Walking Down The Halbeath Road

[Wacky]

10 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

Some pressure on Todd and KRH when they're back. 

 

10 hours ago, da_no_1 said:

Which they'll gladly thrive upon

Those guys will be more than a handful in this league, and without a doubt will make the difference in the second half of the season. With Bene back to full fitness too, we’ll stay at the right end of the table. 

[parsboi]

10 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

Some pressure on Todd and KRH when they're back. 

That’s the worry.   They’re just young laddies, both unproven (aware Todd has had some experience, but in a side that got relegated) at this level.  If folk think that they come back in and all is rosy, definite shock coming.  Cannot say “without a doubt” they’ll make a significant difference, there’s always doubt.  They both had an excellent season last year, at a lower level.   They SHOULD kick on and perform well, certainly not a given.
 

My main criticism of our team this season so far, is the inability to be clinical, and I don’t just mean the strikers/goal scoring.  Across the whole pitch we just seem to be missing that lethal touch, ability to niggle, be brutal, be winners.  Yesterday was total case in point.  When in control, we didn’t take advantage, when not in control, we didn’t help ourselves with our choices of play.  That Raith back line was shockingly bad in the first half, but we just didn’t press home an advantage.   On decision making - how many times did the fisher to Edwards cross field ball get attempted and fail?  That kind of decision making needs to improve.

The two results will argue otherwise, but in my opinion Raith have few individual players better than us, but right now they have that bit of collective clinical nous to get results.  We need to learn that and fast.  Too many hard luck stories already this season.  
 

 

[Brashy's Boots]

39 minutes ago, parsboi said:

That’s the worry.   They’re just young laddies, both unproven (aware Todd has had some experience, but in a side that got relegated) at this level.  If folk think that they come back in and all is rosy, definite shock coming.  Cannot say “without a doubt” they’ll make a significant difference, there’s always doubt.  They both had an excellent season last year, at a lower level.   They SHOULD kick on and perform well, certainly not a given.
 

My main criticism of our team this season so far, is the inability to be clinical, and I don’t just mean the strikers/goal scoring.  Across the whole pitch we just seem to be missing that lethal touch, ability to niggle, be brutal, be winners.  Yesterday was total case in point.  When in control, we didn’t take advantage, when not in control, we didn’t help ourselves with our choices of play.  That Raith back line was shockingly bad in the first half, but we just didn’t press home an advantage.   On decision making - how many times did the fisher to Edwards cross field ball get attempted and fail?  That kind of decision making needs to improve.

The two results will argue otherwise, but in my opinion Raith have few individual players better than us, but right now they have that bit of collective clinical nous to get results.  We need to learn that and fast.  Too many hard luck stories already this season.  
 

 

Interested in which players of ours you DO think are better than yours.

[Wacky]

28 minutes ago, parsboi said:

That’s the worry.   They’re just young laddies, both unproven (aware Todd has had some experience, but in a side that got relegated) at this level.  If folk think that they come back in and all is rosy, definite shock coming.  Cannot say “without a doubt” they’ll make a significant difference, there’s always doubt.  They both had an excellent season last year, at a lower level.   They SHOULD kick on and perform well, certainly not a given.

I disagree. These laddies may take a game or two to get their match sharpness up to speed, but they will play the game the same way they did last season, and it’ll be up to the opposing teams to deal with that. Kane was taking on this older and more experienced players last season without fear. He just kept playing his part in the team, and was excellent in doing so. Matty was the same, he has plenty pace and an engine that’ll run defences ragged.

I don’t think they’ll care who they are up against, they’ll take on whoever is in front of them. 

[parsboi]

3 minutes ago, Wacky said:

I disagree. These laddies may take a game or two to get their match sharpness up to speed, but they will play the game the same way they did last season, and it’ll be up to the opposing teams to deal with that. Kane was taking on this older and more experienced players last season without fear. He just kept playing his part in the team, and was excellent in doing so. Matty was the same, he has plenty pace and an engine that’ll run defences ragged.

I don’t think they’ll care who they are up against, they’ll take on whoever is in front of them. 

That’s laudable.  But in reality it’s a bigger challenge.  I hope they do kick on obviously, but the rest of the team has to improve too as these boys can’t do it themselves. 

[HoBNob]

4 minutes ago, Brashy's Boots said:

Interested in which players of ours you DO think are better than yours.

Outright better? Comrie and Edwards. Ones that I think are quite tight, I wouldn't take Watson or Murray over Benedictus, and chances are I'd take Breen over Murray. Chances are I wouldn't be fussed for Dabrowski over Mehmet but he apparently had a decent game yesterday. Based on this season when I've watched him I wouldn't Mullin over KRH*. 

There's not a massive amount between the sides with all the games being quite tight, but with Rovers undoubtedly having the edge at the moment. If Rovers had 11 players who were better in there respective positions that wouldn't be the case, when that happens you get scuddings.

*This does depend on how KRH handles the step up. 

 

[Brashy's Boots]

4 minutes ago, HoBNob said:

Outright better? Comrie and Edwards. Ones that I think are quite tight, I wouldn't take Watson or Murray over Benedictus, and chances are I'd take Breen over Murray. Chances are I wouldn't be fussed for Dabrowski over Mehmet but he apparently had a decent game yesterday. Based on this season when I've watched him I wouldn't Mullin over KRH*. 

There's not a massive amount between the sides with all the games being quite tight, but with Rovers undoubtedly having the edge at the moment. If Rovers had 11 players who were better in there respective positions that wouldn't be the case, when that happens you get scuddings.

*This does depend on how KRH handles the step up. 

 

Interesting, but I asked which Rovers players you think are better than yours. Are you saying you wouldn't take any of them?

[da_no_1]

There's no denying Raith are in a much better position than we are, however I've watched us play them 3 times this season and we could easily have won all 3.

We didn't. They won 2.

On yesterday's showing there's not much between the teams.

[HoBNob]

29 minutes ago, Brashy's Boots said:

Interesting, but I asked which Rovers players you think are better than yours. Are you saying you wouldn't take any of them?

Oh I misread you, I thought you were asking which Pars players were better. 

[Chubbychops]

The games I've seen, Raith tend to convert 1 in 3 chances, where we get 7-8 chances and can't take any.  

[Salvo Montalbano]

52 minutes ago, Brashy's Boots said:

Interesting, but I asked which Rovers players you think are better than yours. Are you saying you wouldn't take any of them?

I'd take Murray, Brown, Byrne, Easton, Vaughan, possibly Hamilton. Not sure who I'd pick in a combined XI though. I know Ian Murray made a big thing of "they think they've outplayed us but we seem to always win" but in the three games between us I think we've probably shaded all three and it's been the substitutions that have ultimately decided the two games that you won. Going by that, I don't think it's wild to suggest that the starting XIs are too far apart or that when everyone is fit Dunfermline have slightly better individuals. 

[Stellaboz]

Possibly Rovers have the better manager ??

Always liked Murray, comes across well and learns with the step up in divisions. 

[Raith Against The Machine]

1 hour ago, HoBNob said:

Outright better? Comrie and Edwards. Ones that I think are quite tight, I wouldn't take Watson or Murray over Benedictus, and chances are I'd take Breen over Murray. Chances are I wouldn't be fussed for Dabrowski over Mehmet but he apparently had a decent game yesterday. Based on this season when I've watched him I wouldn't Mullin over KRH*. 

There's not a massive amount between the sides with all the games being quite tight, but with Rovers undoubtedly having the edge at the moment. If Rovers had 11 players who were better in there respective positions that wouldn't be the case, when that happens you get scuddings.

*This does depend on how KRH handles the step up. 

There's obviously inate bias that comes into this, and that's where I'm coming down on the other side of these 50/50 calls that you mention. 

I'd take Dabrowski over Mehmet, but there's probably not a huge amount in it. In the centre of defence, in the scenario that we were picking a team for a game today (ie, disregarding potential ability and just focusing on the now) and everyone was fully fit, I'd have Euan Murray and Keith Watson ahead of Benedictus, who seems to be widely regarded as your best defender. He'd comfortably be ahead of any of our other centre halfs, but I'd have him as third choice. 

Left back is one I'd categorically take. Josh Edwards is much more of a proper modern wing/full-back than Liam Dick. He might not be the best technically, but I'd make that swap in a heartbeat. Millen and Comrie much of a muchness, but I like Ross Millen so I'm keeping him. 

Scott Brown was up there with the best holding midfielders in the division last year and McPake wanted Shaun Byrne, so that probably speaks volumes about the defensive midfield. In attacking midfield, Lewis McCann is excellent, he'd fit very well into our stable of players who operate in that role. By their nature these guys are all mercurial, and on his day you'd absolutely have him over a Josh Mullin, but if I'm picking an eleven am I taking him over Easton, Stanton and/or Vaughan? I don't think so. 

And then up front, Jakubiak over Hamilton? Maybe? Neither have exactly hit the goal trail this season. I'll tell you one thing though - I'd rather pick myself up front than play Craig Wighton. 

All of that isn't to say "our players are great, yours aren't nananana" but more that if you start with the Rovers eleven, and Rovers tinted glasses, I don't think there are many individual areas where the Pars come out stronger. Can't be many recent seasons where that's been the case. 

I think it speaks to how well McPake has set up Dunfermline in the games this season (or, conversely, how poorly Murray has done in failing to account for McPake's back three) that the Rovers really haven't been able to get much of a foothold over prolonged spells. Luckily, for us and for Murray, the individual quality has been there to pull us through. 

[HoBNob]

17 minutes ago, Raith Against The Machine said:

There's obviously inate bias that comes into this, and that's where I'm coming down on the other side of these 50/50 calls that you mention. 

I'd take Dabrowski over Mehmet, but there's probably not a huge amount in it. In the centre of defence, in the scenario that we were picking a team for a game today (ie, disregarding potential ability and just focusing on the now) and everyone was fully fit, I'd have Euan Murray and Keith Watson ahead of Benedictus, who seems to be widely regarded as your best defender. He'd comfortably be ahead of any of our other centre halfs, but I'd have him as third choice. 

Left back is one I'd categorically take. Josh Edwards is much more of a proper modern wing/full-back than Liam Dick. He might not be the best technically, but I'd make that swap in a heartbeat. Millen and Comrie much of a muchness, but I like Ross Millen so I'm keeping him. 

Scott Brown was up there with the best holding midfielders in the division last year and McPake wanted Shaun Byrne, so that probably speaks volumes about the defensive midfield. In attacking midfield, Lewis McCann is excellent, he'd fit very well into our stable of players who operate in that role. By their nature these guys are all mercurial, and on his day you'd absolutely have him over a Josh Mullin, but if I'm picking an eleven am I taking him over Easton, Stanton and/or Vaughan? I don't think so. 

And then up front, Jakubiak over Hamilton? Maybe? Neither have exactly hit the goal trail this season. I'll tell you one thing though - I'd rather pick myself up front than play Craig Wighton. 

All of that isn't to say "our players are great, yours aren't nananana" but more that if you start with the Rovers eleven, and Rovers tinted glasses, I don't think there are many individual areas where the Pars come out stronger. Can't be many recent seasons where that's been the case. 

I think it speaks to how well McPake has set up Dunfermline in the games this season (or, conversely, how poorly Murray has done in failing to account for McPake's back three) that the Rovers really haven't been able to get much of a foothold over prolonged spells. Luckily, for us and for Murray, the individual quality has been there to pull us through. 

If you had 10/11 of the starting 11 IMO, as well as a much stronger bench/squad (which I'm sure everyone would agree with). For the games to have been so tight, Either McPake is the second coming of Sir Alex Ferguson, or Murray is Peter Grants but worse at managing football teams. 

[Brashy's Boots]

45 minutes ago, Salvo Montalbano said:

I'd take Murray, Brown, Byrne, Easton, Vaughan, possibly Hamilton. Not sure who I'd pick in a combined XI though. I know Ian Murray made a big thing of "they think they've outplayed us but we seem to always win" but in the three games between us I think we've probably shaded all three and it's been the substitutions that have ultimately decided the two games that you won. Going by that, I don't think it's wild to suggest that the starting XIs are too far apart or that when everyone is fit Dunfermline have slightly better individuals. 

Not Stanton? He's one of our most effective players and often missed by opposition and supporters alike.

A current combined XI might be an interesting exercise.

[Wacky]

2 hours ago, parsboi said:

That’s laudable.  But in reality it’s a bigger challenge.  I hope they do kick on obviously, but the rest of the team has to improve too as these boys can’t do it themselves. 

I still think our match day performance will noticeably improve when these two guys are back in the team. We all know Kane fancies his chances against any player he has to get past, and Matty will try to strip anyone when charging forward. This alone will create problems for opponents. 
They play without fear and with a self belief that they will beat their man and get forward. 
I even think they’ll bang some goals in too. 

[Stellaboz]

Huge game on Friday for us. Morton play Tuesday night, not so much recovery time for them. 

Really big chance for us to get back to winning ways and put in a good performance. 

[It is our time to shine]

17 hours ago, 101 said:

Paton would have been a better fit I feel. But if Queens Park want to chuck daft money about I would rather we didn't join them in doing so.

 

Still would have fancied GMS joining us but considering he's still without a club and Killie have no interest in signing him then maybe his wages are out of the question.

Did DAFC make an actual bid for Paton. There was " talk" but was no official bid. The money isn't daft either it's competitive to DAFC Partick Raith players 

[da_no_1]

9 minutes ago, It is our time to shine said:

Did DAFC make an actual bid for Paton. There was " talk" but was no official bid. The money isn't daft either it's competitive to DAFC Partick Raith players 

All the wageslips been viewed?

[Salvo Montalbano]

I was convinced Paton was coming to us after he and McPake seemed to have quite a lengthy discussion after the final Pars v Queens Park game at EEP. Not sure if anything official happened after that or if McPake was vetoed or what.