Kennboy1978 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Maybe this will push for the need of a commanding centre half ? Would that have made any difference tonight or were the goals from daft mistakes in other areas ?I'm just wondering if money is a stumbling block or it's our league position ?Was working tonight so didn't make the game, but I'll take a six goal thriller a week on Saturday......providing it's 6-0. 5-1 at a push. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
She who dares gins Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Queen's Park scored the opener before we had got started, but we went on to play some nice football and score three cracking goals before half-time. Their second was a peach at the start of the second half, and we brought on Schmidt and Higgins for Ryan and Daly. We then had to reshuffle again when MacDonald went off injured, and Queen's got their equaliser. Finally won a loooong penalty shoot-out, and that's about that. We were poor second half, but we changed things about more than I'd expect us to in a league match. All in all it was a pretty entertaining match, and both sides scored some very good goals. Pretty much nailed it. I also think we need to expect some inconsistency as the team settles down, but I'll judge after we get some league games under our belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper81 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Similar to saturday brilliant to watch the first 45. I am looking at the big picture mcbride like the fans also knows we need a couple of players with expeirence to complete the squad. We finished the game with a lot of young players. The team suffered tonight when queens came back into the team we were missing a ball winner and commanding centre half. We have a lot of good young players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 That was decent entertainment. Very good first half and very good going forward. Andy Ryan looks some player. The difference in performance when he went off was noticeable. Disappointing to fade as badly as we did in the 2nd half (should not be giving away a two goal lead) but shows that we need some additions to tighten things up and improve the squad depth. The bench was frightfully young and there was a clear dip in quality when Ryan, Daly and MacDonald came off. Penalties were entertaining too - particularly McLaughlin's. Very cheeky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirdrieOnions Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Overall not bad viewing for £12 with 3 great goals from us and some slick football in the 1st half which should have meant the game was sealed by half time. The concerning thing was the reduction in quality when we made changes in the 2nd half and this only highlights the need for more depth. The starting 11 are working well together but our apprentices are very young with truesdale only being 16 (incidentally thought he did well when he came on with some driving runs and hit the bar with a shot near the end). This means we are vulnerable when teams start brutalising us with punts up the park and bodies battling in midfield. McLaughlin looked great 1st half when we were making space and moving the ball around well but was easily jostled off a few times 2nd half when Queen's Park started pressing and hittting the long ball. Would say we need 3 additional players at a minimum who are equal to or better than what we have to supplement the young guys. We will play some of the best football in the league this year but we won't translate that into points without more experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
touchedbymadness Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Played well for a while, totally in command at h/t but the wafer thin squad affected the 2nd half. We scored 3 cracking goals but conceded 3 absolute howlers. We're in a good place with these promising young players and coach. A couple of extra bodies now for league starting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AirdrieOnions Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 26 minutes ago, Cooper81 said: Similar to saturday brilliant to watch the first 45. I am looking at the big picture mcbride like the fans also knows we need a couple of players with expeirence to complete the squad. We finished the game with a lot of young players. The team suffered tonight when queens came back into the team we were missing a ball winner and commanding centre half. We have a lot of good young players. Completely agree I think we will have 5 of the best young players in the league this year. Scott Stewart and Adam Brown have improved considerably from last season. McLaughlin is also very good technically, still a bit off it physique wise but that will come. Mcintosh again good technically although positionally suspect at times which will improve with experience. Rohan made a couple of errors again tonight but another good prospect. Hope they are all signed up longer term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
touchedbymadness Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 Where to start on last night then? One change from weekend, Conroy missed out, so Fitz played the holding role and Daly came in as the left sided playmaker. First half we were a goal down almost from kick off. A long ball in behind Stewart and McIntosh and we give away a f/k on edge of box. Rohan tipped over the kick and we lose soft goal from the corner unchallenged. But then the magic started. McLaughlin and Daly passed and probed, linked up with the strikers and we looked very good. Ryan equalised with a 20+yard bomb. Then swiftly Brown curled a shot in after Ryan had driven into the box. Ryan then made another run into the box and the cross was eventually teed up by McLaughlin for Russell to put us 3-1 up. A rather superb first half display, some really good displays all round. The formation worked, we looked like a team that could score a lot of goals in the league. My pet hate Fitz actually played really well in the holding role, it suited him better and it let Conor and Daly create. Unfortunately, McLaughlin started the 2nd half with a catastrophic error, dispossessed easily from a short throw in and Malone was left with a free shot at goal to make it 2. But as the game went on it highlighted a problem at throwins in our own half, we dont seem to have a plan with them. Ryan, who'd been our star man, went off quickly at start of 2nd half, replaced by Schmidt, and we rarely threatened again. Schmidt didnt seem to be on the same page as his team mates and offered little. Wondering what made him better option than Prunty or Coogans as back up striker tbh. Daly went off too early on to be replaced by Higgins and swiftly McDonald was injured with Truesdale coming on. About 10 mins to go QP equalised after what looked like a squandered possession or slip by Gorman, I'd like to see the replay on that tbh but it was a f**k up and another soft loss of a goal. Impressive young Truesdale cliped the bar late on and McLaughlin wasnt far off. If game went on a few mins longer I thought we were starting to look like winners again. The 2nd half showed the thinness of the squad. We do really need an experienced organiser at the back to help this young defence, goalie and midfield out. With Fitz's ease into the anchor role I'm wondering if we could do with another central striker as we're f**ked without Ryan and/or Russell. Defence: Apart from a few blunders they played out well and settled but they need a leader. Thata not to single any individual out, they are all good boys. I an only imagine how theyd turn out if they had a leader like a Sandison, Kidd, McManus or Lovering type embedded there to teach them on the park. Midfield: Much better shape with Fitz anchoring it. Fitz got on the ball deep a lot and unlike Hugo he could turn and pass it on. Sometime tried to over play it but a positive development. Conor, error apart, played like a furure star. Once he tries to take control of the game he could be awesome. Daly complimented that on the left but he's more of a dribbler and driver than a passer like Conor. Forwards: Sublime when Ryan was on but lost effect in 2nd half. Russell is a star too from deeper areas and Brown is on crest of a wave. But it drops off fiercely after them. Not a lot to worry about. They still need games to develope undestandings and we should remain patient. Those 2 new faces promised could be all the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_Grimes Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 Never made it last night but attacking play sounds encouraging. For me it's a numbers game, the squad looks light and we could end up relying too much on some really young kids like McLaughlin and truesdale. For their sake in their first season, I think we need to be careful and have the bodies available to take them out now and then. That said, really looking forward to the league ko. Hopefully 2 or 3 new bodies on board by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tory Boy Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 Can't comment on their first goal as I was just getting in as the ball hit the net. But the rest of the first half we were excellent. Some of the best football I've seen airdrie play in years and our 3 goals were crackers. The 2nd half they came out and pressed the game higher up the park. That coupled with our substitutions changed the game. Some of the young lads coming on have ability but are a bit too lightweight just yet. In the 2nd half they dominated midfield. Unfortunately we gifted them their 2 second half goals. Right at the end we seemed to rally again and almost snatched. Very entertaining game. But its obvious we need a couple more experienced players. P.S. I've only been to Thistle at home and last night but I really can't understand some of the moaning about Scott Stewart on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waysider Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 As said earlier I wasn't there last night so can't comment on that but I see Stewart playing right back for a while. Poor tackler and a bit careless in distribution but his ability to cover all the right side of the park make him a manager's dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
touchedbymadness Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 19 minutes ago, Tory Boy said: P.S. I've only been to Thistle at home and last night but I really can't understand some of the moaning about Scott Stewart on here. Old habits die hard TB. I've championed the boy on here for years, and get this, i even had an Airdrie coach who is still with us tell me last year he's only with us because of his dad!!! He got put in his place. Previous managers did him no favours by constantly messing him around. Btw, I dont think right back is his best position. He's not on or near his dad's level defensively but his galloping forward runs are creating havoc and hard to defend. But he should or could be our CDM for years. Shortage of defenders not helping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooper81 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 The big picture scott stewart is being asked to play a new position. I actually believe with time he could be a great right back. Stewart gets himself forward into great positions and looks a serious threat its also important though when he does go forward one of the other players stay back to cover him. He nearly won us the game near the end. Their are positives from last night its just a case of wait and se who is coming in to help the squad. schmidt came on when the team had stopped playing the passing game and i believe he will be a good signing providing we play the passing game were more than capable off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airdrieman Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 I was impressed with Stewart last night. Can see that he still has a lot to learn in the role but I think he could be a very good right - back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tory Boy Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 42 minutes ago, touchedbymadness said: Old habits die hard TB. I've championed the boy on here for years, and get this, i even had an Airdrie coach who is still with us tell me last year he's only with us because of his dad!!! He got put in his place. Previous managers did him no favours by constantly messing him around. Btw, I dont think right back is his best position. He's not on or near his dad's level defensively but his galloping forward runs are creating havoc and hard to defend. But he should or could be our CDM for years. Shortage of defenders not helping. It was just a shame MacDonald was injured, as the plan was obviously to give Higgins a run at rightback and Stewart in midfield. That would have gave us a bit more strength in there and I don't believe we'd have been as dominated in the middle of the park in the 2nd half. A few folk keep going on about the defensive side of the game but last night he made a few great challenges. Every year some of our support pick a fall guy and he seems to have became that player. I really don't know what more he could have done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nipples Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 Just now, Tory Boy said: It was just a shame MacDonald was injured, as the plan was obviously to give Higgins a run at rightback and Stewart in midfield. That would have gave us a bit more strength in there and I don't believe we'd have been as dominated in the middle of the park in the 2nd half. A few folk keep going on about the defensive side of the game but last night he made a few great challenges. Every year some of our support pick a fall guy and he seems to have became that player. I really don't know what more he could have done. Completely agree. Thought he was our best "defensive" defender last night and also pushed on really well. Sometimes guilty of getting a little bit too far beyond the ball too early, but that judgement will improve the more he plays there. His run and shot in the second half was also about the only memorable bit of play in the second half. All in all a fairly promising night, but we seemed a bit lost for ideas when Queen's pushed a bit higher up and with more organisation in the second half. Something that we will definitely need to look at moving forward. Was generally impressed with Ferguson, seemed very confident with the ball at his feet, good distribution and a few good saves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
touchedbymadness Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 6 minutes ago, Tory Boy said: It was just a shame MacDonald was injured, as the plan was obviously to give Higgins a run at rightback and Stewart in midfield. That would have gave us a bit more strength in there and I don't believe we'd have been as dominated in the middle of the park in the 2nd half. A few folk keep going on about the defensive side of the game but last night he made a few great challenges. Every year some of our support pick a fall guy and he seems to have became that player. I really don't know what more he could have done. I dont think that'll last. Unfortunately over the years I've seen it with many players who were goats for a while then won the fans over. Paul Jack had a few years of turmoil before becoming a legend, even the likes of Jim McIntyre got it before blooming. Some folk just dont know what they're talking (or writing) about and a lot of sheep follow. Scott Stewart is only just 20 at the moment and only really just grown into his frame. Hopefully we have him here for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tory Boy Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 35 minutes ago, touchedbymadness said: I dont think that'll last. Unfortunately over the years I've seen it with many players who were goats for a while then won the fans over. Paul Jack had a few years of turmoil before becoming a legend, even the likes of Jim McIntyre got it before blooming. Some folk just dont know what they're talking (or writing) about and a lot of sheep follow. Scott Stewart is only just 20 at the moment and only really just grown into his frame. Hopefully we have him here for a long time. Yeah I can remember Owen Coyle getting dogs abuse and told to f**k off before coming on as a sub up at Easter Road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waysider Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 I also remember somebody posting on the Stomp that Gary Mackay Stevens was the worst player he had ever seen in an Airdrie strip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
touchedbymadness Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 7 minutes ago, Tory Boy said: Yeah I can remember Owen Coyle getting dogs abuse and told to f**k off before coming on as a sub up at Easter Road Haha. I remember that. Think he'd been rumoured to be wanting to leave at that time. I dont mind it as much with experienced pros, many of whom are pimping it and deserve it. But we need to leave off the kids at 21 or under ffs and take that into account. Club should communicate that better too and protect those kids, and not by slagging fans but educating. Young Truesdale looks a serious prospect. At 16 he's still miles away from the finished article but he showed again he can mix it with the seniors. TW must be rubbing his hands at the thought of offers for Rohan, Truesdale and that other 15s kid Lewis Gracie(?). We can do our bit and hope it helps keep us f/t and thriving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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