Walking Down The Halbeath Road

[CallumPar]

Sounds like there was some sort of incident with Turner/Thomas at training, which is the reason both were left out today. Hopefully nothing major and they can both be back on Tuesday.

That being said, Fraser Murray offered more today than Thomas has for months. Think we missed Turner’s energy in midfield though.

[Chubbychops]

I'm still unconviced 2 years on with Stevie. Not the worst manager but certainly has a big achilles heel when it comes to attacking teams and getting on the front foot.

I think games like today play into Stevie's comfort zone. Setting up defensively in games we are not expected to win. One of his best performances was Celtic away. The problem is that he still set's his teams up  with a defence first approach against the weaker teams.

2018/19- He came in and got 5 scrappy 1-0 victories in a row. This was the followed by 5 defeats in a row and never once did we try and get on the front foot in any game. I accepted that, he did what he had to do in a bad situation left by AJ

2019/20- We started the season with Craw stating that he is going to play a high tempo/high press game. The first half against Dundee on the opening day we definately saw that. From the second half of that game onwards we have never seen it again.    We were very effective on the counter last season as Nisbet was an absolute gem of a signing. A guy who could hold up play, run the channels  and score a shed load of goals. He covered a lot of attacking cracks.  Without him,  last season could've looked very different.

2020/21- I think we again have recruited some good players. Stevie is very good at that. Despite this he still hasn't moved away from a safety first approach.  Where is the high press, high tempo stuff he mentioned 18 months ago? He's now in his 5th transfer window, the second since Nisbet left and the forward line looks isolated and toothless. It's still defence first  and try some attacking when we lose a goal.

I really hope he comes up with a game changing striker in the next couple days and finally sorts the imbalance of this defensive approach and introducing a bit more threat. If not I can see things going pear shaped for him by the end of the season. I genuinely hope not.

Edited January 30, 2021 by Chubbychops

[D.A.F.C]

Why can't we play or at last try and play like we did against hearts at home?

I agree about everything that's been said about stevie but can we change him now? We have a talented pool of players, probably the third best in the league and seem lost in most games with the corner routine running dry we can't create much. 

With the German owners we can't accept wasting money like we did under AJ. I see AJ and Stevie to be similar accept AJ knew how to put together an attacking team.

[DA Baracus]

19 minutes ago, CallumPar said:

Sounds like there was some sort of incident with Turner/Thomas at training, which is the reason both were left out today. Hopefully nothing major and they can both be back on Tuesday.

That being said, Fraser Murray offered more today than Thomas has for months. Think we missed Turner’s energy in midfield though.

Fraser Murray has to start from now on. His sub pretty much killed the game for us. It might be that he is lacking fitness since he hasn't played for a while, and he was replaced by an attacking player, even if Banks isn't a winger.

Thomas and Turner would make a big difference to our bench.

11 minutes ago, D.A.F.C said:

Why can't we play or at last try and play like we did against hearts at home?

I agree about everything that's been said about stevie but can we change him now? We have a talented pool of players, probably the third best in the league and seem lost in most games with the corner routine running dry we can't create much. 

With the German owners we can't accept wasting money like we did under AJ. I see AJ and Stevie to be similar accept AJ knew how to put together an attacking team.

No one will accept a manager wasting money any longer.

Thankfully Crawford has been excellent with his transfers overall (a couple of duds, but no manager has a 100% transfer record).

[DAFC.]

No one will accept a manager wasting money any longer.
Thankfully Crawford has been excellent with his transfers overall (a couple of duds, but no manager has a 100% transfer record).

He has probably been the most savvy manager in that regard for many a year. They’ll definitely look at that as a big positive but we have ambition and, at the end of the day, if teams like Livi, Hamilton, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Ross County etc are doing well then we absolutely should be aiming to as well. I fear that Administration set us back a good 10 years. End of the day, the owners will not be swayed by “loyalty” or profits, thankfully, and will be base it purely on results, which is good because we have been absolutely brutal at taking decisive action in recent years.

[Islay]

Despite putting in our best performance for a long time, we took nothing today.
We've won 1 out of the last 8 league games.
We've taken 8 points from 24. We've only scored 7, and haven't scored in the last 3. Almost a third of a season with a single win isn't good enough. 
We're down to 3rd on goal difference with Dundee right behind us, and Ayr and Morton only 4 points further back. Inverness has 3 games in hand on us and are 8 points behind.
I don't think Crawford should be sacked. However, I do think he absolutely shouldn't be our manager once the season finishes. He can take O'Hara with him as well.

I can’t disagree with any of this, apart from the O’Hara part. I think we forget that O’Hara is still only 22, plenty of time to develop into a decent striker given the correct coaching and game time. I don’t think our style of play is helping him either.

I’ve said it previously, but we are currently very boring to watch. Recent results and performances haven’t been great, we’re lucky our start to the season is keeping us where we are. If this style of play and form continues then we should thank Crawford for his efforts and steadying the ship after taking over from AJ, but relieve him of his position at the end of the season. We need someone who is going to take the club forward, not stagnate.

He is certainly suited to more of a Director of Football style role, as his signings overall have been good. I don’t think he gets the best out of them consistently as a manager.

[Chubbychops]

Craig Wighton on his way to us on loan apparently

[DAFC.]

Craig Wighton on his way to us on loan apparently

Need a guy that scores goals so sign a guy that doesn’t do that. Seems fair enough.

[Tony Wonder]

I find that a bizarre move from Hearts. We only have 3 strikers including Wighton, I get he wants to play but if we get an injury we are short. And also, while we have a hefty cushion, you're one of the biggest challengers.

If you get him I think he'll do a decent job. I'd heard a rumour we were interested in Turner, wonder if there's any potential this is a sweetener?

[Tony Wonder]

Just now, DAFC. said:

 

Need a guy that scores goals so sign a guy that doesn’t do that. Seems fair enough.

 

7 in 15 this season and 3 in 5 for Arbroath last season. He'll do alright. 

[Chubbychops]

2 minutes ago, Tony Wonder said:

I find that a bizarre move from Hearts. We only have 3 strikers including Wighton, I get he wants to play but if we get an injury we are short. And also, while we have a hefty cushion, you're one of the biggest challengers.

If you get him I think he'll do a decent job. I'd heard a rumour we were interested in Turner, wonder if there's any potential this is a sweetener?

Maybe. Turner was left out for an unknown issue today.

[We Are Pars Fans!]

Never been impressed wi Wighton

[DA Baracus]

Wighton would be a strange signing and a rare Crawford misfire. Can't see him completing McManus and can't see him getting us many goals.

He isn't a bad player but our way of playing seems like it wouldn't suit. He also isn't the type we need.

Should it happen I'd of course be behind him.

What does this mean for McCann? Others have said it, but he needs time out on loan to play regularly, but with the lower leagues on hold, he won't get that, at least until next month.

[Stellaboz]

I still think McCann has a lot to offer if we started two up top.

[Chubbychops]

2 minutes ago, We Are Pars Fans! said:

Never been impressed wi Wighton

Personally as somebody who has watched him from a young age (due to Dundee fan inlaws) I think he could flourish at Pars.

Good footballer, much better touch and skill than McManus or O'Hara. Looks to have filled out since his Dundee days too.

 

[DAFC.]

Kevin Nisbet close to a rumoured £3 million deal to Birmingham City. That would be extremely difficult to turn down if you’re Hibs. A seriously game changing amount of money heading our way if that is to happen.

[Stellaboz]

Kevin Nisbet close to a rumoured £3 million deal to Birmingham City. That would be extremely difficult to turn down if your Hibs. A seriously game changing amount of money heading our way if that is to happen.

Still working on that German move. Can't buy a big enough bed sheet due to the size of the words here though.

[DA Baracus]

If the percentages chucked around on here that we'd get from that fee are correct then it has been an absolutely exceptional bit of the business by the club, especially when you add on the money we have already received from Hibs.

 

 

[Stellaboz]

Sack thE BOrd

[Raith_Raver]

9 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

If the percentages chucked around on here that we'd get from that fee are correct then it has been an absolutely exceptional SHADY bit of the business by the club, especially when you add on the money we have already received from Hibs.

 

 

Fixed.