Walking Down The Halbeath Road

[The Toun Clock]

On 17/03/2024 at 09:09, Wacky said:

What a totally different season we would have had if Kane and Matty were available. I’ve read some peoples doubts about wee Kane at this level across the Pars websites, but he doesn’t seem out of his depth IMO. I know there’s no guarantees at this level but I think with those guys more available we’d be challenging nearer the top than bottom right now. I’m actually looking forward to our next game without trepidations for a change. 

I can understand the doubts over Kane from people outside of the Pars. They see this guy we go on about a lot, no assists, no goals etc. The kids had the most unfortunate of seasons, I think Friday was only his 8th appearance of the season so it's going to be hard to build up any momentum. Hopefully Friday will refute the opinion that he's not good enough.

What I do think is odd, is members of our own crowd who in recent times have started to say things like "a few good games in League 1, not good enough for Championship WAH WAH WAH".

Matty Todd makes us tick. Again, he'll get stick from Raith fans because we seen him as our main man and he's hardly kicked a ball this season. However, in his couple of games before Christmas where he had returned he scored twice. Then on his second return to the team he scored, and has now scored again. He's the man and teams will find that out very soon.

It was pleasing to win on Friday, not because it was a convincing win, not because it was Dundee Utd but because we also done it without Chris Kane. He's only been in the door a few weeks but the contrast in difference of us playing with him and without is mega. So for us to go and put the top dogs in the division away without your main striker is very pleasing indeed.

Edited March 18 by The Toun Clock

[Stellaboz]

I'm hoping Jak can still prove to be a leading man. He's got everything except goals.

[Wacky]

7 hours ago, Stellaboz said:

I'm hoping Jak can still prove to be a leading man. He's got everything except goals.

If he keeps playing the way he did on Friday I’d want McPake to get him signed up again. Walcott and Chris Kane too if possible 

[Rob1885]

Not sure I'd be re-signing a striker who's scored 2 goals all season as much as I like him

[CallumPar]

14 hours ago, Rob1885 said:

Not sure I'd be re-signing a striker who's scored 2 goals all season as much as I like him

Why are you ignoring everything else he does, to focus on a negative stat? Fact is, he was crucial to all 3 goals on Friday. His movement and skill draws so many defenders, which creates the space for others.

First goal, his run beat a few men, drew others out of position and he switched the play to KRH in space, to set up Todd.

Second goal, his movement out wide again drew defenders out of position, then his ball into space almost found Todd at the edge of the box, but the defender just got there ahead of him. Luckily, KRH was also in space to finish. But that space isn’t there without his movement causing defenders problems.

His movement and first time return to KRH for the third was also a brilliant bit of play. With any of our other strikers, I’m not sure we score any of those goals. That performance was a great example of why I don’t think looking at goals scored alone is a good way to judge Jakubiak’s performance/what he can add to the team. In other games, he has consistently drawn defenders out of position and created space for others. Also gets the ball into good areas. But, quite often, there’s nobody else with him/there to finish it off. That’s not his fault.

I’d also love to get a more natural goal scoring striker signed up, but I think we’d be stupid to sacrifice Jakubiak’s place in the squad for that, since he’s a better option than others at the club and causes defences at this level a lot of problems.

[VinnyPar]

Couldn't have summed it up better myself, should be getting him tied down on a new deal. It's a shame that we are hamstrung with McCann/Wighton for another year as ideally we'd be moving one or both of them on.

[DA Baracus]

But how many other games has he played where he hasn't been effective? 

[Rammit Bawdeep]

12 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

But how many other games has he played where he hasn't been effective? 

Very few, he's just not a goal scorer, cracking pass to KRH for the first and two assists. He puts in a shift every week.

Edited March 18 by Rammit Bawdeep

[Rob1885]

4 hours ago, CallumPar said:

Why are you ignoring everything else he does, to focus on a negative stat? Fact is, he was crucial to all 3 goals on Friday. His movement and skill draws so many defenders, which creates the space for others.

First goal, his run beat a few men, drew others out of position and he switched the play to KRH in space, to set up Todd.

Second goal, his movement out wide again drew defenders out of position, then his ball into space almost found Todd at the edge of the box, but the defender just got there ahead of him. Luckily, KRH was also in space to finish. But that space isn’t there without his movement causing defenders problems.

His movement and first time return to KRH for the third was also a brilliant bit of play. With any of our other strikers, I’m not sure we score any of those goals. That performance was a great example of why I don’t think looking at goals scored alone is a good way to judge Jakubiak’s performance/what he can add to the team. In other games, he has consistently drawn defenders out of position and created space for others. Also gets the ball into good areas. But, quite often, there’s nobody else with him/there to finish it off. That’s not his fault.

I’d also love to get a more natural goal scoring striker signed up, but I think we’d be stupid to sacrifice Jakubiak’s place in the squad for that, since he’s a better option than others at the club and causes defences at this level a lot of problems.

Well Wighton and Mccann are under contract and don't score enough goals. So the 3rd striker spot needs to be, for me, a striker that will get at least 10-15 goals. Maybe that'll be Kane and there will be space for the Jak but needs to add some goals between now and end of the season. I really hope he does.

 

If contract situations were different, I'd be keeping Jakubiak over Wighton everyday of the week. Guess it might depend what happens with Chris Kane.

[DA Baracus]

1 hour ago, Rammit Bawdeep said:

Very few, he's just not a goal scorer, cracking pass to KRH for the first and two assists. He puts in a shift every week.

Very few is simply wrong. He isn't just a goalscorer is also wrong. He isn't a goalscorer at all, having scored in a single game all season.

All our players put in a shift every game.

Jakubiak was great Friday night and if he played that well more often I'd be all for keeping him.

[CallumPar]

55 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

Very few is simply wrong. He isn't just a goalscorer is also wrong. He isn't a goalscorer at all, having scored in a single game all season.

In fairness to Rammit Bawdeep, they said “he’s just not a goal scorer”, which is exactly what you’ve said, whilst trying to say you disagree with them. You’ve misquoted them, to rant about something they didn’t say. Calm down, take a deep breath and read things before arguing with people. You’ve been very argumentative on here lately.

On Jakubiak, obviously if he could play like that every week, he wouldn’t be at this level. But I still would be trying to keep him. Off the top of my head I can think of other good performances (Airdrie away, Ayr away, Rovers away), he's also only started 11 games, so not the best sample size. Quite often, in the absence of players like Todd, he has been the most likely to make something happen, in my opinion. I also think an unselfish striker with clever movement, is what will get the best out of players like Todd and McCann (if played wide in a front 3) - perhaps KRH as well, based on Friday.

Would Todd be as effective in a team with a Nicky Clark type of player? I’m not so sure. Take Todd’s goal against Partick for example. Kane dropped deep to get the ball, took 2 defenders with him. Todd charged into the space, where the remaining defender didn’t have a clue what to do. That’s the sort of player we need to get the best out of Todd, in my opinion. It’s similar to what Jakubiak has been doing a lot of the season - but without a Todd type of player running into the space.

1 hour ago, Rob1885 said:

Well Wighton and Mccann are under contract and don't score enough goals. So the 3rd striker spot needs to be, for me, a striker that will get at least 10-15 goals. Maybe that'll be Kane and there will be space for the Jak but needs to add some goals between now and end of the season. I really hope he does.

 

If contract situations were different, I'd be keeping Jakubiak over Wighton everyday of the week. Guess it might depend what happens with Chris Kane.

On McCann, we have to stop pretending he’s a striker. His best performances have come when he’s played as a winger in a front 3 and he’s usually deployed out wide/behind a striker these days. He’s at his best with the ball at his feet, running at players.

I understand the argument about players under contract, but there may be a chance of coming to agreements with some of them, if they’re not going to be playing here and another club is interested in offering them game time. As I’ve said above, Jakubiak’s style of play can help us to get the best out of players like Todd, which would be playing to our strengths. I think that’s quite important when it comes to recruitment/squad building.

[The Toun Clock]

If Jakubiak plays like he did on Friday night then I don't mind how prolific in-front of goal he is. The boys definitely got it, that wasn't two haddies from lower league opposition, that was apparently the best the league has to offer, and he had them on toast.

I thought Jakubiak had signed a deal that would see him up until the end of next season but could be wrong. Sad to say, but if you offered me the chance to keep one of Jak or McCann then I'd be going for the former every day of the week at the moment. The more this season goes I can see Lewis McCann being a squad player, backup for that wide left role. Good asset to have if he puts in the effort.

[DA Baracus]

1 hour ago, CallumPar said:

In fairness to Rammit Bawdeep, they said “he’s just not a goal scorer”, which is exactly what you’ve said, whilst trying to say you disagree with them. You’ve misquoted them, to rant about something they didn’t say. Calm down, take a deep breath and read things before arguing with people. You’ve been very argumentative on here lately.

Where is this blatant pish coming from? Have I somehow upset you? The 'calm down' card is usually a sign someone is absolutely raging (to play your shite game).

If you can't handle people discussing things where opinions might differ from yours then perhaps you should log off.

[North West]

1 hour ago, DA Baracus said:

Where is this blatant pish coming from? Have I somehow upset you? The 'calm down' card is usually a sign someone is absolutely raging (to play your shite game).

If you can't handle people discussing things where opinions might differ from yours then perhaps you should log off.

Raging ^^^^^

[Wacky]

On 17/03/2024 at 19:18, Rob1885 said:

Not sure I'd be re-signing a striker who's scored 2 goals all season as much as I like him

 

On 17/03/2024 at 18:50, Wacky said:

If he keeps playing the way he did on Friday I’d want McPake to get him signed up again. Walcott and Chris Kane too if possible 

I did say “IF” he keeps playing the way he did. You can’t deny the lad was outstanding in that game, and was MOTM in my opinion 

[Hamish's Passenger]

I’d imagine everyone would keep Jak if that becomes his standard. We all know it’s unlikely to be though. Even getting 10-15 games a season of that calibre a performance would be an upgrade on what’s happened to date. I fear he’ll need plenty more big performances to secure a longer stay here, based on current contracts for others. 

[HoBNob]

A 15 goal a season striker, putting in all the extra stuff that Jak was contributing against United wouldn't be playing at this level very long. 

 

[parsforlife]

4 minutes ago, HoBNob said:

A 15 goal a season striker, putting in all the extra stuff that Jak was contributing against United wouldn't be playing at this level very long. 

 

Nisbet is by far the most talented striker we had recently and I'm not sure he was as good as Jak was on Friday in terms of bringing others into play. He was really fucking good at scoring goals tho and that got him his moves.

I don't think some people realise how good a return of 15 goals is at this level,  you see people throw it away like its a chipping in number whilst someone else is scoring 30. It isn't.

Almost every single player baring an ageing dobbie who was basically PT on a good FT wage at the club he loved that has scored that many has either moved up with the team they've won promotion with and stayed as an important player or they've got a very good move from it. 

I don't think Jak will be happy with two, but if he gets a bit of a run and ends on 5-6 for the season then I don't think that's an unreasonable return for a secondary striker at a club that's mostly struggled.

[par-adise]

7 hours ago, parsforlife said:

 

I don't think some people realise how good a return of 15 goals is at this level,  you see people throw it away like its a chipping in number whilst someone else is scoring 30. It isn't.

 

Had a quick look out of curiosity. Since 17/18 only the following have managed 15 in the league:

Shankland (twice), Nisbet, Billy Mckay, Dobbie (twice), Michael McKenna, Simon Murray, Akinyemi, Brian Graham, Ruari Paton. Moult and Vaughan also have a good chance of doing it this season. 

Shankland, Nisbet, Murray, Akinyemi, and presumably Paton eventually, all got moves up the chain off the back of it. 

Mckay did it in a yo-yo season for Ross County. 

Dobbie and Graham did it as evergreen pros coming to the end of their career. 

McKenna is a bit of an outlier doing it in a once of a lifetime season for Arbroath. 

So, in short, you're correct. 

[Wacky]

Has anyone read this thread on .net? 

https://dafc.net/forum/read.php?f=1&i=1924990&t=1924990

some of the posts seem reasonable, but I don’t think this academy/training ground should be closed as some would like? We don’t even know if it’s purely for the enhancement of Pars players. I’m only guessing here, but Pars may benefit from players coming through this system, but maybe not all of them. Again I don’t know but Pars may only benefit from players we sign, while other far bigger clubs may get to skim players off the top before we get near them? I’m sure the talk was about players from all over the world coming to this facility, and this was how our investors were going to recoup their investment? It may not mean that Pars will get every prospect coming out of there? 
I think it’ll be a completely separate entity from DAFC. What do others think? 

Edited March 20 by Wacky