Dunfermline v Dumbarton (league opener) match thread

[We Are Pars Fans!]

Thought it was a good game. I worry about us defensively, think we might get a few hidings this season.
Thought the full backs played well today, Cardle and Higgy were also really good.
Hutton is nowhere near good enough, everytime the ball is near him it looks like it could be a goal.
Reilly needs a goal and missed some really good chances today. Moffat was usual, general play very good however never looked like scoring, time to get him off the pens.

Thomson caused some problems for Us but Dumbarton were just awful defensively, think they will be struggling to stay up this season.

[JamieStevenson]

Huge sigh of relief when the full time whistle went. We've always got to make it difficult for ourselves. Gregory Buchanan was unbelievably awful!

[TheMessiah]

Said as soon as we looked to be losing Fais that I liked the look of Robert Thomson, nothing I saw today changed that opinion, think we missed out on one there.

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

Huge sigh of relief when the full time whistle went. We've always got to make it difficult for ourselves. Gregory Buchanan was unbelievably awful!

Buchanan was by far the best out of our back 4 today.

If you thought he was 'unbelievably awful' (which he wasn't), I'd hate to read your opinion of the other 3.

I thought we were pretty woeful today, not idividually, but collectively. The whole shape and postioning of certain players was woeful. Why was Stevo playing CDM and Thomson at CAM? Why was Sparky dropped for a young guy who's barely even trained with us? Fair enough he made a c**t of it for the 4th but dropping him was absolutely the wrong decision IMO.

Pettigrew looks woefully out of his depth, big Fraz looks done and the lad at left back looked seriously nervous.

Stevie needs to wrap playing c***s out of position and ruining my Saturday's.

[D.A.F.C]

10 minutes ago, TheMessiah said:

Said as soon as we looked to be losing Fais that I liked the look of Robert Thomson, nothing I saw today changed that opinion, think we missed out on one there.

Don't agree. He's a handful but not a goal scorer.

[DAFC.]

Hutton should have done better with it. Stevenson was miles away with hardly a man in the road. I seen it from miles away and Hutton should have too. The least he should have done was push it behind for a corner but he did what he does best and gifted them a goal out of hee haw. 

You could tell Reilly is still a wee bit away from being the finished article due to his injuries but I reckon he'll be a good addition. Still need another striker because we had McMullen and Hopkirk up top at one point. 

[Jan Vojáček]

1 minute ago, D.A.F.C said:

Don't agree. He's a handful but not a goal scorer.

I thought that as well, but 29 goals in 63 starts for Brechin is a fairly impressive record. He's now got 2 in 5 competitive games for us as well which is a promising early return. I like him a lot, he's a proper old fashioned striker. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if he was frozen in time and shipped back from the late 70s.

[Always the Sons]

2 hours ago, The Moonster said:

Hing yer boots up at the door Fraser. Inexcusable.

You usually have a good balance on the game and while that pass for the third was honking, suggesting he hang up his boots is OTT. Thought he was one of the better players, especially while he is playing with an injury given our lack of defensive cover. When he goes down with a knock you know it's a bad one and he never shrugged that off.

The issue as you kept highlighting was Stevenson, our potentially most creative player, trying to act as a defensive midfielder, and they just walked through midfield for first two goals.

 

[pleslie99]

You usually have a good balance on the game and while that pass for the third was honking, suggesting he hang up his boots is OTT. Thought he was one of the better players, especially while he is playing with an injury given our lack of defensive cover. When he goes down with a knock you know it's a bad one and he never shrugged that off.

The issue as you kept highlighting was Stevenson, our potentially most creative player, trying to act as a defensive midfielder, and they just walked through midfield for first two goals.

 

We can't claim we have lack of defensive cover when everyone Stevie signs he claims they are a 'utility' player and can play multiple positions

[Shooboax]

Hiya Dougie 

Hiya ya dick

[aftershocker]

Pars fans being a bit harsh on our performance. Three of our starting eleven signed late this week so not too surprising we were a little disjointed at times. These included our keeper and LB.

I thought we looked dangerous throughout the game which was pleasing. At this level we simply cannot afford to defend like we did first 3rd and 4th goals. At 2-1 the game was very much open and I thought we were more comfortable at the back till we imploded

[Jan Vojáček]

We probably did more attacking in that game today than in every other away league game this year combined. So, whilst the blatant lack of any form of shape, organisation, tactics or defensive awareness was concerning, that was one positive.

[BallochSonsFan]

Bit of a strange one this afternoon.

Dunfermline seemed to dominate midfield and had all the time in the world to pick their passes. There was so little pressure on them to force the Dunfermline player in possession to play the ball rather than allowing them to. That said, take the 2 utter howlers away and I'm not sure that they created as many clear cut chances as their possession should have lead to. At the other end the 3 goals for us hide a multitude of sins. We were absolutely abject in our performance today.

Dunfermline shouldn't have needed to rely on 2 absolutely garbage pieces of defending. With the time and space we were giving them they should have been over the hill and far away long before full time. We give better teams that amount of time and space and last season's game against Queen of the South will seem like a decent result. Cardle took his goals well but Dunfermline could, and possibly should, have created more than they did against a Dumbarton side with all the shape and organisation of a shower of primary school kids having a kick about in the playground.

Dunfermline were pretty good but despite scoring 4 goals they still really need to deliver that killer final ball and finish without the help of suicidal defending. Thats what takes them from being a safe team in this division to a team that could genuinely push for a play-off place like Raith did last season.

Dumbarton were simply abject. Absolutely woeful.

[The Moonster]

14 minutes ago, Always the Sons said:

You usually have a good balance on the game and while that pass for the third was honking, suggesting he hang up his boots is OTT. Thought he was one of the better players, especially while he is playing with an injury given our lack of defensive cover. When he goes down with a knock you know it's a bad one and he never shrugged that off.

The issue as you kept highlighting was Stevenson, our potentially most creative player, trying to act as a defensive midfielder, and they just walked through midfield for first two goals.

 

I did think Fraser was doing pretty well but that third goal killed us today and he had plenty of time to deal with it. It was a howler and a man of that experience should be doing far better. Perhaps asking him to hang up his boots is OTT, I admit, but he should be the one leading us and holding our defence together. He's neither at the moment.

[Thommo90]

Was only two shots on target between them today, think some people aren't clocking that.

Of course Dunfermline deserved the win, but two diddy mistakes cost us.

[Always the Sons]

1 hour ago, cameron2000 said:

Was there anything positive at all for us?

While some of the passing was awful and defensively poor we got to remember where we are. First game away to Dunfermline was always going to be one of the toughest and while very fortunate only lost by one with two  of our most influential players injured. 

Positives ok it's a tough one but let me clutch at straws !  Goal difference could be critical so two late goals valuable. Three players starting their first game been with us only a few days  Martin was good,  great save first half. The Thompson Twins didn't stop and Robert caused problems and in parts when we went for it we looked not bad. I doubt many teams will go there and win they are a very solid team.  

Ok I am a glasses half full person but we got to get behind them and keep the faith.

[lionel wickson]

2 hours ago, Sonsteam of 08 said:

Plenty of energy, good on the ball, runs all day and is relatively quick.

If we'd play him in his natural role and Stevo in his he could be very decent. Looks like he'll do all the running for Stevo.

Looks a massive upgrade on Scott Brown.

[Jan Vojáček]

14 minutes ago, lionel wickson said:

Looks a massive upgrade on Scott Brown.

Indeed he does. I still wouldn't be averse to taking Brown back to play at RB in place of Pettigrew. I lost count of the number of times he was caught miles out of position today.

[adundeemonkey]

Was easy to see why Dumbarton have been shipping goals, and it had nothing to do with your defense. The midfield seems full of guys who want to attack. Nearly everytime you guys went forward there was no one covering at all.

We should have had more today. Missed pen, wonder point blank save from Martin, goal line clearance at corner and save from reilly second half which was exactly where you want to put it.

Credit to Dumbarton for keeping going. If they can get a proper DM who will sit then you have the makings of a team.

One last thing, AJ better make sure we don't see another short corner. Total nonsense.

[Thommo90]

Indeed he does. I still wouldn't be averse to taking Brown back to play at RB in place of Pettigrew. I lost count of the number of times he was caught miles out of position today.

I'd welcome this