The New Raith Rovers Thread

[FitbaSupporter]

Three wins from three home game is what’s needed if we’ve any hope of pushing United for the title. So that’s one down, two to go. Keep winning and we can go above them when we play Inverness on the Friday night to put a bit of pressure on them. Have to beat Airdrie and Thistle though which won’t be easy. 

[Jilted John]

15 minutes ago, FitbaSupporter said:

Three wins from three home game is what’s needed if we’ve any hope of pushing United for the title. So that’s one down, two to go. Keep winning and we can go above them when we play Inverness on the Friday night to put a bit of pressure on them. Have to beat Airdrie and Thistle though which won’t be easy. 

Airdrie certainly won’t be easy. I hope he plays the same formation as he did today with three in the middle. The wind stopped us seeing that work as well as it could but it’ll stop Airdrie passing through the middle of us. 

[SerieA]

Same again for me with Murray in for Brown if fit

Edited April 6 by SerieA

[TxRover]

54 minutes ago, Arab_R_us said:

  you ok mate? do you need a hug ?

You OK mate, you need a club?

[ganainm85]

1 hour ago, SerieA said:

Thoughts on James Brown?Would you have him for next season if available?

Think he’s been a 7/10 most weeks.We do miss Millen going forward but Brown has helped make the defence more solid since he came in.

He put in a cracking cross in the 2nd half today as well.

He’s been a good loan signing for me.

Couldn't believe no one got on the end of that cross. 

 

Good 3 points today in terrible conditions. Don't think anything was learnt from Arbroath in that second half. Got there in the end. 

[L. Brilliant]

J Brown was solid today and bravely took a few significant dunts and kept at it.

Having both Matthews and Byrne let both full backs get a little bit further up and I'd like to see more of that in normal weather conditions.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

3 hours ago, buchan30 said:

Thought that was a  good performance today. Lots of aggression in the pressing, defence done well. A bit like Arbroath, we seemed to still play high balls with the wind against us.

The less said about the quality of refereeing, the better. 

An absolute fucking waste of water today,  slicking the park, only to see the ball  90% in the fucking air.

[stevoraith]

How many times did Broony take a free kick from just inside our half near the dugouts and loft a diagonal into the wind that found nobody!? Must have been at least 4 or 5 times- that was ripping ma knitting!

I did like the shape of the team today though, it’s a shame the conditions didn’t allow them to play the football they tried to play. 

[FitbaSupporter]

Think we need some consistency. Same team and formation on Tuesday please. 

[ganainm85]

13 minutes ago, FitbaSupporter said:

Think we need some consistency. Same team and formation on Tuesday please. 

The tinkering is getting a bit annoying. Good to see Shaun back in and Stanton further forward. 

[Raithie]

3 hours ago, Arab_R_us said:

Pre pair for the playoffs

 

[Oberon43]

3 hours ago, SerieA said:

Thoughts on James Brown?Would you have him for next season if available?

Think he’s been a 7/10 most weeks.We do miss Millen going forward but Brown has helped make the defence more solid since he came in.

He put in a cracking cross in the 2nd half today as well.

He’s been a good loan signing for me.

I would like us to sign him permanently. Huge upgrade on crazy Millen and a big strong lad too. Think he would do okay in the Premiership 

[CrossgatesCynic]

Much happier with the way we played with two sitting in the midfield. Matthews & Byrne holding allows Stanton to play far more freely further up the park.

The wind was tragic but some of the football Rovers were trying to play was encouraging. I’d certainly be happy with the same starting lineup on Tuesday night against Airdrie.

Not sure if I’m being overly critical but, penalty aside, I felt Hamilton was off it yesterday. Almost certainly didn’t help that the wind rendered any high balls an absolute lottery, at best. Very possible it just wasn’t the game for him.

[RAITHROVERS84]

Whatever happens this season, it’s been an enjoyable campaign following home and away.

In terms of the title I just feel we'll fall short. Not negative and it’s still possible but for the following reasons- 

2 x Abroath results, lack that bit of power and height (DU last game as an example). Unfortunate lack of cohesion across the back 4. Think Murray + Watson have played twice together and Scott Brown playing almost the entire season at CB. DU opened the door for us but our run of results Dec-Jan stopped us having the 5-7 point cushion at the top we’d probably need. Just wish we played that starting 11 last week and tried to shitfest a nil nil. 

We need to find a way of getting 3 points against Airdrie. I hope someone is tasked with being touch tight to Todorov but not exposing the middle of the park like last couple of games against them will help.

Something that’s maybe not been thought about is the last game of the season. If we were to be only a point behind and Partick have consolidated 3rd, what incentive do they have to go for it opposed to resting players for a gruelling play-off?

Anyway, can’t worry about anything other that ourselves. Hopefully this talented and hardworking team can keep the dream alive. 

 

[Specky Ginger]

2 minutes ago, RAITHROVERS84 said:

Whatever happens this season, it’s been an enjoyable campaign following home and away.

In terms of the title I just feel we'll fall short. Not negative and it’s still possible but for the following reasons- 

2 x Abroath results, lack that bit of power and height (DU last game as an example). Unfortunate lack of cohesion across the back 4. Think Murray + Watson have played twice together and Scott Brown playing almost the entire season at CB. DU opened the door for us but our run of results Dec-Jan stopped us having the 5-7 point cushion at the top we’d probably need. Just wish we played that starting 11 last week and tried to shitfest a nil nil. 

We need to find a way of getting 3 points against Airdrie. I hope someone is tasked with being touch tight to Todorov but not exposing the middle of the park like last couple of games against them will help.

Something that’s maybe not been thought about is the last game of the season. If we were to be only a point behind and Partick have consolidated 3rd, what incentive do they have to go for it opposed to resting players for a gruelling play-off?

Anyway, can’t worry about anything other that ourselves. Hopefully this talented and hardworking team can keep the dream alive. 

The last game of the season is a long way off, but I can't see Partick wanting to go into the playoffs on the back of a hammering, and secondly, they might feel if they can get a result on the last day of the season and deny United the title, United would be spooked against them in the playoffs - pretty much like Alloa did to us on the final day of 2017-18. Just trying to remember who their manager was.

[AllanJM]

3 hours ago, CrossgatesCynic said:

Much happier with the way we played with two sitting in the midfield. Matthews & Byrne holding allows Stanton to play far more freely further up the park.

The wind was tragic but some of the football Rovers were trying to play was encouraging. I’d certainly be happy with the same starting lineup on Tuesday night against Airdrie.

Not sure if I’m being overly critical but, penalty aside, I felt Hamilton was off it yesterday. Almost certainly didn’t help that the wind rendered any high balls an absolute lottery, at best. Very possible it just wasn’t the game for him.

I thought Hamilton was fine despite the conditions.  He wins way more than his fair share of headers by getting in front of defenders.  Yesterday, the ball was getting held up in the wind which made them more of a 50/50 and the defenders were always going to get the better of him due to simply being a head taller.

[Kuma Power]

The last few posts have got me thinking how important it is we get a good result, and put in a good performance, against Airdrie midweek - and not just because it's our game in hand over Dundee Utd.

If we do fall short and finish second, then there's a strong possibility that we'll face either Partick or Airdrie in the playoff semi-final. Our record against Airdrie has been, ahem  less than stellar this season - over four games this season so far we've scored once and kept no clean sheets. The playoffs will be tough no matter who the opponents are and how good our record has been against them, but psychologically if nothing else, we really don't want to go into the playoffs facing a team we haven't beaten all season.

Still a long way to go before we have to think about that though. Like everyone else, I was much happier with how we set up yesterday and hope that can set a template for how we line up for the rest of the matches. Tough on those that can't start or don't get on, but having that bit more control at the base of midfield seems important.

On that note, let's hope that all parties can sit down and agree on a contract extension for Ross Matthews soon.

[SerieA]

33 minutes ago, Kuma Power said:

The last few posts have got me thinking how important it is we get a good result, and put in a good performance, against Airdrie midweek - and not just because it's our game in hand over Dundee Utd.

If we do fall short and finish second, then there's a strong possibility that we'll face either Partick or Airdrie in the playoff semi-final. Our record against Airdrie has been, ahem  less than stellar this season - over four games this season so far we've scored once and kept no clean sheets. The playoffs will be tough no matter who the opponents are and how good our record has been against them, but psychologically if nothing else, we really don't want to go into the playoffs facing a team we haven't beaten all season.

Still a long way to go before we have to think about that though. Like everyone else, I was much happier with how we set up yesterday and hope that can set a template for how we line up for the rest of the matches. Tough on those that can't start or don't get on, but having that bit more control at the base of midfield seems important.

On that note, let's hope that all parties can sit down and agree on a contract extension for Ross Matthews soon.

Whether it’s the Championship or SPL then I’d happy take Brown, Mathews, Byrne and Stanton as our midfield options.

[stevoraith]

1 hour ago, Kuma Power said:

The last few posts have got me thinking how important it is we get a good result, and put in a good performance, against Airdrie midweek - and not just because it's our game in hand over Dundee Utd.

If we do fall short and finish second, then there's a strong possibility that we'll face either Partick or Airdrie in the playoff semi-final. Our record against Airdrie has been, ahem  less than stellar this season - over four games this season so far we've scored once and kept no clean sheets. The playoffs will be tough no matter who the opponents are and how good our record has been against them, but psychologically if nothing else, we really don't want to go into the playoffs facing a team we haven't beaten all season.

Still a long way to go before we have to think about that though. Like everyone else, I was much happier with how we set up yesterday and hope that can set a template for how we line up for the rest of the matches. Tough on those that can't start or don't get on, but having that bit more control at the base of midfield seems important.

On that note, let's hope that all parties can sit down and agree on a contract extension for Ross Matthews soon.

Excellent point about Airdrie- psychologically it’s massively important that we can find a way to overcome them ahead of a potential play-off. 
 

Regarding Ross Matthews- there was a point in the season where I didn’t think we really needed him. We had loads of options in midfield and between Byrne, Brown and Stanton we had all the jobs that Matthews can do covered. 
But since he’s come back in to the starting line up I’ve been proven totally wrong. 
He’s not flashy, and his impact could quite easily go unnoticed but for me he’s becoming one of the first names on the team sheet again. Probably man of the match for me yesterday, he just seemed to be everywhere. 
 

I’d build a team around him and Stanton. 

[grumswall]

Brown has been a steady enough replacement for millen but neither are particularly good. With everyone fit dick and brown are the weak points in our squad. Before Brown it was millen and dick. I'd hope we can improve upon them for next season regardless of what league we're in. I actually thought yesterday was browns best game for us so far. I would not sign him permanently though. He just isn't good enough for a team that wants to be in the premiership but is a fine stop gap for now.