The New Raith Rovers Thread

[grumswall]

It really isn't a coincidence that our dip in form has coincided with stanton being out. Defenders are however a massive priority in this window now. I thought turner looked good yesterday and he should in theory plug the massive stanton filled hole in our team. It's utterly irrelevant if we have to play brown at cb and mullin at rb though. Scoring one more than the opposition will win you games but clean sheets will make it a hell of alot easier to win those games and currently we don't have a defence that's up to that and I'd argue, even when everyone is fit. We're sitting second which is absolutely brilliant all things considered but one win in 5 against a poor, injury ravaged dunfermline isn't really going to cut it if we do want to challenge utd for the title. Hopefully there's a little bit of pressure off with utd being back top and I genuinely think this break from league football has come at the perfect time. There's no reason we can't go to livi next week and beat them and restore a bit of confidence to the team. Just to single one player out, mcneil hasn't put a foot wrong the past two games and has done everything needed and asked of him. I think Murray has been justified in his inclusion over Thomson. 

[grumswall]

4 minutes ago, Offshore Rover said:

We ended up with playing a back 2 for a few minutes yesterday. I do understand why murray wants to chuck on all attacking options. He’d rather lose the game 2-0 or 3-1 but say he’d given it his best shot rather than lose 1-0 or 2-1 and leave attackers on the bench. It creates some wild moments and I do agree that it does mean structure and organisation goes out the window at times. But sometimes a bit of structure gets you further than a bit of chaos. It’s all part of the fun tho. 

It's very much a case of create chaos and hope something sticks approach but the past few games we've just not been getting the same bounce of the ball or luck with it. Queen's where set up to defend at that stage so I really don't have any problem with him taking that approach yesterday, it kind of made sense. The players just couldn't find that pass or get that little bit luck needed despite trying there hardest. On that, I don't rate gullan much but one thing I'll always say is he cares and works his arse off every time he's on the pitch for us. 

[keyser_soze]

While it's very disappointing losing at home to a team bottom of the league I still want to take a couple of positives out of the game yesterday.

Andy McNeil - coming back from a loan spell at a team getting humped every week in league 1 to a championship challenging team is a big step up, he has coped admirably.

Dylan Corr - good solid game from the young lad, looks like we have a very good player there, need to give him some game time.

on the other hand I felt Jack Hamilton was poor yesterday, some of his attempts were more like a pass back, also Ferrie in the QP goal has a few really good saves. We really need to kill teams off when were on top of them, should really have been 2 or 3 up before they had a sniff, however we weren't, that's championship football for ya.

Edited to add - Dylan Easton ? since the win at Dundee Utd he's been miles off it, not sure if any transfer talk has turned his head but he's definitely playing himself out of a move to the top flight the past few weeks.

Edited January 14 by keyser_soze

[SirJimmyofNic]

3 minutes ago, keyser_soze said:

While it's very disappointing losing at home to a team bottom of the league I still want to take a couple of positives out of the game yesterday.

Andy McNeil - coming back from a loan spell at a team getting humped every week in league 1 to a championship challenging team is a big step up, he has coped admirably.

Dylan Corr - good solid game from the young lad, looks like we have a very good player there, need to give him some game time.

on the other hand I felt Jack Hamilton was poor yesterday, some of his attempts were more like a pass back, also Ferrie in the QP goal has a few really good saves. We really need to kill teams off when were on top of them, should really have been 2 or 3 up before they had a sniff, however we weren't, that's championship football for ya.

Imho Corr has to be in the team or at least given 15-20 mins in games, he's got a good future in the game and is a player we should be developing and making money from.

I'm a tad disappointed in Hamilton as I kinda expected more from him (ala his Arbroath form)like his timely diversion of Easton shot,  maybe it's just the way we play or trying too hard

McNeil is a very good prospect and great to have as backup to big Kev

[raith1974]

So Stanton is likely to be back before the end of the month. How do we get him, Turner, Brown and Byrne all into the team.

For me Stanton and Turner have to start as both are box to box and both have an eye for goal and a killer pass. Sitting in behind I would go with Brown over Byrne. He's quicker across the park and better with the aggressive side to break up play.

The other option is a midfield diamond with Brown at the base, Stanton advanced and Turner and Byrne in the middle. If we go like this we would have to go with a back 3 with two players playing a wingback role to help create width. If that was the case I would go with Smith on one side who has natural pace and a choice of Mullen or Connelly on the other side. Quite controversial as it would mean dropping Vaughan and Easton and potentially both fullbacks although either could fit into the back 3 as Millen done that against the Pars.

[SirJimmyofNic]

On the player front, apart from the Ashcroft rumour situation, are there any other Cb's or RB's n LB's that might be available anywhere.  

[raith1974]

14 minutes ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

On the player front, apart from the Ashcroft rumour situation, are there any other Cb's or RB's n LB's that might be available anywhere.  

Andy Halliday, Lewis Stevenson.

[TxRover]

20 hours ago, pub car king said:

Was Ross Millen just suspended for 1 league game? I don't massively care if he's out of the cup game next week.

Yes. A5 red, one match, immediate.

17 hours ago, da_no_1 said:

This Ro Sham Bo chap must be on the wind-up, no?

No.

5 hours ago, Raith Against The Machine said:

Some absolutely fucking mental takes on here in the last 24 hours. Did folk think they'd signed up to watch Real Madrid every week? Where the f**k does this sense of entitlement come from? 

I blame wildly optimistic podcasts, although a certain podcast host did correctly predict the result…

5 hours ago, Rovers2017 said:

I take full responsibility for yesterday's loss boys. I brought a couple of Rangers supporting family members along to the game as they have a soft spot for Rovers and wanted to watch us.

Not having that. Ayr we can pin on losing Stanton, so the Arbroath match is the key point, I get to claim the blame for being there at that one! (Although, that shot by their spare keeper…)

4 hours ago, RoversNProud said:

This entitlement nonsense unfortunately isn’t anything new amongst us Rovers fans. We need to remember we are a Championship football club in Scotland…For me 2 x full backs are a priority and a Goalscorer.

This is where I get confused, there really are probably not even that many decent options out there and we have players (Corr and Masson), who have both played in THIS league and played well, who don’t get a sniff while we jury rig midfielders into those roles. Sometimes you have to take that chance, rather than Murrayball at the end.

1 hour ago, CapitalDiamond said:

Murray really stablised us. A couple of criticisms we’d have had would include

1) a lack of an ability to win clutch games (yourselves, Thistle and Cove were never that far away, but the head to head was what did for us). You win at Tannadice was huge in that respect.

2)Throwing on so many forward players that the team lost all structure. The 1 nil defeat to McGlyn’s Raith at Starks when I think both teams finished with 9 men (Raith 2 red and Airdrie a red and an injury) was the ultimate. We had about 5 forwards on the pitch but no coherent tactic to make that work. We lost the game and give that it was the Covid season and we were 5 points behind you when the clock stopped, that was massive.

Murray seems to have improved on both fronts (and in fairness at Airdrie, he had more limited resources).

I would add 3) Murray’s seeming unwillingness to make changes/substitutions before the 65-70th minute. McGlynn was similar, but a couple of times this season, it seemed a halftime substitution was really the best move, and was not forthcoming.

1 hour ago, grumswall said:

It really isn't a coincidence that our dip in form has coincided with stanton being out. Defenders are however a massive priority in this window now.

I’m not sure we can find a defender(s) that would be better than Corr and/or Masson. They’ll all know Watson and Murray are first chance, and the teams looking to loan players will see Corr and Masson barely get a sniff, so why would their player when those two are back. We’re not an appealing destination for a CB or FB they want to see getting playing time.

54 minutes ago, keyser_soze said:

Dylan Easton ? since the win at Dundee Utd he's been miles off it, not sure if any transfer talk has turned his head but he's definitely playing himself out of a move to the top flight the past few weeks.

I’m thinking it’s more of a response to that back niggle that he took in a fall a few games ago. He missed several games with a similar back pain last year, and I just suspect he’s “playing through” to try to impress potential suitors and Ian Murray is blindly playing a favorite, believing him when he says he’s OK and doesn’t need a week or two to rest it.

43 minutes ago, raith1974 said:

So Stanton is likely to be back before the end of the month. How do we get him, Turner, Brown and Byrne all into the team.

For me Stanton and Turner have to start as both are box to box and both have an eye for goal and a killer pass. Sitting in behind I would go with Brown over Byrne. He's quicker across the park and better with the aggressive side to break up play.

The other option is a midfield diamond with Brown at the base, Stanton advanced and Turner and Byrne in the middle. If we go like this we would have to go with a back 3 with two players playing a wingback role to help create width. If that was the case I would go with Smith on one side who has natural pace and a choice of Mullen or Connelly on the other side. Quite controversial as it would mean dropping Vaughan and Easton and potentially both fullbacks although either could fit into the back 3 as Millen done that against the Pars.

1) Stanton is at least four weeks, not two, so mid-February.

2) I’d think Turner more suited to the top of the diamond role, as yesterday he distributed well, but I didn’t see him moving much with the ball. Stanton absolutely will go walkabout with the ball, so part of the middle of the diamond with Byrne makes more sense for him.

*) What about Ross Matthews, BTW.

[grumswall]

Tx I don't really rate Masson so I think we can find one better for the role you're suggesting however, Watson has barely been fit all season and Murray has played through injuries for weeks. By all accounts we're in for Ashcroft and he isn't exactly coming to sit on the bench. Him and a lb should be our priority right now Imo. Corr does show potential and if we hadn't been sitting where we are at this stage I think he'd have had more game time than he has had. 

I'd love the young guys to get more game time but you honestly can't blame Murray for going with experienced players to this point after the quite frankly, ridiculous first half to the season we've had. 

[raith1974]

20 minutes ago, TxRover said:

Yes. A5 red, one match, immediate.

No.

I blame wildly optimistic podcasts, although a certain podcast host did correctly predict the result…

Not having that. Ayr we can pin on losing Stanton, so the Arbroath match is the key point, I get to claim the blame for being there at that one! (Although, that shot by their spare keeper…)

This is where I get confused, there really are probably not even that many decent options out there and we have players (Corr and Masson), who have both played in THIS league and played well, who don’t get a sniff while we jury rig midfielders into those roles. Sometimes you have to take that chance, rather than Murrayball at the end.

I would add 3) Murray’s seeming unwillingness to make changes/substitutions before the 65-70th minute. McGlynn was similar, but a couple of times this season, it seemed a halftime substitution was really the best move, and was not forthcoming.

I’m not sure we can find a defender(s) that would be better than Corr and/or Masson. They’ll all know Watson and Murray are first chance, and the teams looking to loan players will see Corr and Masson barely get a sniff, so why would their player when those two are back. We’re not an appealing destination for a CB or FB they want to see getting playing time.

I’m thinking it’s more of a response to that back niggle that he took in a fall a few games ago. He missed several games with a similar back pain last year, and I just suspect he’s “playing through” to try to impress potential suitors and Ian Murray is blindly playing a favorite, believing him when he says he’s OK and doesn’t need a week or two to rest it.

1) Stanton is at least four weeks, not two, so mid-February.

2) I’d think Turner more suited to the top of the diamond role, as yesterday he distributed well, but I didn’t see him moving much with the ball. Stanton absolutely will go walkabout with the ball, so part of the middle of the diamond with Byrne makes more sense for him.

*) What about Ross Matthews, BTW.

Would love to see a role for Ross Matthews but when all fit he is 5th choice for centre mid. 

[South Stand Dynamo]

1 hour ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

On the player front, apart from the Ashcroft rumour situation, are there any other Cb's or RB's n LB's that might be available anywhere.  

James Maxwell? Ex-Ayr LB currently at Doncaster and not getting a game there.  

[Beastie Russell]

1 minute ago, South Stand Dynamo said:

James Maxwell? Ex-Ayr LB currently at Doncaster and not getting a game there.  

Was he the Fanny that cupped his ears to the south stand ?

[Been going too long]

41 minutes ago, Beastie Russell said:

Was he the Fanny that cupped his ears to the south stand ?

That’s him 

[philpy]

Wotherspoon released by ICT, along with Sheridan. I'd take Wotherspoon, but Sheridan can piss off.

[SirJimmyofNic]

12 minutes ago, philpy said:

Wotherspoon released by ICT, along with Sheridan. I'd take Wotherspoon, but Sheridan can piss 

Another midfielder, are you Ian Murray

[grumswall]

22 minutes ago, philpy said:

Wotherspoon released by ICT, along with Sheridan. I'd take Wotherspoon, but Sheridan can piss off.

As in the guy that utd have signed? 

[Broken Algorithms]

 

[mrraith71]

6 hours ago, grumswall said:

Tx I don't really rate Masson so I think we can find one better for the role you're suggesting however, Watson has barely been fit all season and Murray has played through injuries for weeks. By all accounts we're in for Ashcroft and he isn't exactly coming to sit on the bench. Him and a lb should be our priority right now Imo. Corr does show potential and if we hadn't been sitting where we are at this stage I think he'd have had more game time than he has had. 

I'd love the young guys to get more game time but you honestly can't blame Murray for going with experienced players to this point after the quite frankly, ridiculous first half to the season we've had. 

How do you gain experience if your not going to play? IMO play them, grow them and make money from them? 

[TxRover]

6 hours ago, grumswall said:

Tx I don't really rate Masson so I think we can find one better for the role you're suggesting however, Watson has barely been fit all season and Murray has played through injuries for weeks. By all accounts we're in for Ashcroft and he isn't exactly coming to sit on the bench. Him and a lb should be our priority right now Imo. Corr does show potential and if we hadn't been sitting where we are at this stage I think he'd have had more game time than he has had. 

I'd love the young guys to get more game time but you honestly can't blame Murray for going with experienced players to this point after the quite frankly, ridiculous first half to the season we've had. 

That’s fair enough, but…

43 minutes ago, mrraith71 said:

How do you gain experience if you’re not going to play? IMO play them, grow them and make money from them? 

…we played Masson last season in several important matches and he did fine. We convinced him to re-sign when he was vocal about needing playing time, and we’ve left him languishing on the bench. It’s all good and fine to call him depth or cover, but we’d have been as good with me named to the bench and loaning Masson out. Murray has mismanaged Masson based upon what we know (standard caveat, we don’t know everything), and I think long term we’ll regret losing him. My $0.02.

[Scary Bear]

A definite positive is the crowd situation this season. When was the last time we had crowds like that in December and mid-January?

Will they last or is this a one season wonder?