sonsism Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 ETA I think Sons have lost something with Andy Graham's departure, he was a good motivator & leader in the dressing room, by all accounts. Replacing him with Wright, meh. This. Think Buchanan could have learned a lot from Andy Graham - not that he shouldn't from Barr / Wright. Wright may have more experience than Graham, but experience wasn't really the problem - it was pace. People saying Wright needed injections last year to get his legs over the finish line doesn't fill me with confidence. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Back Paddy Flannery Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Andy Graham had to go, absolutely no doubt about it. He wasn't happy with how he'd been treated and if he had been promised the captaincy if he signed on I can understand that. He was playing terrible and just looked like he didn't want to be here. Whether or not he was treated unfairly or not I don't know but he couldn't stay. Was Wright the correct guy to replace him with? f**k knows. It seemed a bit of a like for like replacement except Wright is older, has dodgier legs albeit with more experience in the top flight. He may well come good, he started the season horribly for St Johnstone last year, but it may also be a year too far for him. I certainly hope Stevie isn't picking the team simply to accomodate him but I fear he might... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optimistic Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I think the issue with Andy Graham goes further back than we think, probably to his Morton days when Stevie was there, maybe a clash of personalities. Andy was our player of the year, but I think it was probably marginal between him and aggy, Andy was kind of flung in at the start of the season for one reason or another, but if we remember, he had an injury, plus not that much of a pre season, which probably lead to the mistakes, yet was outstanding against hibs after losing the goal. I'd far rather have Andy than Frazer any day, and I was never his greatest fan due to his lack of pace, he clearly never wanted to leave which shows where the blame lies, but Stevie needs to get back to the defence that won at Morton, then against hibs and st mirren. One bad game against queens(helped by Colvin) does not make for a bad defence, and I think personalities are coming into our recent poor form. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Vojáček Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Stevie Aitken never played with Andy at Morton. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 This. Think Buchanan could have learned a lot from Andy Graham - not that he shouldn't from Barr / Wright. Wright may have more experience than Graham, but experience wasn't really the problem - it was pace. People saying Wright needed injections last year to get his legs over the finish line doesn't fill me with confidence. Wright's injections were to get him over the starting line, never mind the finish line! He was horrendous at the start of last season - a weak link in our team and he was swiftly dropped. It transpired that his hip had been causing him a lot of problems for quite some time and he had contemplated retiring after the Scottish Cup final because his body was falling apart. Post injection though, he was a completely different player. I think he's only had one of those injections - apparently players can only have 2 or 3 of them before they start really putting themselves at risk - so it might be that he's back to where he was this time last year and needs another one. It's sad to read that he's not doing himself justice so far. I hope he turns it around. How is Brown getting on? I saw he was played as the holding midfielder against Falkirk - not sure that's his strongest suit to be honest. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optimistic Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Stevie Aitken never played with Andy at Morton.I never said they did, but I'd imagine they were there at the same time? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Vojáček Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I never said they did, but I'd imagine they were there at the same time?Nope Aitken left the Ton in 2001. Andy joined in 2011...Andy would've played with Chris Aitken at Stirling Albion I'm sure though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optimistic Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I stand corrected, it was clear Stevie never rated him though 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aftershocker Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 How is Brown getting on? I saw he was played as the holding midfielder against Falkirk - not sure that's his strongest suit to be honest. he had a pretty good game on saturday, and arguably we got worse when he was bafflingly substituted. We are still trying tio find our best team, so theres a fair bit of tinkering going on just now with players 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aftershocker Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I stand corrected, it was clear Stevie never rated him though dont agree with that...it was clear to every one that his legs were going...whether that was due to injury, age or minimal pre season I dont know, but he did cause us to lose the goals in the Hibs and St Mirren games, and despite him playing really well, a manager surely has to look at why we concede goals None of us know what he was promised when he signed on regarding captaincy etc, but if the manager thinks he can bring in better quality or someone who wont cause silly goals to be conceded, then thats his job 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optimistic Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 dont agree with that...it was clear to every one that his legs were going...whether that was due to injury, age or minimal pre season I dont know, but he did cause us to lose the goals in the Hibs and St Mirren games, and despite him playing really well, a manager surely has to look at why we concede goals None of us know what he was promised when he signed on regarding captaincy etc, but if the manager thinks he can bring in better quality or someone who wont cause silly goals to be conceded, then thats his job like i said, after an injury and not a full pre season, hibs he was excellent after the mistake, I don't think he was on the park at the goal st mirren scored, bad mistake at qp, but surely a 31 year old is a better option than a 36 year old having hip injections? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Elephant In The Rock Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Fail to understand these 'Andy Graham is past it' comments. He was our best player last year and is still a solid centre back. He had no preseason and was thrown right in to the deep end against Hibs where he had a cracking game bar his error. Would much rather have him in our line up than Wright or Barr. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nowhereman Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Fail to understand these 'Andy Graham is past it' comments. He was our best player last year and is still a solid centre back. He had no preseason and was thrown right in to the deep end against Hibs where he had a cracking game bar his error. Would much rather have him in our line up than Wright or Barr. Fail to understand fans who don't realise that our defence badly needed improvement after conceding 79 goals last year 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Back Paddy Flannery Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 As I've said whether Andy Graham is past it or not he had to go. He clearly wasn't happy and it benefits no one having someone around who doesn't want to be at Dumbarton. Anyway, it's a pointless argument - he's gone and Wright is here. I'm far more concerned by the lack of chances being created at the other end of the pitch. Hopefully Brophy will be a big help in that department and I'm hoping that him coming in can give Craig a boot up the erse. I think a proper goalscorer being in the squad will benefit our midfielders massively. Really looking forward to seeing how he gets on. We have a very decent squad with a hard working manager, I'm sure it will all come together eventually. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleslie99 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I think the signing of Brophy could be what turns our side into a decent team into a good one that could cause some more shocks. If Brophy can get us 10 goals before Jan then that's a good result, I would like him to have a shot up top with the lad Ross to see what a young hungry partnership can do 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Vojáček Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Let's get the facts straight here. Andy wasn't getting much game time under Aitken, as such he wasn't pleased and may (or may not) depending on who you believe let this influence his attitude. He cost us a goal against Hibs and a Goal against QP where it looked evident his head wasn't in the right place. A move to a club where he'll be playing every week therefore suited him, and the fact they were outwith our division suited us. Both parties move on. I've no idea why the Elephant would much rather have him in the team than Barr to be honest. He's done nothing wrong since he came into the team, and he's certainly looked far stronger than Graham did during his limited game time this season. As Nowhereman says, our goal conceded column was the second worst in the division last term - only 7 worse than Cowden who conceded 10 in one match! It was evident that our defence was a weak point in the team, and the fact only Taggart remains shows that Stevie has noticed and addressed this fact. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boghead ranter Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Fail to understand fans who don't realise that our defence badly needed improvement after conceding 79 goals last year The most sensible post I've seen on the last few pages. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optimistic Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I totally agree about Barr, taggart, Buchanan, and Docherty, I just feel that Andy was a better option than Wright, and without doubt our defence needed rectified, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DumbartonTheSons Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I can understand the concerns about the defence, albeit the, dare I say it, criticism, or at least scepticism, about Barr. What some might say is negative talk regarding Barr is a bit misplaced going by his performances so far as far as I'm concerned. I'm in agreement with BBPF, in that it's our lack of making chances, and taking very few of the ones we have created, that's of prime concern for me at the moment. The defending is likely to improve as time goes on, but it doesn't matter how solid we are at the back, we won't win many games if we can't put some in the net ourselves at the other end. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
optimistic Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I don't have a problem with Barr, I just think he was doing nothing wrong at the heart of the defence, he doesn't get forward alot, taggart much better there, Wright has not earned his place, and we haven't conceded alot, compared to previous seasons, 4 in 3, then 4 in two when it was changed, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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