CountryBumpkin

They do, it's the south stand.

It's been a showcase of some of the worst first touches from professional footballers so far. Really dire stuff. At least 5 times has the ball been miscontrolled out of play. Still, can only get better. Hopefully

Sure, except they're 7 points ahead. We win our next 2, we'll be 1 point behind.

United don't look like they've needed to get our of 1st gear either, this looks like a cakewalk for them without having to really work for it. This is a much different Morton to the one we've seen earlier in the season, whats happening?

That's a good introduction into hoping others wish you happy birthday...so happy birthday. Less ranting at referees in your upcoming years?

That sounds about right. Cheers for the info.

I'm thinking i've read previously that part of the gate from the playoff games goes to the SPFL as well. Hope I read that wrong.

I'm fully aware of his defensive duties and sitting deep to defend, but if you watch the games whenever Connolly is in possession or chasing a ball, he's not quick or able to get in behind the defender. Its not a slight on him as a player, its just not his game. Connolly, and I do like him as a player, is a ball to feet player who needs people around him to create space to cut inside and hit a shot or put a ball in the box. He did whip in a cross first half last night using his right foot. No one on the end of it mind, but still.

Though not 100% from the highlights, I don't hear a shout to Hamilton that he's not got time to bring the ball down, which I think he's trying to do. He's probably felt no pressure and adjusted to bring the ball to feet (where we should be putting balls into him) but he's totally outsmarted by the defender. That said, one header bypasses our midfield, takes out one defender who didn't want to challenge for it and gives Frizzell a run at goal. Really amateur stuff. I do feel for Hamilton, what we're asking him to do is not his game, he's up front alone against two or three big defenders and no support trying to get in behind for any flicks he wins. Connolly doesn't have the ability/speed to get in behind, Easton doesn't want to and Stanton is the only one capable. As a defender when a ball is lumped up, you don't have to win the duel, you just need to make sure the striker doesn't. Its not difficult. Like I said last night, we have to decide how we want to play with Hamilton in the side. If we want him to win flick ons then Smith, Vaughan, Rudden and Mullin are the best to have around him to get in behind. If we want to play the ball off him and get him chances then Easton and Connolly are better picks. Or we drop/sell him on in the summer.

Like most decisions, it was the right one at the time and I still think it is. Considering last season we were floating around in mid table with a tiny squad, the turnaround this year has been excellent. Nothing to suggest we can't do similar next season if we don't manage it this time. Lets also bear in mind that we've not been at that next level for almost 30 years, we're punching above our weight as it is.

Last night was a painful one to watch, in what has been an overall excellent season. To see our challenge essentially end after 45 mins wasn't great. However, in saying that, it has been a great season, we've seen some brilliant stuff, we've ended 22 year losing streaks against our bogey team, we've taken a clean sweep against our neighbours and we've put together some great performances late on, too regularly for it to be lucky. What we haven't done so far is learn from previous failures against Airdrie and it showed last night again. Had we started the game with the intensity and pressing of the second half, we'd probably be 1 point behind United. We have been tactically naive at times, too many attempts to wedge players into unfamiliar or unsuited positions and styles and hopefully we can now re-evaluate that and push on for the next 6-8 games we have this season.

Vaughan has been fatigued and not risked this last week. Murray spoke about it on his post match.

Nothing he could have done for the goals, similar to Airdrie keeper for Mullins strike, good hits, well placed.

Its a weird one, we're 2nd in the league, comfortably our best season in many years and yet we're 4 games to go, with more questions about the team and line up than we have answers. You'd think after 32 games we'd have a proper plan and a half decent back up. Yet, we seem to have neither. We have to decide what we want to do with Hamilton on the park. Either we surround him with players that want to get in behind on his flick ons (Easton and Connolly are not those players) or we play off him to feet and get him to stretch defences and bring others into play, or we cut losses and let him go in the summer. Rudden is chaos, doesn't ever feel like he's got the ball under control, no one knows what he's going to do. Probably not the answer as an alternative. We have to sort out the defensive option, we're a shambles at times. Brown struggled tonight against Todorov and its no surprise, he'll give better players trouble. We've got defenders sitting on the bench getting no look in. Our fullbacks don't attack, we know this, we've known all season, yet we play as if we expect them to be forward. We need to sort the midfield, again tonight the gap between midfield and defence was massive at times and Frizzell twice exploited it easily and scored two good goals. Byrne is very slow in covering and Matthews was clearly being asked to man mark and press their ball carriers. It didn't work. Similar to Hamilton, we either figure out how to get the best out of Connolly, or again, cut losses in the summer. We are all over the place, not a good position to be in going into what is guaranteed to be our toughest stretch. A loss against Thistle and we're on two tough away games, we could be fighting for 2nd by the time Arbroath come to Starks in May.

Settle sweetheart. You didn't play good football for the majority of the second half, but when you did manage it was good to watch. take the compliment and away back to your six fingered family at home like a good mutant.

Really poor 45 mins killed us there. First half was a shocker, right to make changes at half time. Ironically we started putting balls into the box that Hamilton would thrive on. Airdrie play some good stuff at times, decent to watch and 3 good finishes.

Tomorrow is Wednesday cunto. But other than that, well done.

Airdrie well deserving of their goals without having to work hard to get them. The Rovers are collapsing under pressure (the occasion, not the game) and I don't think Murray knows how to change it. We've had one chance to get back into the game and Hamilton fluffed his lines with 3 piss poor touches. Be a miracle if we get anything out of this

I'd agree. You look at what was served up by the big two at the weekend in terms of quality and realise that the Championship isn't that bad comparatively.

This whole post is invalidated on the belief that Ethan Ross has pace...

I had thought to myself that I hope it wasn't Jim, damn if true. Hope he's well taken care of and on the mend soon.

I'll take the poor referee decisions going our way but jesus that was not one for the neutrals to watch. Second half playing against the wind and we spent most of the game hitting it high and watching it hold up, baffling decision all round, especially with free kicks. Good to see Hamilton get a goal, he was given scraps most of the game and up against McGinty and Sanders who are both taller and wider than him, not an easy day. Well done to the Ayr contingent travelling from what were likely rubbish conditions. Hope it's a safe trip back.

With it being Easter holidays, its possible that none of our volunteers are able to get down to the club to do the interview due to other commitments? It may also come out today.

I'd agree. I'd be interested in what the way forward will be for the community club if we have to lift the pitch and go back to what would very likely be a poorer surface. There is potentially more to be lost than gained by that change.

If we don't win the league, it'll be a disappointment, nothing else. We'll rebuild in the summer and go again, hopefully learning from the mistakes and missteps from this year (Arbroath, etc) and look to solidify our team with some good replacement signings, ideally without increasing the budget. Regarding the Courier article, first off, the overuse of the word "stars" when it comes to players really needs to get in the bin. As an example. Ethan Ross is in that list. Possibly the furthest from a star we have in the squad. Secondly, if we're not happy offering deals to players now because we may go up, we really should consider letting them go even at the top end of the Championship if we want to improve. Matthews i'd keep, Easton too, but the rest are replaceable.