Rock vs Wheel

[ilostmyself]

Hard to criticise a 5-0. We scored the goals at exactly the right times too. Particularly the third when it looked like Dumbarton were coming back into it. They missed two fantastic chances in that time, if they scored either one of them it'd have been a much different game.

Good to see Alston play well and score too, looks much more at home on the right than the left.

Well done to Baird who gets a decent amount of criticism but looks excellent playing off another striker.

Dumbarton should possibly work on that offside trap...

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

That was a sore one.

We simply weren't anywhere near a performance today. Organisation and communication were non-existant and Baird exploited the confusion at the back with some excellent positioning and well timed runs. Falkirk were good for their win - the score doesn't flatter them today. Baird was fanastic but the service to him was equally good and the Falkirk midfield dominated.

Not really sure what the answer is for Dumbarton. We've got the strongest squad we've had on paper in the past few years. Sadly you don't win games on paper. We lack a creative spark in the middle of the park and we're getting very little playing 1 up front. Our wing play is non-existant. Too many players in that team are playing with the knowledge that they're undroppable and it's showing. There's no fear that anything less than 100% will cost them their place in the side.

We look like a team bereft of leadership, communication and confidence right now. We've got limited options to change the personnel so for me we need to go back to basics with the formation. 4-4-2 might be out of fashion but its an easy formation to play. Everybody knows their job. The extra forward can drop off the main striker and close the gap between midfield and attack. I think we need to go back to a basic formation where we won't have our back 4 and our midfield shouting at each other when yet another offside trap fails and we're picking the ball out the net.

Aitken has no hiding places. This is his team - his players and his tactics. He needs time to get it right and I believe some of the players are letting him down big time, but ultimately his career lives and dies on the team's results. He needs to improve our performances. I hope he can do it, and he deserves time to turn it around, but ultimately if we're struggling come Valentines day then serious questions will be asked of the manager.

Right now we're a team without leadership, organisation, confidence or heart. It has to improve because a relegation battle is what this form will get us.

Bang on with this BSF.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

The team does not currently have a spine, either physically or metaphorically, and tonight it's really difficult to see any positives whatsoever.

Fair play to Falkirk, even when chances are presented on a plate they still need stuck away, but I really don't want to read or hear any 'bad day at the office' shit.

[Silverton End]

That was a sore one.

We simply weren't anywhere near a performance today. Organisation and communication were non-existant and Baird exploited the confusion at the back with some excellent positioning and well timed runs. Falkirk were good for their win - the score doesn't flatter them today. Baird was fanastic but the service to him was equally good and the Falkirk midfield dominated.

Not really sure what the answer is for Dumbarton. We've got the strongest squad we've had on paper in the past few years. Sadly you don't win games on paper. We lack a creative spark in the middle of the park and we're getting very little playing 1 up front. Our wing play is non-existant. Too many players in that team are playing with the knowledge that they're undroppable and it's showing. There's no fear that anything less than 100% will cost them their place in the side.

We look like a team bereft of leadership, communication and confidence right now. We've got limited options to change the personnel so for me we need to go back to basics with the formation. 4-4-2 might be out of fashion but its an easy formation to play. Everybody knows their job. The extra forward can drop off the main striker and close the gap between midfield and attack. I think we need to go back to a basic formation where we won't have our back 4 and our midfield shouting at each other when yet another offside trap fails and we're picking the ball out the net.

Aitken has no hiding places. This is his team - his players and his tactics. He needs time to get it right and I believe some of the players are letting him down big time, but ultimately his career lives and dies on the team's results. He needs to improve our performances. I hope he can do it, and he deserves time to turn it around, but ultimately if we're struggling come Valentines day then serious questions will be asked of the manager.

Right now we're a team without leadership, organisation, confidence or heart. It has to improve because a relegation battle is what this form will get us.

If we're "struggling come Valentine's Day", the Seaside League's are beckoning.

We really miss Andy Graham's shouting, directions & leadership on the pitch. Our current defenders are looking worse in the mistakes dept than Andy ever was.

[Jan Vojáček]

I miss away days to Cliftonhill, Station Park and Somerset to be fair.

[Guest Back Post Misses]

I didn't think we were that brilliant today but took our chances. Dumbarton looked dreadful defensively but carved out two sitters in the first half and missed them. After the third goal the game was done.

Good three points with QOS getting a reeming and Raith losing. St.Cowden lose tomorrow and we can beat them next week we are looking in good shape for the play offs already specially as it looks like Sevco and Hibs will beat most of us. Long way to go though

[Thommo90]

If we're "struggling come Valentine's Day", the Seaside League's are beckoning.

We really miss Andy Graham's shouting, directions & leadership on the pitch. Our current defenders are looking worse in the mistakes dept than Andy ever was.

Said this weeks ago, you wouldn't know who the captain was if he wasn't wearing an armband.

[George Parr]

If we're "struggling come Valentine's Day", the Seaside League's are beckoning.

We really miss Andy Graham's shouting, directions & leadership on the pitch. Our current defenders are looking worse in the mistakes dept than Andy ever was.

Aye, for a guy who's been fairly decent so far this season, Buchanan looked completely out his depth today. Was lead a merry dance. Perhaps Saunders should be moved inside.

[Jan Vojáček]

How many positions did Grant Gallagher get shunted around today? Started at Number 10 alongside Craig, then dropped back a bit to central midfield, then out to right wing and ended up at right wing back.

Why can't we give him a position and let him stick to it?

[The_Kincardine]

Pass marks to Brown, Brophy and Gibson today. Brown didn't shy away from the ball and Brophy and Gibson were they only players who looked like creating anything today. Utterly woeful.

I'm away to cry whilst writing my blog about this, defending worthy of us last season.

I certainly didn't expect today's result - although Falkirk are having a pretty decent season.

I just had a butchers at your profile and you obviously enjoy writing. I'd enjoy having a read of your blog. Care to share a link on here?

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

How many positions did Grant Gallagher get shunted around today? Started at Number 10 alongside Craig, then dropped back a bit to central midfield, then out to right wing and ended up at right wing back.

Why can't we give him a position and let him stick to it?

I must admit Gallagher has a lot to do to convince me he's good enough but it doesn't help that he keeps getting moved around.

I thought he was awful in the 1st half, he looked far better out wide.

I'm starting to wonder if he actually has a strongest position...

[optimistic]

Nothing is working, might get a better shift out of the bench, no harm in trying

[O'Kelly Isley III]

Aye, for a guy who's been fairly decent so far this season, Buchanan looked completely out his depth today. Was lead a merry dance. Perhaps Saunders should be moved inside.

That was all down to confidence, and thus far the lad has done enough to suggest he's a decent acquisition. There were heated exchanges after at least two Falkirk goals between Docherty and Barr, suggesting the skipper was hardly blameless.

The suggestion on Saunders isn't a bad shout, and I'd consider him alongside Buchanan once Taggart is fit. As for Gallagher, perhaps Ross should be given a run meantime.

But it all goes deeper than that - the body language and the movement off the ball is awful, and the collective lack of confidence is painful to behold. That is really worrying given the experience that runs thro this squad.

[Scottylintonstowel]

Dear dear dear.. Hope we don't get drawn against Linlithgow rose in the cup. Better not say it was a bad day at the office. Hopefully we have a plan B. If only Nicky phinn and nishy were still here.

[ShaggerG]

Delighted to score 5 to win but I felt it was generally more us exploiting Dumbarton's failures than being particularly brilliant ourselves. We had some very strong performances from players that maybe we wouldn't expect, Baird, Alston & McHugh when he came on and there weren't really any failures although I thought Vaulks struggled a bit, especially 1st half.

Dumbarton had some decent chances in the 1st half and I felt that there may have been a tug on Gibson when he went right through, should have buried it nevertheless though. The Leahy tackle in the 2nd half looked a fairly clear cut penalty to me and I do think that Bairdy was offside for his 3rd. The 5th goal was a cracker though, great team goal with the pass from Sibbs just perfect.

3 injuries though with Miller, McCracken and Muirhead having to go off. Vaulks also hurt his arm and Leahy was limping near the end. Just hope none of them are too bad with Taiwo seemingly out for some time.

[Jan Vojáček]

I certainly didn't expect today's result - although Falkirk are having a pretty decent season.

I just had a butchers at your profile and you obviously enjoy writing. I'd enjoy having a read of your blog. Care to share a link on here?

Aye, I do, not tonight mind you! This weeks one is the most scathying negative one I've written in a while.

Here's a link to the one which features the Rangers game: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/dumbarton-fc-blog-sons-need-6552120

The rest can be found scattered about here: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/dumbarton-fc

I think in the whole time I've been doing it (since February I think) I've only been happy about one, and that was the 0-0 with Morton. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is write about the game, and other times I let my emotions get too much after a victory and right write the most positive thing you'll ever have read! I do like doing it immediately after than game though, that way the emotion seems to striker strike through!

I did a few reports for the website last season as well. Here's the first ever, against Cowden in April last year. Another turgid performance and game! http://www.dumbartonfootballclub.com/matchreports/?id=765

Edit: Horrific grammar, my defence is that I'm seething, tired and trying to write a blog, post on here and order a takeaway at the same time!

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

Sometimes the last thing you want to do is write about the game, and other times I let my emotions get too much after a victory and right the most positive thing you'll ever have read!

You wont be righting many more with grammar like that

[Jan Vojáček]

You wont be righting many more with grammar like that

Christ. I'll let Moonster take over the blog and I'll pick the team

[The_Kincardine]

Aye, I do, not tonight mind you! This weeks one is the most scathying negative one I've written in a while.

Thanks, chap. There are a few guys here who do blogs/sites/articles and they are always worth a read. I'll enjoy having a butchers.

[MrDust]

Did not expect that result today, I expected a 1-1 or a narrow Falkirk victory. Baird hattrick too, first since Lyle Taylor.

Loy v Dumbarton the last hattrick

Easiest 5-0 I think I've ever seen as a falkirk fan, Dumbarton defence handed us goals and I don't think we had to push it to win. A striker with a hat-trick usually means a wide player or midfielder done well setting them up and they would be MOM but no, Baird for me was MOM, took his goals well and worked his socks off. Outside Baird, I don't think anyone was outstanding, they just played the game to their capabilities...

Can't beat a 5-0 for confidence boost tho