The Arbroath Thread

[ellichtie]

I think Steele is a good player, I just don’t think he’s a long-term solution at right back. It gives me similar vibes to Ricky’s first season when he played right back - gives it his all but just isn’t his position. Steele is definitely a centre half and we should be playing him there long-term.

[SmokeyJoe]

Just seen highlights 3 poor goals to lose particularly 2nd and 3rd poor mistakes. As for steel very good signing and a long term player for us. 

[lichtie23]

I’d drop Ricky Little for Dunfermline, move Steele inside and have Norey at RB.
 

Im a massive Ricky supporter but he was abysmal on Saturday against Caley.

[Tattie36]

1 hour ago, lichtie23 said:

 

I’d drop Ricky Little for Dunfermline, move Steele inside and have Norey at RB.
 

Im a massive Ricky supporter but he was abysmal on Saturday against Caley.

I agree and the management shouldn’t have changed the defence from the Partick game in the first place. We conceded zero goals in 1.75 games without Little. To then change everything about just to fit him back in was a mistake imo.

I think he’s been poor for sometime and perhaps a wee spell on the sideline might be good for him.

To add, he’s been one of my favourite Arbroath players for years so this is definitely not a Ricky bashing exercise. We all know how great a player he’s been for us but I think having no real competition for your place in the team can lead to complacency.

[SotesBornalichtie]

I don't think it was all Ricky's fault. A few of ours had an off day. McKenna often tried to keep possession, looking for a killer pass instead of playing the simple ball and lost possession. Gold didn't have the best of games. At the third goal maybe Gaston could have sprinted out to try to close down McKay. Maybe a bit fanciful to imagine Derek sprinting though..

We lost most of the second balls in the first half. We kept playing high balls into the ICT box and their big No.44 won 99% of them. Longstaff on the ICT left wing could have been man marked. Maybe our subs weren't the best, lots of things could have been done better, but we came roaring back from 3 goals down but just couldn't make the final ball count.

So, a bad day at the office, but what's done is done and can't be undone . Time to move on and look forward to the next game.

[ExiledLichtie]

A bit of revisionism going on here.  I've been saying for some time that I think Ricky Little has lost a bit of pace, leading to him being caught out of positions and making mistakes.  However, not one person (that I saw) in this thread or the match threads was saying last week that we should have kept the same defence and dropped Ricky.

 

[Tattie36]

28 minutes ago, ExiledLichtie said:

A bit of revisionism going on here.  I've been saying for some time that I think Ricky Little has lost a bit of pace, leading to him being caught out of positions and making mistakes.  However, not one person (that I saw) in this thread or the match threads was saying last week that we should have kept the same defence and dropped Ricky.

 

I think it’s common knowledge with our fans that many of us think he’s lost form of late. Certainly the group I go to games with all think he’s become a bit of a liability at times. The opposition seem to have it sussed too as he seems to be getting directly targeted with long balls over the top and passes in behind. You just have to look at how solid we looked at the back v Airdrie once he went off.

However, Ricky is one of the players who has rightly banked an enormous amount of goodwill so it’s difficult to criticise him too much. As lichtie23 says, he should probably be dropped for the Pars game and imo should have to play his way back into the team. As I said earlier, a lack of competition leads to complacency.

FWIW I had a message typed out last week suggesting keeping the same back 4 as the Partick game for these reasons but thought better of posting it as didn’t want to come across as being negative or criticising a fans favourite - particularly while on such a great run.

Ricky has rarely let us down and I’m sure we all hope he returns to his best form asap.

[SmokeyJoe]

Little was always going to go straight back into the team. He’s been part of the best cb pairing for Arbroath for years and possibly in the league bar last and this season.  He’s made a mistake for a goal he’s not the only that’s done that this season or on Saturday. 

[Hammerafc]

TOB giving away a silly free kick led to the first goal. 

Not stopping the cross led to the second goal.

Ricky didn't have his best of games but absolutely bossed Samuel on the counter attack the last 30 minutes. 

Easy to say you would have kept the same defense before the game but if Little was on the bench and we conceded the daggers would be out for Campbell. You won't always have a great game or not make mistakes but it's how you respond that matters.

[Smokerson]

Ricky had a poor game on Saturday, he has played very well the past 5/6 weeks like most of the team, wouldnt be dropping him after one bad game.

[ExiledLichtie]

I don't think its just a case of losing form.  I think there are two issues.  Firstly, he's losing pace.  I made the comment on here in the second half of last season that I felt he had lost a yard of pace.  That in itself isn't the end of the world, there are plenty of slow defenders.

However, the second problem is that I don't think he's adapted his game accordingly.  If you're not as quick, then its going to take longer to get back, and if you're involved in the play, you're going to get caught out of position.  So you need to change your game.  And I don't think he's done that.  I get the fear every time I see him wandering into the midfield, knowing that we're one slack pass away from a gaping hole in our defence with no hope of recovery.  He needs to play smarter.

Him being out of position and unable to track back means he commits more fouls, and also means that much more pressure is placed on ToB.  If he wants to continue to be a first choice pick, I think he needs to accept that he's not the player he was, and change his game.

How many times in the last year have we had an attacking phase of play, only for the opposition to break, run straight down the pitch, and score?  Too many.

[AFC360PUNK1320]

Personally speaking after numerous AFC fans stating "the performance of us against PTFC was the best i have seen in years" i would have played the same starting XI against ICT and i do not think anybody (including Ricky) could have complained.

Yes Ricky has been a superb player for us over a decade and long may it continue but there is nothing wrong in competition and if you lose your place for whatever reason and the player coming in has a great game then you have to go on the bench and fight your way back into the starting XI and that should go for every player.

I actually thought we played well on Saturday apart from 3 howlers of goals against and i am sure if the game went on for another 15 minutes we would have got a draw and maybe a win.

Also could not believe we took Hylton off as he was causing them loads of problems and looks a threat everytime he gets on the ball.

I like Balde but his crosses into the box on Saturday was always down their Goalies throat.

I thought we would struggle against ICT purely because they got a new Manager and as so nearly always happens they get a victory.

Onwards and upwards onto the Pars game, C'Mon the Red Lichties 36-0.

[Smokerson]

10 hours ago, AFC360PUNK1320 said:

Personally speaking after numerous AFC fans stating "the performance of us against PTFC was the best i have seen in years" i would have played the same starting XI against ICT and i do not think anybody (including Ricky) could have complained.

Yes Ricky has been a superb player for us over a decade and long may it continue but there is nothing wrong in competition and if you lose your place for whatever reason and the player coming in has a great game then you have to go on the bench and fight your way back into the starting XI and that should go for every player.

I actually thought we played well on Saturday apart from 3 howlers of goals against and i am sure if the game went on for another 15 minutes we would have got a draw and maybe a win.

Also could not believe we took Hylton off as he was causing them loads of problems and looks a threat everytime he gets on the ball.

I like Balde but his crosses into the box on Saturday was always down their Goalies throat.

I thought we would struggle against ICT purely because they got a new Manager and as so nearly always happens they get a victory.

Onwards and upwards onto the Pars game, C'Mon the Red Lichties 36-0.

A lot of hindsight going on there, if we had played the same team and lost, everyone to a man would have been saying Little should've been brought in, most were shouting for Bird to play ahead of Turan also. I actually think the team that started on Saturday is our strongest 11 but Ricky certainly had a poor game so be interesting to see what happens next.

[TheRoundO]

So, the transfer window is fully closed.  We have the smallest squad in the division, equal with Morton; 20 players.  19 if you discount Hammy for now.  That's the Campbell way - lots of versatile players who can cover in midfield and defence.  Biggest squads are ICT and Ayr on 26.

We have the oldest squad - average age 28.7.  The youngest squad is Queens Park - average 21.0

We are the only club in the division to have no loan players.

I'm not commenting or criticising, just laying out the facts.

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/scottish-championship/startseite/wettbewerb/SC2

Edited October 3, 2023 by TheRoundO

[AFC360PUNK1320]

Very good Q & A  at Gayfield tonight with Pink and the AFC Board in front of approx 50-60 Red Lichtie fans going over various things like last season, the new signings, the mainstay players who have been at the club for years and any future signings, great discussions and Pink listens but does not mince his words if he does not agree with you.

Well done to Pink and the others who attended.

[1320Lichtie]

On 02/10/2023 at 13:03, SmokeyJoe said:

Little was always going to go straight back into the team. He’s been part of the best cb pairing for Arbroath for years and possibly in the league bar last and this season.  He’s made a mistake for a goal he’s not the only that’s done that this season or on Saturday. 

100 percent 

[SimonLichtie]

On 22/09/2023 at 19:50, SimonLichtie said:

As I previously mentioned, I hope I'll be able to get further highlights etc. in time.... unfortunately almost all the things I said I hoped to work on  in the weeks/ months after the archive was released have not come to fruition just yet, mainly as I've been focusing most of my time on pre world war 2 trialists both for and against us . It is a good use of my time, I'm sure we all agree  I'll still be working away on things for years to come I expect, but the vast majority won't be noticed due to them being either very historic or not really interesting to most people.... 

I'll try and bring myself to start the process of hopefully unearthing some additional highlights over the coming months  Ideally in a few years time we'll have the Arbroath Archive YouTube channel with all of our historic highlights that are spread over different places/ platforms currently, as well additional content we find along the way

Due to one of our ex players being an absolute top man and going out of his way to help with things, we now have some further match footage on our Youtube page

 

 

I've seen the Dundee footage previously - but the other four are completely new to me

All of these games are, of course, on the archive itself with full teams, game details etc. as well. Any questions etc. just get in touch and of course if anyone has any further AFC footage from the past that we can get online please do get in touch

[lichtie23]

21 minutes ago, SimonLichtie said:

Due to one of our ex players being an absolute top man and going out of his way to help with things, we now have some further match footage on our Youtube page

 

 

I've seen the Dundee footage previously - but the other four are completely new to me

All of these games are, of course, on the archive itself with full teams, game details etc. as well. Any questions etc. just get in touch and of course if anyone has any further AFC footage from the past that we can get online please do get in touch

8-1 defeat. Sack the manager 

[SimonLichtie]

Finally, Rangers 2-3 Arbroath 02/02/1974

 

 

[SimonLichtie]

22 minutes ago, lichtie23 said:

8-1 defeat. Sack the manager 

There was no manager to sack! Previous manager Tommy Gray left in March 1957 and wasn't replaced, instead Chris Anderson (who had a scouting role under Gray) was kept on to coach and help the committee pick the team, and this arrangement stood until John Prentice was appointed in April 1960. Chris Anderson went on to join the Aberdeen (his home town) board in 1967 and played a huge part in their success through the 70s and 80s. He still, quite rightly, has a ground named after him in the city

Incredibly that years home game against St. Mirren, played three months after this 8-1 drubbing, saw us win 6-2!