Raith Against The Machine

Don't use Dave McKay as a ball playing centre half challenge. Edit: That was obviously Brad Spencer's key error, but the general point stands. Totally self-inflicted.

Matty Todd is basically playing as a wide forward. Doesn't look remotely concerned about Zanatta being constantly beyond him... and on current evidence, his judgement is sound.

We look like a team whose defence keeps being overhauled from one game to the next. When players are being dragged out of position, we're nowhere near fluid enough at filling in the gaps. Dom Thomas is, as you'd expect, getting a fair bit of joy.

From two left backs on Sunday to none tonight.

Champions of Airdrie, they'll never sing that.

I know how you feel, I really don't enjoy derbies at home. Too much expectation, too much potential for embarrassment. I've been fairly unwell this week and I'm on the fence about going tonight. On the one hand I've missed enough games this season and I'd hate to miss a fairly rare derby victory, but on the other I'd really not enjoy literally spewing as Dom Thomas rattles in his third before half time.

Probably not, no. The guy(s) in charge decided they were doing something and ploughed on regardless of other feedback. It's a situation that could happen at (I'd guess?) most clubs in the country. Once this German conglomerate own 80% of the Pars, if they decide they want to play in navy blue kits then there's no amount of fan consultation or resigning directors/sponsors that would have the power to stop them. It's the nature of outright majority ownership, and short of selling ~30% of the club, it's a dynamic that's not going to change. This latest move is a further sign that the Rovers leadership are creating channels of communication so that, going forward, there's more diversity of input, but they're also demonstrating a greater willingness to listen. As I said in my initial post, the proof will be in the pudding. We've no choice but to take it on good faith at this point and hope that their actions match their words. Ultimately, the club could make every season ticket holder a director and hold weekly board meetings in the South Stand, but if John Sim decides next Thursday that he wants to move the club to Bangkok so that he can watch the games from the balcony of his luxury apartment, there's nothing anyone can do to stop him.

I don't know, because I don't know what the Trust do that would be equivalent to this, and I'm a member of the Trust. That's not necessarily a dig at the guys who run the Trust, because I genuinely don't know what you mean. Is there some sort of regular consultation between the club board and the Trust? If so, does it involve just the 'leadership' at the Trust, or rank and file members? I've just signed up to be a prospective member of that panel. Short of applying to become the Supporters Director, I can't think that I've had the opportunity before to be a (consultative) part of the club's decision making process before.

Introduction of a Fans' Panel at Stark's Park Another really positive move from the club. The proof will be in the pudding over the medium-to-long term, but it's another sign of a willingness to change and have controls in place to avoid repeating the mistakes of the recent past.

Although Berra was on the bench on Sunday, he had the same amount of involvement in the warm-up as Vaughan did, which amounted to little more than fetching stray balls and offering encouragement. I'd be very surprised if he was fit to start tonight. Benedictus coming back in is definitely positive though, I've seen more than enough of Liam Dick at centre half to know I'd never like to see it again. Total coin toss on whether to give Mackie or Dick the nod at left back. Mackie grew into the game on Sunday and got an assist, but only after the shape change pinned back Wullie Gibson. I suspect Liam Dick would've managed about the same. I think the improvement after the change was as much to do with the way Queens were set up as it was the personnel involved, but I agree that it's probably best to stick with the way we finished the final. Let Zanatta get back to doing what he does on that wing with a striker in the middle who has his tail up and see what they can make happen. Ethan Ross got his goal too and Connolly has been playing well, so that front four should at least have a fair bit of belief going into the game, which we haven't been able to say for quite a while. This is going to sound like typical pre-derby mischief making, but I wasn't overly impressed by the Pars in their two recent televised games. The second half against Morton they were in complete control but Morton didn't show any desire to get out or try to counteract that, and Thistle were as actively bad as I've seen a team this season. That's not by any means saying that Dunfermline didn't warrant the points they got (or potentially more against Morton) but sometimes you win a game 4-1 because you've been brilliant and sometimes you win 4-1 because the opposition have been abysmal. Which is really just a long way of saying I think this game almost depends more on which Rovers side show up compared to which Pars side. Dunfermline have got good players who'll hurt you if you let them, but if you do the basics right and take your own chances, there's not the belief in that squad or the ingenuity in the dugout to properly turn the tide. Now, have the Rovers been "doing the basics right" and "taking their chances" over the last four months or so? Not particularly. I think it'll be 2-0 either way. It'll be a relatively even opening until one team takes the lead, at which point they'll ride their luck in holding the other out before scrambling home a second to make it safe with about ten minutes left.

You might find the moral highground isn't quite compatible with poking fun at autism.

No wonder Matej needed a bandage!

Our game management once we went ahead in the second half was probably the best it's been all season, which is a surprise because it was abysmal in the first half. I'm sure it was at least in part down to Queens' heads dropping, but the Rovers took control and did what they needed to do. There can't be many teams who've won a trophy with a defence that ropey. Our left hand side was absolutely chronic defensively, but at least we had the fullbacks going forward today. If we're always going to look like conceding, we need to at least create chances at the other end, and they did that today. Varian didn't have a bad game by any means, but Ethan Ross is ten times the player in the middle as he is out wide, and he made the Queens midfield work much harder which really turned the tide. Gibson, who'd had a fairly easy time marking Ross, didn't look comfortable with Zanatta at all, and suddenly things started shaking loose. I'm really pleased for John McGlynn. To have won three semi-finals prior to this season and never walked out at a final must've stuck in his craw, but now he's had his final and gotten a medal for it. Hopefully we can kick on and finish the league campaign strongly. Matej Poplatnik has certainly (finally) given us a proper number nine, so that gives McGlynn a focal point to build towards. A couple of injured players back would be nice too.

100% the change that was needed and subsequently won us the game.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay. Earlier in the session it was the right decision for him to wait and see what else is out there, but I don't think his stock is anywhere near as high as it was before that red card at Falkirk. It's not that that one incident suddenly sullied his reputation, it's more than the entire team's performance levels have dropped and there's not the same audience looking at the squad as a whole and thinking "who can we pinch from there?". He might get an offer from a Kilmarnock or a Dundee, but I'd be surprised if he was seen as a first pick at right back for any Premiership club. If he's moving up, it'll be as a squad player. For a guaranteed starting place, it'd be more like a Kieran MacDonald move to a club in a similar position to us. I'd be very keen to keep him, though, I think he's still got room to improve and consistency on that side of defence would be a plus, given we'll probably be looking for a new left back.

So did we.

I don't think a small team would make it into the front page of every paper and be the lead item on the 6pm news...

Oh no! Simon Ferry and Barry Ferguson don't think the Rovers are a big club! Oh my! I don't know how I'll cope with this crushing news!

Ben Williamson was subbed off in the firs Scotland Under 21s game with an injury, and he now hasn't made the squad for today's game. I've not been particularly convinced by him up til now, always looks more likely to be booked than to play a key pass or chip in with a goal, but it could be yet another player unavailable for some period of time.

I believe that's only if it's violent conduct. Certainly the Courier has him down as missing the Pars game instead.

I think I'll wait for the fitness updates on Wednesday or Thursday before I decide how optimistic or pessimistic I am about this one. With Benedictus and Musonda back we should at least be able to put out a team of players in their natural positions, but the way this season is going I wouldn't rule out losing further bodies to spontaneous combustion, gardening accidents or choking on someone else's vomit.

Arbroath fans really are desperate for a pat on the head for their plucky underdogs who've been down't mine all week, eh?

Playing with a partner, too.

Would've taken a point before kick off, hands down. Three goals is nice, too. We haven't looked like scoring three goals in the same goal very often at all this season. Take that, and look for improved defence when we've got more than two of the first choice back five available.

Hahaha wot