The Arbroath Thread

[lichtiekev]

2 minutes ago, SimonLichtie said:

Not being an arse here - this is a genuine question and a lot of people seem to think today was totally unacceptable, so surely plenty of answers to it?

Even regardless of the striker part of it - I don't get why we, or anyone else in this division, should expect to win a game against another team in this league when we've got 10 men for over half the game?

I totally get the bigger picture and the frustration - but the above seems to give the impression people think we should be strolling it against other part time teams in our division?  

I haven't based my opinion off today's result, it hasn't helped, I went into today positive thinking we might win, what's wrong with that after the run we have been on? Minus the Goalie I was OK with the starting 11, but lost for words to see Stewart line up in a back 3, Then within in the first 10 mins you would put your mortgage on Goss scoring,  Today was a chance for the manager to get some credit in the bank, Go 4-4-2, attack a little and get maybe get a goal and give fans something to cheer, the injury was unlucky but the sub to make was Steele, Then you have Stewart being sent off and the games gone, He shouldn't of been in the position for that to happen, 

I just don't get the, this is a cup let's give him a chance in the league talk, we should of 100% be in a better position squad wise taking away the 2 injured strikers, we should have a settled formation and a rough idea what the tactics and plans are, 

If we think chipping the balls over the top expecting Gallagher or Reilly to chase down then it's gonna be the exact same results,

 

[RedLichtie86]

The reason Stewart probably played at right CB in a 5-3-2 with Bisland and Wilkie as Wing Backs was most likely due to Steele carrying a knock.

He was not in the team on Tuesday against Dundee but seemingly was there warming up pre game.

When Hamilton went off, McIntyre has decided that rather that he want another forward on and switched to a back 4. 

[ExiledLichtie]

3 minutes ago, RedLichtie86 said:

If we had 3 strikers on the books but all 3 were injured should we have signed a 4th?

If we had 4 strikers on the books but all were injured should we go out and sign a 5th?

Gallagher played midweek. McIntyre was hopeful he would feature this weekend but he has probably had a set back and has not been risked. Also Reilly was back training on Thursday but again not fit enough to play today.

You are making it out that we have no strikers on the books at all and omitting the fact the 2 we have are both currently injured.

If you don't think there's a difference between having two strikers for a system which requires two strikers on the pitch and possibly a third for an impact sub later in the game, and having 3 or 4 strikers for a system which requires having two strikers on the pitch, then I can only assume you have a concussion.

[SimonLichtie]

1 minute ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Don’t really agree. 

 

I don’t think either of them, for as much as I’ve seen of them and as much as I like them especially Bisland, are good enough going forward that you make an effort to get them into these areas when we’ve got a powerful right midfield player who can absolutely power past a full back and get crosses into the box. Stewart could’ve been our best attacking threat today I would have fancied him against Quitongo.
 

No reason why both Wilkie and Bisland could not be over lapping Stewart on the right wing and Dow or Murray on the left wing. It was Annan at home think we should’ve had a more positive approach. 
 

Whilst we had 11 men on the park I actually could not tell you how or where the 4 midfield players were supposed to be playing. It looked like Slater and Spalding were deeper and Murray and Gold were supposed to be higher and off of Dow. It was all a bit of a mess, Slater wasn’t great today and Spalding anonymous and looked very much like a youth player playing with men whenever he got on the ball. I don’t know why he put him in today when we needed to win the game. 
 

McAdams 

 

Bisland

ToB 

Hamilton 

Wilkie

 

Stewart RM

Callaghan

Gold

Slater

Dow / Murray LM

 

Dow / Murray CF

 

Surely would’ve seen us in a better shape with 2 actual wingers on the park and a steady and reliable midfield 3 - we were a man down with young Spalding

That is my opinion anyway. I don’t think it was a positive approach, thought we had nothing going forward in wide areas and the middle of midfield with the 4 players in there was all over the place 

Just now, lichtiekev said:

I haven't based my opinion off today's result, it hasn't helped, I went into today positive thinking we might win, what's wrong with that after the run we have been on? Minus the Goalie I was OK with the starting 11, but lost for words to see Stewart line up in a back 3, Then within in the first 10 mins you would put your mortgage on Goss scoring,  Today was a chance for the manager to get some credit in the bank, Go 4-4-2, attack a little and get maybe get a goal and give fans something to cheer, the injury was unlucky but the sub to make was Steele, Then you have Stewart being sent off and the games gone, He shouldn't of been in the position for that to happen, 

I just don't get the, this is a cup let's give him a chance in the league talk, we should of 100% be in a better position squad wise taking away the 2 injured strikers, we should have a settled formation and a rough idea what the tactics and plans are, 

If we think chipping the balls over the top expecting Gallagher or Reilly to chase down then it's gonna be the exact same results,

 

 

See this is nice! We just played a game of football and here we are, discussing it! It seems to be quite the novelty recently! I disagree with you both on some things however  

I felt until the sending off we were in control of the game, apart from the goal Annan got on the break. I'm not for a second saying we go on to win it/ draw it or whatever with 11 men, but I'm very confident we'd have continued to dominate the game and create chances..... putting those chances away with Stowe and Dow up top...... I'm not so sure. I also thought a lot of the balls over the top into the channels worked really well, Dow and Gold making some good runs and some good balls were played through to them and you could see the difference between the defences we've played so far in pre season and Annan's pace wise, as we had a fair amount of success getting on the end of them, but due to a lack of space we never properly got in behind, it more got us up the park.

In terms of our shape, I felt we started with Murray and Dow up top and were fairly on the front foot - we kept ourselves high up the pitch and had plenty of the ball without doing a huge amount with it. I can totally understand what you're both saying in terms of out wide - however we obviously had to chuck two of our wide players up top today which leaves us lacking in that area.... in the mid-long term I'd also much prefer 4-4-1-1 with proper width in the midfield.

In terms of Spalding - I think it's fairly simple - Callaghan struggled in the first half of the Dundee game and got caught on the ball 3/4 times, and with it being the middle of July if you're going to give players a chance now is obviously the best time to do that.

One, maybe the only, positive of today is prior to the sending off we were the team who were in control of the ball more often, creating more chances and on the front foot more than the opposition. I think that's what we all expect in the majority of our home games this season, and I was somewhat glad/ relieved to see we were doing so while it was 11v11....

Also nothing wrong with expecting us to win today - I expected us to win today also......  However, as soon as we were down to 10 men it was obvious we were going to really struggle to create sustained pressure in the second half. Surely you weren't expecting us to come out and dominate the second half with 10 men for all of it against a team at our level?

[1320Lichtie]

I was expecting absolutely nada after what occurred in the first half. Like you say it wasn’t too hard to even get in behind them a simple ball over the top to Dow had us in time after time but we never managed to do absolutely anything after that. I actually said to my mate that you could really tell the difference in pace and physicality etc with the team we played today to a Championship team. Dow looked quite nippy today which was quite strange to see. 
 

Annan never looked like scoring either, until they did…. I have no idea who got rinsed down the left hand side but I’ve got a feeling it was Slater and it was obviously a very good cross and an easy header for big Goss who was a nuisance and very good in the air. When we went down to 10 I thought a draw was the best we’d do. Annan had a very easy time after that. 
 

Second half was a shambles. McIntyre said he kept two uptop but at times it felt like it was a 2-1-6 - you’d have Wilkie, Stowe, Dow, Murray, Gold and Bisland all in and around their box with Slater alone in the middle and the 2 centre halves behind him. The 6 not creating or troubling Annan at all and then Annan just broke up the park whenever they got it back. Their second was from our corner kick. 
 

Second half was shambolic after it went 2-0. 
 

I cannot see how we beat Inverness. Hopefully Hamiltons injury is not too serious (again just f**k right off and give us a break) and Stewart is only suspended the one game. Reilly and Gallagher are also needed ASAP. I am going to Bonnyrigg as I need to tick it off but I am already dreading the prospect of having to sit through 90 minutes of watching an AFC team with nothing up top. 
 

Was really looking forward to these LC group games. Been buzzing to see Reilly and Gallagher in particular and had hoped to see us atleast play some attacking football, what a miserable start.

Edited July 20 by 1320Lichtie

[Ivo den Bieman]

A 0-3 home defeat to Annan certainly gives the impression you’re going to tear this league apart lads 

Trust the process! 

[ecto]

Believe more than ever that Stowe and Walker, at least will be away before the season begins, would have also thought Steele also, might be away, if these happen, think that leaves room for 5 or 6 to come in, also I had concerns about centre mid, no creativity in there, at all

[glasgowlichtie23]

surprised that clown bigmouth isn’t in here yet

[RedLichtie86]

10 minutes ago, ecto said:

Believe more than ever that Stowe and Walker, at least will be away before the season begins, would have also thought Steele also, might be away, if these happen, think that leaves room for 5 or 6 to come in, also I had concerns about centre mid, no creativity in there, at all

I very much doubt Steele will leave. At the moment he is our 3rd CB with ToB and Hamilton.

McIntyre will not want to go into the season with only 2 CBs.

[1320Lichtie]

Just now, RedLichtie86 said:

I very much doubt Steele will leave. At the moment he is our 3rd CB with ToB and Hamilton.

McIntyre will not want to go into the season with only 2 CBs.

Depending on Hamiltons injury Steele very well may be a starter for the foreseeable future. 

[ExiledLichtie]

10 minutes ago, RedLichtie86 said:

McIntyre will not want to go into the season with only 2 CBs.

Why?  Two is plenty.  Maybe he can loan in another one after the league cup is done?

[RedLichtie86]

Once the League Cup groups are over we will most likely see a number of players be available to go out on loan from FT teams to PT teams.

[Neilly]

43 minutes ago, RedLichtie86 said:

Once the League Cup groups are over we will most likely see a number of players be available to go out on loan from FT teams to PT teams.

Outrageous stuff. What a wild take.

Admin have a word please. 

[the philosopher]

7 hours ago, lichtiekev said:

Yeh my mistake,

Still expect way better from us, 

 

Seems you know F all

[the philosopher]

11 hours ago, 19QOS19 said:

Ooft! Cheers for this. Ridiculous price even if you're without strikers. Annan scraped past ICT reserves and couldn't see off Rose. This should be printing money. 

You seem a football expert, ho ho ho.

Good result for Queens by the way (never played)

[b ross]

No bed wetting here yet. 
 

Thought we were comfortable for the vast majority of the first half despite the goal. That said, I wasn’t sure how we were getting one back? 
 

Pragmatically speaking, we have a decent squad with more to come in.
 

Happy to wet the bed after the first half dozen games of the league season. 

[ecto]

14 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Depending on Hamiltons injury Steele very well may be a starter for the foreseeable future. 

Tbf, forgot Hammy went off, but what a waste Scott Stewart is playing at CB

 

Edited July 21 by ecto

[relichtie]

19 hours ago, timlichtie said:

Getting badly beaten at home by Annan is one of the low points of a very bad series of defeats. The fact that they were showboating in the second half against the team supposedly league favourites speaks volumes. What happened to the level of performance shown against Dundee? We were second best even before the sending off.

Never mind no strikers. We had no midfield creativity. Their no 11 was streets ahead of anyone in Maroon.

I was prepared to give the new management team a chance, but their time is fast running out. If we’re struggling due to lack of the right players it’s because we haven’t signed the right players.

 

"I was prepared to give the new management team a chance, but their time is fast running out. If we’re struggling due to lack of the right players it’s because we haven’t signed the right players."

Absolutely correct Tim.

With 2 crocked strikers is it down to bad luck or bad managerial signings. ?

 

[TheRoundO]

12 hours ago, the philosopher said:

Seems you know F all

“The Pholosopher”?

[1320Lichtie]

1 hour ago, relichtie said:

"I was prepared to give the new management team a chance, but their time is fast running out. If we’re struggling due to lack of the right players it’s because we haven’t signed the right players."

Absolutely correct Tim.

With 2 crocked strikers is it down to bad luck or bad managerial signings. ?

 

I mean having your only two strikers injured is obviously down to bad luck - you would be pretty confident that you would have atleast one striker fit and able to play.
 

In the same way that if both the keepers were injured it would also be bad luck - the signings from what I’ve seen minus Spalding who in fairness to him looks exactly what you’d expect an 18 year old with zero first team experience to look like and probably Callaghan who jury still out on for me all look good too.
 

There are plenty of positives with the signings and there are obviously more signings and ins and outs to come. In a similar position to most clubs with a long time of the window left 

 

The thing is if the players who were on the park and the bench yesterday at Full Time are our only players going up to Inverness we are absolutely not winning that football game (would love to be proved wrong) and then that just adds the fuel on to an already pretty fkn massive bonfire for McIntyre taking us into the last game against the team in the league below us. Even though it would literally mean nothing in regards to the Cup because we are out it’s going to have so much pressure on it for the manager. If we go 4 defeats from 4 in this League Cup group stage then it’s going to be some carry on with the amount of negativity and abuse there will be. 
 

Just the manner of yesterday and how it played out it was as bad a day as it could’ve possibly been. Everyone I spoke to was really pleased about the Dundee game but the consensus was there has to be a positive showing against Annan and right from the off I think it was a disaster. Had a real uneasy feeling when I saw there were no strikers and Spalding was being thrown in and then to see the way we were set up on the park it was not for me either. Thought it was poor

 

I know July and the LC group stages is the time to get players a game and see how they do etc but McIntyre really really really needed a win yesterday and at minimum a performance with some positives and a decent scoreline. Hand on heart did not think we could’ve or should’ve been on the end of a 3-0 loss yesterday. They’re not a good side and it shows just how bad we actually were that we managed to lose 3 goals, 10 men or not. 
 

I think Inverness will beat us. The 2 games after before we return to Gayfield are massive cause if we get 2 poor results going into that game with Montrose at home you just know what’s going to happen and the reaction after it… it’s curtains from there 

 

The good news is I think we’ve got a good squad whoever the manager is - there is still some work to be done but it’s in a good shape considering the stage of the season we’re at. I hope McIntyre can pull something out his arse and be a success here but a relatively competent manager (who let’s face it has some positivity and positive energy about him which Jim really seems to lack) should manage to do a turn with the boys we’ve got 

 

I await with intrigue to see how it all pans out. Will not make Tuesday but will be down in Bonnyrigg next Saturday - hopefully we can get Gallagher and Reilly on the park over the next 2 matches 

Edited July 21 by 1320Lichtie