The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Raith Against The Machine]

Pretty good half of football for one with no goals. Jimmy Scott is definitely adding battle to the midfield, Cuthbert looks as assured as you'd imagine and Perry's been decent enough.

I've been impressed with Liam Fox so far this afternoon. He's misplaced a pass or two, but overall he's played better than st any point in the last few months of last season.

[Wee Sandy]

Pretty good half of football for one with no goals. Jimmy Scott is definitely adding battle to the midfield, Cuthbert looks as assured as you'd imagine and Perry's been decent enough.

I've been impressed with Liam Fox so far this afternoon. He's misplaced a pass or two, but overall he's played better than st any point in the last few months of last season.

Pleased to hear that!! Thought we'd signed a dud!!

[Raith Against The Machine]

He's been getting distance on his clearances, cut out a few dangerous looking passes and doesn't panic on the ball. Did completely misjudge a header at the beginning of the game but it didn't lead to anything and he obviously didn't dwell on it.

[Scary Bear]

He's been getting distance on his clearances, cut out a few dangerous looking passes and doesn't panic on the ball. Did completely misjudge a header at the beginning of the game but it didn't lead to anything and he obviously didn't dwell on it.

Good to hear he's doing well.

[Raithie]

Martin Scott is fucking fantastic. What an engine and gets stuck in.

[graeme_p]

Much improved today. Cuthbert looked assured. Perry and Watson looked well suited. The back 4 looked better. A bit narrow at times bit had a good shape. Midfield was much better. Not brilliant but promising. Much more mobile and energetic. Nade and Vaughan worked ok. Vaughan a bit behind Nade. Play the ball to Nade's feet or body and he will be a hand full for any defence. Pleasing performance today.

[L. Brilliant]

Looked like an improvement today but under less pressure from the opposition. Worrying lack of width until Anderson came on. Stewart doesn't look accustomed to that position (though maybe he is) and had it been a competitive game I think ICT would have had Shinnie on the ball a lot more.

I thought Nade was looking a bit less isolated today, especially later on - noticeable efforts from others to get closer to him. He's going to be a big player for us if we keep him fit and was unlucky not to score today.

[Broken Algorithms]

Scott seems to be absolutely perfect foil for Moon, who grafts and puts in excellent tackles and passes in midfield. Hopefully he can carry on his attack-minded performance. Reasonably good performance today despite the result. Our new signings all looked solid enough. Cuthbert made a few excellent saves.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

Looked like an improvement today but under less pressure from the opposition. Worrying lack of width until Anderson came on. Stewart doesn't look accustomed to that position (though maybe he is) and had it been a competitive game I think ICT would have had Shinnie on the ball a lot more.

I thought Nade was looking a bit less isolated today, especially later on - noticeable efforts from others to get closer to him. He's going to be a big player for us if we keep him fit and was unlucky not to score today.

This would be due to the close attentions of Messers Warren and Draper.

He could be doing with better support from the CM's

[McGuigan1978]

Was it just me, or were we defending corners a bit better today? Inverness must have had maybe 9 or 10, which under normal circumstances would see us concede about 4.

Thought we looked quite solid today. Anderson really needs to be our right winger, and Stewart either a striker, or sub. Other than a decent cross for Nade's volley, he didn't contribute too much.

Cuthbert was vocal and had 3 or 4 good stops, while Perry didn't do too much wrong.

Certainly better than Tuesday, although I'd have been very worried if we'd been worse.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

My first thoughts on Scott today were 'have we just swapped Elliot for him?'

As the game progressed he improved greatly, more so when Elliot and Anderson came on and he played through the middle.

[Raithie]

Murray now has a difficult choice when it comes to defence as I felt Perry and Watson were well suited together. Moon and Scott in the middle could be a great combo, we've really lacked someone with that grit and oomph and whilst it's early days Scott looks like a fantastic piece of business. Still undecided on Stewart and McKeown is not a patch on Booth unfortunately. Cuthbert looked solid as well.

ETA: get the ball to Nade's feet ffs.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Raithie

[CaptainCharisma]

Pleased to hear that!! Thought we'd signed a dud!!

He is a dud.

[Raith Against The Machine]

A lot to be pleased with, after that. The line-up was obviously in preparation for next week, being pretty much full strength other than Anderson and Elliot, who are suspended for the Pars game. Hopefully Moon is available to come in for Fox, but it wouldn't be a disaster if he isn't. I felt Fox had a very good game today, particularly when compared to some of his performances towards the end of last season.

Cuthbert was nothing other than what I expected. Calm, commanding and confident. More than happy for him to be starting in goal while McGurn's recovery continues. We're very well catered for in the goalkeeping department - we still seem to have another guy warming up alongside the three senior goalkeepers, but he doesn't look particularly "youthful". I'd be interested to know who he is, just out of curiosity - and that can only be a good thing.

Thomson and McKeown are both more than capable full backs at this level. The lack of other options for their positions is a slight concern, but hopefully they can avoid any particularly serious absences. The rest of the squad, other than perhaps up front, is pretty well stocked. Ross Perry looks like a big, strong lad. The almost unanimous criticism from people who've seen him play regularly is a worry, but he wouldn't be the first player to flourish at this level after being released by Rangers. Fingers crossed he builds on a solid debut. Watson was as impressive as usual at the back today. He's almost certainly our most important player.

Alongside Fox, Jimmy Scott was outstanding at the base of the midfield. With twenty minutes left to play it was obvious that he's had a very disrupted pre-season, but he was still making a fantastic effort to get about the pitch and harass the Caley players. Could (possibly should?) have scored with a header too.

Conroy had his best game in a Rovers shirt. If he keeps on improving the way that he has been then he'll be unplayable by the time the first league game kicks off. Vaughan doesn't look out of place at all in the first team. He's always willing to try something different, he makes himself available and he never shies away from a challenge. I really hope he gets a start at East End Park, and he gets an opportunity or two to affect the game. This could be a big breakthrough season for him, especially if we don't bring in another forward option. Mark Stewart is one that I've got a wee question mark over. When he arrived we were basically told that he's got pace, and nothing else, but I can't say I've really seen much in the way of raw speed from him. I did think he played well today though, and he made sure he was getting back to support Thomson when necessary. Good discipline from a striker being asked to play out wide.

And what can you say about big Nade? When he rattled the bar at the start of the game it was ridiculous. Full volley, on his weak foot, from a thirty yard cross. His close control and ball skills are tremendous. I can only echo what someone else said - to maximise his effectiveness, we need to be getting the ball into his feet. That said, he is strong in the air too. I had feared he'd be an Armand Oné style "big man" who shrinks when the ball is played to his head, but he wins his fair share of flicks-ons and knock-downs.

[Rover1990]

Feeling a lot more confident going into the derby now with Cuthbert, Perry and Scott coming into the squad...the whole defence looked a lot more confident with Cuthbert. I'm hoping we'd line up like this for the Pars game:

Cuthbert

Thomson - Watson - Perry - Mckeown

Stewart - Moon - Scott - Conroy

Vaughan

Nade

Subs: McGurn, Ellis, Fox, Callachan, Robertson.

With Elliot, Anderson, Barr and Hill missing for this our bench options are limited especially attacking wise but it'll give one or two of the younger guys a chance.

[kev23]

Feeling a lot more confident going into the derby now with Cuthbert, Perry and Scott coming into the squad...the whole defence looked a lot more confident with Cuthbert. I'm hoping we'd line up like this for the Pars game:

Cuthbert

Thomson - Watson - Perry - Mckeown

Stewart - Moon - Scott - Conroy

Vaughan

Nade

Subs: McGurn, Ellis, Fox, Callachan, Robertson.

With Elliot, Anderson, Barr and Hill missing for this our bench options are limited especially attacking wise but it'll give one or two of the younger guys a chance.

That's what I would like to see but it wouldn't surprise me to see Murray play Scott out wide and Fox in the centre with Stewart partnering Nade. I really hope Vaughan gets the chance though.

[McGuigan1978]

I was guessing that we lined up with that formation yesterday as it's how he was planning to start next week's game.

Of course, Murray maybe saw something that he wasn't keen on, but barring a fit-again Moon, I'd imagine we'd go same again against Dunfermline.

[GhostZapper]

Pleased with the Perry signing - i saw him 5 or 6 times with Scotland U21s and looked reallly good at that level. He was solid yesterday - him and Watson could form a really good partnership


a few rumours about Brian Graham and a possible loan signing for us - anyone heard anything more concrete?

[Paco]

In all honesty, much as I love Brian Graham and I certainly wouldn't complain if we signed him, I'm not convinced he's the type of player we really need. Still don't think we truly have anyone to compliment Nade up front, Baird would've been perfect but I don't see a Nade/Elliot combo grabbing many and Stewart still seems like a bizarre signing. Still see us as short of pace up front, no point in Nade winning the ball in the air and holding it up if he has nobody to give it to. We're spending a third of our league games on the defensive relying on a counter attack, and Anderson aside there's no pace in the team. Bizarre.

Look at the rangers cup final. We won that with Baird, Anderson and Cardle, and latterly smith and spence too, driving forward quickly on the counter and creating openings. Don't see Nade, conroy and elliot having the same effect somehow.

Didn't make the game yesterday but encouraging to hear of some players making it back in. Scott sounds like just the player we need.

[Aberdeen Cowden]

A lot to be pleased with, after that. The line-up was obviously in preparation for next week, being pretty much full strength other than Anderson and Elliot, who are suspended for the Pars game. Hopefully Moon is available to come in for Fox, but it wouldn't be a disaster if he isn't. I felt Fox had a very good game today, particularly when compared to some of his performances towards the end of last season.

Cuthbert was nothing other than what I expected. Calm, commanding and confident. More than happy for him to be starting in goal while McGurn's recovery continues. We're very well catered for in the goalkeeping department - we still seem to have another guy warming up alongside the three senior goalkeepers, but he doesn't look particularly "youthful". I'd be interested to know who he is, just out of curiosity - and that can only be a good thing.

Thomson and McKeown are both more than capable full backs at this level. The lack of other options for their positions is a slight concern, but hopefully they can avoid any particularly serious absences. The rest of the squad, other than perhaps up front, is pretty well stocked. Ross Perry looks like a big, strong lad. The almost unanimous criticism from people who've seen him play regularly is a worry, but he wouldn't be the first player to flourish at this level after being released by Rangers. Fingers crossed he builds on a solid debut. Watson was as impressive as usual at the back today. He's almost certainly our most important player.

Alongside Fox, Jimmy Scott was outstanding at the base of the midfield. With twenty minutes left to play it was obvious that he's had a very disrupted pre-season, but he was still making a fantastic effort to get about the pitch and harass the Caley players. Could (possibly should?) have scored with a header too.

Conroy had his best game in a Rovers shirt. If he keeps on improving the way that he has been then he'll be unplayable by the time the first league game kicks off. Vaughan doesn't look out of place at all in the first team. He's always willing to try something different, he makes himself available and he never shies away from a challenge. I really hope he gets a start at East End Park, and he gets an opportunity or two to affect the game. This could be a big breakthrough season for him, especially if we don't bring in another forward option. Mark Stewart is one that I've got a wee question mark over. When he arrived we were basically told that he's got pace, and nothing else, but I can't say I've really seen much in the way of raw speed from him. I did think he played well today though, and he made sure he was getting back to support Thomson when necessary. Good discipline from a striker being asked to play out wide.

And what can you say about big Nade? When he rattled the bar at the start of the game it was ridiculous. Full volley, on his weak foot, from a thirty yard cross. His close control and ball skills are tremendous. I can only echo what someone else said - to maximise his effectiveness, we need to be getting the ball into his feet. That said, he is strong in the air too. I had feared he'd be an Armand Oné style "big man" who shrinks when the ball is played to his head, but he wins his fair share of flicks-ons and knock-downs.

How is Rory doing for you guys? Disappointed we lost him.