renton Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I'd say technically there is cover of a sort in the full back slots but only at the expense of other areas, Conroy and Hill have played left-back and I'm fairly sure Barr (and Fox) has had a game at right-back but any one of these moves would weaken other positions. I'd be inclined to sign a striker/poacher and not worry about the fullback positions as at a push you could put 3 across the back and play a loaded midfield. Mind you this would mean GM throwing away the Largs coaching manual. He's done it before - back to back games against Morton and Thistle when those two teams were challenging for the league. Anderson was used as the third midfielder with Joe Hammil at left wing back and himself, Mensing and Hill as centre halfs. Worked quite well against two teams both using variations on a 4-2-3-1. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottydog Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) I thought that was McGlynns doing? I recall McGlynn doing it more than once, 1st time he played Campbell, Lumsden and Marv across the back to great effect as we stopped leaking goals and started scoring them. Edited to add, You're spot on that was Murrays time in charge right enough. The Morton game I missed but the 0-0 at Partick I recall more as Hill playing more of a LB role, then again it was a while ago and my main recollection is that it was a backs to the wall performance. Still it shows on paper that anything is possible. Edited January 5, 2015 by Scottydog 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) Wasn't that McGlynns doing? I recall McGlynn doing it more than once, 1st time he played Campbell, Lumsden and Marv across the back to great effect as we stopped leaking goals and started scoring them. McGlynn did it for his first six months in charge before reverting to 4-4-2 for a whole season, starting the promotion season in the same vein before Jaun 'he's Spanish, he must be good' Gurrero's shiteness forced the fabled 4-3-3 onto him (though he did revert to 4-4-2 in the late run in). Incidentally we played the majority of the next season 4-5-1 with tade as a lone forward before Jamie Mole came in near the end, the seaosna fte rthat as a straight up 4-4-2 and the last McG season varying it a lot - for exmaple, 4-2-3-1 when we had all the Hearts guys, before finishing it 4-4-2. I'm talking about Murray's first season - we beat Morton 2-1 and drew with Thistle 0-0 in back to back games at Starks, playing a 3-5-2 - although in both cases we made tactical changes as Murray didn't have 90 minutes left in him, which is a shame as we were bossing Thistle up to that point. He's also played flat 4-4-2s when it was Graham and Spence, 4-4-1-1 when it was Graham with Clarke, a flat looking 4-5-1 and evena 4-2-3-1 as well. Basically, both guys are a bit more flexible, tactically, than sometimes given credit for. What becomes excrutiating to watch is the common little routines and habits that you see, less to do with the overall system and more about how players react with each other, whether it's a throw in routine or a switch along the back line, or a midfielder out of position, and sometimes it's not 'the basics' but something more deep set that Murray has to try and coach players out of. Edited January 5, 2015 by renton 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHM Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 with tade as a lone forward before Jamie Mole came in near the end, t. Where is Jamie Mole 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 . Where is Jamie Mole Last I heard he was at Blyth Spartans a couple of years back, f**k knows where he is now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Incidentally, as some others have remarked, we've been seeing an upkick in performance since the Livi game (if not always in results). It may just be causal but I do think getting Ross Perry out of the team in favour of Douggie Hill has helped. Both Watson and Mckeown look more comfortable and we are more apt to retain the ball from defence when he isn't lugging it up the park every opportunity (when he wasn't getting the wrong side of his marker or missing ridiculously simple balls). So our defence is under less pressure, we are getting pinned back less and hopefully taking more confidence from that. I know it's not as simple as pinning the blame on one guy (and you can make a case for both McGurn coming back in and Murray restoring two guys up front, properly as improving performances) but I recall how Todd Lumsden used to look with Crisis Mcleod on one side of him and Paul Hilland on the other, and how he looked with Sparky and Marv alongside him and the difference, not just on the overall defence, but on the man's level of competence and confidence in himself - and you appreciate what getting those pairings right is to the whole team. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottydog Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Watson has been an out and out bombscare all season but I'd agree has looked 100x more composed since Hill came back. As for McKeown he's improved a lot too but is still suspect due to the fact McKay leaves him hung out to dry by not tracking back. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Watson has been an out and out bombscare all season but I'd agree has looked 100x more composed since Hill came back. As for McKeown he's improved a lot too but is still suspect due to the fact McKay leaves him hung out to dry by not tracking back. Yeah, McKay is a luxury in that respect, Conroy isn't the quickest but does provide a wee bit more cover. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CALDERON Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 We are moving in the right direction, ever so slightly. Saturday is the real test. If we can put in a good performance ill start to think we've turned a corner. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro Sham Bo Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I'm talking about Murray's first season - we beat Morton 2-1 and drew with Thistle 0-0 in back to back games at Starks, playing a 3-5-2 - although in both cases we made tactical changes as Murray didn't have 90 minutes left in him, which is a shame as we were bossing Thistle up to that point. He's also played flat 4-4-2s when it was Graham and Spence, 4-4-1-1 when it was Graham with Clarke, a flat looking 4-5-1 and evena 4-2-3-1 as well. They were two massive performances against the top two in the league at a time we were stuck in our usual winter slump. Where is Pat Clarke these days? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 They were two massive performances against the top two in the league at a time we were stuck in our usual winter slump. Where is Pat Clarke these days? You really have to ask? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojito Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Have we released Ross Perry yet or do we have to wait until midnight? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen Archer (Raconteur) Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Have we released Ross Perry yet or do we have to wait until midnight? What ever we do don't feed him or get him wet. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro Sham Bo Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 You really have to ask? Just curious. I thought he was alright for us. I was genuinely surprised he went from a player who managed to contribute 8 or 9 goals in his last season for us to spectacular failure at East Fife. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers1992/1993 Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Have we released Ross Perry yet or do we have to wait until midnight? They're waiting until Baird signs to ease the pain of losing Ross 'wonderboy' Perry by announcing Bairds annual return in the same article I reckon.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Just curious. I thought he was alright for us. I was genuinely surprised he went from a player who managed to contribute 8 or 9 goals in his last season for us to spectacular failure at East Fife. Some players just hit a cliff edge I guess. Another example is Allan Walker, who's regresssion from scoring 12 in a season, first name on the team sheet to worst midfielder ever seen at Brechin was fairly spectacular. Or even Craig Wilson, ever present right back in a team that finished 2nd in the 2nd tier of senior football - out of senior football altogether after barely getting a run out at Forfar Athletic in the 3rd tier. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Stark's Park - a footballing graveyard. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roverthemoon Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 (edited) Stark's Park - a footballing graveyard. Realise this is probably tongue in cheek but a tad harsh. Given the size of our club we'll always have a majority of folk either on the way down or will be never get any higher but there's always a chance to progress if you're good (or lucky) - Brian Graham, John Sutton, Joe Cardle, Baird (first time around) even all the way back to Dargo, Novo, Andrews and Agathe. And you could argue we've helped Russell, Goodwillie, Walker et al progress. Mind you for all those there's always a Walker, Blackadder or Carcary but more to do with the ability and mentality of those players than anything we do to them. But if we're talking graveyards then I'd stake my house that East Fife has first call on that title. Edited January 6, 2015 by roverthemoon 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Some players just hit a cliff edge I guess. Another example is Allan Walker, who's regresssion from scoring 12 in a season, first name on the team sheet to worst midfielder ever seen at Brechin was fairly spectacular. Or even Craig Wilson, ever present right back in a team that finished 2nd in the 2nd tier of senior football - out of senior football altogether after barely getting a run out at Forfar Athletic in the 3rd tier. Saw Wilson playing for Linlithgow the other week (he signed for them a couple of weeks after our cup game). Still looked to be playing reasonably well to me, but then I always liked him. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renton Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Saw Wilson playing for Linlithgow the other week (he signed for them a couple of weeks after our cup game). Still looked to be playing reasonably well to me, but then I always liked him. Yeah, was he not at Ballingry when they went bust? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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