Francesc Fabregas Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 First off, I might not be able to make this match - I agreed to go to hospitality at Newcastle for their game with Crystal Palace without checking the fixture list. I tried to work a work but instead I've worked myself into a shoot. The thought of having to watch a pair of sides I have no interest in while my one true love tackles their bogey team with everything at stake makes me feel physically sick. Anyway, enough about my own petty grievances. Stenhousemuir take on the one team they cannot beat: Albion Rovers. Three meetings, two defeats and a draw. I think we were soundly beaten in the first match at Cliftonhill, we should probably have taken something from the second match at Ochilview (if only big Jason Scotland had scored that penalty!), and we gave them a decent game in the most recent encounter. All the signs of steady improvement point to a Stenny win on Saturday! If only it was so easy! I don't know why the Rovers have the Indian sign over us but they seem to perpetually body us, regardless of who's playing for them, who their manager is or how well they're performing. I was really hoping Stranraer had won at the weekend and secured their play-off spot, leaving the Vers with nothing to play for, because they come into this match with everything on the line - win, and if other results go their way, and they finish in fourth. I was hoping they could approach this match in a relaxed fashion, but alas... They looked decent in the highlights from yesterday's match with Forfar Athletic, although I concede their three goals were more or less handed to them. What a brilliant season it's been for them! As for Stenny, we just need to show the same fight and spirit we did against Cowdenbeath. If certain players can reprise their level of performance - Stuart Malcolm, Ross Meechan, Jon Robertson, Alan Cook - then we're in with a good chance. Malcolm had his finest game for us yesterday and I reckon he's at his best when he has nothing to do other than scrap and header, so we need to press the Rovers from the front and force them into long balls so he can clean up. Boys like Ally Love are always up for a duke so we need to be able to match his aggression in the middle of the park. We'll also need to be smarter in how we attack the Rovers. Playing long balls towards Colin McMenamin won't work, it'll just be too easy for the Dunlop brothers to deal with, so we'll need to be more intelligent and try and work the ball out wide before finding Cook and Stephen Stirling on the edge of the area to shoot. The head says we can do it - we shouldn't fear Albion Rovers! - but the heart says the bad run will continue. Stenhousemuir should line up the same way we did on Saturday: - McMenamin - - Gilhaney - Robertson - Beith - Stirling - Cook - - Murray - Malcolm - Meechan - McCormack - - McCabe - I don't want to have to rely on other teams to help us out but the fact that Stranraer are at home to a dismal Cowdenbeath and require a win to ensure the final play-off place is some comfort - I would fancy the Blues to win this one and help us out a bit. (On another note, I hope Forfar can pull off an unlikely win and sucker Brechin City into ninth. I do like Brechin but the poster "theoriginalhedge" is a vile troll and if relegation gets him off this forum and into the League 2 board then so be it. Queen's Park to come up, please.) The thought of missing out on this game makes me wince (I'm hoping to make it back in time for the Player of the Year event at night, God willing) but at least it's all in our own hands. And that's reassuring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEMSFC Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Isn't Angus Beith's loan expired? Thought it was only a 28 day loan and his first game was the 26th of March! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Peter Pernickety at it again. His persistent trolling of Fabregas is obviously personal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikedafc Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Isn't Angus Beith's loan expired? Thought it was only a 28 day loan and his first game was the 26th of March! Yeah think your manager said Cowdenbeath would be his last game on loan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poet of the Macabre Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Cowden will lose at Stranraer so you have nothing to fear. Beating Cowden yesterday secured safety for Stenny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 Yeah think your manager said Cowdenbeath would be his last game on loan That's a shame, he really is a tidy we player. Swap Kieran Millar in for Beith in that case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albino Rover Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 FF always knows what he's talking about, but Colin McMenamin is actually one of the few strikers in the league whom I would expect to win a few headers against Mick Dunlop over the course of 90 minutes. As much as I like Stenhousemuir, I hope two results go against them on Saturday: theirs and Cowden's, the ideal situation being that Forfar beat Brechin to keep Stenny clear of the drop zone. Goal difference could still be of importance to us if Airdrie win, and so we should aim to put the league's worst defenders (A: 77) to the sword, but any win will be satisfactory. No matter what happens, no one can complain: we managed one win in 8 games against Airdrie and Stranraer and to finish above both of them would be an insane stroke of jamminess to cap off an insane, over-achieving season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEMSFC Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Peter Pernickety at it again. His persistent trolling of Fabregas is obviously personal. Yeah, Great trolling when I'm stating a fact that he obviously didn't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 Peter Pernickety at it again. His persistent trolling of Fabregas is obviously personal. I've reported CEMSFC's constant trolling to the moderators and I've been told they'll investigate and report back to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEMSFC Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 I've reported CEMSFC's constant trolling to the moderators and I've been told they'll investigate and report back to me. Great to know that you are always correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 I've reported CEMSFC's constant trolling to the moderators and I've been told they'll investigate and report back to me. Done the same. Strength in numbers m8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin H Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 2-0 Albion rovers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds are Forever Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Interesting to see how Rovers will approach this. If we assume Stranraer are losing/drawing (I don't think they will in the end, but it's the only way this game would be relevant for Rovers and Airdrie) then they need react off what we are doing. A 1 goal win for us would mean Rovers needing to win by 3 goals. For example if Airdrie and Rovers are both 1-0 up with 20 minutes to go, do Rovers go for it and try and get the 2 extra goals and risk losing one? Or do they keep it tight and hope Ayr equalise? If Stranraer do the decent thing and make a mess of it it could be a really interesting afternoon. However I think they'll probably win comfortably and the day will be over by half 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bold Rover Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Yes, I think Stranraer will take care of their own game and deservedly will take fourth place. A draw at Ochilview, methinks. Looking for Ayr to beat Airdrie to leave us fifth and that represents the Rovers' best season in my demicentury of watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEMSFC Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 2-1 Stenny. Cookie and McMenamin with the goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_the_rover Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Yes, I think Stranraer will take care of their own game and deservedly will take fourth place. A draw at Ochilview, methinks. Looking for Ayr to beat Airdrie to leave us fifth and that represents the Rovers' best season in my demicentury of watching. Surly 6th will still be the best season you've seen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bold Rover Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Surly 6th will still be the best season you've seen? True. But how good would it be to finish above Airdrie? The only thing missing from this season is a victory over them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_the_rover Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 This is true big parry was easily their best player in 3 of those games imo Don't know if I would take him back over Ross stewart though (let me explain my reasoning before people start to slate me) Parry is more experienced and the better keeper but would demand a higher wage than young Ross, Could those wages maybe be put to better use somewhere else in the team? Basically what it comes down to for me is who would win you more points, Parry in goals conceding less goals, or a better outfield player who would possibly score more goals Or a third scenario possibly persuade a player who was going to leave in the summer to stay by paying more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bold Rover Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 I don't want Parry back. I agree he played well against us but I'd much prefer to see Stewart develop. Have seen elsewhere that we're after Cox - yes please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albino Rover Posted April 26, 2016 Share Posted April 26, 2016 Stewart is a terrific goalie and IMO could easily be tapped up by a full-time team - maybe one of our guys that Young will take with him to his next club. Parry would certainly be a fine replacement but he has his flaws (kicking and crosses) - there are better keepers out there and it might pay to shop around. The key to the close season will be holding on to our back four, and at the moment that seems quite likely. The best one of them is signed up for next year, and his big brother will probably stay with him. Kyle Turnbull shows signs of great promise but for now has found his level in mid-table L1. I believe Alan Reid is good enough to step up to Ayr or Dumbarton, and possibly beyond if he wanted to, but after ten years here it's hard to picture Albion Rovers without him. I've tried previously to imagine having both David Cox and Ally Love in the same team, but the idea of those two tattooed terriers running opposition defences ragged every week simply blows my mind. With the two of them and an equally prolific spearhead striker in between them, I'd fancy our chances next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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