Cooper81 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Was it Andy Stirling as he had embarasing dive against Albion rovers also it was dive all day long if it was a stumble it was stumble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper81 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Having Lister and cox out was a big loss for us. Stranrear have 2 particular good players in Gibson and Malcolm who wasn't playing today. Malcolm is kind of striker we could do with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulloch Gorum Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 We were atrocious in the first half, and were probably lucky to go in level at the break. Stranraer were much the better side in the first half, even if they didn't create a great deal in the way of clear-cut chances (though Parry had one or two good saves). Inasmuch as there was a show at all in the first 45, it was Gibson that was running it. Even so, I think the best chance for either team in the first half was Airdrie's - when Faria and then Mackin hesitated too long in the box. Should have been 1-0 up then, though it would have been against the run of play. Watt really changed the game for us when he came on. He's struggled recently, but had an excellent game today, seemed to find plenty of space in the middle, passed much better than usual, linked up well with Cadden and MacDonald and looked good going forward. I don't see that Ferguson brings much to the team that's better than O'Neil, and isn't as good going forward. Faria didn't have a great game: broke up play well enough at time, but his passing was sloppy. Cadden didn't look at the races. We need to learn how to defend at set-pieces! Another goal lost at a corner - I make that the fifth goal we've lost from a corner since EWB took over - and we were lucky not to lose one from a free kick in the second half as well. Having said that, it was a welcome novelty to not lose a late goal. With Cox suspended and Lister apparently taking ill this morning, our attack was always going to be weakened today. Even so, I wouldn't have started with Mackin up front, the lad just looks so far out of his depth. It was probably the wrong decision to start with him, but credit where it's due, EWB did rectify that at half time. For next week, I'd start Esposito out right in place of Bain. Bain didn't do a great deal wrong today, but Esposito's pace will be very handy on the break, since I guess we'll spend more time defending than attacking against Ayr. A draw was probably about the right result in the end. Stranraer played better football, but didn't get in behind our defence all that often, and we created the better chances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulloch Gorum Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Speaking of Faria, I hope he's not going to get a post-match red card for whatever that carry-on was at the end. I didn't see the start of it, but there was a bit of handbags going on after the final whistle, and apparently there was a fight in the tunnel as well. Anyone know any more? Ed: seems he got a post-match yellow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue1870 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Aye Stirling did take a dive at rovers. Usually find though now when he is genuinely fouled the ref gives nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper81 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Blue1870 he keeps me in mind of Jamie bain who for a while with us was diving alot. I think Stirling should cut out his game as he is a decent footballer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper81 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 I seen stranrear player get held back in the tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Another poor performance, another poor result, another goal conceded from a set - piece. Watt is our best midfielder and needs to be starting every week. O'Neil is much better than Ferguson whilst Mackin is worse than useless. Hopefully Lister is back next week as I think we're a much weaker side without him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesadilla Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thought we stunk the place out today. Surprised to get a point. EWB is baffling. Prunty is nowhere, then gets a start. Watt has done well in the last few, yet comes on as a sub (and changes it). I don't know man, people rate this c**t but I still think there's a big massive charlatan sign above his napper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chlamydia Kid Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Thought Faria was decent. Never going to stand out but breaks up play and does an important if unspectacular job. Agree though that that was penalty at the end for starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper81 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Prunty started today because Lister was unwell is the rumour and cox was suspended so with playing 2 up top not many options left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper81 Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Faria job stop the other team playing and I think he will prove to be a good signing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 I was very anti - EWB when appointed but seeing as he's likely to be here for the long haul I was happy to give him a chance. I thought he was an incompetent clown, who talked a good game, but was nowhere near good enough to manage this football club. So far I've seen nothing to convince me to change my mind. The same mistakes are made in every game: losing late goals and goals from set pieces, poor/wrong team selection, strange tactics such as every man back in the box to defend that never work and these mistakes are never rectified. I think this season is a write off, and has been from the start, which is a terrible attitude for a professional sports club to have. Next season will be the real time to judge EWB and I hope that he can bring in a better calibre of player who can play the sort of football that he wants them too. But I don't have the same optimism about next season as others have. I hope to be proven wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond Sab Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 First half was dire from Airdrie we sit far too deep with a negative game plan and no out ball or players to collect if ball breaks out.Second half was better with the introduction of Watt and after we scored the midfield pushed forward to the half way line and we went with two wingers so why not start the game that way ? Visiting teams coming to Airdrie know that if you are positive and attack you will get something from the game just keep plugging away and you will get something . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerrdavidson95 Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 Agree about EWB Pesadilla. Looking for the teamsheet every week is an adventure. What formation, what lineup, who is inexplicably dropped? I still think he's out his depth as a 1st team manager. I keep hearing from the academy that he's so structured and talks an amazing game. But at first team level we're stuck with shite like Bain on the right wing that both Boyle and Bollan tried and dumped. He's treated Watt like shit this past month when he's clearly our best player but gives the inferior Faria, who couldnt pass yesterday, and Fitzpatrick, who is just rotten, free reign. O'Neill has been dumped for the inferior loanee, and Prunty (6:2:2 in 10 starts) for us is dumped for that other kid who cant kick his own arse. So much for youth development? Can't believe I'm saying this, I agree with just about everything here except that we need Faria and Fitzpatrick in the team to screen the defence. Watt is the only natural passer of the ball in the team so he has to play behind the striker. Bain has never been a right winger and with a full squad to pick from I'd hope Cox or Cadden would replace him. I don't get why people are calling for Cadden to be dropped, that would leave us with no width whatsoever, okay, he had a poor game yesterday but he's only 19 years old, he needs 1st team game time to develop and iron out the inconsistency. You can see some of EWB's ideas are coming together and some of the football played going forward yesterday was a joy to behold, he just needs to wrap this 'everyone back at corners' garbage and he'll come good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFC1878 Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 It's not the team that is the biggest problem, it's EWBs tactics. The players are only following instructions. I don't understand the criticism of Firzpatrick. For me he has performed consistently all season unlike Watt who had a few poor games and deserved to drop out the team. When he came on last week, and again yesterday, he showed hunger and desire, something that was lacking previously. McDonald has done OK since he came in. Faria likewise although I don't think he's much of a footballer. Mackin was poor last week and again yesterday so was deservedly hooked at half time. Prunty still has something to offer but he needs players round about him. We played the same way yesterday as we would have done had Jimmy been up top, but they're different players so should have changed it to suit. Why did it take EWB until well into the second half to realise that Stranraer had 3 men outside the box at corners and leave Prunty up. They had 3 corners in succession in the 1st half which came about because Parry could only punch the ball clear as far as 1 of the Stranraer players on the edge of the box who duly returned it to where it came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds are Forever Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 If you'd had the same line-up that started the second half yesterday, but replaced Prunty with Lister, and Bain with Cox, then I think that's the best side we've got. First half we were awful, a bit better in the second half and with those changes I think we'd be a lot better. Don't want to be too harsh on Mackin but what it shows is that just being physically big doesn't mean you are able to hold the ball up or bully defenders, compare him to someone like Lister who is maybe not as strong but knows exactly how to play defenders, when to hold the ball and when to win fouls. He has about 15 years experience on Mackin though, so isn't really his fault, but at the moment he is offering nothing. It's a big step from bullying Under 20s centre halfs at development level to getting the better of experienced pros at this level. If he was one of our players I'd maybe see the point in persevering with him until the end of the season, but as he's a loanee I don't really see the point. Similarly the right back Ferguson, I don't rate Chris O'Neil at all but even then he's no worse than Ferguson, so I'd rather give O'Neil a shot until the end of the season to see if he's worth a contract than a guy who's barely any better from another club who will leave at the end of the season anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesadilla Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 We seem to have adopted a purely counter attacking tactic these days, which is a bit odd given how slow and immobile our defenders are. For me, 42% of the possession, at home, against a team lower than us in the league is just not acceptable. Faria did his job well but I cant believe we're set to build a team round a player who's primary function and skillset appears to be breaking up the oppositions attacks. It's just as well Stranraer are pretty dire too as a decent outfit would have horsed us yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds are Forever Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 Fitzpatrick is good enough in a certain role, and I think in certain games - away to Dunfermline, Ayr, Peterhead - having Faria and Fitzpatrick sitting with Watt in front linking to the striker is a good option. I agree that in most games though having Faria and Fitzpatrick as a midfield pairing in a 4 man midfield - like the 1st half yesterday - is not going to work. There needs to be someone who is capable of breaking from midfield, making passes and linking with the strikers, which is not Fitzpatrick's game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2lgm Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 I've absolutely no idea who that player is? Wish we had someone who fits that role. Watt is yer man I think. His goal yesterday was typical break away midfielder getting beyond the striker. He can finish too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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