The Alloa Athletic Thread

[waspie13]

I have tried to give Brian Rice the benefit of the dought but not anymore his decisions & substitutions are baffling he looks like he has lost the plot the club have a big decision to make whether to stick by him or try something different but it needs to change urgently 

[Waspie]

2 hours ago, Ian Mcleod said:

Yeah after watching that today I might of be wrong on a couple of things 

Funny that folk who are watching Alloa games every week might have a better idea of what's going on . 

Don't want to repeat my whole post from match thread but the starting shape of 4-1-3-2 was an improvement. Someone else to help out Stevie would have been better still but we did look more compact and like a joined up team with some attacking threat, the three attacking midfielders key to that threat. All that was undone by basic defensive mistakes. Debayo didn't look comfortable at LB. As for the rest, any defence and goalie as a unit need a run of games to get used to each other, otherwise they will struggle with fundamental things like balls into the box. 

I would still have been happy enough had we repeated something like the first-half performance after the break and at least got used to that shape and had something to build on for the weeks ahead. The switches around the hour were bizarre, not just putting Devenney on the right but totally changing the formation. We were absolutely wide open thereafter - to the extent that we were opened up down the middle by a simple defensive header. There was no shape and the players didn't seem to know what they were supposed to be doing. Final score flattered us and we're no closer to having a settled side either. 

We got away with the constant tinkering last season, probably due to having enough experienced heads and good players to just about keep us ticking over. With so many new faces (questions persist over the recruitment of some of them) and nothing being allowed to settle there was always the danger of things going wrong. Hard to be overly optimistic as the manager appears unlikely to change his style. 

8 defeats in last 9 games at the Recs between end of last season and start of this one, a really grim stat. 

 

[Rory]

I'm guessing Cammy and LD were both not fit to play today? Saw Cammy in the stand but didn't see LD. Hopefully nothing serious and both back next week.

[Ian Mcleod]

7 minutes ago, Waspie said:

Funny that folk who are watching Alloa games every week might have a better idea of what's going on . 

Don't want to repeat my whole post from match thread but the starting shape of 4-1-3-2 was an improvement. Someone else to help out Stevie would have been better still but we did look more compact and like a joined up team with some attacking threat, the three attacking midfielders key to that threat. All that was undone by basic defensive mistakes. Debayo didn't look comfortable at LB. As for the rest, any defence and goalie as a unit need a run of games to get used to each other, otherwise they will struggle with fundamental things like balls into the box. 

I would still have been happy enough had we repeated something like the first-half performance after the break and at least got used to that shape and had something to build on for the weeks ahead. The switches around the hour were bizarre, not just putting Devenney on the right but totally changing the formation. We were absolutely wide open thereafter - to the extent that we were opened up down the middle by a simple defensive header. There was no shape and the players didn't seem to know what they were supposed to be doing. Final score flattered us and we're no closer to having a settled side either. 

We got away with the constant tinkering last season, probably due to having enough experienced heads and good players to just about keep us ticking over. With so many new faces (questions persist over the recruitment of some of them) and nothing being allowed to settle there was always the danger of things going wrong. Hard to be overly optimistic as the manager appears unlikely to change his style. 

8 defeats in last 9 games at the Recs between end of last season and start of this one, a really grim stat. 

 

Yeah I am a bit worried for yourselves and Rice. I do rate Rice and want to see him do well but that was shocking today I honestly didn't expect you to be that bad you had completely nothing going forward it just felt very easy for Falkirk. If you play like that for the next 32 games you will be lucky to avoid league 2 next season. I hope you play the way you did today on the 16th. You need to see improvements soon or you will be in big trouble. Hopefully Rice does turn it around for the sake of his own career if he gets sacked at Alloa I think that will be his management career over probably will end up being back as an assistant somewhere.

[Alloa 68]

51 minutes ago, Ian Mcleod said:

Yeah I am a bit worried for yourselves and Rice. I do rate Rice and want to see him do well but that was shocking today I honestly didn't expect you to be that bad you had completely nothing going forward it just felt very easy for Falkirk. If you play like that for the next 32 games you will be lucky to avoid league 2 next season. I hope you play the way you did today on the 16th. You need to see improvements soon or you will be in big trouble. Hopefully Rice does turn it around for the sake of his own career if he gets sacked at Alloa I think that will be his management career over probably will end up being back as an assistant somewhere.

The sooner he's gone the better.

[Oweny]

We are completely dross. 

I get all the chat about formation and tactics but the bottom line is that too many players are simply not good enough and are not even League 2 level. 

The defence is woeful and cannot do the basics and find it difficult to pass to an Alloa jersey at any point.

Relegated by Christmas for sure . We have been in a decline since the lockdown and it's accelerating now. I can honestly see us ending up with the shire and cowdenbeath etc. A worry. 

[Ian Mcleod]

9 hours ago, Alloa 68 said:

The sooner he's gone the better.

Yeah it is a bit worrying for you tbh. Rice did well on his first half season with us then kept us up on his first full season it was his second full season everything went downhill a lot of that was down to our board tbf but it seems like the same is happening with Alloa he doesn't seem to be able to turn it around when things go badly which is a bit worrying hopefully he does turn it around soon though.

[Dink]

Things are definitely looking worrying, and including the league cup games it's been a pretty dreadful start to the season. Amongst all my usual concerns about Brian Rice I'm a bit worried about all of the players that we seem to be losing to injury - presumably LD and Cammy were both injured yesterday, along with Virtanen. From listening to the Wasps' Nest podcast with Stevie Hetherington I got the impression that he wasn't 100% happy with Rice's approach of favouring friendly games over training sessions, and I do wonder if it's a contributing factor to the number of injuries and the amount of time it's taking for the new players develop an understanding with one another.

[Vegetableman]

Wow a very sweary angry man is brian rice   awful language , must be feeling the pressure, those goals are suicidal watching them back .

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

I actually dont have that much of a problem with his interview if I'm honest. Although I think he has to accept a degree of responsibility, nothing he said was wrong. Falkirk were a class above us but the goals we lost were indeed embarrassing. No matter how the manager sets the defence up, the individuals are way better than they showed yesterday. Manager says it will be different next week, sounds good to me. Let's see what happens.

I think Waspies assessment of Rice has been pretty much right on the money all through his tenure. But he hasn't signed bad players, they just need set up in a way that gets the best out of them. This is definitely fixable, and Rice deserves the chance to do so with the squad he's just assembled. Whether he will or not we will have to see. He's certainly not lacking passion or desire which the interview shows. I'm glad he was as annoyed as we all were at time up.

Edited August 27, 2023 by Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)

[Rory]

I don't get his anger on individual mistakes when Debayo was on for the 90 minutes. He had a good game at Kelty but looked lost at left back. Does Deveney have a fitness issue or something?

Result could have been worse if Morrison could find the back of the net.

Quite like that Rice is angry, shows he cares. Can only hope by changes next week he means people playing in their normal positions!

[FFC 1876]

Where's the mug that was on here laughing about us signing Ross MacIver in the summer? Think it was something along the lines of "He's our worst striker anyway"

Special mention to Stevie H too, getting sent to Morrisons for the 4th goal.

The Brian Rice post match interview reminded me very much of that horrific John Hughes Raith interview years ago. 

Edited August 28, 2023 by FFC 1876

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

Seem to remember plenty more "mugs" from Falkirk raging about the signing at the time. Majority opinion was that Ross had a lot of qualities, but didnt get enough goals for us. Despite scoring against us at the weekend, vast majority probably happy to see Ross do well at full time level.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)

[LeodhasXD]

16 minutes ago, Father Barrys Sign (Top Half) said:

Seem to remember plenty more "mugs" from Falkirk raging about the signing at the time. Majority opinion was that Ross had a lot of qualities, but didnt get enough goals for us. Despite scoring against us at the weekend, vast majority probably happy to see Ross do well at full time level.

I mean other than the goal where Devine really should have brought himself to the line with the rest of the 3 - I don't think I can recall him having much influence on the game. Morrison and Miller on the other hand really having a field day.

Still absolutely right anyone that leaves Alloa to go to full-time football and does well normally is a boon for us. Shows the pathway for ambitious players joining us is there. We want players to develop and be successful.

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

Also thought MacIver was relatively quiet overall, certainly more so than others who completely ran amok against us. The goal he scored was an absolute travesty defence wise, but he took it well.

I think based on Saturdays one sided game Falkirk fans probably have plenty material to lord it- a "we told you so" about Ross MacIver I certainly wouldnt have expected to be high on their list- particularly as a lot of them thought the signing was a joke at the time and vast majority of Alloa supporters actually rated him. Very bizarre.

[ShaggerG]

1 hour ago, Father Barrys Sign (Top Half) said:

Seem to remember plenty more "mugs" from Falkirk raging about the signing at the time. Majority opinion was that Ross had a lot of qualities, but didnt get enough goals for us. Despite scoring against us at the weekend, vast majority probably happy to see Ross do well at full time level.

There were maybe half a dozen folk on here that were unhappy with the signing, but they're mostly the types that think we should have first dibs on 20 goal a season strikers from the leagues above. I think there were far more that were happy to give the guy a chance and that said they would judge him once we could see what he could do. So far Ross has been excellent, as have been the other new additions.

From memory, I think there's only been one of the doubters that have put their hands up to admit that they were wrong about the boy and I'm not holding my breath for the others to join in either!

Regarding his contribution on Saturday, he was maybe a wee bit quieter than previously, but he's not the type that goes charging around the place to try to prove himself, he just does what he does very effectively and I'm sure will go on to prove crucial to us.

[Jagwasp]

On 27/08/2023 at 16:32, Father Barrys Sign (Top Half) said:

I actually dont have that much of a problem with his interview if I'm honest. Although I think he has to accept a degree of responsibility, nothing he said was wrong. Falkirk were a class above us but the goals we lost were indeed embarrassing. No matter how the manager sets the defence up, the individuals are way better than they showed yesterday. Manager says it will be different next week, sounds good to me. Let's see what happens.

I think Waspies assessment of Rice has been pretty much right on the money all through his tenure. But he hasn't signed bad players, they just need set up in a way that gets the best out of them. This is definitely fixable, and Rice deserves the chance to do so with the squad he's just assembled. Whether he will or not we will have to see. He's certainly not lacking passion or desire which the interview shows. I'm glad he was as annoyed as we all were at time up.

I don’t have a problem with Rice showing his passion however I do not agree that he hasn’t signed bad players. I was a big supporter of Rice & I still have time for him however last season he seemed to have an eye for a player and he made some quality additions to the squad however for me it’s the exact opposite this season as he has signed players that are a downgrade on what we had last season and it has put us in real trouble. I don’t see an easy way out now & Rice has to take some responsibility. Unless we can get a few quality loan signings in then we’ll  do well to stay up this season . 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Jagwasp

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

Despite suffering through that hiding at the weekend, the graphic and caption posted on social media earlier today advertising the Cove game raised a smile.

The best counter for adversity is humour. Top work.

Edited August 29, 2023 by Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)

[Vegetableman]

https://twitter.com/TheShireFC/status/1697331074269917653/photo/1

[printer]

12 hours ago, Vegetableman said:

https://twitter.com/TheShireFC/status/1697331074269917653/photo/1

Best thing for Luke IMO. Let's see how he gets on.