Diamonds on the Windshield
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Everything posted by Diamonds on the Windshield
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I still think Gabby has goals in him and something to prove. Get him in the box instead of stuck out on the right. We know he can find the net and that is why we were all keen to have him re-sign.
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There is no doubt McCabe is trying different setups to find something that overcomes the failings and that is good. Sometimes it won't work like yesterday. Learn from it and move on Hopefully Telfer is fit next week and I think we should have another go with the back 5. Megwa is better on the right and Mason came through the game after his injury ok so get him back at wing back. He was the one driving forward yesterday. Janny needs be more central and hang back as he is usually fast enough to cover back if they break. Rae Megwa Janny McCabe Fordyce Hancock Telfer McMaster Frizz CalGal McStravick
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While we are concentrating on playing nice football the other team are trying to beat us. I'm all for the way we are playing and wouldn't change it but we need to lose the attitude that if we play this way the goal will come. After the second goal yesterday we got a bit of urgency and McStravick was more direct and got in the box. Mason Hancock was trying to drive forward and the last few minutes of the game I felt we might put enough pressure on them and score. We need to start every game with that intensity. A lot of the goals we lose are easy goals because we lose the ball when we are higher up the pitch and there are very few players in our half of the field. That is when ATS lack of speed is a real problem (as the second goal with him over on the right where Janny would normally be to cover). The opposite is true for us because we are passing the ball and they get further into their box until it is so packed that scoring is difficult or we have a wild shot from outside the box. We need to transition much quicker and that is where McCabe's pinged passes are sorely missed to hit them before the box is packed. Gal's hold up and distribution was missed yesterday and other than a couple of headed knock-ons Todarov was useless at linking up with anyone.
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I wouldn't be surprised if Gabby goes in January. Especially if we get another forward in. His interview a couple of weeks ago left me with the feeling that he is really not happy being left out the starting eleven. He needs the game time to play himself back in to form and if he came good in the second half of the season that would be a real bonus and lift for the team. Andy Ryan is doing ok for Larne.......
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I always thought Iain Russell was the reason Ryan had such a good season and Gal does not have anyone providing for him the same way. I wonder how many of Gal's goals were set up by Smith last season? When Ryan came back for 8 games he only scored 2 goals ( 1 was a pen) and kept Gal out the team. I always think it would have been better if he had not come back as Gal and Carrick were playing well together. That season we finished 5 points behind Raith having drawn 0-0 at home with Stranraer (Ryans first start on his return) who were bottom of the table. The previous game away to East Fife we were winning 2-1 with Gal having scored both the goals. Ryan ( just re-joined) then replaced Gal in the 70th minute and a Craig Watson goal in the 89th minute cost us 2 points. So those 4 points made all the difference. We lost 0-1 at home to Raith but with those 4 points in the bag if we had drawn with Raith at home we would have finished first with Falkirk 1 point behind. Call me bitter but I blame Andy Ryan for costing us promotion that season.
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My thoughts on Gabby are highlighted by the cup game where he scored one top corner with his left foot, one top corner with his right foot and a pass to Gal for his goal. That is because he is an experienced goal scorer. Contrast that with the young "wingers" who get in the box and shoot at the first opportunity. Most of these shots are blocked by the legs of the defender standing in front of them or go straight into the keepers hands. McStravick is smart enough to know that there is no point kicking the ball into a defenders legs and he can pass the ball in the box which led to another Gal goal. Most shots are being blocked and no one is passing to Gal for his tap ins. This is why we are so poor at finishing in the last third and the new tactic should be no shooting allowed from in the box with only passing to Gal for him to tap in. This means that Gal has to stay on for the whole game and if he had Todorov's shot in injury time I believe he would have scored.
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Ballantyne back on the right as wing back was another level above, back to his best. Maybe we should be looking for a left wing back of the same calibre in the January window. I always thought Frizz might give the team a better balance playing at wingback and I also think McGregor is better defensively than he is with his final ball and finishing. Telfer has really taken to McCabe's style of play and is the one joining things together going forward with deft little passes and he keeps the ball moving forward where Frizz seems to be more inclined to turn back the way recently. The team deserves the credit for digging in while Morton were on top and it was good to come away from a match like that with the victory.
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I am not saying we change the style of play but that we get the players on the pitch who have shown they are better at creating the chances we need within the style. Ballantyne went to left back and the defence was stronger. Hancock came in at left back and Ballantyne went back to right back with Dycey back to the left of centre and Janny at right centre again everything more solid. These are changes and made our results better. Aiken got a chance and has forced his way into the team because he makes us better. There are still good options for us to try other combinations of players who click together and improve our effectiveness while playing the improved style of football McCabe has us playing. McStravick looks like he might be the next one to come in and improve the team and he looks like he may have the spark we need. If it means dropping Gabby then so be it. I also think we need to drop McMaster for Telfer despite the fact that he has been outstanding in some games but has also not contributed much in the last couple.
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The worry is how few chances we are creating. McStravick looks like a Dylan Easton type player and was effective in and around the box and Telfer was making things happen going forward and he is good at breaking things up when needed. A few hard 50/50s yesterday where he came away with the ball and he has improved the team when he has come on in the last couple of games. These are the players we need on the pitch and not the ones who work hard but have poor games. I still think Gabby can take a touch and score but he's not getting into those kind of positions with the way we are playing. I'd like to see us play a midfield four of Frizz-Aiken-Telfer-McStravick with a combination of two from Gal, Gabby and Todorov up front. McGregor can come on as an impact sub when required and if we need to shore up the defence bring on McMaster. With the way it went yesterday the back 4 passing sideways waiting for something to open up in front that midfield 4 have the ability to make runs, flick ons, one twos and through balls to the runner and that is how to create space and get the ball in the box.
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Looks like we may have found our left back and Fordyce back on the left side of centre with Ballantyne solid on the right and Watson filling gaps in the middle has given us 2 clean sheets in difficult matches. As McCabe said Telfor made a big contribution when he came on and Gabby is getting back to being on form. Todorov set Gal up for a ruled out goal and great to see McGregor getting the winning goal. It was also nice to hear McCabe's comments on McGregor being in a better place and that is evidence of how this team are supporting and playing for each other. We now have options off the bench for the first time in years and all credit again to McCabe for getting better at his use of subs. So much is positive about what he is doing at the club and it is important that we get him tied in for a good few years to see where he can take us.
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I am not saying wingers are a waste of time. Over the last few games and especially away from home we have been lumping balls up looking for a run from McGregor or O'Connor and it is frustrating as nothing comes of it. What I am getting at is the players we have in midfield get all over the park and we play a lot of nice stuff in the corners. I am not saying everyone should play through the middle but with the rotation we see and the ability this group have to create space by moving and passing get McStravick in and create havoc by moving to where the ball needs to passed to. The players have shown they have the ability to play this way and it is more effective than the hopeful ball down the line. I don't consider Gabby a winger any more than I did Smith last year they just started wide before cutting into the box. There is no doubt this is the best football we have seen for years and I am loving it but when the move breaks down in the next couple of games keep an eye out for what I am saying.
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If you look at the last few games we have created very few shots at goal. When the ball gets lumped into the corner we are losing it and there is the chance of a break away and that is what we are poor at defending against. Our players are intelligent and quite capable of making runs to take defenders away and create space while still moving across the and up and down the field contributing to our creative flowing style. A winger hugging the touchline is a waste of a jersey unless their play is actually leading to chances and goals. If our moves break down trying to find them or when they run the ball out how effective is their contribution? The goal was not created by the wingers it was created by good passing and movement, and giving the ball to Gal in the box to finish.
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Gabby has a football brain and his give and go with Frizz then his pass to Gal made that goal. If either of our "wingers" had been running through on goal they would have had a shot and the ball would have been blocked by the legs of a defender or hit the linesman. Gabby is wasted on the outside and anyone who says Gabby and Gal can't play through the middle together just needs to watch the goal. Bring McStravick in for McGregor and play the way we did to score the goal. The obsession with getting it out wide to a winger is not working when we try it. The midfield and fullbacks are mobile enough to get into those wide areas but when they do they have the ability to play triangles in the tight spaces and actually get the ball to Gal in the box to score. They see the pass and not just the useless shot at goal when they have a defender blocking the shot.
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McGill is the only one who can run at the defence and beat a man then put it away and that brings more to the team than being fast. He was unlucky on Saturday but he was sharp enough to get his toe to the ball first. Arbroath were marking so tight they cut most of the through balls out. They were moving to the ball that our players were waiting to come to them and getting there first. ATS should maybe have been rested after his international duty. Watson did not look fit and the ball was nicked off his toes by someone moving faster with more purpose. Rhys was beaten hands down by a player determined to win the ball and we lost a soft goal. Arbroath have stayed in this league by stopping better teams from playing and that is down to fitness and determination. They knew how to stop us playing and we did not adapt. I thought we could pull the goals back with the extra man and pushing towards their goal. When Frizz got on the ball he was running past them but the short passes and through balls in the channels were being stopped by their sheer determination to get to the ball first. Our full backs give us our width and Frizz and Telfer are regularly in the corners with little passes to each other creating chances. McGregor and O'Conner too often just make a bee line for goal and shoot into a defender without seeing the square pass for someone else to tap in.
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Playing 2 wingers makes no sense when we have all these good midfielders who can play the short passing game that we are best at. The wingers making runs and our centre backs trying to find them with long passes is what we have resorted to over the last few games. Gal is isolated and has been coming into the centre circle to pick the ball up in effect running away from goal and then getting flattened every time. How many moves end with one of the wingers losing the ball or an attempt to get it to them being cut out? Get our effective players on the pitch and play the way we are good at. Passing through the other team and moving towards goal not looking back towards the ball being passed along the back line. The transition into attack that we have been good at has failed us as teams have wised up and Arbroath showed how easy it is to stop us playing our football. 4-1-4-1 with McCabe or McMaster in front of the back 4. I am excited to see McStravick and Frizz gel and Aiken and Telfer might gel also. Gal is going to score goals if we can get the ball to him in the box and he is good at laying off or flicking on to runners but we have to get him in the box. Maybe even give McGill a run as a centre forward.
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I was worried that for the last 10 mins we would be hemmed in our box with no out ball. McCabe has obviously learned from last season by bringing fresh legs on and Telfer had the energy and experience needed to break up their play and get the ball forward. We still need to get a bit smarter as a few times we should have gone for the corner flag but gave them the ball back too quickly. Hopefully McGill will be back fully fit because he made such a difference being on the park and is that the last time we will see Devenny?
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Play Telfer in one of the wide forward roles. The last few games he has shown he can beat a man in the corner and get into the box, he is a great crosser of the ball and can shoot. He has the energy and can tackle and get around the pitch and has a good football brain for the short pass. Maybe we have had Smith's replacement all along. That would also let one of the younger midfielders onto the pitch to break up the other team's play.
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I thought Kurtis Roberts was the best player on the field last night . He won most of his 50/50's , was good playing forward, broke up our forward passing game and got in some decent tackles. He also looks very comfortable moving with the ball and was the reason Clyde looked better than the scoreline suggests. Maybe a good addition to the Diamonds when the crop of young midfielders go back to their parent clubs next season.
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Who would have predicted an ATS shot not held by keeper for first goal, an ATS header not held by keeper for second goal, a long ball out from ATS set up fourth goal and a left footed pass from a "right footed" left back for the fifth. But for a silly penalty that would have been a clean sheet. That back four should play till the end of the season. Gives us more height in the box and stops the crosses from the left.
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While in Tesco toilets in Cardiff today I was taking a comfort break from food shopping for Christmas day and noticed the hand dryer. The chap behind me thought I was mental taking a picture of it but I told the wife we would score 4 tonight as it was the Universe talking to me. I then won first prize of a chainsaw in the Mind raffle, go figure. Need to do the lottery tomorrow.
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How about Lyness Ballantyne Watson Fordyce ATS Devenney Telfer McCabe Deveney Gal Smith With McCabe sitting in front of the back three to stop the shots from outside the box and ping his passes. Telfer and Deveney in front of him making nice little triangles for short passes moving forward. Devenney driving forward with ATS covering behind as required. Watson Fordyce ATS strong at corners and free kicks. Ballantyne and Smith driving into the box and Gal with tap ins. Watson can make his driving runs forward through the middle with cover behind. This leaves Jamieson to come on as impact sub. This plays to the strengths of the players we have going forward while addressing the defensive issues that have been costing us goals and would give us back control of the mid field.
