"The ICT Thread - From the Premiership to the Seaside"

[PB1994]

8 minutes ago, NorthStand10 said:

The first half was dreadful and the second half was excellent. I won’t go into detail regarding the match as other folk already have. The contrast in performance really should give us a clear indication of who / what we need going forward. 

My slight concerns were Davidson who hopefully just needs time and Devine, who frankly looks like the Devine of old without Deas and Broadfoot next to him.
 

Special mention to Bray who I thought was excellent at only 17. I shouldn’t compare young players (especially after 1 match) but if that’s his natural position (?) then I do wonder where it leaves Hyde. Probably Elgin.

 

I wouldn’t go as far to say we were excellent in the second half but it was better than the first. The concerning part of it is that I think it was mostly down to the Airdrie getting tired. They looked like they were blowing out their arses with about 20 mins to go and that is when we managed to get back into the game and really on top.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, PB1994 said:

I wouldn’t go as far to say we were excellent in the second half but it was better than the first. The concerning part of it is that I think it was mostly down to the Airdrie getting tired. They looked like they were blowing out their arses with about 20 mins to go and that is when we managed to get back into the game and really on top.

I think it was more than just better. The high press we deployed was excellent and ultimately got us back into the match. I know I preferred that than the usual hopeful long ball that’s been rightly criticised when we’re chasing a game. 


 

[Stephen Malkmus]

6 hours ago, NorthStand10 said:

I think it was more than just better. The high press we deployed was excellent and ultimately got us back into the match. I know I preferred that than the usual hopeful long ball that’s been rightly criticised when we’re chasing a game. 


 

The relative success of the high press was more a function of Airdrie being knackered and still led to us conceding the winner due to the space we were leaving at the back. 

Dodds needs to be starting his best XI against Dundee so we can at least try to breed some understanding into our defence before the league starts.

[TheScarf]

An utterly disgusting first half defensive display which meant penalties at best for us, which in the end didn't come to fruition.

It's like the Robbo/McCann team of 20/21 this lot, we need to be a goal or two behind before we turn into a side that can score at will.  Keith Bray looks a real talent. Like others have said, Davidson looks nervous but hopefully he's just bedding into the team.

I sometimes wonder what we'd do without Dave Carson.  He's turned into such an important player for us.  Some of his tackling and interceptions in the 2nd half kept Airdrie just at 3 goals for sure.

With Devine, Duffy, Delaney and Ram as our centre back options, we're going to concede a fucking shit tonne of goals this season.  It's not going to be pretty IMO.  

[Passionate]

1 hour ago, Stephen Malkmus said:

The relative success of the high press was more a function of Airdrie being knackered and still led to us conceding the winner due to the space we were leaving at the back. 

Dodds needs to be starting his best XI against Dundee so we can at least try to breed some understanding into our defence before the league starts.

The one thing that stuck out for ICT was the depth of squad,  you were getting played off the park first half, Dodds changed it up and basically changed half the team to get a response and it worked and you could argue you deserved a draw,  that squad depth can take you far in this league,   Airdrie who quite rightly are getting a lot of plaudits have a threadbare squad and once form and injuries begin to bite in this physical league, results become affected...

 

Saw yourselves at Dumbarton last week and the same arguably should have got something out of that game,  still think you will finish second or third this season..

[TheScarf]

3 minutes ago, Passionate said:

The one thing that stuck out for ICT was the depth of squad,  you were getting played off the park first half, Dodds changed it up and basically changed half the team to get a response and it worked and you could argue you deserved a draw,  that squad depth can take you far in this league,   Airdrie who quite rightly are getting a lot of plaudits have a threadbare squad and once form and injuries begin to bite in this physical league, results become affected...

 

Saw yourselves at Dumbarton last week and the same arguably should have got something out of that game,  still think you will finish second or third this season..

I said exactly the same last night at the game.  Your starting 11 (plus the boy Gallagher who came on) looks strong, but the bench doesn't look to have much depth, and we dominated the second half when Dodds changed half the team.

I think we have a better squad than you, but you clearly have a much better manager.  I'd lump Airdrie and Morton in the same category, worse squads than us, but far better managers, and I think that'll show in May.

[ICTChris]

I'm just hoping that these can be written off as pre-season games.  I haven't seen much of the game last night but we made basic errors defensively against Dumbarton.  I don't think we know who the best partner for Devine is and we haven't signed anyone to replace Deas.

In the middle we've lost a strong player in Allardice - it looks like we are going to replace him with Carson, we'll see how that goes.

We've lost two pacey wide men in Henderson and MacKay and haven't really replaced them either. Maybe Longstaff is the man for that, maybe a young lad will step up.  

[PB1994]

8 hours ago, NorthStand10 said:

I think it was more than just better. The high press we deployed was excellent and ultimately got us back into the match. I know I preferred that than the usual hopeful long ball that’s been rightly criticised when we’re chasing a game. 


 

Airdrie were the better team until we scored in the second half still. Yes the high press was much better than watching the usual shite but it was only so effective because Airdrie were buggered after doing the same thing to us for an hour.

It was a better second half performance but no more than that.

[Stephen Malkmus]

Charlie Gilmour's goal was a banger. The jury's still out on him but hopefully he contributes more goals than Allardice did at least.

Also, why do the club not charge for a stream when there are streams of all our home games on streaming sites anyway? The infrastructure is clearly there so we might as well make some money from it.

[Chapelhall chap]

Enjoyed seeing my first Airdrieonians win in Inverness. 

ICT had to be better in second half and I'll be honest in saying I thought we were going to lose a third but somehow Todororov got the decisive winner. Too far away to see Rae's save and it made the journey home easier.

Being in the South stand made hearing any PA impossible - is there one there.?

Still think we're a bit light in squad quality and it will be a long tough season. I'd expect ICT to improve over the times ahead. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Stephen Malkmus said:

The relative success of the high press was more a function of Airdrie being knackered and still led to us conceding the winner due to the space we were leaving at the back. 

Dodds needs to be starting his best XI against Dundee so we can at least try to breed some understanding into our defence before the league starts.

 

52 minutes ago, PB1994 said:

Airdrie were the better team until we scored in the second half still. Yes the high press was much better than watching the usual shite but it was only so effective because Airdrie were buggered after doing the same thing to us for an hour.

It was a better second half performance but no more than that.

To be honest that’s Airdries style and we nullified it by pressing high. I’m not sure their suspected fatigue dictated them playing that way, it’s just the way they play. 

Fair enough if you only consider the difference between both halves as being “better but nothing more.” The first half was atrocious, the second half we were very good in my opinion and the gulf was large, especially the final 30.

We’ll see how things play out going into the league season but I’m not confident with the current squad, 2 or 3 additions are needed. Logan Chalmers, Reece McAlear and a centre back. The defence smells of multiple Brad McKays and we haven’t replaced the deadly final ball of Jay Henderson which will be tough, probably impossible.

 

 

[Diamond1924]

1 hour ago, TheScarf said:

I said exactly the same last night at the game.  Your starting 11 (plus the boy Gallagher who came on) looks strong, but the bench doesn't look to have much depth, and we dominated the second half when Dodds changed half the team.

I think we have a better squad than you, but you clearly have a much better manager.  I'd lump Airdrie and Morton in the same category, worse squads than us, but far better managers, and I think that'll show in May.

Fair assessment. Your squad depth definitely showed last night as you have the players to change a game. We simply do not but our starting 11 are well drilled and capable of giving anyone a game. I think we’ve done enough in this league cup (albeit early days) to demonstrate that we’re a decent side and deserve to be in the championship. 
 

Can still see you lot challenging this year so nothing to worry about just yet.

 

[ICTChris]

Watched the highlights, all three goals came from us losing possession of the ball in our own half.  

[sophia]

6 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

Watched the highlights, all three goals came from us losing possession of the ball in our own half.  

Yes, just the thing Billy Dodds warned them about pre-match.

It's clearly Billy's fault.

[SandyCromarty]

On 26/07/2023 at 09:16, TheScarf said:

I said exactly the same last night at the game.  Your starting 11 (plus the boy Gallagher who came on) looks strong, but the bench doesn't look to have much depth, and we dominated the second half when Dodds changed half the team.

I think we have a better squad than you, but you clearly have a much better manager.  I'd lump Airdrie and Morton in the same category, worse squads than us, but far better managers, and I think that'll show in May.

I mentioned on the cup thread that Airdrie would be on a high after sat's result, wasn't at the game but to make three subs at half time suggests that not enough homework or game plan was in place for the first half, but then to control the second half, as mentioned here, and still lose the game at home strengthens Scarfs second paragraph.

[TheScarf]

It was clear after about 30 seconds last night to me and others around me, including Ross Tokely, that Airdrie had an extra (and free) man in the centre of the park and were easily able to shift the ball through him to their wide men and striker with ease. 

Our shape only changed when we were 2-0 down and chasing the game. The fuck is the point reacting at that point?

Edited July 26, 2023 by TheScarf

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

It was clear after about 30 seconds last night to me and others around me, including Ross Tokely, that Airdrie had an extra (and free) man in the centre of the park and were easily able to shift the ball through him to their wide men and striker with ease. 

Our shape only changed when we were 2-0 down and chasing the game. The f**k is the point reacting at that point?

The goalkeeper playing a sweeper role was often their free man too. Anyone know why Welsh wasn’t playing?

[TheScarf]

11 minutes ago, NorthStand10 said:

The goalkeeper playing a sweeper role was often their free man too. Anyone know why Welsh wasn’t playing?

I think he got a head knock against Dumbarton so was probably not playing as a precaution. He was at the front of the stand before the game and wasn’t limping or hobbling so it was probably due to that.

[PB1994]

48 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

It was clear after about 30 seconds last night to me and others around me, including Ross Tokely, that Airdrie had an extra (and free) man in the centre of the park and were easily able to shift the ball through him to their wide men and striker with ease. 

Our shape only changed when we were 2-0 down and chasing the game. The f**k is the point reacting at that point?

Noticed this as well. Doran was up marking the centre back which left it 3 v 2 in the middle of the park. Couldn’t believe it. Let the centre backs have the ball all day long. 

Edited July 26, 2023 by PB1994

[TheScarf]

You just fucking knew Todorov would score last night. We all should’ve put ten grand on it.