Waffelz Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Rankin has been shite all season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammer Jag Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I'd take Rankin. He always praises us when he's on Sportscene, so we should definitely sign him on that basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I feel Glorious Gary Fraser could fit nicely into that United midfield but he's signed up for about two and a half seasons so he would cost in the region of £250,000 - £400,000 depending on add ons and level of cash paid up front. After a bright start and a clinically despatched goal United seemed to sit back and cede possession to Thistle and we played some very good stuff for the last half hour of the first half. For whatever reason we came out in the second half and sat back. As said it is hard to pick out a stand out performer from the United ranks on the day. McNamara had us running to a similar pattern before his move to Tannadice. Realy good at home but bang average to meh on the road. Some decent flashes of skill from GMS and Armstrong but went missing for large periods of play part of which was due to Thistle's spirited play. In general United seemed to just want to return the ball to us at the first opportunity. Erskine had a nightmare, thankfully and it was almost like playing ten men at times. All in all made for a decent game but unless McNamara can improve his side's away form it looks like third place is the best placing the Terrors can achieve this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabFC Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Rankin has been shite all season. He was good against Celtic. That's what pisses me off - he can perform, he just isn't doing it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_frank Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Absolutely feared the worst after the first ten minutes but fucking hell, what a first half performance. Our 20 minute spell was as good as we've played all season. No idea how it was only 2-1 at half time. The tactic of let fojut have the ball paid off as he repeatedly hoofed it as hard as he could towards our goal. Stevenson was an absolute stand out, his best performance for us by a mile. Showed what he can do when played in his right position and with someone ahead of him. Also thought Conrad had a great game today as I imagine he was having to talk Lindsay and Keenan through the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waffelz Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 He was good against Celtic. That's what pisses me off - he can perform, he just isn't doing it! That's because he didn't have to pass the ball and create much at all. instead, just pressed when he could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamJags Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Was expecting a doing so was pleasantly surprised at the result today. First half after the first 10-15 minutes was as good as I've seen us play since we came up. First 15 minutes seemed to be a baptism of fire for Keenan but he grew into the game and showed signs that there's a decent player there. McDaid is the next Higgy. Thought Lindsay was absolutely outstanding and was probably my man of the match. Stevenson and Fraser were brilliant, Lawless had a great first half but the second went by him. Dundee United didn't look brilliant, Ciftci looks absolute murder when he isn't getting his way, Erskine decided to go easy on us today, which was nice of him. Thought we should've gone into half-time 3-1 up, after Dools missed two glorious chances. If that was last season, we would've almost definitely conceded a third in the last 5 minutes, and probably finished the game with 10 men, so while we haven't completely eradicated the last minute goals this season, there seems to be a bit more defensive discipline when it comes down to hanging on for a point, if not all 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabFC Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 That's because he didn't have to pass the ball and create much at all. instead, just pressed when he could. Well yes, he pressed the ball - thats a pretty good starting point for a central midfielder. Pity he can't be arsed against the likes of Partick and St Johnstone. Last season Paton and Rankin got plaudits galore, as the two players who were the foundation of the team - they did all the work which went unnoticed. It was all bollocks obviously, which I felt the need to point out. Simply put, last season (when on form), Ciftci, GMS, Armstrong, Gauld and Robertson were on fire, and the opposition teams could do nothing but sit back and defend against the onslaught. This season, Gauld is gone, Robertson is gone, Armstrong and GMS have shown glimpse but have been woefully inconsistent along with Dow. Erskine has improved but isn't on the same level. Suddenly everyone notices our central midfield isn't that great. Funny that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabFC Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Dundee United didn't look brilliant, Ciftci looks absolute murder when he isn't getting his way, Erskine decided to go easy on us today, which was nice of him. Ciftci does sulk and moan in some games, which is frustrating, but you know, I prefer that to most of the team whose heads just go down, and they hide away. And I can't blame the boy, when the ball is continually pumped forward and he has to chase it or hold it up when surrounded by defenders, and not a supporting team-mate within 30 yards of him - he is good, but not quite that good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuctifano Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Good game. United started well, but then Thistle took over. Rado threw the first in ala Anderson in cup final last season. Thistle took control for rest of first half and should've been 3-1 up at the break, looked an incredible miss right on halftime. Much more positive from United second half, great run from GMS for equaliser. Could have won it at the death with a bit of luck. Fair result though. Rankin poor, much better when Telfer came on. Rado has cost us too many times for me. I didn't get a good view of it from where I was but a couple of folk said to me after that Rado saved that one from Fraser to make it 3-1 on halftime- admittedly after Doolan had fresh-aired it from 6 yards a second earlier. Crucial moment anyway. Nothing to disagree with really, first 10 minutes it looked like we were going to get obliterated which would have been entirely expected pre-match, GMS was running off Keenan for fun and the goal came from that route as well- but what a performance for the rest of the first half- best half hour we've played all season if not last season as well. Now that Stevenson is fit and has confidence he should be playing there every week with Doolan ahead of him (unless we sign someone better, obvs). No-one really played badly in that spell but Fraser and Bannigan were immense, first to everything which is unusual. My worry was that at HT we'd punched ourselves out and so it proved, 2nd half was a bit siege mentality and our midfield totally disappeared when they ran out of gas but we defended reasonably well- Balatoni as the most experienced of the back 4 was great- and got the luck (for a change) when we didn't defend well. Poor from Lindsay for the 2nd goal- harsh on him and Keenan as they were largely excellent having been thrown in at the deep end but if you are going to be 100% honest then it was just a bit of inexperience that cost us both goals. Also thought that we got away with it at the 2nd goal as one of their players was halfed in the box before the ball ran to Ciftci to finish, would it have been a penalty and a red otherwise? Speaking of Ciftci- what a dickhead- constant diving, elbows, whinging, nearly taking Lindsay's head off with a high boot- a dickhead I'd love to have in my team but a dickhead nonetheless. Good of Erskine to be rubbish- boy knows what side his bread is buttered on. Hopefully this week has shown there's a bit more depth to the squad than might have been thought- McDaid played very sensibly, was worried he'd keep trying to run down blind alleys but Stevenson always made himself available for a pass when he had it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabFC Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Speaking of Ciftci- what a dickhead- constant diving, elbows, whinging, nearly taking Lindsay's head off with a high boot- a dickhead I'd love to have in my team but a dickhead nonetheless. Good of Erskine to be rubbish- boy knows what side his bread is buttered on. Constant diving? I'd love you to come up with some/any video evidence for that. I can honestly say I've never seen the boy take a dive - quite the opposite in fact, as his main trick is to stand up strong when players dive in and they bounce right off him, and he's away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetterlund Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 After a bright start and a clinically despatched goal United seemed to sit back and cede possession to Thistle and we played some very good stuff for the last half hour of the first half. I'm getting sick of saying it now as it has been a constant frustration since McNamara took over, but this is what we do all the time so I can only assume it's intentional and the way he wants to play. Most recently we did the exact same thing at St Johnstone and again in the derby after going ahead. With the players we currently have, we are dreadful at sitting off teams and trying to absorb pressure. We have a good counter attack but we over-rely on it and the defence isn't good enough to invite teams on to us just waiting for a break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabFC Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I'm getting sick of saying it now as it has been a constant frustration since McNamara took over, but this is what we do all the time so I can only assume it's intentional and the way he wants to play. Most recently we did the exact same thing at St Johnstone and again in the derby after going ahead. With the players we currently have, we are dreadful at sitting off teams and trying to absorb pressure. We have a good counter attack but we over-rely on it and the defence isn't good enough to invite teams on to us just waiting for a break. I keep telling myself this can't be right, as that's too stupid to believe, but the evidence does suggest otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nizzy Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Video evidence? You'd continue to argue the toss if anything was produced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabFC Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Video evidence? You'd continue to argue the toss if anything was produced. Well I could, but if its a clear dive I wouldn't. Maybe he did dive, but I sure as hell didn't see it, and I don't believe it cos I watch him every week and know he generally does anything to stay on his feet - mostly because he's a greedy b*****d and wants to keep the ball himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weesiecodal Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Who thought it would be a good idea to tell Connor Townsend to wear his invisibility cloak today? Nice to see Andy Robertson get a hero's welcome though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazas_ Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 We didn't intentionally sit back after the goal. Credit to Thistle they passed the ball very well up until half time and kept possession excellently. We on the other hand very cheaply gave the ball straight back for them just about every time we regained possession. Every team is going to have a spell like Thistle did today and Dundee did last game but when it does happen we need to work much harder and put them under far more pressure. Rankin is the main culprit for going through the motions and getting out to the player but then standing 2 yards off him and making no effort to actually put a challenge in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nizzy Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Rankin was unfortunate to be up against the unplayable Sir Stevo this afternoon - that's arguably his best game in the red 'n' yella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Agreed, Sir Ryan of Stevenson was immense today. He seems to cover the ground a lot quicker nowadays and at time seemed to have at least the pace of Doolan who is no slouch. He was all over the park but in a purposeful manner and along with Balatoni really held our youthful outfit together as well as initiate attacks on the United goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinny arab Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Yet another game where we are let down by so many players underperforming, the only highlights being GMS once again offering something and Telfer who we should really be looking to get into the starting line-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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