The Falkirk FC Thread

[Shadwell Dog]

1 minute ago, Moutinho said:

Houston had lots of pace throughout the team and signed loads of fast players- Hippolyte, Smith, Cooper, Austin, McHugh and Aird just off the top of my head. He also often played players with pace already at the club like Leahy, Shepherd and O’Hara.

Cooper and leahy were never quick.

[Rocco]

I know you're only working with who we currently have signed at the moment but hopefully that won't be anywhere near the starting line up come the 6th of October. Miller will be in centre midfield and hopefully if m&m have learned from last season not with Gomis. I've not really seen much of Todd to work out what his best position is but i'm pretty sure him and Telfer are pretty similar in that they aren't fast enough to be wingers and they are too soft to play in the middle of the park.

I’m not sure I’d say Todd is too soft for the middle. The one thing we’ve heard about him is he’s powerful, however, we haven’t seen enough to judge

[Bairnardo]

Just now, Shadwell Dog said:

Post vaulks we were far more ponderous and slow in the middle of the park. Alston was another one that always went forward. The year after both they left we were never the same in an attacking sense.

That was the season I was on about. We showed regularly that we could do it, but for some reason started each and every game in full on pedestrian mode. A couple of really bad examples I recall were away to Dunfermline where we eventually won 2-1 and beating St Mirren at home, when we were utterly fucking honking until Jack Baird got sent off for his heads gone. Sideways, sideways, backwards, launch, hope Miller can win it or force a throw in for territory. 

 

There were shades of it at times last season, especially against the better sides. We were never shy of energetic runners when we were 4 or 5-0 up at home and they all wanted a wee shot, but zero bravery when it counted. 

[Bairnardo]

2 minutes ago, Shadwell Dog said:

Cooper and leahy were never quick.

McHugh and Aird bang average on the pace front also. 

[Rocco]

There is a possibility that M&M are looking to play a 352, which may be the reason they’re loading up on central midfielders. They played 352 in their first couple of games so it maybe their preferred formation

[Shadwell Dog]

1 minute ago, Rocco said:

There is a possibility that M&M are looking to play a 352, which may be the reason they’re loading up on central midfielders. They played 352 in their first couple of games so it maybe their preferred formation

Need to sign a left and right wing back then plus at least one if not two centre backs.

[FFC 1876]

Just now, Rocco said:

There is a possibility that M&M are looking to play a 352, which may be the reason they’re loading up on central midfielders. They played 352 in their first couple of games so it maybe their preferred formation

I'm praying they only played that formation because they had to with the squad of players they inherited. We don't need to play with 3 centre backs in this league unless they want to play like sheffield united but I don't really see Durnan or Hall bombing into the oppositions half too often. 4-2-3-1 with 3 speed demons in behind Dowds or a good old fashioned 4-4-2  hopefully. 

[Guest Ecosse83]

4 minutes ago, Rocco said:

There is a possibility that M&M are looking to play a 352, which may be the reason they’re loading up on central midfielders. They played 352 in their first couple of games so it maybe their preferred formation

I'm pretty sure they said that suited who was in the squad at the time then changed it later. 

Personally I want us to stick to a simple 442, dominate teams with some quick passing and overlapping full backs. 

[Rocco]

I'm pretty sure they said that suited who was in the squad at the time then changed it later. 
Personally I want us to stick to a simple 442, dominate teams with some quick passing and overlapping full backs. 

I agree that I wouldn’t want to play a 352 either. We’ll need to see who else we sign but hopefully a pacey winger will be one of them

[Hank Scorpio]

We definitely tried to sign Dowds but Falkirk stumped up more wages.

[HopeStreetWalker]

23 minutes ago, Rocco said:

 

I agree that I wouldn’t want to play a 352 either. We’ll need to see who else we sign but hopefully a pacey winger will be one of them

 

Football is moving away from rigid systems with players being more flexible in a variety of positions. Under pressure lets be realistic its a 5-4-1 while going forward it is often a 2-4-4, with a  4-5-1 in midfield tussles. So as the game moves up and down the park formations change. If anything its an evolution of the old W W formation of 3-2-3-2 with key players moving in and out certain positions. Good example of that is Robertson at Liverpool moving from fullback-left midfield come winger and back again.

[falkirkbairn10]

We definitely tried to sign Dowds but Falkirk stumped up more wages.

Who’s we lol

[ebobsboy]

There's absolutely no pace at all in our midfield with the exception of Connolly, it remains to be seen what Leitch and Laverty bring.  Hopefully Dowds is a huge upgrade on Sammon. 

[falkirkthebigclub]

10 minutes ago, Bantabairn said:

Just listened to Dowds interview, comes over as a decent level headed guy, and here’s hoping he can hit the gym.

FTFY

[sirscottyoung]

41 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

We definitely tried to sign Dowds but Falkirk stumped up more wages.

Wasn't the only thing that affected the decision I've heard

[Shadwell Dog]

2 minutes ago, sirscottyoung said:

Wasn't the only thing that affected the decision I've heard

Probably met their chairman.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

2 hours ago, Chinatoon Bairn said:

Am I right in thinking this is the bloke that's about 6"4 and also somehow rapid?

He didn’t look that tall ?? 6 ft maybe ??

[Marshmallo]

57 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

We definitely tried to sign Dowds but Falkirk stumped up more wages.

You should've stuck the walking boots on and rattled a tin to fund his signing on fee

[Grangemouth Bairn]

5 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

You should've stuck the walking boots on and rattled a tin to fund his signing on fee

Andy Mill is in the process of arranging the ‘Raith Raffle’ where he is trying to rip off even more fans mate.

[ShaggerG]

2 hours ago, Ecosse83 said:

Didn't we only lose 1 game in the league with them as managers? Maybe the issues aren't as bad as you think!

Shadwell just likes to moan.

As far as I can make out, both McKinnon and M&M managed for 18 games each last season.

McKinnon: W 8 D 6 L 4

M&M W 10 D 6 L 2

There's a clear improvement there despite them inheriting a team and obviously having to get to know them and getting bedded in. One of the defeats was against Hearts in the cup, a game we definitely deserved to win too. 

I think that the guys that have re-signed will not all be starters. Dixon and Connolly probably will be as will one of Hall or Durnan. Telfer's probably the most gifted footballer in the squad and I can see him being excellent in training when the pressure's off but, like most others, I can't see why he's been re-signed because he didn't bring his best game on to the park very often. I'm wondering if M&M have a game plan in mind that they think will bring the best out of him?

As things stand we need a goalie, RB, CH, Midfield energy and a striker. With the exception of the goalie, who'll be back-up, if the other 4 are all starters then I don't think we'll be too far away.