The Arbroath Thread

[Tattie36]

A question for all of you prepared to give the management team (not just Dick) 9 games +.

This must be caveated with some kind of noticeable improvement surely?

Can’t be prepared to sacrifice a huge chunk of the season if it’s obvious that nothing is changing and we find ourselves marooned (pun intended) at the bottom.

As one of his biggest critics here, I’m prepared to give him as long as it takes to fix things, so long as there’s  obvious improvement, but it has to be very very soon - as in starting next Saturday soon.

[SmokeyJoe]

if we are signing 2/3 more players we need to move on 2/3 as squads already big who’s going realistically? 
 

[TheRoundO]

7 minutes ago, SmokeyJoe said:

if we are signing 2/3 more players we need to move on 2/3 as squads already big who’s going realistically? 
 

We have released 9 players and sent back 4 who were on loan last season.

We have signed 9 players.  One could assume that we still have room to sign 4 more players - either loanees or maybe one year contracts.

Edited August 13, 2023 by TheRoundO

[SmokeyJoe]

2 minutes ago, TheRoundO said:

We have released 9 players and sent back 4 who were on loan last season.

We have signed 9 players.  One could assume that we still have room to sign 4 more players - either loanees or maybe one year contracts.

We have a squad of 20 currently that’s pretty big for us. We aren’t signing another 4 for 6/7 to sit in the stand and watch 

[lichtiekev]

13 minutes ago, SmokeyJoe said:

if we are signing 2/3 more players we need to move on 2/3 as squads already big who’s going realistically? 
 

I can't see anyone getting moved on, but you never tell with Campbell, 

For me the obvious ones are Jacobs, Allan and I no its incredibly harsh, Norrie,

 

Edited August 13, 2023 by lichtiekev

[1320Lichtie]

27 minutes ago, Scottydog said:

Much of Arbroath’s success seems to have come from astute loan signings that have really, really worked out (from Livvi especially). Have all the loan options for the season been exercised yet or are there spots to fill?

DC’s strengths lay in being well backed to operate in the lower levels where players wage expectations are reflective of the stature of the club they come from (an are joining). As a strong Div 1 side Arbroath being well backed we’re able to entice the best pt players through their doors. As the club has improved their stature has gone up along with players wage expectations.
All of which makes DC’s job is a lot harder now than it was 2 seasons ago, Respected as he in the game I’d expect him to improve the team with any new loans he gets but the backbone of the side is aging and some are gone, replacing them will be tough financially for the reasons mentioned above.

Two seasons ago Arbroath we’re close to promotion, punching well above your weight, that season was fun but it may have done some damage in other ways.

With all due respect you’ve no idea what you’re talking about and we currently have zero players on loan right now.

 

We have watched numerous crazy decision after crazy decision (not just bad ones, mental ones) take us from a position of real strength to the place we are in right now.
 

It’s nothing to do with what you’ve mentioned - the success part or the failure part. We absolutely lost the plot last year and are trying to recover from that still. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by 1320Lichtie

[Tattie36]

1 minute ago, SmokeyJoe said:

We have a squad of 20 currently that’s pretty big for us. We aren’t signing another 4 for 6/7 to sit in the stand and watch 

Yesterday was the first time this season that we’ve had anything like a full bench. Most clubs have 7-9 on the bench, we had 7 yesterday and have been at around 5 for most other games. Our squad is in no way too large and I think that in the modern game with 5 subs, we need 21/22.

Injuries, suspensions, loss of form etc all need to be taken into account, particularly after a few months of the season. Would much rather have 2 or 3 guys missing out for whatever reason than being unable to fill a bench.

[afc_36_0]

Campbell has done wonders for this club but its very hard to defend him at this point, its not just the start of this season we’ve been shite for ages and as mentioned some of his decision making is baffling - not playing bobby/ releasing the likes of craigen/renewing jacobs’ contract/random unknown signings/ no left back to name a few.

He’ll get a minimum of the first quarter of the season and I would be delighted if he turned it around but the clock is ticking.

[ecto]

4 hours ago, WHM said:

What happened to the supposed Kieran McDonald deal, would have solved the left back problem,was in the championship team of the year 2  years ago.Hopefully we can find a sitting midfielder aswell as we don t have one,because teams are finding gaps behind our midfielder and our defence is under pressure.Still think we have a better squad than last year but the midfielder is all over the place.

Played for Edinburgh yesterday 

[ExiledLichtie]

4 hours ago, Tattie36 said:

A question for all of you prepared to give the management team (not just Dick) 9 games +.

This must be caveated with some kind of noticeable improvement surely?

Can’t be prepared to sacrifice a huge chunk of the season if it’s obvious that nothing is changing and we find ourselves marooned (pun intended) at the bottom.

As one of his biggest critics here, I’m prepared to give him as long as it takes to fix things, so long as there’s  obvious improvement, but it has to be very very soon - as in starting next Saturday soon.

What I'm looking for is points, and an improvement in what we're seeing on the pitch.  I don't mind some experimentation, but I think we need to see something coherent.  I want to see us to have a midfield with balance, and some actual passing rather than hoof long and chase.  We have had enough games and training sessions that surely something should start to emerge.

I think that has to involve Scott Allan.  Either the management can make him work with the players we've signed, or they can't.  And if they can't then quite frankly, they should go, and we should get a management team in who can.

[Leicesterlichtie]

Thing is most fans are going to prefer Mckenna in the number 10 role over Allan. There's no other position on the park where Allan can be effective.

[RedLichtie86]

24 minutes ago, Leicesterlichtie said:

Thing is most fans are going to prefer Mckenna in the number 10 role over Allan. There's no other position on the park where Allan can be effective.

For McKenna to be as effective as the 21/22 season. McKenna needs 2 or 3 players in front of him able to hold up the ball, make runs to drag players out of position AND to have solid defensive cover (4 defenders and 1 shit hot DM) behind him so he doesnt have to track back and bail them out.

McKenna is best operating in the hole between Midfield and the Striker

BUT

WE also need a player who can pass the ball to cut teams open for our attacking players to run onto or recieve. And quite frankly there isnt any other player than Allan that has the capacity to do that.

[1320Lichtie]

I heard that Allan is currently just struggling with his diabetes at the moment… 

 

 

[Smokerson]

Also worth pointing out that I think we have played the teams who will finish 1st and 2nd in this league

[keptie]

30 minutes ago, Smokerson said:

Also worth pointing out that I think we have played the teams who will finish 1st and 2nd in this league

I don't think so, Dundee United will be up there but i don't think QP will. The teams in this league are very strong and we can't afford to give them a head start. 

[1320Lichtie]

44 minutes ago, Smokerson said:

Also worth pointing out that I think we have played the teams who will finish 1st and 2nd in this league

I agree. 
 

But it doesn’t change anything anyone has said

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

On 10/08/2023 at 11:14, Tattie36 said:

Give me an example of a team in the Championship who don’t have a full complement of defenders, midfielders or strikers.

 

[Broath Boy]

We really need to the the cheque book out, what’s the point of having piles of greenbacks in the bank if you get relegated at the end of the season, we need to push more of we are a hibrid club as Pink mentioned at the last meeting, wonder how much more Partick offered compared to us for that left back, by all accounts Partick are skint, Dick has got a very few games left before I start calling for his head, his Turkey may well be cooked long before Christmas.

[1320Lichtie]

4 minutes ago, Broath Boy said:

We really need to the the cheque book out, what’s the point of having piles of greenbacks in the bank if you get relegated at the end of the season, we need to push more of we are a hibrid club as Pink mentioned at the last meeting, wonder how much more Partick offered compared to us for that left back, by all accounts Partick are skint, Dick has got a very few games left before I start calling for his head, his Turkey may well be cooked long before Christmas.

Thing is see with us having a 20 man squad right now - some good players too - Dick will have been heavily backed by the board. That’s what’s even more annoying.
 

Why is the squad so unbalanced when there is 20 bodies within it. 

[Tattie36]

10 minutes ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Thing is see with us having a 20 man squad right now - some good players too - Dick will have been heavily backed by the board. That’s what’s even more annoying.
 

Why is the squad so unbalanced when there is 20 bodies within it. 

It worries me that a man with so much managerial experience can apparently be so unaware of glaring deficiencies in the squad. This isn’t new either, we had exactly the same situation last season with the strike force and, to an extent the midfield.

I genuinely don’t think the obvious (to us) defensive issues were even on his radar until very recently. If they were then why were there not loads of defender trialists? Only one I can think of, yet we had a raft of strikers, wingers and midget midfielders.