The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Raith69]

Would like to add that Dylan Corr played well and would have been my man of the match ahead of Connelly

[Stardog_champion]

1 minute ago, Raith69 said:

Would like to add that Dylan Corr played well and would have been my man of the match ahead of Connelly

Let’s try to build a defence around him. Corr was different class. Sorry if my posts have been gowpin’ I’m a bad loser, always have been

[HoBNob]

Stanton must be crocked, not terribly sure how you fit him, Turner, Byrne and Brown all in the same team. 

Incredible squad depth but it could be difficult keeping them all happy. 

[Raith69]

Just now, Stardog_champion said:

Let’s try to build a defence around him. Corr was different class. Sorry if my posts have been gowpin’ I’m a bad loser, always have been

Lol, we all can be so don't worry, I was watching it on Raith TV and I was so annoyed with them and Murray, since Tannadice and giving him a 3 year deal we have been crap.

[basher brash]

Queens were hard working  and a tidy passing side but that was it what did McNeill have to do save one the first half and 2 the 2nd half yet we still loose . The team has to take criticism just as much as praise but today just not good enough all over the park , Things just don’t happen you have to create and work hard for opportunities and we haven’t lately and throw in sloppy goals aswell , We need a left back assp Dick isn’t good enough . Easton aswell trying to hard to make something happen instead of playing an easy pass . First home loss in a calendar year some achievement though well played Rovers just have to re group and get back to how we were playing 

[RAITHROVERS84]

1 win in 5 and another poor afternoon.

Corr good and Turner was handy but Murrayball don’t work no more unfortunately…been figured out and the lucky breaks have ended. 

The season changed on the 22nd of December vs Ayr, loss of Stanton and drawing a game when leading against 10 men. 

5 teams in this league have conceded less goals that this. No title challenge when you’ve no recognised defence.

[RRFC_Liam]

26 minutes ago, Raith69 said:

Players really need a kick up the backside, they just stroll about the park, whilst our opposition pick up on this and show more guts than us.

IM needs a reality check too, just thinks all he needs to do is take off a defender and stick on a attacker, absolutely clueless. Hats off to Queens they took their opportunity's.

Tbf in recent games we just fanny about on the ball too much when there’s better options then get caught and we either concede or give away stuff that leads to the goal, look at Easton for their corner Fannying about with the ball rather than clearing it wants a free kick then they play on and get corner then we don’t defend it and they score, it’s just so frustrating because it’s simple stuff that gets over complicated 

[RRFC_Liam]

25 minutes ago, Stardog_champion said:

Let’s try to build a defence around him. Corr was different class. Sorry if my posts have been gowpin’ I’m a bad loser, always have been

If Watson isn’t fit then Corr is first choice CH imo alongside Murray, how must he been feeling for weeks seeing a midfielder start ahead of them, never put a foot wrong today if start him against Livi 

[SirJimmyofNic]

29 minutes ago, HoBNob said:

Stanton must be crocked, not terribly sure how you fit him, Turner, Byrne and Brown all in the same team. 

Incredible squad depth but it could be difficult keeping them all happy. 

And that may well be what the problem is

[RRFC_Liam]

Is Murray becoming a McGlynn 2.0? Too loyal to players who aren’t performing well, shoehorning players here there and everywhere, too stubborn to change formations from the 4132/4231 and when he gets found out there’s no really a plan B he just chucks everyone on that he can…. He also waits until it’s too late to make changes as well which is a frustrating thing he’s too reactive than proactive 
 

im asking this is because we’ve been found out and nullified either we should change it on the pitch or go into the market and change something 

Edited January 13 by RRFC_Liam

[TxRover]

12 minutes ago, RRFC_Liam said:

If Watson isn’t fit then Corr is first choice CH imo alongside Murray, how must he been feeling for weeks seeing a midfielder start ahead of them, never put a foot wrong today if start him against Livi 

38 minutes ago, HoBNob said:

Stanton must be crocked, not terribly sure how you fit him, Turner, Byrne and Brown all in the same team. 

Incredible squad depth but it could be difficult keeping them all happy. 

Here's my fear...to be absolutely honest, and this sounds insane, but Brown is the odd man out of Stanton, Byrne, Turner and Brown. You play Byrne and Stanton as the DM's, with Turner in the middle of the mids/wingers. That leaves Brown playing RB or CB or sitting. I'm just afraid that IM is too much committed to Brown as one of "his guys", and will shoehorn him in at CB instead of playing Corr and Murray.

Yes, Brown is the Captain...yes, Brown was crucial earlier on this season...yes, he's a hard as nails defensive type...BUT, we need proper CB's at CB and I can't pick Brown over Byrne, Stanton or Turner (if today was a fair example of what he brings, that is) when they are healthy.

It seems Matthews and Watson are effective done, I don't know what else to make of todays lineup. When healthy, I would like to see a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 instead of IM's beloved 4-1-3-2/4-2-3-1, with:

Millen/Corr/Murray/Dick

Byrne/Turner/Stanton

Connolly (or Smith)/Hamilton/Vaughan (or Easton)

or

Millen/Corr/Murray/Dick

Turner/Byrne/Stanton/Easton (or Connolly)

Smith (or Vaughan)/Hamilton

[CountryBumpkin]

I think trying to guess who goes into what formations here is futile, it's akin to saying we need to play our strongest 11. There is no idea what that could be, because it doesn't exist. 

We need stability, both in terms of a settled line up at the back and the spine of the side and from a tactical point of view. The attacking players you fit to the game. Easton works when there is space to exploit on the flanks. Connolly works when we need balls into the box or can pick up against a weak fullback. Two up front rarely works because it means we're short in more important areas of the park and we don't have the pace to play off Hamilton flick ons most of the time. 

[RAITHROVERS84]

Anyone else getting a bit hacked off with playing midfielders in defence?

It just feels ultra amateurish and pub league stuff to me. Every team seems to have big units at the back and we don’t. Corr & Murray with Dick and Millen whilst not box office might at least get us competent at the back.

I was right, said Easton should’ve been benched for this and felt he was again anonymous. Fair play to Gullan, actually look like he cared compared to the aforementioned. 

[alby81]

The boy corr at the back was outstanding today, got to be starting going forward, 

 

[Rovers2017]

To be somewhat positive, I felt McNeil had a good game. I'd like to hope we keep him around for the remainder of the season. 

[RRFC_Liam]

13 minutes ago, TxRover said:

Here's my fear...to be absolutely honest, and this sounds insane, but Brown is the odd man out of Stanton, Byrne, Turner and Brown. You play Byrne and Stanton as the DM's, with Turner in the middle of the mids/wingers. That leaves Brown playing RB or CB or sitting. I'm just afraid that IM is too much committed to Brown as one of "his guys", and will shoehorn him in at CB instead of playing Corr and Murray.

Yes, Brown is the Captain...yes, Brown was crucial earlier on this season...yes, he's a hard as nails defensive type...BUT, we need proper CB's at CB and I can't pick Brown over Byrne, Stanton or Turner (if today was a fair example of what he brings, that is) when they are healthy.

It seems Matthews and Watson are effective done, I don't know what else to make of todays lineup. When healthy, I would like to see a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 instead of IM's beloved 4-1-3-2/4-2-3-1, with:

Millen/Corr/Murray/Dick

Byrne/Turner/Stanton

Connolly (or Smith)/Hamilton/Vaughan (or Easton)

or

Millen/Corr/Murray/Dick

Turner/Byrne/Stanton/Easton (or Connolly)

Smith (or Vaughan)/Hamilton

See id like to see Corr getting more of a chance what has he done wrong today? Or in previous games? Aye hes young and inexperienced but playing games and getting a run you become more experienced and he’s a natural CH…. If Murray doesn’t Trust Corr/McGill/Masson/ Gullan etc to start then simply get rid 3 of those are getting development blocked because he’s too loyal to some that’s not been upto scratch since tannadice away 

[renton]

The 4-1-3-2 is a massive gamble of a formation. It requires you to create more than you will likely concede once the press is broken, and requires a huge amount of discipline in the press.

No doubt not having a settled defence is an issue, I honestly am not sure Millen prevents the equaliser but I'm sure a settled back 4 having played a number of games together make s better go of the corner.

Yet the biggest issue today for me was that we didnt create enough up front. Hamilton won a bunch of headers but Vaughan -in possibly his worst game in a Rovers shirt- did little to hold the 2nd ball or do much useful with it.

Likewise, on the left, Easton has been off form for about three weeks now and does look a bit leggy.

I'm not convinced this is due to IM playing favourites or - In @TxRover's shite use of language on the other thread being "IM's pets" but that they still show up in training well, and both can still create something out of nothing.

Didnt happen today. I would have had Gullan and Smith on far earlier and would have kept the same shape.

We've been chopping and changing shape and personnel so much that you could argue folk are playing while fairly leggy when in a more settled, or less injury ravaged squad, you could cycle guys out a bit more naturally. Murray was arguably slow to change and predictable when he did so. Yet, we did have plenty of the ball in that final spell but lacked the quality for once to do something with it.

Murray didn't get much right today but has got plenty right in other games so far.

A title challenge was probably never on To be honest, we've swashbuckled our way into a decent position but United will easily slog it out to the title. We need to get a couple of bodies back fit and playing, and Murray needs to maybe be a bit braver with his starting line ups.

[Scary Bear]

We seem to fall to bits every year around Christmas time now. I suppose that beats the clocks go back years. 

On a positive note, 3500 there today. That’s crazy. Last season that would have been 1500-1600. Flip side of that was the atmosphere was absolutely flat. Still, finding 2000 additional fans who’ll turn up for run of the mill league fixtures is pretty remarkable.

[SirJimmyofNic]

4 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

We seem to fall to bits every year around Christmas time now. I suppose that beats the clocks go back years. 

On a positive note, 3500 there today. That’s crazy. Last season that would have been 1500-1600. Flip side of that was the atmosphere was absolutely flat. Still, finding 2000 additional fans who’ll turn up for run of the mill league fixtures is pretty remarkable.

Big question is will they still turn up in those numbers if this slump continues for much longer

[RRFC_Liam]

2 minutes ago, renton said:

We've been chopping and changing shape and personnel so much that you could argue folk are playing while fairly leggy when in a more settled, or less injury ravaged squad, you could cycle guys out a bit more naturally. Murray was arguably slow to change and predictable when he did so. Yet, we did have plenty of the ball in that final spell but lacked the quality for once to do something with it.

That’s why you’ve good a squad? He needs to trust it, he signed Corr/McGill gave Masson a new deal so why not use them rather than having to play a winger and Midfielder at the back a leggy winger ie Easton for Gullan or smith it’s clear he doesn’t have faith or trust in some of the players