The Greenock Morton Thread - It's Better Than Yours

[Rudolph Hucker]

1 hour ago, port-ton said:

Dave Mackinnon Co comms on killie TV tomorrow. Fully expect some passive aggressive altering of history regarding his time at morton.

Who cares? He's gone, forget him, let it go. 

[Rudolph Hucker]

1 hour ago, The Ghost of B A R P said:

No offence to anyone other than Dave McKinnon… but f**k Dave McKinnon.

Do we have a fit and available team to put on the park?

Any new additions?

Silence.

If we have any additions it's odds on they'll announce it, wouldn't you say? And given that we have several players hopefully being assessed after coming back from either suffering Covid or from self-isolation, what's the rush to announce a squad 30 hours before a game? 

Honestly, there's enough to be bothered about without inventing more. Wee bit of common sense needed. 

Edited July 19, 2021 by Rudolph Hucker

[The Ghost of B A R P]

35 minutes ago, Rudolph Hucker said:

If we have any additions it's odds on they'll announce it, wouldn't you say? And given that we have several players hopefully being assessed after coming back from either suffering Covid or from self-isolation, what's the rush to announce a squad 30 hours before a game? 

Honestly, there's enough to be bothered about without inventing more. Wee bit of common sense needed. 

Supporters have, in the main, been very patient… but we’re sailing into ridiculous territory here.

Both in terms of preparation for the fast approaching league season and general communication, ‘common sense’ has been in short supply.

I’m clear that the silence means ‘no signings’, btw… that’s the point.

And no one expects a detailed squad announcement at this point, but is it too much to ask for a general update on the recent outbreak?

Answer: no, it isn’t.

The transition is just about over (payments to MCT have been rolled over, for example). We need to start acting like a professional football club… and quick.

[Colkitto]

Good work out for the squad last night against Killie. For quite a few it was their first game of the season and they handled it very well, even in the heat.

Hamilton looks a really decent keeper. He had a couple of erratic moments that I suppose all keepers do, but worth keeping an eye on to see if it's a habit. I've been quite impressed with him so far though.

Defence looks solid, with Lithgow really showing his class by strolling through games. It was Gunning-esq last night from a player who really should be playing at a higher level.  

The total unsung hero that Ledger is also having a good game too.

Man of the Match though was Gary Oliver who looks to have found a new lease of life. He's kept the great form he had at the playoff's into this season. If he can keep that up he will be a massive player for us.

Young McGregor who scored a cracking goal I have to say, will be in and about the squad this season. He won't start all the games, but will be used tis season to pick up valuable experience and we will see the full benefit next season.

McGrattan will be similar I would imagine. Two great prospects which is fantastic to see at Morton.

 

We've still to strengthen with hopefully a bit more quality. Midfield and the forward areas have to be the priority for me. 

[BraeTon74]

1 hour ago, Colkitto said:

Good work out for the squad last night against Killie. For quite a few it was their first game of the season and they handled it very well, even in the heat.

Hamilton looks a really decent keeper. He had a couple of erratic moments that I suppose all keepers do, but worth keeping an eye on to see if it's a habit. I've been quite impressed with him so far though.

Defence looks solid, with Lithgow really showing his class by strolling through games. It was Gunning-esq last night from a player who really should be playing at a higher level.  

The total unsung hero that Ledger is also having a good game too.

Man of the Match though was Gary Oliver who looks to have found a new lease of life. He's kept the great form he had at the playoff's into this season. If he can keep that up he will be a massive player for us.

Young McGregor who scored a cracking goal I have to say, will be in and about the squad this season. He won't start all the games, but will be used tis season to pick up valuable experience and we will see the full benefit next season.

McGrattan will be similar I would imagine. Two great prospects which is fantastic to see at Morton.

 

We've still to strengthen with hopefully a bit more quality. Midfield and the forward areas have to be the priority for me. 

We really need to sort out our lack of goals. If we can get a player capable of scoring at least 10 league goals and a creative player then I reckon we could have an okay season.

[The Ghost of B A R P]

Phenomenal goal from McGregor… better every time I see it.

Oliver was excellent in the deeper role.

Ugwu doesn’t look like too much of a football player, but he clearly knows what he’s supposed to be doing in that position. You can see why he’s been brought in.

We had a shape about us and looked to pass the ball. Dropped too deep too early, obviously, but hopefully that was as much a fitness issue as anything else.

Overall, some good signs… and some concerns.

I thought there might be five still to come, but I’d settle for four. As said, middle to front still top priority.

[Ton in Shawlands]

And the hardest to fill with adequate quality

[The Ghost of B A R P]

Hard to draw conclusions from what was essentially a friendly, but here goes…

Overall, I thought we were a bit shapeless and I hope the experiment of releasing Jacobs is binned. No problem with Blues playing deeper - he’s better there, where his first responsibility is holding a position and doing the simple things (as opposed to drifting around doing nothing and hoping to nick something in the box) - but Jacobs should be alongside him against better sides.

Against Dunfermline, I hope it’s a more clear-cut 4-2-3-1 (Oliver behind Ugwu, Muirhead and one of the boys either side) or a 4-3-3 with Oliver as a false nine and Lyon the third, more advanced centre-mid. The second option would mean Ugwu pulling off to the right, but that might work ok; he’s not quick off the mark, but he’s quicker than I thought when into his running.

That’s all assuming there are no additions before Saturday…

Should also say that, whatever the opposition, both of Muirhead’s finishes were excellent. He’s a different player when coming off one of the sides and not trying to do a poor impersonation of a ‘centre-forward’.

Jury’s out until he can produce a goal or two in the Championship… but the seethe will be delicious if he can start against Dunfermline.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

18 hours ago, The Ghost of B A R P said:

No problem with Blues playing deeper - he’s better there, where his first responsibility is holding a position and doing the simple things 

Apart from at the goal when he ball watched before watching the Clyde player peel back and control the ball with his chest before he realised he should close him down. He switches off and ambles around not really doing much too often to play in a deeper, defensive role. 

[Mr.Blue]

3 hours ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Apart from at the goal when he ball watched before watching the Clyde player peel back and control the ball with his chest before he realised he should close him down. He switches off and ambles around not really doing much too often to play in a deeper, defensive role. 

How a tracking back, tackle and forward pass made our first goal too. I thought he did well in Saturday. Gus said he was 'excellent' - too far.

[#Gary]

"It's the little things that matter"

 

Maybe it's just me but I'd suggest that in future you could stick in a fixtures list, a message about the first game back, or even a leaflet promoting the new kits in alongside this. 

Not concerned, it's Monday and I've got my season card which is obviously the main thing but little touches can make a difference rather than just chucking the card in an envelope and that's it.

[Rudolph Hucker]

^^^ aye, it's the wee things that natter. Buy yerself a letter-opener, FFS.  That's a disgrace.       

[Colkitto]

Do you still get a new card if you are already a season ticket holder?  Or do you just use the same one from a couple of seasons ago? 

[The Ghost of B A R P]

7 hours ago, AsimButtHitsASix said:

Apart from at the goal when he ball watched before watching the Clyde player peel back and control the ball with his chest before he realised he should close him down. He switches off and ambles around not really doing much too often to play in a deeper, defensive role. 

Sure… he’s far from the finished article or ideal, but he was much more involved than when he plays further forward… when he very often plays no part at all (ambling around, as you say).

MacPherson clearly wants another, more experienced player in centre-mid, but if Jacobs, Lyon, and Blues start against Dunfermline, I’d rather Blues play deeper and let Lyon get forward.

 

[#Gary]

1 hour ago, Colkitto said:

Do you still get a new card if you are already a season ticket holder?  Or do you just use the same one from a couple of seasons ago? 

I had a card from the season before covid hit and received that new one today so I'm not entirely sure tbh. I was half expecting to use the same card.

It is Interstadia though, you could probably swipe a bus ticket and get in.

[vikingTON]

3 hours ago, The Ghost of B A R P said:

Sure… he’s far from the finished article or ideal, but he was much more involved than when he plays further forward… when he very often plays no part at all (ambling around, as you say).

Just because a player has been garbage in other roles does not mean that we grade on a curve when they play elsewhere. 

This revisionism about fucking haddies like Cameron Blues is one of many reasons why we don't have a credible, professional football club. 

 

[The Ghost of B A R P]

1 hour ago, virginton said:

Just because a player has been garbage in other roles does not mean that we grade on a curve when they play elsewhere. 

This revisionism about fucking haddies like Cameron Blues is one of many reasons why we don't have a credible, professional football club. 

 

Nothing to do with revisionism. I’m all too aware of the limitations of Cameron Blues (and wouldn’t have re-signed him)… but he played pretty well on Saturday in a different role.

If he’s going to feature (and given  the size of our squad, he probably is), I’d rather he played there than in the more ‘creative’ role in which he’s routinely failed. That’s all.

[Dunning1874]

The issue with Blues playing in the deeper role if we were playing that 4-1-3-2 system again isn't whether Blues is less ineffective there than he would be in the three (and after two years of consistently looking miles out of his depth in any role against Championship opposition it'll take a lot more than one meaningless game against Clyde to convince me of that) but that you're wasting better players to accommodate him there.

If we go 4-2-3-1 and Jacobs can sit as well then that's less of an issue, but if we only having one player sitting and make that Blues while playing Jacobs as part of that three then you're completely wasting our best midfielder and only credible defensive midfield option in a more attacking role to accommodate a far inferior player.

[Branch Ton]

5 hours ago, Dunning1874 said:

The issue with Blues playing in the deeper role if we were playing that 4-1-3-2 system again isn't whether Blues is less ineffective there than he would be in the three (and after two years of consistently looking miles out of his depth in any role against Championship opposition it'll take a lot more than one meaningless game against Clyde to convince me of that) but that you're wasting better players to accommodate him there.

If we go 4-2-3-1 and Jacobs can sit as well then that's less of an issue, but if we only having one player sitting and make that Blues while playing Jacobs as part of that three then you're completely wasting our best midfielder and only credible defensive midfield option in a more attacking role to accommodate a far inferior player.

101 ways of expressing your irrational hatred of Cameron Blues.

Version 62 with cod tactical analysis still boring as fcuk. Do give it a rest.

[The Ghost of B A R P]

5 hours ago, Dunning1874 said:

 

If we go 4-2-3-1 and Jacobs can sit as well then that's less of an issue

That, believe it or not, was the very simple point I was making.

Whether 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, Blues deeper than Lyon… and deeper than we’re accustomed to seeing him play.

At least until we bring in reinforcements…