make errors, but if VAR as a system cannot correct errors like that then there is something majorly wrong with it. There are enough people involved in it to be getting that right.

I'd much rather have Ayr in the league next year than QP, despite our results this year! I'm just basing this on the evidence of last year. McCabe changed half the team in the last game before the play-offs, and the reason it was only half I think was because we could still have dropped from 3rd to 4th. The regulars who did start were all subbed off in 2nd half too. We then pumped Falkirk 6-2 three days later and obviously got promoted. Maybe we wont but I don't really see what is to be gained by risking players. If anything there would be even more incentive to do it this year as the play-off schedule is even tougher if you get through.

Agree completely that in terms of sporting merit finishing 3rd or 4th in a 10 team league should never get you a promotion. We've been on both sides of it in recent seasons with QP finishing miles behind in 4th and beating us, and us finishing 3rd last season and going up, not to mention 4th this season. That said, I do think play-offs add a huge amount in terms of excitement and probably finance to the game so I understand why they are there, they are inherently unfair so you'll never please everyone. I have no issue with 3rd and 4th being disadvantaged by having to play 3 ties to get promoted, it should be much harder for those 2 sides to get promoted because they were poorer over 36 games, there should be some reward for finishing higher up, unlike in the lower league play-offs where 2nd and 4th get the same reward at the end. The bit I don't like is the 11th place team getting the advantage of only playing 1 tie, but I'm not sure how you fix that while including 4 teams and not using the lower league format. I'd probably just go 11th versus 2nd and scrap 3rd and 4th.

It would be 17 days without a game though, it's probably right in the middle between being well-rested and being 'undercooked', I'd be surprised if he didn't start. We're in the same boat regarding play-offs and I'd expect we'll go basically full strength next week and then use the last game to rest everyone.

Don't really disagree with the general point, particularly the first part which is spot on. However I would say that while his goals against is much higher than Rae's, as a team our goals for has also been much higher when he has played. When Rae was playing we averaged 1.03 goals a game in the league, with Hemfrey playing we average 2.28 goals. Obviously my point isn't that Hemfrey is Kevin de Bruyne setting up goals, but rather our style of play has changed a bit since he has come in which has resulted in more end to end games. Was trying to think why and initially thought it was because we've had to due to losing more goals, but in most games we've still scored first so that doesn't really explain it. I think it's largely because with Rae being decent with his feet we play a much more controlled game when he plays, with Hemfrey it's been more direct which has resulted in us scoring more but also conceding more. I have no issue with the odd blunder like yesterday, Rae has made numerous ones this season. And the more end to end, direct style has worked for us (until yesterday). But by far the biggest issue is cross balls, he does not command his area enough. I was sympathetic early on when he was new in but he's at the point now where he needs to be more commanding or we are going to keep being vulnerable to crosses and set-pieces into our box.

Can only repeat the positive spin we're all trying to put on it. A reality check, but also if we'd won or drawn we'd have almost been obliged to go for 3rd, whereas now we can forget it and focus on getting players fit for 3 weeks time. McCabe has shown he can learn from things so hopefully today gives us prior warning of what to expect and prepare for it. If we have Ballantyne, Frizzell and McCabe available and the rest well rested I'm still confident we'll give Partick a really good game.

Telfer has been an 8/10 every week, which is noticeable to Airdrie fans who see how consistent he is but to opposition players/fans that's probably not the kind of thing that makes you stand out. Frizz has been a 5 or 6 out of 10 in a lot of games this season but has also had a few (mainly since February) where he's been excellent, which is more eye catching. I think that will be shown by Telfer winning our POTY, but Frizz getting in TOTY.

That's true, forgot about that. Explains why we only changed half the team. Plus Gal was going for top goalscorer so started. Safe to assume he'd have rested most of the team otherwise.

Depends what bit you mean. It is undoubtedly true that teams rest players. I remember a while back quite literally playing an Under 19s team against St Johnstone before a play-off and we lost 4-0. But more recently, last year in the last game before the play-offs we rested 5 players, and most of the rest were subbed during the game. We still won, but that was against Edinburgh City who had began their decline and had nothing to play for. The year before in the last game against Peterhead we changed 10 players. We drew 1-1 at home and given the form we had been on (20 game unbeaten run) and how poor Peterhead were we'd have won that game with a full team. Neither game mattered for either team so made no difference in the end, but that's 2 managers, Murray and McCabe, who are probably going to be in these play-offs with a history of making huge changes. If we have play-offs sealed by the last game there's no way we're playing our best 11 for the whole game. The only reason could be that we want to finish 3rd so if that's a possibility then we might, but I still don't think we would. Whether it would actually affect the scoreline is an unknown obviously, but it would make sense that it would given the size of our squad.

A shame to see Gal move on but no doubt it's the best thing for all parties. Arbroath obviously releasing it to appease the fans a bit which is pretty desperate, but in reality I'm not bothered and think it will give fans a chance to show their appreciation and hopefully give him a boost to get another couple of goals before he leaves. Along with Fordyce he's the most important player in the club's recent history. The 2 of them were central to turning the club from a useless League 1 side into a promotion chasing side and now Championship side. His first season with us we finished 3rd in the Covid season only 5 points off the top, then 2nd, 2nd, 3rd and reaching 3 play-off finals and ultimately promotion, and now 4th/5th in Championship. When you look where we were in the years before that it's night and day and he's a big part of that. He deserves huge thanks from Airdrie fans and delighted to see he'll be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Even apart from the money, which as you say could all disappear quite quickly, one thing that finishing 4th and the positive feeling around the club would hopefully mean is that we are a more attractive option for potential signings next season. At the start of the season there's no doubt that of the full-time teams we'd have been last in the pecking order for signings in the Championship. Mainly financially, but also players would have assumed we'd be down the bottom and not fancied it. Next season, even if our budget increases enough to be in the same ballpark as some of the other clubs hopefully the perception of the club is more positive than it was at the start of the season and we'll get good quality players. Particularly if you are a young player and see the opportunities they are getting, how much they are improving and the style of play that will hopefully help them develop.

Not that it's needed but an extra incentive to take points off Dunfermline next week (please!), it will make your last game against us much easier. Looking back to last season we rested half the team in our last league game before the play-offs, so would assume we'd do the same if it came to that.