The New Raith Rovers Thread

[mrraith71]

24 minutes ago, TxRover said:

I was in favor of sitting Millen as a message, but he showed that would have been wrong today. His pinpoint pass let in Hamilton to score. On the second Livi goal he was in a no win situation. The first cross from the attacking right came over and he correctly didn’t jump for it. If he had tried for it, the Livi player beyond would have had a free go. Instead he tracked it out and got stuck one on two with no help, and still made them put in another cross. Brown then jumped for it and when he missed, the Livi player buried the chance.

Murray, Corr and Masson all on the bench, and we start with RB/DM/LB for three in the back…what the actual f**k? Three in the back to me is three meatheads who will bully any attackers brave enough to venture close…and while Corr and Masson are still a bit light for that role, it’s their natural position. At least use Brown and Corr or Brown and Murray, FFS. IM has shown a willingness to play players when it’s a bit dubious, so why this mental mindf**k today?

Christ, if you don’t trust Corr and Masson, and don’t think Murray can do it, put Brown and Dick in the middle and McGill or Hannah at LB. Instead we play lineup games and get bent over like a cheap hooker. This season is threatening to crumble like a McGlynn second half of a season…IM has to put the brakes on now. It’s go big or go home time for defenders.

Hannah?  Sorry I mean absolutely no disrespect but if he’s not going  to play two laddies who are slightly older and more experienced there is no way Hannah is getting a game. 
 

a full back is our desperate position we need to sign. A cb will be flung on the bench once Watson and Muzz are fit.

[Halbeath Raith Rover]

Frustrating day given we could have won but there were plenty positives.

We looked good going forward, much improved compared to the last few weeks.

Vaughan was really good, covered a huge amount of ground, and I think was onside when he was clean through.

The long balls to Hamilton were much less aimless and he did well in the air. Starting to look like a good partnership between him and Vaughan. We also looked good when trying to play decent pasing football.

Atmosphere was better than the last couple of games too.

Byrne had his best game since Tannadice too.

If we keep faith with the boys going forward they will click and we will smash someone. Just need to shore up the defence and we'll be flying.

[RRFC_Liam]

5 minutes ago, Halbeath Raith Rover said:

Frustrating day given we could have won but there were plenty positives.

We looked good going forward, much improved compared to the last few weeks.

Vaughan was really good, covered a huge amount of ground, and I think was onside when he was clean through.

The long balls to Hamilton were much less aimless and he did well in the air. Starting to look like a good partnership between him and Vaughan. We also looked good when trying to play decent pasing football.

Atmosphere was better than the last couple of games too.

Byrne had his best game since Tannadice too.

If we keep faith with the boys going forward they will click and we will smash someone. Just need to shore up the defence and we'll be flying.

I thought Connolly and smith done well as wing backs today but the only criticism is have of Connolly was it was criminal completely missing the target when clean through, should’ve kept on going imo 

[TxRover]

35 minutes ago, pub car king said:

Murray and his team need to go back to basics for the Inverness game. Sort out the defence as best they can, make sure the fullbacks have cover and give Byrne a hand in the middle. 

5-3-2? Insane concept, but it strengthens the defence...oh, wait, we don't have enough defenders to really do that and too many midfielders. IM is hamstrung by his preference for midfield variety.

29 minutes ago, mrraith71 said:

Hannah?  Sorry I mean absolutely no disrespect but if he’s not going  to play two laddies who are slightly older and more experienced there is no way Hannah is getting a game. 

Just naming the two healthy backup LB's.

[grumswall]

I honestly think we either need a big b*****d of a cb who will mug his own granny to win the ball ala mark Campbell or big Marv, or fullbacks who will stop the crosses. There's no getting away from the amount of goals we've lost from crosses in to the box season. I don't think, and am happy to be proven wrong, that it wasnt the case when Watson was actually fit. Get that sorted and we may just stop leaking goals.

I'm still more than happy and confident with the team we do have though. Livi are pish but we're also going through our first and hopefully only dip in form of the season and played them with 0 cbs while playing a formation that usually demands 3 cbs. I'd be happy to see them in the playoffs against us. 

[pub car king]

13 minutes ago, TxRover said:

5-3-2? Insane concept, but it strengthens the defence...oh, wait, we don't have enough defenders to really do that and too many midfielders. IM is hamstrung by his preference for midfield variety.

You can play a traditional 4 and still have cover. Either the wide players drop back to help. Or your midfield anchor moves across to cover if say Dick has a rush of blood and rampages forward.

We can make our multitude of midfielders work better for us. Just stop playing them at the back. 

[RRFC_Liam]

7 minutes ago, pub car king said:

You can play a traditional 4 and still have cover. Either the wide players drop back to help. Or your midfield anchor moves across to cover if say Dick has a rush of blood and rampages forward.

We can make our multitude of midfielders work better for us. Just stop playing them at the back. 

IMO we look a lot better at the 3atb but the only problem with that in our team is we don’t have the wing backs for it, Connolly and Smith are wingers, Dick doesn’t get forward enough to play that rule and Millen can’t get back if he goes forward, also that formation would work if brown played as an anchor in the MF so he drops in to make a 4 while still maintaining him in the MF 

Edited January 20 by RRFC_Liam

[SanStarko]

2 hours ago, Scary Bear said:

The forwards and midfielders need a boot up the arse too. Never mind last minute goals, a few more goals at any time would do. That would help our under-strength defence out somewhat.

The same midfield and forwards that have bailed out the defence time and time again this season?

I think we’ve kept a grand total of 7 clean sheets in all league and cup games this season.   We’re pretty much going into games knowing that we need to score at least 2 goals to even have a chance of getting something out of a game.  That’s not really sustainable in any shape or form.

Edited January 20 by SanStarko

[Raith69]

Cannot comment on today's game as I couldn't be there but what I can say is it was really nieve to go into the game with 3 at the back and not 1 of them being a centre back, imo that is just suicidal given that our current form has been poor and we cannot defend cross balls.

IM gives me the impression that he thinks that the midfield and attack players will outweigh the frailties we have at the back.

We had 3 cb's on the bench, ok Murray was likely not fit but why was Corr dropped? And ok he doesn't rate Masson but hell  that is their natural position.

They need to find a way to stop the rot or this blip will go on and on, we need an old fashioned cb or 2, a leader as neither Murray or Watson will not last the remainder of the season without injury let's be honest.

[RRFC_Liam]

4 minutes ago, SanStarko said:

The same midfield and forwards that have bailed out the defence time and time again this season?

I think we’ve kept a grand total of 7 clean sheets in all league and cup games this season.   We’re pretty much going into games knowing that we need to score at least 2 goals to even have a chance of getting something out of a game.  That’s not really sustainable in any shape or form.

Still even scoring 2 goals I don’t trust this defence to keep a clean sheet, I’ve always been in the side of caution this season about winning the league or promotion for the single fact is we concede for too many goals, are we in it aye totally but I don’t see us winning it or promotion unless we get a CH and a Fb in to try change something 

[RRFC_Liam]

12 minutes ago, Raith69 said:

Cannot comment on today's game as I couldn't be there but what I can say is it was really nieve to go into the game with 3 at the back and not 1 of them being a centre back, imo that is just suicidal given that our current form has been poor and we cannot defend cross balls.

IM gives me the impression that he thinks that the midfield and attack players will outweigh the frailties we have at the back.

We had 3 cb's on the bench, ok Murray was likely not fit but why was Corr dropped? And ok he doesn't rate Masson but hell  that is their natural position.

They need to find a way to stop the rot or this blip will go on and on, we need an old fashioned cb or 2, a leader as neither Murray or Watson will not last the remainder of the season without injury let's be honest.

Corrs the strange one he was bigged up all summer he was watched what 12/13 times when he was playing for Celtic B? We signed him thinking maybe he can be starter… unlucky with injuries but since he’s came back he barely kicked a ball, how does he feel sitting on the bench seeing a midfielder and 2 full backs starting ahead of him in his natural position, in my opinion I don’t think Murray rates him if that’s the case send him out on loan and bring someone else in 

Edited January 20 by RRFC_Liam

[Raith69]

3 minutes ago, RRFC_Liam said:

Corrs the strange one he was bigged up all summer he was watched what 12/13 times? We signed him thinking maybe he can be starter… unlucky with injuries but since he’s came back he barely kicked a ball, how does he feel sitting on the bench seeing a midfielder and 2 full backs starting ahead of him in his natural position, in my opinion I don’t think Murray rates him if that’s the case send him out on loan and bring someone else in 

Agree with you he was unlucky in the summer with injuries. He was really good last week then gets dropped for today just stupid, just like finishing the game last week with 2 at the back.

I would play him alongside a commanding cb, that hopefully we can bring in and hopefully we can maybe bring in cover at full back.

[SirJimmyofNic]

Surely tae feck Potter and Barrowman can see the huge problem with our backline 

[pub car king]

The only thing I can think of with Corr is that Murray wants him playing next to an actual CB. It could be that he still needs guided through games and Scott Brown can't do that. 

[RRFC_Liam]

1 minute ago, Raith69 said:

Agree with you he was unlucky in the summer with injuries. He was really good last week then gets dropped for today just stupid, just like finishing the game last week with 2 at the back.

I would play him alongside a commanding cb, that hopefully we can bring in and hopefully we can maybe bring in cover at full back.

See as i previously mentioned I think we look better with a 3 atb so him, Watson if fit and Murray as a 3 could work or if rumours of Ashcroft coming in are true maybe him Ashcroft and Murray? But then the problem with the 3 at the back is we don’t have the wing backs for it imo but either way I don’t see Corr getting much game for the rest of the season which is a sad thing to see as I think there’s real potential in the lad to be good CH 

[RRFC_Liam]

1 minute ago, pub car king said:

The only thing I can think of with Corr is that Murray wants him playing next to an actual CB. It could be that he still needs guided through games and Scott Brown can't do that. 

How many times he could’ve put him in next to Murray when he was fit though and he hasn’t and still kept brown there 

[TxRover]

38 minutes ago, pub car king said:

You can play a traditional 4 and still have cover. Either the wide players drop back to help. Or your midfield anchor moves across to cover if say Dick has a rush of blood and rampages forward.

We can make our multitude of midfielders work better for us. Just stop playing them at the back. 

But who do we play then? It apparent the answer today was Millen/Masson/Corr/Dick as Murray wasn't healthy enough for more that a short spell, and obviously wasn't used late because we were chasing the match. However, I suggest those four and people have blooming strokes about Masson not being good enough.

Here's a reality...what we've played recently ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH. So, if doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is insanity, why don't we give Corr and Masson a shot. What's going to happen, we lose a game? I hate to break it to you, but we've just lost three on the trot...and in two of those we were up a goal before losing the match. FFS, move Dick in with Corr and put Hannah in if you don't rate Masson...hell, McGill then, if you don't rate Hannah, but do something!

[TxRover]

2 minutes ago, RRFC_Liam said:

See as i previously mentioned I think we look better with a 3 atb so him, Watson if fit and Murray as a 3 could work or if rumours of Ashcroft coming in are true maybe him Ashcroft and Murray? But then the problem with the 3 at the back is we don’t have the wing backs for it imo but either way I don’t see Corr getting much game for the rest of the season which is a sad thing to see as I think there’s real potential in the lad to be good CH 

Three at the back, with wingbacks then means we're sitting people that have been starting (not inherently bad, given our recent form)...but lets play a game:

Big Kev

Corr/Watson/Murray

Mullin/Turner/Brown/Byrne/Connolly

Vaughan/Hamilton

IDK, we'd miss Millen's crosses...and Dick's defending...and Easton's slashing...and Smith's sweeping in from wide...and...

Any 3 ATB with wingbacks compromises either wide defending (last thing we need) or attacking creativity (also bad).

[RRFC_Liam]

3 minutes ago, TxRover said:

But who do we play then? It apparent the answer today was Millen/Masson/Corr/Dick as Murray wasn't healthy enough for more that a short spell, and obviously wasn't used late because we were chasing the match. However, I suggest those four and people have blooming strokes about Masson not being good enough

I’m personally not saying Masson isn’t good enough I think he can be if trained/converted into a proper full back or midfielder imo I think he’s too short to be a CB at this level and it would’ve made sense but it’s quite clear to see Murray doesn’t rate him or he would’ve had a lot more game time when we were at barebones at the back but instead plays a winger and MF as part of a 4 

[RRFC_Liam]

2 minutes ago, TxRover said:

Three at the back, with wingbacks then means we're sitting people that have been starting (not inherently bad, given our recent form)...but lets play a game:

Big Kev

Corr/Watson/Murray

Mullin/Turner/Brown/Byrne/Connolly

Vaughan/Hamilton

IDK, we'd miss Millen's crosses...and Dick's defending...and Easton's slashing...and Smith's sweeping in from wide...and...

Any 3 ATB with wingbacks compromises either wide defending (last thing we need) or attacking creativity (also bad).

That’s a good side Mullin could cross ball just as good if not better than Millen, Eastons been pish for weeks, Dick is that.. good defensively shite going forward/ smith is more of a Second striker in my opinion… but the problem here is Murray has too many players that play in the same position, Midfield so he’s shoehorning players in to fit basically I would like to see a 3 but 4 is his go to with the full backs as what fits but the same problems still happen (cross balls into the box with no one stopping them)