The Arbroath Thread

[SimonLichtie]

6 minutes ago, ExiledLichtie said:

I'm not buying the fitness thing.  We have some players who ARE fit, so if it was just fitness, then surely you'd play some fit players alongside the unfit ones.  For example, If Gaston isn't fit, then we should have had Ali Adams in.  That's entirely on the manager.  He got much better performances out of very much weakened line ups earlier in the season.

Match fitness is not equal to fitness. Two entirely seperate things - every game we've played for the past 3 months we've had 3/4/5+ guys on the park who are not fully match fit. We are, at absolute best, when everyone is fully fit and on their game, a low end mid table team in this division. Having half a team who aren't lacking match fitness in every game takes that to a bottom end team who, as we've seen, will struggle to put together a 90 minute performance.

[ExiledLichtie]

Just now, SimonLichtie said:

Match fitness is not equal to fitness. 

Everyone knows that, but it doesn't change my point in the slightest.

[timlichtie]

A narrow 1 nil defeat by a full time team at the top end of the league. I honestly thought there were plenty of positives today and we could easily have got a result. 
We more than matched Thistle in the first half but clearly lost confidence when we went behind. Second half was disappointing. I still think there was plenty of effort particularly from Ricky in defence. We simply lacked the quality and fitness in midfield and attack. I actually thought Walker did ok when he came on. Murray is starting to look decent.
I don’t see any point or likelihood of management change this year so I’ll back Jim McIntyre to turn this round.

[SmokeyJoe]

Severe lack of quality, poor game management(players and manager) terrible tactics. Lists endless tbh get this season over with fresh start with fresh squad and manager 

[Fitbafan36]

As others have said subs really were utterly bizarre today taking Bird and McKenna off. I don’t think MacKinnon is anywhere near ready for the championship yet starts week in and week out. Dow does loads of running and is one of few to actually want the football but it’s infuriating that the Left Winger is never on the left wing. 
There are not tactics at all. I know the team are shot of confidence but doesn’t seem to be any kind of system for them to stick to and get them to have any control of a game. In saying that I don’t think Partick looked that much better than us. Better players but didn’t play well at all.

Thought Stewart was solid as always and much better from Ricky Little. Love David Gold and how much he puts himself about. Just feel sorry for Gold in the middle - MacKinnon doesn’t seem ready for this level and McKenna doesn’t really do defence stuff. Jay Bird really tried today and did well given the service he got was terrible. Best game for Innes Murray too I thought although I’m not sure he’s really a winger either.

Fair play to the fans to be honest for still turning up in a decent number and not getting on the teams back. No booing at full time either which is a pet peeve of mine. 
Overall, I’ll take the rest of this season as it comes and I’m resigned to League 1. Will be good to start with a clean slate and , possibly, a new manager Although I can’t see them changing it before next year. Looking forward to a new season and inevitably drawing East Fife in the league cup…

[RedLichtie86]

Did folk think that McIntyre coming in would magically solve all the on field problems? No manager could.

Been clear as day for well over a year that the team was in a dire situation. A squad full of players not good enough to play at this level and others struggling to keep up due to injuries/getting older.

Previous manager brought in players to address some issues (better attacking players) but neglected the defence and midfield which have basically regressed.

McIntyre basically came into a house on fire with only a bucket to put it out. He seemed to get the players believing they could play better at the start but more injuries to new and old players forcing chopping and changing squads you can see the players heads going down each week. Players that you could count on to fight every week have become timid and that was before JMc came in.

Big clearout in the summer. Its not going to be pretty. Might take 2/3/4 transfer windows to get the team right. But only time will tell.

Changing the manager again is not going to solve the problems.

[Tattie36]

4 minutes ago, timlichtie said:

A narrow 1 nil defeat by a full time team at the top end of the league. I honestly thought there were plenty of positives today and we could easily have got a result. 
We more than matched Thistle in the first half but clearly lost confidence when we went behind. Second half was disappointing. I still think there was plenty of effort particularly from Ricky in defence. We simply lacked the quality and fitness in midfield and attack. I actually thought Walker did ok when he came on. Murray is starting to look decent.
I don’t see any point or likelihood of management change this year so I’ll back Jim McIntyre to turn this round.

What do you see in McIntyre that means you think he deserves more time?

Our record so far in 2024:

P12 W1 D3 L8 F7 A32

No matter the excuses re injuries, fitness etc that is an abject record. 7 goals in 12 games and 32 conceded ffs when we’re supposed to be fighting for survival.

As I said earlier, going down with a whimper.

[ExiledLichtie]

I'm very much in the "Goodbye and thanks for your time" camp.  We need a new face come the summer.  Better not to have a manager associated with this dismal end to the season.

[timlichtie]

McIntyre inherited an absolute mess. 12 games is nothing like long enough to sort it out. The Club would look ridiculous if it didn’t give him the summer transfer window and at least a couple of months more to make some progress.

[keptie]

Not surprised Bird was hooked, he doesn't look interested and spends his time falling down for no reason looking for free kicks. He clearly doesn't want to be here. As for the game we were ok in the first half bar the Gaston gaff resulting in another lost soft goal but the defender didn't cover himself in glory either but we never really done much second half. McIntyre should be given a fair crack of the whip which he won't get till next season

[Tattie36]

2 minutes ago, timlichtie said:

McIntyre inherited an absolute mess. 12 games is nothing like long enough to sort it out. The Club would look ridiculous if it didn’t give him the summer transfer window and at least a couple of months more to make some progress.

He’s had 18 games in total and he started marginally better with a much worse situation re injuries etc.

His complete record is:

P18 W2 D5 L11 F14 A43

11 points out of a possible 54

Horrific.

[RedLichtie86]

11 minutes ago, keptie said:

Not surprised Bird was hooked, he doesn't look interested and spends his time falling down for no reason looking for free kicks. He clearly doesn't want to be here. As for the game we were ok in the first half bar the Gaston gaff resulting in another lost soft goal but the defender didn't cover himself in glory either but we never really done much second half. McIntyre should be given a fair crack of the whip which he won't get till next season

Bird is one of those players if things are going right he looks great.

If things are looking bad he looks uninterested and poor. 

Thats a mentality trait that you just cant coach out of a player.

[Anotherlichtie]

2 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

Social media manager of Arbroath FC saying they received death threats after the game down in Wales etc 

 

Why when you’re in that position would you post that - you are the person who engages with fans 

 

Could we please have proof of these death threats plural so other fans could call the people sending them out - also like to ask if he genuinely thought they were real and if he was actually fearing for his life - or was he just posting it for effect on his shitey wee post - why would you do that when in that position  

 

Fkn Clown. One of the worst decisions we made changing from Graham Black 

I think I know who and what you are on about. And I seen it back I. November. Happy to name him as well if I’m not hammered by a backlash 

[TxRover]

Can someone explain what’s happened to that squad that ruined my New Years trip to Starks Park? No subs left, down two, absolutely no reason to expect them to do what they did. And now they seem done, disinterested, defeated. You can talk new manager bounce and all that, but it just seems, well, unlikely that the life has gone out of this squad for no reason.

[Shadow Play]

1 hour ago, Tattie36 said:

What do you see in McIntyre that means you think he deserves more time?

Our record so far in 2024:

P12 W1 D3 L8 F7 A32

No matter the excuses re injuries, fitness etc that is an abject record. 7 goals in 12 games and 32 conceded ffs when we’re supposed to be fighting for survival.

As I said earlier, going down with a whimper.

It was only the end of January you were advocating he be given time to have a fully fit squad before talking about whether he should go.  I genuinely don’t know, so can I ask how long he has had a fully fit squad for now?

[ecto]

1 hour ago, keptie said:

Not surprised Bird was hooked, he doesn't look interested and spends his time falling down for no reason looking for free kicks. He clearly doesn't want to be here. As for the game we were ok in the first half bar the Gaston gaff resulting in another lost soft goal but the defender didn't cover himself in glory either but we never really done much second half. McIntyre should be given a fair crack of the whip which he won't get till next season

Have certain amount of sympathy for Bird, had to play every minute of nearly every game, during the injury crisis, playing up on his own, up against both centre halves, knowing he wasn’t going to get any support, then gets replaced by Kyle “fucking” Robinson, easily the worst centre forward I have ever seen, comes on against Raith changes the game, quite rightly gets back in the team, to play up on his own up against both centre halves, knowing he wasn’t going to get any support, you see the problem here, yes

No, he he’s doesn’t deserve to take us into next season #McIntyreout

21 minutes ago, Anotherlichtie said:

I think I know who and what you are on about. And I seen it back I. November. Happy to name him as well if I’m not hammered by a backlash 

name him

[Tattie36]

2 minutes ago, Shadow Play said:

It was only the end of January you were advocating he be given time to have a fully fit squad before talking about whether he should go.  I genuinely don’t know, so can I ask how long he has had a fully fit squad for now?

I did think that he had to be given time as it was an awful situation he came into. However, match fit players or not, he’s had a full squad for weeks now and has brought in a few of his own guys. There has been absolutely nothing since to indicate that he’s going by to turn this round. Results and performances have got arguably worse with no sign of improvement.

[Anotherlichtie]

5 minutes ago, ecto said:

Have certain amount of sympathy for Bird, had to play every minute of nearly every game, during the injury crisis, playing up on his own, up against both centre halves, knowing he wasn’t going to get any support, then gets replaced by Kyle “fucking” Robinson, easily the worst centre forward I have ever seen, comes on against Raith changes the game, quite rightly gets back in the team, to play up on his own up against both centre halves, knowing he wasn’t going to get any support, you see the problem here, yes

No, he he’s doesn’t deserve to take us into next season #McIntyreout

name him

Ryan Beattie 

[keptie]

3 minutes ago, ecto said:

Have certain amount of sympathy for Bird, had to play every minute of nearly every game, during the injury crisis, playing up on his own, up against both centre halves, knowing he wasn’t going to get any support, then gets replaced by Kyle “fucking” Robinson, easily the worst centre forward I have ever seen, comes on against Raith changes the game, quite rightly gets back in the team, to play up on his own up against both centre halves, knowing he wasn’t going to get any support, you see the problem here, yes

No, he he’s doesn’t deserve to take us into next season #McIntyreout

name him

His attitude stinks, i'm gonna have a hard time of it so i'll just not bother my arse then. Doing one good thing in 10 games doesn't cut it

[Shadow Play]

1 minute ago, Tattie36 said:

I did think that he had to be given time as it was an awful situation he came into. However, match fit players or not, he’s had a full squad for weeks now and has brought in a few of his own guys. There has been absolutely nothing since to indicate that he’s going by to turn this round. Results and performances have got arguably worse with no sign of improvement.

I’m not trying to be wise after the facts and I can understand you may think I had an ulterior motive seeing as I am a Dundee fan but as I tried to explain late January McIntyre made a very poor Dundee side worse thereby confirming relegation.  He made a Cove side worse, sending them well on the way to relegation.  I genuinely thought when I posted back in January he was making Arbroath worse.

To me, three relegations in a row show he’s simply not up to it or alternatively it was the only gigs he was offered or they paid the most.  Regardless which it is surely few clubs would now think to offer him a deal after he leaves Arbroath?