The Falkirk FC Thread

[Guest Back Post Misses]

Spoiled with the fact that we are going back to Hampden and 90 mins from a final. Most Falkirk fans will tell you asides 97, that we waited years to reach a semi final. Yet we have been there nigh on every year recently

I agree with this. I posted the very same somewhere else. A lot of fans are acting like Sevco fans. We have no divine right to beat anyone. I waited 25+ years to see us in a semi final up to 1997. Since then we have had 6 in 18 years. Too many have had it too good. We are 90 minutes away from a cup final and I am bemused that some can't get up for it. There is no way we will take a hammering. If nothing else Houston is a wise old owl who knows how to set us up to be hard to beat. Scoring goals will be an issue but we should have nothing to fear.

[Guest Back Post Misses]

Looking to next season, i say we need to bring in at least 5 new players with the outs that will happen.

Obviosuly Loy is away to Dundee

McCracken to be released

MacDonald to Killie on a free transfer

Duffie to anywhere but our first team

Sheapprd and Botti out on loan

So i would like to see at least 5 coming in - new keeper, new centre half, new right back and 2 new strikers.

Possible first team squad of -

Bowman (K)

Muirhead (D)

P.Grant (D)

Vaulks (D)

Leahy(D)

Dick(D)

Alston (M)

Kerr (M)

Taiwo(M)

Sibbald(M)

Cooper (F)

Smith ( F)

Baird (S)

Then you have the likes of - Rowan, McGeever, Eadie, Finlayson, Blair, McNabb, Hogg, Blues, T.Grant Sheppard, Botti and O`hara in the under 20s to supplement the squaq if they are not released/ loaned out.

Muirhead is out of contract, Not sure McCracken will be released, Duffie has another year

[Crawford Baptie]

Duffie as a wingback (fine), but as defending right back, suspect.

McCracken as part of a back 3/5.

Doubt Sibbald will be here or will be sold after the first 3 games like McGrandles was.

[Crawford Baptie]

When did that happen?

[COYB_RAB]

I agree with this. I posted the very same somewhere else. A lot of fans are acting like Sevco fans. We have no divine right to beat anyone. I waited 25+ years to see us in a semi final up to 1997. Since then we have had 6 in 18 years. Too many have had it too good. We are 90 minutes away from a cup final and I am bemused that some can't get up for it. There is no way we will take a hammering. If nothing else Houston is a wise old owl who knows how to set us up to be hard to beat. Scoring goals will be an issue but we should have nothing to fear.

This is what I needed to read, I'm never a doom & gloom merchant but was struggling to get up for Saturday after witnessing our recent poor performances. It could be the last time I ever see us in a SC semi final so better to embrace it. COYB Edited April 13, 2015 by COYB_RAB

[Senator Frimpton]

re: the cup semi, I would agree that with the squad currently as it is, a 3 5 2 with Muirhead McCracken and Grant as the 3, and Duffie and Leahy as wingbacks may be the way to go.

Vaulks and Taiwo in the middle with Sibbald further forward, and Alston in more of a number 10 role.

Pick any one of the others in the main striking role. O'hara and Biabi are still a little raw for my liking, and Smith sure isnt a striker.

Get Duffie and Leahy forward and pinging in as many crosses into the box as possible and we may get something bouncing off even Morgan eventually

[CraigFFC_]

Hearts played a 3-5-2 system against Hibs yesterday and got slaughtered the first half and had to change it. Would it be a gamble worth taking?

[Skyline Drifter]

Hearts played a 3-5-2 system against Hibs yesterday and got slaughtered the first half and had to change it. Would it be a gamble worth taking?

We played a 3-5-2 system against Hibs the week before and won. It's not really about the system, it's about the players and how they play.

[Senator Frimpton]

Its not a system weve used under Houston, so its a gamble in the sense that the players arent used to it.

Im of the thinking though that if Morgan is our only out and out striker available (that isnt a lightweight teenager) then we ought to play to his strengths.

Which are basically: tall.

Get crosses in there and see what happens.

Blair Alston playing centrally and with his dander up is good for goals.

As Skyline Drifter above says, its worked very well for Queens, although I assume theyve been playing it all season.

[Marshmallo]

I disagree with the line of "accept mediocrity now cause we were really bad in the 80s". No, not applicable. The crowds have stayed consistently higher than most of the clubs around us, we got a new stadium largely for free and we've been producing quality young players for a decade. Circumstances change and expectations should change in line with those.

A fifth place finish this season is poor and much of the football has been dull. I wouldn't say it's a disaster or sack Houston as I've read in recent weeks on forums. 17th in Scotland given our budget, support and infrastructure isn't good enough and should be called out, regardless of what happened in 2002 or 1996 because that was a generation ago and has no bearing on our current situation.

Similarly, a Scottish Cup semi final is a success and should be celebrated as such. Given our budget/circumstances we've done well to reach this stage, even if the draw was favourable.

There's a middle ground, the sooner we try and balance the views the better, and I think the club are more likely to listen.

PS is that Scott Shepherd's maw or something on Facebook saying on every post he should be playing?

[Rugster]

John Beaton is the ref I see.

[Skyline Drifter]

As Skyline Drifter above says, its worked very well for Queens, although I assume theyve been playing it all season.

We've not been playing it all season but we certainly didn't move to it out of the blue to play Hibs last week. We've used it off and on since the end of January, sometimes playing a regular back four, sometimes a three and reasonably often moving between the two systems in the same match.

For a 3-5-2 to work well you need three competent central defenders and two players capable of playing wing back. We have that so we can do it. It's generally worked well for us when we've used it. The main down side is that we tend to lose Iain Russell from the line up when we play in that formation as he can't play wing back. That removes a major goal threat from the pitch. As he's been injured latterly anyway that's not been a consideration though.

[Bairney The Dinosaur]

I disagree with the line of "accept mediocrity now cause we were really bad in the 80s". No, not applicable. The crowds have stayed consistently higher than most of the clubs around us, we got a new stadium largely for free and we've been producing quality young players for a decade. Circumstances change and expectations should change in line with those.

A fifth place finish this season is poor and much of the football has been dull. I wouldn't say it's a disaster or sack Houston as I've read in recent weeks on forums. 17th in Scotland given our budget, support and infrastructure isn't good enough and should be called out, regardless of what happened in 2002 or 1996 because that was a generation ago and has no bearing on our current situation.

Similarly, a Scottish Cup semi final is a success and should be celebrated as such. Given our budget/circumstances we've done well to reach this stage, even if the draw was favourable.

There's a middle ground, the sooner we try and balance the views the better, and I think the club are more likely to listen.

This 100%.

[Guest Back Post Misses]

Its not a system weve used under Houston, so its a gamble in the sense that the players arent used to it.

Im of the thinking though that if Morgan is our only out and out striker available (that isnt a lightweight teenager) then we ought to play to his strengths.

Which are basically: tall.

Get crosses in there and see what happens.

Blair Alston playing centrally and with his dander up is good for goals.

As Skyline Drifter above says, its worked very well for Queens, although I assume theyve been playing it all season.

We may have built a main stand for free, however our property costs are massively higher than Hamilton for example. We PAY to occupy the place as well as paying for the SS where Hamilton bring in a huge amount in rental. The stadium is a millstone around our neck. We move from Brockville because we could not make money outside the game days and we are now worse of in terms of rent, service charges and up keep.

[Guest Back Post Misses]

We've not been playing it all season but we certainly didn't move to it out of the blue to play Hibs last week. We've used it off and on since the end of January, sometimes playing a regular back four, sometimes a three and reasonably often moving between the two systems in the same match.

For a 3-5-2 to work well you need three competent central defenders and two players capable of playing wing back. We have that so we can do it. It's generally worked well for us when we've used it. The main down side is that we tend to lose Iain Russell from the line up when we play in that formation as he can't play wing back. That removes a major goal threat from the pitch. As he's been injured latterly anyway that's not been a consideration though.

You need three central defenders with them having some pace. Unfortunately that is not something we are blessed with. We have not lost to Hibs yet. Played 4-4-1-1 once and 4-4-2 the other time. We won't stray too much from that IMO.

[Monkey Tennis]

We may have built a main stand for free, however our property costs are massively higher than Hamilton for example. We PAY to occupy the place as well as paying for the SS where Hamilton bring in a huge amount in rental. The stadium is a millstone around our neck. We move from Brockville because we could not make money outside the game days and we are now worse of in terms of rent, service charges and up keep.

And you've got a bloody big long fence running down an entire length of the pitch.

It's rubbish.

[Guest Back Post Misses]

And you've got a bloody big long fence running down an entire length of the pitch. It's rubbish.

For now.

This side of the stadium will be developed in the next couple of years IMO.

[Monkey Tennis]

For now.

This side of the stadium will be developed in the next couple of years IMO.

Hope so.

[Skyline Drifter]

You need three central defenders with them having some pace. Unfortunately that is not something we are blessed with. We have not lost to Hibs yet. Played 4-4-1-1 once and 4-4-2 the other time. We won't stray too much from that IMO.

I'm not sure you do need central defenders with pace as long as they are organised and read the game well enough. Durnan isn't a slouch but neither Higgins nor Dowie has any pace to speak of and they still manage it well enough. I doubt we'd play a back three if any of the three of them were missing though. As I said, you need reliable defenders who can cope with the system. Whenever any of them have been unavailable we've gone back to a four with the other two playing at centre half, as we did on Sunday in Durnan's absence.

[Marshmallo]

For now.

This side of the stadium will be developed in the next couple of years IMO.

What is the point? We're going to average about 3k next season with a couple of peaks of 6-7k. That's only going to drop until (if ever!) we get promoted. How much would it cost?