Raith Against The Machine

You're being very, very kind. He's had the right intention a couple of times, and his positioning is certainly improving, but I don't think he's actually achieved anything of any note yet. He's still far too lateral. As I say that, he's just delivered a cross, sort of, which has kind of resulted in a goal. Say "Aye!" to a Dave McKay.

Quite similar to the Forfar game, this one. Came flying out the traps, created a huge chance, but once the game settled, we've had no ideas. The game is being played in the twenty yards our side of the halfway line. The Rovers have had a load of the ball so far, but they put me in mind of the old Mourinho quote about letting the opposition have possession so that they can make mistakes.

As predicted, its a 4-2-3-1. McKay at right back. Dingwall and Gullan have looked lively so far though. The latter had a decent effort come back off the inside of the post. I don't mind this so much with Anderson on the right of the "3". In theory, it let's him and McKay play as an orthodox fullback-winger partnership, while on the other side Gullan can play inside and MacDonald can use the space.

McKay as part of a back three please, with MacDonald and either Grant Anderson or Dan Armstrong at wing back. Except it's going to be McKay at right back against, is it? Sigh.

This is the "Dave McKay at right back" of post-match threads.

Disagree. We can't get out because of McKay, he's not an out ball, which just invites more pressure onto the defence, increasing the likelihood of mistakes. If you don't have a bespoke wingback, you should be converting wingers, not converting central defenders. The reason I'd take Anderson over, say, Armstrong, is that he's a more disciplined player. He'll track his man, and as mentioned previously, he's decent enough in the air to still help defend set pieces. With three other central defenders, you don't need a fourth to provide solidity. The problems that stemmed from McKay on Tuesday are a magnitude greater when it's a back five versus a back four. When our central defence has the ball on the ground, under little to no pressure, they need a forward facing Anderson pushing into the other half, on the touchline, able to contribute to an attack. What they don't need is McKay, toeing the halfway line, offering a lateral pass that'll undoubtedly be returned.

Didn't travel today because I knew McKay would either be at right back or wing back. Wing back! That he's still getting a game out there is inconceivable to me. The advantages offered by a 3-4-1-2 are so severely nullified by a wingback without the quality to get forward. Grant Anderson would be, conservatively, fifteen thousand times more effective in that role, without losing the height at set pieces that McKay offers.

I do not.

That match was a perfect example of what happens when two 4-4-2s come up against each other, and one team is happy with a point. Everyone has a direct marker. The fullbacks become key, because they're generally being marked by wingers, so they've got the best chance of "winning their duel" and getting forward. For the Rovers, McKay can't do that. He doesn't have the technical ability to play League One football. So the onus falls on MacDonald. But when it's just him, he's easy to mark. Forfar bias their set up to be on his side of the park, cutting his space to nil. He did his best, but he was never likely to succeed. Of course, the other players without great markers are your centre halfs, and as you'd expect, they had a lot of the ball. While one Forfar striker was happy to watch them knock it back and forth, the other dropped into the midfield, creating a 3v2 for Matthews and Tait to contend with. Up against an extra man, neither was getting the time to receive a pass, turn, and pick a pass themselves. The other classic counter to this kind of 4-4-2 battle, is to get your wingers running into the channels. You hold the ball in defence, you let the other team press forward, and you ping it into the space left behind. Except we didn't have any wingers. We had four number 9s, who all want the ball into feet. I'm actually really quite angry that I've had to sit and watch that for an hour. Four strikers who want passes, two midfielders who can't get space to make them, a right back with loads of time who can't play, a left back who can with no time at all, and two central defenders with all the ball and no options for what to do with it. I feel like the Falkirk fans have for most of this season. If I can see that, why can't John McGlynn? There's a plethora of options to change it, and they should've started by the half hour mark. An extra man in midfield to free up Tait and Matthews. Height up front or out wide to give Benedictus and Anderson a long ball option. Armstrong on for McKay to stretch Forfar across the park. An utter abdication of tactical and strategic leadership tonight. I'm a huge supporter of John McGlynn, but that was embarrassing for a manager of his standing.

Tait, deservedly, was given man of the match. That result is a failure of management, not personnel. Set up terribly, not changed until far too late, and never fixed.

I don't think he managed a shot at goal today, in fairness. Forfar are sitting deeper now, and MacDonald is getting some more space. Armstrong's movement creating gaps, too. We've been abysmal, but we look more likely now than we have at any other point.

Anderson's first touch is to win a flick on to the edge of the box. Now, he was offside, but it's the first attacking header of any substance that we've won all game.

Anderson for Allan. Right change. Armstrong's movement has caused some bother since he came on. Let's see what happens now.

First 15 minutes of the second half have been identical to the last 45. Surprising no one. Injury to Bowie has brought Armstrong on. As previously, I'd have had Anderson, but at least Armstrong can beat a man. Let's see if he can break a line or two.

The Rovers, much like my outlook, are unchanged at half time.

Absolutely. Forfar haven't offered anything going forward, but they have completely nullified our entire attack just by shutting down MacDonald. Stick Anderson on for Allan. Move Bowie inside. Tell Ando to go wide and look for headers. Tell Gullan to stop hanging about on the wing and drop in behind Baird and Bowie instead. Let him go deep and see what he can find. Give the back line another option that isn't 60 yards away.

Forfar are playing a tight block, on the right hand side of the park. They're happy to leave all the space on their left, because McKay isn't going to go bombing on, and they need to shut down MacDonald who will. It's working. It leaves us relying on Matthews or Tait beating one or two men in the packed middle, which isn't happening, or launching a long ball forward for one or our front four, none of whom is particularly good in the air.

Without Spencer or Hendry, we've got nothing in the middle. Anderson and Bene are knocking it back and forth, but they don't have options. Forfar are finding it very easy to keep us a long way from their goal. Grant Anderson out wide would at least give us a better outball. We don't have anywhere near enough possession high up the park to justify four strikers.

Docherty is in the middle. Tapping is wide left.

Okay, looks like the back four you'd expect, McKay at right back. Tait and Matthews holding. Gullan wide left, Bowie wide right. Baird and Allan up front. 4-4-2 without the ball, 4-2-4 with it. Two big chances for the Rovers in the first minute. Huge save from McCallum for the first one. With all due respect, I can't believe he's still at Forfar.

I'd have thought Bowie would be the most likely to be played wide/in midfield, but we'll soon see.

Delighted to see John McGlynn return to sticking three out and out strikers on the park, a la Wales, Smith & Weir. With Gullan out there as well, it might be the most attacking line up we've fielded in years.

Definite red, that one? Didn't look great from the stand, but I was expecting a yellow.

Still shouldn't be playing wing back. Also - Bowie's attempt at a header there was incredible. Nobody has ever looked less likely to complete a perfect hat trick.

Elgin's keeper is in short sleeves, and without an undershirt. There must be a reasonably significant chance of him freezing to death before full time.