The Arbroath Thread

[Tattie36]

10 minutes from possibly making it to the Premiership to abject in a few short months. All of it due to embarrassing recruitment and tactics.

We should have had the pick of the available quality part-time players and loans in Scotland. Instead of playing to his strengths of being a great motivator and man-manager, Dick believed (still believes) he was some kind of managerial and tactical genius and went completely left-field - it has failed spectacularly.

But that’s right Dick, blame the fans for expecting a few wins, goals and decent performances. Not one single Arbroath fan was expecting a repeat of last year, consolidation would have been more than enough.

Edited November 19, 2022 by Tattie36

[ExiledLichtie]

I continue to believe that apart from up front, there was nothing wrong with our recruitment, and that our squad (apart from up front) is better than last year.  I also think the 5 subs thing has shafted us in terms of loans, as well as the Scottish wide lack of strikers.  But I think our squad is more than good enough for a mid table finish.

But the reason he has to go is that he is clearly not getting the best out of the team.  Baffling line ups, terrible tactics, awful subs, and a weird stubbornness, like he is trying to deliberately prove the fans wrong.  He's trying to be too clever.  I reluctantly think its time for him to go.

[RedLichtie86]

£500 k + in the bank, he recruits a crock of sh!te, and we're unrealistic....really !!
Campbell's a deluded, egotistical clown.

Try £1.5m in the bank.

From what i have heard, Dick is still haggling over wages. One case it was over 200 p/w for a player (A striker we missed out on) after which the board were livid and he was banned from negoitiating with potential players contracts from then on.

To refusing to play someone as his old club would get a small 5 figure fee ( Can you guess who) which the board had to tell him that the money is available so play him.

Trouble with the board. Fans on his back. Players showing frustration or asking to leave.

A change is more than likely.

[stan3600]

I continue to believe that apart from up front, there was nothing wrong with our recruitment, and that our squad (apart from up front) is better than last year.  I also think the 5 subs thing has shafted us in terms of loans, as well as the Scottish wide lack of strikers.  But I think our squad is more than good enough for a mid table finish.
But the reason he has to go is that he is clearly not getting the best out of the team.  Baffling line ups, terrible tactics, awful subs, and a weird stubbornness, like he is trying to deliberately prove the fans wrong.  He's trying to be too clever.  I reluctantly think its time for him to go.

Agree, that “apart from up front” bit is carrying a lot of weight.

[DUAFC]

6 minutes ago, stan3600 said:

Agree, that “apart from up front” bit is carrying a lot of weight.

Totally agree. 

You just can't simply understate the "up front" element. That's where it's gone wrong. 

[ellichtie]

I don’t think any of us were expecting another title challenge, but the fact is Dick’s taken us from title contenders to struggling to stay up.

The buck starts with him, he’s signed nothing but shite (aside from Oakley imo), and we’re wasting a huge amount of wages on Scott Allan. We haven’t replaced the Hamiltons and we’ve got our best player sitting on the bench for absolutely no reason.

I want to think Dick can turn it around but he’s completely turned on the support and can’t seem to accept that his team selections, signings and tactics are costing us big time this season. Losing 3 times in a season to a pretty shite Thistle team we were beating for fun the past few just sums up where we are. Feel for the players who’ve been with us for years as they’re obviously frustrated with the situation. 
 

We need a result next week and an overhaul in Janury.

[ExiledLichtie]

2 minutes ago, DUAFC said:

Totally agree. 

You just can't simply understate the "up front" element. That's where it's gone wrong. 

Saying that though, if he had started Shanks/Isiaka/ or even Hilson rather than trying to Craig Levein it, I am 100% confident that we would have more goals and points.   He's not getting the best out of the players we have.

[stan3600]

Saying that though, if he had started Shanks/Isiaka/ or even Hilson rather than trying to Craig Levein it, I am 100% confident that we would have more goals and points.   He's not getting the best out of the players we have.

He did start Hilson. Hilson cannot play lone striker. Hilson is a trooper who gives 100% but not good enough at this level.

[RedLichtie86]

Why does everyone keep saying the problem is up top like we dont have a striker in the squad?

We signed 2 ffs.

And has either one been afforded enough game time to prove they are not good enough?

NO!

Shanks has scored 2 goals this season considering the amount of game time he has had. He might not be the finishee product yet but he certainly knows where the goal is provided we get the ball to him.

Isiaka has come on as a sub 4 times. Thats it. Barely had a chance to get his kit dirty let alone prove if he is any good.

Dick has made the decision not to play them. Put players up top that are cleadly out of their depth as the lone striker (Hilson, McKenna, Fosu) Then when things dont go right he laments the problems up top and is now promising us 2 strikers in January to make the fans think things will magically get better.

But the problems run deeper than just 2 strikers up top.

The midfield is powderpuff. No fight, height, strength. They look lost and offer very little protection to our defence.

And going forward with the lack of a right winger and striker we have nothing to pass too other than Linn if he plays. And the opposition know that and can easily counter it.

The only thing that might save us is our defence like we have done for the past 4 seasons. But the cracks are starting to show.

Dicks tactics, subs, selections, recruitment have cost us dearly this season. And his arrogance and stubborness means its very unlikely things will change for the good.

We can ill afford another atrocious transfer window. We need a fresh approach.

[clashcityrocker]

We will need two to championship level strikers in January - one won't be enough as we will need cover for injury, suspensions, loss of form and competition for the stating 11.

The strikers we have at the club are not cutting it at this level.

We have some of the best players in the league - but are firing on blanks up front.

Failure to sign two strikers will result in relegation.

Bobby Linn should never have been dropped today - DC had all of last week and 2 training sessions to sort things out with Bobby, really no excuses for not starting with your best available starting 11.

 

[stan3600]

Pointless statistic. We haven’t lost a league match when Isiaka has played. 6’ 8’ 20’ 24’ WDDW.

[lichtiemike]

I wouldn’t trust DC with another window, think there potential for more established players to leave in Jan. 

[Blawin a Hoolie]

Isiaka has not been given a chance …why not…..is he that mince he cannae be given at least a proper chance? No-one knows as we simply haven’t seen him. Can’t wait to see this miracle striker in January who from the first game will be banging them in for fun…#scunnered

[Tattie36]

I’ll ask this question yet again - who is this magical striker or strikers that we’re supposedly buying in January? Bear in mind that this player/s will have to immediately turn us from relegation certainties into a team in promotion form. Can’t think of a single player in Scotland who would fit the bill, never mind players that will be available and willing to go to a team struggling like us.

As it stands, we need 28-30 points in 20 games and we’ll have only around 16 games left come January.

We need a miracle and one or both of Cove and Accies to be worse than us.

Think about all of this for a minute.

[AFC360PUNK1320]

First (and only that i can remember) shot on goal was Bobby Linn on 85 minutes says it all really against a team that had been on a 6/7 game defeat run.

As has been been said PTFC has had 4 clean sheets this season with 3 being against us and the other against Fraserburgh.

I said it at the time and i will say it again his "nutty" decisions started this season when he played LD in central midfield against Queens Park 2-1 defeat at Gayfield rather than sub James Craigen (hence his departure) and since then it has been crazy decisions every game.

Not to start Bobby or Shanks or Isiaka (what does he have to do to get a game) in a very winnable game was absolutley incredible.

I REALLY do hope DC can turn this around as i do want him to stay but him being stubborn is not helping himself or the team. 

    

[DUAFC]

46 minutes ago, lichtiemike said:

I wouldn’t trust DC with another window, think there potential for more established players to leave in Jan. 

100% this  !!

He was full of nods and winks about imminent developments during last week's after match interview.  What's happened since then.....he's dropped our main goal threat in a fit of childish pique. 

If (God forbid) he's still around in January it'll be more false promises, pathetic excuses and bad decisions,  then half the team turning round and saying GIRFUY I'm out of here - with good reason. 

[RedLichtie86]

Am i right in thinking that we face the prospect of losing Little, ToB, Linn, Gold and Hilson if the club or player decide not to offer/sign a new contract.

Little will be 34.
ToB nearing 32
Linn nearing 38
Gold 30
Hilson 30.

Not to mention Jacobs will be nearing 34, McKenna 32
Allan 31

[lichtie23]

Pathetic and pitiful. This team is going nowhere fast. 

[Tattie36]

1 hour ago, RedLichtie86 said:

Am i right in thinking that we face the prospect of losing Little, ToB, Linn, Gold and Hilson if the club or player decide not to offer/sign a new contract.

Little will be 34.
ToB nearing 32
Linn nearing 38
Gold 30
Hilson 30.

Not to mention Jacobs will be nearing 34, McKenna 32
Allan 31

Yeah I’ve been thinking about this a bit. Unless things are changed/fixed very soon then I could see us lose many of our best players and the ability to replace them with equivalent quality. Obviously age is catching up with some but others might just jump ship.

A team on a downward trajectory will be very unlikely to attract good players. Could easily see us slip down to mid/bottom League 1 or even League 2 (refuse to think of worse) in a few seasons if we don’t buck up.

I’m sure some will doubt that but it’s not that long ago that Dumbarton, Stirling, Brechin, Cowdenbeath, Falkirk and more recently Alloa, Dunfermline and QOTS were in the Championship. Some of them comfortably for many seasons.

The losing mentality becomes a habit very quickly.

[glasgowlichtie22]

I just hope we don’t turn to social media hashtags to get Campbell out. #DickOut doesnt sound great.