Albino Rover Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 A dream start at Fortress Cliftonhill- I got my prediction horribly wrong and take my hat off to Albion Rovers for relieving my doubts- for now at least. Josh Mullin had a blinder in front of Alan Reid - also at his best today - playing like a natural in the forward position, and setting up two of the goals (one with each foot, by the way.) He is my choice for man of the match, and possibly our "one to watch" this season. I just singled out Reidy, but hasten to mention that all of the back five were on point today. Stewart in goals plucked everything out of the air, and his kicking is a vast improvement on Neil Parry's. Well done to Killie boy Ross Davidson on a good game, which got off to a great start. I think goals from midfielders and at set-pieces will be important for us; Barrowman contributed little again, the breaking point being when he should have got his head on a sitter (also set up by Mullin, IIRC) but failed. Willis was also a poor performer- but we'll skip over those faults tonight. For the record: I do think that the goals will come from Barrowman, although I don't predict a barrowload. Ayr didn't play particularly badly but there were inherent problems: Doherty was one of their best player at Somerset two weeks ago, and he was wasted at right back. For the final goal Campbell and Murphy at the back were outpaced by John Gemmell. (What a goal that was, by the way: John surprised everybody with that pass to Ally Love.) A Gemmell/Love combination was a huge part of our survival last time around. I said after those two horrifying cup defeats that Darren Young deserves awards if he keeps us up with the squad he built. So far, so good. The problems are still very real, but it's in the midst of danger that the Young genius might become more visible. 3-0 against the supposed dark horses for the title, and still room for improvement? Someone pinch me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloysius Snuffleupagus Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Bloody hell! Where did that performance come from? An absolute sea-change from two weeks ago when Ayr swatted us away effortlessly. It's fair to say we're going to have to rely on effort to bridge the gap in ability that will exist in league games this season, and that's exactly what we saw today. Ally Love was the best example of that, but he wasn't alone, and the midfield in particular worked really hard at controlling the space against technically better players. The defence coped admirably as well, especially at cross balls, and it was good to see Mick Dunlop back on form after two shaky performances in the Cup. It was a strange performance from Ayr. We started quickly: they didn't, but they then had us under the cosh for much of the first and the start of the second half. Then an odd thing happened; they made a double substitution and seemed to stop playing almost immediately, and we were actually quite comfortable victors in the end. So... just another 37 points and we should be fine for 8th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds are Forever Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Docherty right back btw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_AUFC Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Four suspensions today was not expecting much but that is an absolute shafting. Six pointer next week.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callum-ayr Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 To be fair, it was because our other 2 right backs were out suspended. Would still have played McCracken or Crawford there first mind you. Docherty is too important to take out of midfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bold Rover Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 How did your afternoon at the Time Capsule go, Ayr fans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callum-ayr Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 How did your afternoon at the Time Capsule go, Ayr fans? Think we were hoping there would be some Ally MacLeod memorabilia so we could remember what a group of winners was like.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds are Forever Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 To be fair, it was because our other 2 right backs were out suspended. Would still have played McCracken or Crawford there first mind you. Docherty is too important to take out of midfield. I know, but that's just crazy. Shocked to see the score, then I looked at the line-ups. The likes of Adams, Gilmour, Donald and Campbell wouldn't get near any other team in the league (not even us!), add in the fact that your best player is put to right back and the result makes a lot more sense. I know you had a couple of players out, but if Ayr are wanting to win the league that squad is woefully short at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Surprised to see Rovers fans happy at their performance to be honest, very good result against any team in this league but both teams were absolutely dreadful today. Outhwith Gemmell's pass for the third there wasn't a good bit of play in the whole game. Also , i have moaned about it on twitter and im bringing it here too, i watched the game from a grass hill today which the stewards deemed acceptable, 20 yards to my right was an unused terrace. What a joke outfit Ayr United Albion Rovers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pastmaster Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Joke Outfit 3......err..NIL Been on the grapes again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayrdelighted Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Strange decision to play a central midfielder at right-back when you have 2 ready made defenders signed in McCracken and Woods . Come on McCall trust your squad . Wrong team selection today . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Joke Outfit 3......err..NIL Been on the grapes again? You just keep misreading posts there, i certainly wont be giving you the patronising pat on the head you came on here looking for though, Definately a better team than Brechin though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 3-0 to the champions elect Called it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Seriously though, Docherty is an absolute waste at right - back. Poor team selection on McCall's behalf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckfast Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 4 of our players suspended for this game, I think we'll find it a wee bit tougher than our last game against Rovers. Hope I'm proved wrong though. Called it. Next week back to solid defence and the new centre forward, easy win Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegomarahenry Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Missed the game today thankfully, from the highlights, the first goal, Flemming showed Hutton like quality in watching the original cross and then the corner go past him from the comfort of his line, The second it looks like Docherty was bullied out the way and the third I don't know if Campbell thought Gemmill was offside or he was just caught ball watching. All three were bad errors we haven't made in previous weeks with two out of the regular back four suspended and no natural right back in the squad it was likely to cause us problems at the back. My main concern was we didn't seem to have much by the way of chances at the other end. How was Caldwell today? I hope he isn't going the same way as Donnelly, a lot of hope and expectation that wears off about 6 games in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzdrk Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Missed the game today thankfully, from the highlights, the first goal, Flemming showed Hutton like quality in watching the original cross and then the corner go past him from the comfort of his line, The second it looks like Docherty was bullied out the way and the third I don't know if Campbell thought Gemmill was offside or he was just caught ball watching. All three were bad errors we haven't made in previous weeks with two out of the regular back four suspended and no natural right back in the squad it was likely to cause us problems at the back. My main concern was we didn't seem to have much by the way of chances at the other end. How was Caldwell today? I hope he isn't going the same way as Donnelly, a lot of hope and expectation that wears off about 6 games in. I like Ross as a player but nobody had a good game today. What i would say is that he did take up some good positions early on but our build up play was so shocking that he had to come to absolutely shite places to get the ball and basically nobody would have been effective up top today given the service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegomarahenry Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 I like Ross as a player but nobody had a good game today. What i would say is that he did take up some good positions early on but our build up play was so shocking that he had to come to absolutely shite places to get the ball and basically nobody would have been effective up top today given the service. This is why I think I see similarities with him and the Donnelly situation, for weeks he wasn't having a shot at goal and everyone put it down to the lack of service. Caldwell looks a more capable player than Donnelly by a mile though, when Ayr break forward, Caldwell takes the ball in good positions out wide leaving no one in the middle, I'd like to see him play with two wingers where he doesn't need to go wide or alongside another forward who will stay in the middle when he drifts out wide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poet of the Macabre Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Seriously though, Docherty is an absolute waste at right - back. Poor team selection on McCall's behalf. And I suppose you could have picked a better team. Nicky Devlin is the only person capable of playing comfortably at right back. McCracken isn't quick enough or indeed smart with the ball at his feet therefore a poor right back. Murphy and Bobo were needed at CB so therefore it was a toss up between Crawford or Docherty. McCall may have made a poor decision on playing Docherty at RB but I think the majority of Ayr fans trust him (I do) and I fail to see another manager in our league that is better than him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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