The New Raith Rovers Thread

[renton]

10 hours ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

If I'm being optimistic, there were some signs of a decent team in the first half.

It's hard not to come to the conclusion that we are going to end up well off the pace for the play offs come the end of the season though. 

The match on Tuesday is huge. An absolute must win if we want to challenge for the top four. 

I honestly think that's a stretch. We got through the first part of the season because the three behind the No9 scored a f**k tonne of goals, now they can barely get on the pitch.

From front to back we have "decent footballers" but it isn't working, and playing that 3-5-2 doesn't help us. Guys like Gullan will look great in training - a technically gifted player - but if you were picking on effectiveness would he be in your 11?

To reiterate what I wrote in a total strop last night, our season is finished. If he can get Spencer signed back for next season, spend the next few months identifying a decent number 9 and get the confidence back to play a formation that actually uses the attacking players we have signed on multi year contracts and we might be ok.

[CALDERON]

I wouldn't say our season is finished yet, but we've gone from title contenders to "in with a shout of top 4" in little over a month.

[renton]

15 minutes ago, CALDERON said:

I wouldn't say our season is finished yet, but we've gone from title contenders to "in with a shout of top 4" in little over a month.

"In with a shout at top 4" really doesn't mean much though. 

Don't get me wrong, within the context of most seasons for Rovers it's a success. Yet, getting to the top 4 doesn't mean much if you don't have any realistic  chance of translating that finish into winning the play offs, which, let's be honest, we really wouldn't.

So, aye, I'm maybe cutting to the end and aye, maybe I'm being fatalistic but basically our season is finished, either because we don't get top 4, or we do and go through the motions of playing a couple of extra games.

[stevoraith]

I definitely thought there were signs of improvement last night.
The passing across the back was less laboured and generally looked to go forward quicker.
Some of our passing moves were sublime, albeit there were only a few fleeting glimpses.
Stanton is an absolute baller.

We’re still lacking goal scorers though and Dick is really not suited to being an attacking fullback. Musonda also looks a shell of the player he was.

I’d agree that the title challenge has gone and we’re in a proper scrap to stay in the play-offs, but I don’t see us dropping out of the top five.

[SirJimmyofNic]

Theres a big difference in prize money between 4th n 5th, thats if we dont chuck 5th spot as well, I've no doubt McGlynn will keep us in this league for as long as he wants to be here, but if the club or J. Sim have aspirations of Premier league status then I dont think hes capable of getting us there, unless he can learn a plan B and C

[Paco]

I thought the 3-5-2 was the right call last night to be honest. We won’t play a game with more balls fired into the box, in dreadful swirling conditions, and there are few more physical centre forwards than big Gozie. I reckon we’d have conceded a few more with only two centre backs. Tumilty scored, Dick nearly did twice. It was the right call.

I wouldn’t be considering it in the two home games coming though. Get back to the ball on the ground, get Ethan Ross and Aidan Connolly on the ball. Stanton had his best game for us by a distance last night, took parts of the first half by the scruff of the neck which we haven’t seen from him before.

I’ll say again that for all his faults, we really missed Ethon Varian last night particularly in the second half. Gullan does not make a good focal point, although he did have his best game since returning in fairness to him.

Reasons to be optimistic for me despite clinging on a bit in the end. Obviously we need to win the next two with no excuses just to keep in a decent top 4 position, but the damage wasn’t done last night.

[RRFC2711]

I thought the 3-5-2 was the right call last night to be honest. We won’t play a game with more balls fired into the box, in dreadful swirling conditions, and there are few more physical centre forwards than big Gozie. I reckon we’d have conceded a few more with only two centre backs. Tumilty scored, Dick nearly did twice. It was the right call.

I wouldn’t be considering it in the two home games coming though. Get back to the ball on the ground, get Ethan Ross and Aidan Connolly on the ball. Stanton had his best game for us by a distance last night, took parts of the first half by the scruff of the neck which we haven’t seen from him before.

I’ll say again that for all his faults, we really missed Ethon Varian last night particularly in the second half. Gullan does not make a good focal point, although he did have his best game since returning in fairness to him.

Reasons to be optimistic for me despite clinging on a bit in the end. Obviously we need to win the next two with no excuses just to keep in a decent top 4 position, but the damage wasn’t done last night.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This

[roverthemoon]

Don’t think the season is finished quite yet, but it’s definitely slipping away slowly. The second half was like a long wait for the Morton equaliser. Yes, you can blame the wind but Morton managed to attack just fine against it in the first half. And the fact the second half Arbroath was exactly the same suggests there’s a mentality issue for us. We can’t hold a lead at the moment. 
 

Not usually one for subscribing to the ‘they wanted it more’ analysis, but that’s exactly how it’s felt in the last two games. Morton and Arbroath battled better and won a significantly higher percentage of 50/50s. That will always tips the game in your favour.

Disappointed we didn’t see Connolly on last night. He’s a player who can sometimes create something.  Poplatnik gives us more bite up front so would like to see him given a start on Tuesday.

[raith1974]

Morton played the conditions perfectly where we huffed and puffed. They dominated most of the first half even with the wind against them and used the wins to their advantage in the 2nd half. We rarely shot from distance in the first half, didn't put in dangerous crosses and even corners were short. In the 2nd half we rarely got it on the ground and tried long balls up to two players that this style of play doesn't suit. 

I also kind of wish we had kept Gozie. Two games he's played against us and causer us issues.

Bene wasn't great again last night, Dick isn't good enough to play the wingback role and I've no idea what Musonda was up to with his lack of control, passing and tracking.

Big improvements needed if we are going to finish anywhere near top 4. We also still need that target man striker.

[Specky Ginger]

It's nonsense to say our season is finished.

There's 75 grand prize money, per place, between second and fifth, so for example, the difference between third and fifth (150 grand) probably equates to the wages of three, possibly four, players for next season.

[baillieinleeds]

We had everything going for us last night except that elusive striker. Has McGlynn been told we have to work with what we have……or is he dithering too much!! Killie seem to snapping up every available player, money talks and all that. Stanton is proving to be one of our best signings. Dare I say it, as good as Hendry

[baillieinleeds]

1 minute ago, Specky Ginger said:

It's nonsense to say our season is finished.

There's 75 grand prize money, per place, between second and fifth, so for example, the difference between third and fifth (150 grand) probably equates to the wages of three, possibly four, players for next season.

We have to be doing way better than we have been. Keeping the ball on the deck is always going to be a winner. We have ball players, not punt and rush. 

[Michael W]

Morton played the conditions better than we did at least partly because they had the players to do it. Muirhead and Ugwu both worked brilliantly as focal points in the second half, won the challenges, held it up and got the knockdowns. We had Gullan and Ross running after balls that were punted straight out the park in the first half and they couldn't get near the CBs in the second, who mopped up with ease. Poplatnik came on, but he isn't a target man either. 

We really missed Varian. Not saying we'd have won if he played, but the ball wouldn't have been immediately returned at us in the second half like it was and we'd have had someone to aim at rather than putting it straight out. 

It wasn't a bad result last night, but our form is not acceptable. 

Edited January 29, 2022 by Michael W

[Been going too long]

4 hours ago, stevoraith said:

I definitely thought there were signs of improvement last night.
The passing across the back was less laboured and generally looked to go forward quicker.
Some of our passing moves were sublime, albeit there were only a few fleeting glimpses.
Stanton is an absolute baller.

We’re still lacking goal scorers though and Dick is really not suited to being an attacking fullback. Musonda also looks a shell of the player he was.

I’d agree that the title challenge has gone and we’re in a proper scrap to stay in the play-offs, but I don’t see us dropping out of the top five.

Totally agree bud

[RR #1]

What's the story with Varian? That's been 3 games in a row now he's not been in the squad and I've never heard it mentioned on any of managers interviews that he has an injury. 

[embow]

17 minutes ago, RR #1 said:

What's the story with Varian? That's been 3 games in a row now he's not been in the squad and I've never heard it mentioned on any of managers interviews that he has an injury. 

He has an ankle injury and is likely to be out for up to three weeks. Did the damage in training a week before last  Thursday if I recall correctly what was said at the time.

[RR #1]

2 minutes ago, embow said:

He has an ankle injury and is likely to be out for up to three weeks. Did the damage in training a week before last  Thursday if I recall correctly what was said at the time.

Cheers must have missed this. 

[cet homme charmant]

I'm the brother of Gordon 'Tiger' Bryce, one of the Ton fans that the minutes applause was for last night, and on behalf of the whole family we send our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Raith team and fans for respecting and participating in the tribute. Brought a tear to a glass eye!

And many thanks for big Gozie as well

All the best for the rest of the season

Edited January 29, 2022 by cet homme charmant

[keyser_soze]

2 hours ago, cet homme charmant said:

I'm the brother of Gordon 'Tiger' Bryce, one of the Ton fans that the minutes applause was for last night, and on behalf of the whole family we send our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the Raith team and fans for respecting and participating in the tribute. Brought a tear to a glass eye!

And many thanks for big Gozie as well

All the best for the rest of the season

And to you bud, keep playing like you did last night and you won't have to worry about the bottom 2 places

[Scottydog]

I’m sure I heard the BBC commentary team mention that the wind which was swirling 1st half was more direct I n Morton’s favour 2nd half, that said there can be no disputing that the home side were better equipped and adapted far better to the conditions on the night.

I agree with the thoughts that last night there was some improvement, we were battling much better but there are still some guys not as good or strong as we had last season. I agree with the comments that Stanton is looking better and better, as he Williamson and Matthews adapt to each other they should get better still, once Stenny comes back there should be further improvement again. I also agree that we are missing Varians presence up top, both Gullan and Ross are quick and skilful and though not exactly lightweight their hold up play isn’t good/strong  enough, can’t understand why he didn’t play Poplatnik, especially after his goal and assist last week.

Lastly have to agree with the manager the loss of Berra eventually proved pivotal, Lang and Berra look far and away our best partnership. Bene doesn’t win enough in the air and Musonda is a shadow of the player he was last season.

I reckon last nights team featured  as much as 7 absentees from the usual teams that were cruising games last season. Macca, Davo, Hendry, Spencer, Tait, Armstrong and Vaughan. You can argue that we have brought some quality in (and we have) but we are currently missing more than we’ve gained.
There seems to be an unrealistic expectation that we should be better, IMO it’s gonna take time to get the quality level back up to what it was….if we can.