The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Wardy]

The team lacks pace. There's no doubt about it. We are far too slow to start things from the back.

Any decent team would simply rob us of the ball near our own box and be in on the goalkeeper. Livingston showed this last week.

The midfield is very one paced also, we don't have someone who can simply drive forward with the ball.

Stuart Anderson is more than capable of moving freely with the ball, but he doesn't drive forward with it enough.

So in order for us to get the ball forward we look to Brian Graham. Which just doesn't work as effectively compared to when we had Tade up top. We look to the wings, which worked effectively in the earlier part of the season, but Grant Anderson has definately went off the boil. Hopefully Josh Watt can bring some much needed pace to the team.

If we are a team the presses from the off and get in the oppositions faces, we are a match for anybody in this league. If we sit back and let teams come at us. We may as well just throw the ball in the net for them.

[baillieinleeds]

We tried that already against the Pars. We were two men down by half time and got pumped.

The first half we played some decent football, why couldn't we continue in that same manner. The Pars only came into the game because we let them.

[basher brash]

We have the worst midfield in the league by miles, No pace which i feel is hurting us badly yet the manager has done nothing to strenghten that area of the park during the Jan transfer window( yes i know we are skint but i mean loan signings) I dont understand the clamer over Stuart Anderson he would be ok in the 2nd but not the 1st hes to slow and constantly caught in posession,We have no one that can drive through the middle and dictate play.

I really think we should go down the route of part-time football again and try and cherry pick the best of the lower leagues because the players we have at the moment on full-time deals arent good enough apart from 2 or 3 .Frankly i think we could sign better part-time players than some of the full-timers we have at the moment.

Look at Partick they have 2 or 3 that were playing in the 3rd division, Muirhead,Paton,Sinclair for example,Lee Currie of Berwick Rangers is getting rave reviews and im sure he scored twice against us in the up this season but we wont be interested as our scouts only go as far as Tynecastle.

[Wardy]

I often wonder why we aren't able to attract some of the better players in this league, but I forgot that the club has to be a hefty sum each month in order to pay off the mortgage at Starks Park.

Teams like Livingston use Almonvale rent free so that money I would presume that we spend, can go straight to their playing budget.

We obviously have seen what's happened to the Pars this season. I wonder what will happen if they do survive? Surely they won't be able to attract the type of player they have been able to in the past?

Nearly every team this season has in spells played considerably better than us at trying to get the ball down and play. This includes Airdrie as well at times. Especially in the cup game, which we were lucky to win 4-3.

After the seasons over it will be interesting to see what type of player Murray brings in. Sadly if it's more of the same, then I can't see things being any different.

[Broken Algorithms]

I often wonder why we aren't able to attract some of the better players in this league, but I forgot that the club has to be a hefty sum each month in order to pay off the mortgage at Starks Park.

Teams like Livingston use Almonvale rent free so that money I would presume that we spend, can go straight to their playing budget.

We obviously have seen what's happened to the Pars this season. I wonder what will happen if they do survive? Surely they won't be able to attract the type of player they have been able to in the past?

Nearly every team this season has in spells played considerably better than us at trying to get the ball down and play. This includes Airdrie as well at times. Especially in the cup game, which we were lucky to win 4-3.

After the seasons over it will be interesting to see what type of player Murray brings in. Sadly if it's more of the same, then I can't see things being any different.

It is difficult for ourselves, we're in a rather unique position within the league. Airdrie, Dumbarton and Cowden will all have budgeted appropriately. They won't have put too much on the line given that the odds are against them as part time teams. The Pars have been living outwith their means to say the least. They'll either have to cut-back, end up with a new owner, or end up with a new club completely. Morton and Partick have seen financial issues but seem to be coping fine enough up the top of the league. There may be problems down the line but there is no imminent danger to either as far as we know.

Falkirk, to their immense credit, have had financial difficulties but selling on some of their young players who've seen first team action while continuing to attract future talent has seen them do very well in the last year or so. Of course, they've benefited from their new stadium and top class training facilities through in Stirling. I'd so as far as to say that if Scottish football could be run in a similar style it would be excellent, but sadly the number of clubs means youth talent is few and far between for many teams. The only team left are Accies, who like ourselves have made major cut-backs. Even still, I'm unsure if NDP is under their ownership or not.

As for Murray, the game against Accies started to make me wonder. He's obviously got a lot to learn and not much room to manoeuvre with. We started off playing some really good football but we've been consistently pish since the turn of the year. For me, the turning point has been the loss of confidence of our wingers. Grant Anderson and David Smith were on top form before and doing well, but as the months have gone by they gradually declined. Watt has offered a bit different and caused the Pars no end of problems in the first half, putting in some excellent deliveries. I do think we need to have a think about the direction we're heading in. It simply isn't enjoyable to turn up knowing games are going to be a struggle for a 1-0 win with ugly football. As touched upon, McGlynn had us playing it to a degree of effectiveness. We need to look at a bit of a turn about in defence, and try to look for something different in midfield. For me, I'd like to see Stuart Anderson pushed higher up with Mensing in a more defensive role. Put Watt and Anderson out on the wings, and get Walker dropped. One person I do feel for is Joe Hammill. He's been one of our better players since playing in the middle.

[Michael W]

Stuart Anderson tends to shite himself when he finds himself far up the pitch, so i can't imagine he'd be very effective there. He's a good passer of the ball and good at keeping it, usually, but he doesn't have much else in his locker. Hamill isn't too dissimilar in that regard.

As you touched on, rw89, our wingers being a bit out of form has seen us struggle. Walker has been out of form, and our other CMs don't offer much creativity to compensate. Given that they aren't what anyone would describe as defensive players, it's a bit of a double whammy in that they aren't especially good at creating or helping out the back four.

Walker is the only of our CMs who can play the attacking role effectively, but he's been out of form for a while and needs dropped.

[Wardy]

Walker is solely playing because he remains captain. His limited ability is plain for all to see, and his form has significantly declined since we finished second in 2010/11.

I too feel sorry for Joe Hamil, who I feel when given the time is able to control the ball and look for a pass. Stuart Anderson is simply getting the nod over him at the minute. It's difficult to accommodate Hamil, S. Anderson, walker and Mensing all in midfield. Mensing played well against the Pars, he was always looking for the ball, something we had missed when he was out. Walker simply doesn't look for the ball when we are in possession, both at the back and up front. When the ball is given out to Laurie or Eddie Malone, walker should be looking to move away from his marker in order to ask for the ball, however he is quite happy to sit there close to his marker.

He obviously feels that if he loses him, and we lose possession he won't be marking him. It's all negative!

Players like Mensing, Hamil and to a degree S. Anderson are far more comfortable on the ball, and should be allowed to express themselves in a more positive manner.

The rovers have been playing this way for as long as I can remember. Under Calderon we played a lot of good football, yet the fans wanted the ball up the park. So sometimes it's impossible to please some everyone. Like I touched on on one of my previous posts, the Rovers this season have played well when we have pressed high and pressured the opposition into making mistakes. We would always be effective at set pieces. The thing is with set pieces is that the opposition could get wise to them, so it is important that the team mix it up. Sadly they haven't been doing this for weeks. We have seen the defence tighten up a bit. (Mostly because of the return of Murray at the heart of defence) but we are now not scoring as much as we were at the start of the season. As much as we have tightened up at the back, we are always sceptical to at least one goal conceded at that's been the story for the last 3 draws and the 2-0 defeat of Livingston where the team just didn't start the game in the right manner.

I don't see why Murray also came out saying we should be holding one goal leads. Nonsense. Scoring one then trying to defend the rest of the match is hard to do (and to watch for that matter) add to the fact that we cannot do it, surely means that we have to change directive?

If we continue to try and play it long, why not have Graham, Clarke and Spence all playing, with a 3 man midfield of Mensing, Hamil/Walker and S.Anderson? Our midfield would be lacking in pace and we would be our wings would be exploited but hopefully Malone and Thompson would be able to cover the runs being made by opposition wingers?

Maybe if we concentrated on how we want to play rather than the opposition might see us pick up some positive results in the last 10/11 games?

Christ long post but it's hard to dissect this Rovers team and how it performs! Glad I'm not the analyst!

[Wardy]

Apologies for the grammar, due to late at night and stupid iPhone corrections!

[berwick-the-unbeatable]

,Lee Currie of Berwick Rangers is getting rave reviews and im sure he scored twice against us in the up this season but we wont be interested as our scouts only go as far as Tynecastle.

Get tae, he's re-signed till end of next season

[Paco]

Look at Partick they have 2 or 3 that were playing in the 3rd division, Muirhead,Paton,Sinclair for example,Lee Currie of Berwick Rangers is getting rave reviews and im sure he scored twice against us in the up this season but we wont be interested as our scouts only go as far as Tynecastle.

You ruin a good post with this nonsense. Thomson is the only player in current squad who has signed from Hearts, and I'm sure we'd all agree he's one of our best players. Malone, Hill, Ellis and Stuart Anderson came from lower-league side of the current squad, with Grant Anderson, Walker, McGurn, Graham, Spence, Clarke and Hamill coming from teams at the same level.

McGlynn wasn't afraid to try out players from lower-leagues either. In addition to the players listed above (McGlynn signed them all except Stuart Anderson) from the top of my head we signed players like Winter, Borris, Dyer, McBride, Tade, Ferry, Cook, Dunbar, McNeil etc. Some were good, some were bad. I'm sure Partick will have signed a few duds from the lower-leagues too.

[CALDERON]

As sad as is it is to say...that's it for me. Murray hasnt got what it takes. That is far too many points thrown away from winning positions now.

Hopefully we can limp towards the line and survive then take stock, but our crowds will only continue to get lower. 1700 home fans v the pars and about 80 away fans v Airdrie says it all.

[Ro Sham Bo]

I'm inclined to agree. If we stay up this season we'll be one of the favourites to go down next season.

Maybe Murray will make the required changes in the summer but I wouldn't bet on it.

[Michael W]

Unfortunately, I feel exactly the same way.

I've defended Murray on several occasions this season, but I've had enough. It's the same shit pretty much every week and tonight's the final straw for me. We are hopeless at defending a lead, and the squad we have should be delivering more than it has for the past 10 weeks or so.

I don't expect the board to sack him, but I certainly wouldn't be despondent if Murray isn't in charge next season. He's out of contract in the summer, is he not?

[Ro Sham Bo]

Two year contract I think.

We need a 15-20 point deduction for Dunfermline to give us some breathing space. Or reconstruction of the league.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Martin Nelson

[Munich95]

Pretty sure it was a provisional 1 year deal.. Either way as a player murray wont e enjoying what is goin on, as a first time manager he may want to re consider and walk an start again or stick with it and take two months away to do his coaching classes!

[Munich95]

I cant see passed airdrie and cowden bottom two we have 2/ 3 wins and a draw in us in the last few games that should be enough.. Where as dumbarton probably have the same cowden i dont really think have much left in them but would get through a play off.

[Double Jack D]

Its been a drag of a season but to be fair we should accomplish our survival mission which means the season is a success. Add to that the cup runs and the financial side should have been a success too.

I'm happy for Murray to complete his contract but it will need a significant improvement next term for a renewal.

If we had the cash i would punt him but we don't so we shouldn't!

[baillieinleeds]

Murray should stay till the end of the season, and then leave immediately after the final whistle. If Jim Jeffries doesn't decide to retire, we really should be looking at him.

[Whistle Blower]

If we do part with Murray, can we please not get a 4-5-1, big boy upfront to chase down the channels, Largs clone ?

Oh and a centre half with a bit of physicality would be great too.

[baillieinleeds]

We have to dismantle this team, and unfortunately the management. They haven't learned a thing, and continue to make the same mistakes week after week. If we don't get relegated this season, we will be next season. I hope people sitting thinking that we'll do a Queen of the South anyway because the second division is pish, we all know that won't happen. Queen's are a much stronger team than the last time they were in the first division, and still full time. Their current team will fucking tear us apart.