The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[D'Jaffo]

16 minutes ago, BukyOHare said:

You don't get "good" Championship teams, you get above average teams but Im struggling to think of many over the time we've been in the league that could be described as good.

Let's be honest the overall standard by and large in the Championship is no more than alright. 

I thought Mutch was ok, I think you're a bit harsh in that he had one good save in the second half but can't remember him being overworked either.

The bottom line for me is that if you don't score goals you aren't winning games and that's where I think most of our focus should be on at the moment.

How to get Rose turned and running at the opposition goal, rather than playing back to goal, getting the ball into the final third for Chalmers and McGeady to play from. Having them around the halfway line is a waste of what they're good at. Getting the best out of Amartey's pace in wide areas.

All things that the coaching team have to work out.

If Rose is playing as a lone striker then holding the ball up is something he is going to have to do. He has to be able to bring Chalmers and McGeady into play and I don’t think that’s his game. Out of possession he was basically dropped into midfield which allowed Lang and Donaldson to get further and further up the pitch. There was no sense that they were struggling with him or under pressure. 
 

Chalmers and McGeady dropped back because there was no way that they were able to play high and wide and still get on the ball. They were basically playing as wing backs trying to protect the defender behind them. At one point Tomlinson came on and both he and Chalmers were playing on the same side to help Ahui out. There’s no way he can come back after tonight. You’d be better with Jordan Houston playing than him. 
 

I don’t think Bullen knows what he wants from his players. McGinty certainly didn’t know what he was being asked to do when he took the huff with the dugout towards the end. Because of the age of the team we are incredibly fragile and once Falkirk starting going after us we crumbled. We were very good at passing the ball from one end of the pitch to the other but there was very little purpose to what we were doing. All the midfielders look like the “keep it tidy” type with Senga being the most adventurous at times but we’re really lacking a creative type, if we want to play the way we are. Going by Bullen’s interview though we’ll be switching back to a 442 and signing a target man so maybe that’s the experiment over with. 

[Iain]

Why would they sign a target man when Mark McKenzie is right there?

[Nelson]

10 minutes ago, Iain said:

Why would they sign a target man when Mark McKenzie is right there?

You have 30 seconds to solve today’s Countdown Conundrum:

H P O E L E S S

[callum-ayr]

I do probably agree we need to divert back to some of how we played last season, 442 being probably the main part of it.  Can be direct at times, but it can't be constant for 90 minutes.  I would probably go with something like this for Thistle:

Albinson

McAllister  Stanger  McGinty  Reading

Chalmers  Senga  Young  Amartey

McKenzie  Rose

Subs: Mutch, Watret, Musonda, Ecrepont, Smith, Syla, McGeady, Murphy, Bryden

I would even go with Tomlinson in on the bench and just bomb out Ecrepont and have Musonda as LB cover.  Both Ahui and Ecrepont hopefully not going to be near starting positions, which is mental given how poor both McAllister and Reading are.

[Richey Edwards]

3 minutes ago, Nelson said:

You have 30 seconds to solve today’s Countdown Conundrum:

H P O E L E S S

E! HELP SOS

[D'Jaffo]

4 minutes ago, callum-ayr said:

I do probably agree we need to divert back to some of how we played last season, 442 being probably the main part of it.  Can be direct at times, but it can't be constant for 90 minutes.  I would probably go with something like this for Thistle:

Albinson

McAllister  Stanger  McGinty  Reading

Chalmers  Senga  Young  Amartey

McKenzie  Rose

Subs: Mutch, Watret, Musonda, Ecrepont, Smith, Syla, McGeady, Murphy, Bryden

I would even go with Tomlinson in on the bench and just bomb out Ecrepont and have Musonda as LB cover.  Both Ahui and Ecrepont hopefully not going to be near starting positions, which is mental given how poor both McAllister and Reading are.

Yep that’s the team I’d go with although I’m maybe in the minority that thinks McGeady can offer something if he has someone to aim at in the box. Would play him on the right and Chalmers on the left and try to stretch teams. 
 

A striker is now the priority but I’m not even sure who would be a viable option in terms of a domestic loan. 

[callum-ayr]

4 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

Yep that’s the team I’d go with although I’m maybe in the minority that thinks McGeady can offer something if he has someone to aim at in the box. Would play him on the right and Chalmers on the left and try to stretch teams. 
 

A striker is now the priority but I’m not even sure who would be a viable option in terms of a domestic loan. 

He has been talking about the lack of supply etc.  We have just brought in 3 midfielders (for obvious reasons) and not one as an attacking minded players.  So there in lies the problem with the recruitment that is not helping Bullen on the park.  Last night all 3 started and all 3 are defensive sitting players, so any tome McGeady or Chalmers got in position, it was only Rose they had to aim for.  Few times Rose got in a position out wide and guess what, no runners from midfield.

[baba douche]

Sorry for intruding on your grief at the moment, but it sounds as though you've got most of the players there that could play a low-block / break type of game.

 

I genuinely don't think you'll be as fcuked as you're making out - but then, I've not actually watched you yet this season...

Edited September 6, 2023 by baba douche

[itzdrk]

Sorry but I don't buy this 'recruitment team' have fucked over Bullen chat.  

My understanding is that the 'team' is made up of a scout who identifies targets.  Bullen, who agrees/disagrees whether we should pursue the target and Mathie who makes the deal happen if possible.  

By playing a key role in the process how have others fucked this for him? 

[No_Problemo]

53 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

If Rose is playing as a lone striker then holding the ball up is something he is going to have to do. He has to be able to bring Chalmers and McGeady into play and I don’t think that’s his game. Out of possession he was basically dropped into midfield which allowed Lang and Donaldson to get further and further up the pitch. There was no sense that they were struggling with him or under pressure. 
 

Chalmers and McGeady dropped back because there was no way that they were able to play high and wide and still get on the ball. They were basically playing as wing backs trying to protect the defender behind them. At one point Tomlinson came on and both he and Chalmers were playing on the same side to help Ahui out. There’s no way he can come back after tonight. You’d be better with Jordan Houston playing than him. 
 

I don’t think Bullen knows what he wants from his players. McGinty certainly didn’t know what he was being asked to do when he took the huff with the dugout towards the end. Because of the age of the team we are incredibly fragile and once Falkirk starting going after us we crumbled. We were very good at passing the ball from one end of the pitch to the other but there was very little purpose to what we were doing. All the midfielders look like the “keep it tidy” type with Senga being the most adventurous at times but we’re really lacking a creative type, if we want to play the way we are. Going by Bullen’s interview though we’ll be switching back to a 442 and signing a target man so maybe that’s the experiment over with. 

Yeah - again I just don’t understand the recruitment and how it fits this style Bullen wants to play. Rose was absolutely terrible at attempting to hold the ball up, even the absolute basics of it - I think he might even be worse than Bryden at it which is pretty incredible. If your focal point striker can’t do that, you have no chance!

Fully agreed with the rest, although I don’t see what Senga did that was adventurous! 

If he ditches this style immediately, then I genuinely don’t even know what to say. He has implemented it cluelessly.

Edited September 6, 2023 by No_Problemo

[callum-ayr]

2 minutes ago, itzdrk said:

Sorry but I don't buy this 'recruitment team' have fucked over Bullen chat.  

My understanding is that the 'team' is made up of a scout who identifies targets.  Bullen, who agrees/disagrees whether we should pursue the target and Mathie who makes the deal happen if possible.  

By playing a key role in the process how have others fucked this for him? 

Bullen isn't actively going out and doing the scouting/bringing in his own players.  He made it quite clear we needed senior players this season and wanted to add to the full back areas.  We've just signed 3 players for CM that have a total of 13 games between them in senior football prior to their Ayr United debuts.  That isn't what he's went into this window asking for, regardless of injuries. SYla on a 2 year deal with no senior games at 23 years old f**k sake 

[AnonGuy7991]

12 minutes ago, callum-ayr said:

He has been talking about the lack of supply etc.  We have just brought in 3 midfielders (for obvious reasons) and not one as an attacking minded players.  So there in lies the problem with the recruitment that is not helping Bullen on the park.  Last night all 3 started and all 3 are defensive sitting players, so any tome McGeady or Chalmers got in position, it was only Rose they had to aim for.  Few times Rose got in a position out wide and guess what, no runners from midfield.

You say this as if it’s any different to last season? Our wingers were constantly too deep to help out defensively as our full backs weren’t trusted to defend 1v1 and needed cover to make it a 2v1. Knock on effect to this is when we win it your wingers are in much deeper positions and less effective going forward. 
 

Just because you’ve fancier names with mcgeady and Chalmers this season doesn’t mean anything will change.

[No_Problemo]

7 minutes ago, callum-ayr said:

Bullen isn't actively going out and doing the scouting/bringing in his own players.  He made it quite clear we needed senior players this season and wanted to add to the full back areas.  We've just signed 3 players for CM that have a total of 13 games between them in senior football prior to their Ayr United debuts.  That isn't what he's went into this window asking for, regardless of injuries. SYla on a 2 year deal with no senior games at 23 years old f**k sake 

To have the chance to address your central midfield issues, and go out and do what they did is quite incredible. 

I do wonder if there is a way to send Ahui back now and at least attempt to sign an actual first choice full back on loan. 

[itzdrk]

6 minutes ago, callum-ayr said:

Bullen isn't actively going out and doing the scouting/bringing in his own players.  He made it quite clear we needed senior players this season and wanted to add to the full back areas.  We've just signed 3 players for CM that have a total of 13 games between them in senior football prior to their Ayr United debuts.  That isn't what he's went into this window asking for, regardless of injuries. SYla on a 2 year deal with no senior games at 23 years old f**k sake 

No exactly, a scout does this (possibly Glendinning).  They then bring potential targets (I presume based on agreed criteria) back and Bullen has to agree for it to progress.  

Maybe he's not bothering his arse to check out what he's agreeing to but that's not the fault of others (who have clearly done their own poor job when it comes to talent identification). 

[No_Problemo]

2 minutes ago, itzdrk said:

No exactly, a scout does this (possibly Glendinning).  They then bring potential targets (I presume based on agreed criteria) back and Bullen has to agree for it to progress.  

Maybe he's not bothering his arse to check out what he's agreeing to but that's not the fault of others (who have clearly done their own poor job when it comes to talent identification). 

He definitely has a part to play, and isn’t completely out of the process - but what the actual f**k is Glendinning bringing back to them…

Defenders that can’t defend or go forward, midfielders that don’t do very much and attackers that can’t hold the ball up or act as a focal point as a lone fucking striker

[UpInTheAyr]

I wonder if there will be a dreaded vote of confidence this week since there's no game on Saturday. Or some kind of Mathie statement. Or maybe they are holding off till after the Thistle game. A skudding from them and I think the decision will be out of their hands at that point. I can actually see him holding on to his job if it's only 2 or 3 though

[D'Jaffo]

2 minutes ago, No_Problemo said:

He definitely has a part to play, and isn’t completely out of the process - but what the actual f**k is Glendinning bringing back to them…

Defenders that can’t defend or go forward, midfielders that don’t do very much and attackers that can’t hold the ball up or act as a focal point as a lone fucking striker

You definitely look at Ahui and wonder what we’ve seen in him. He’s arguably the worst one Glendinning has suggested as afaik Gondoh and Bangala weren’t his suggestions. 
 

At the end of the day it’s a collective responsibility and watching last night it looked like the players aren’t suited to what Bullen wants them to do. FWIW I don’t think we’re a million miles off it but we’re now looking to fill the hardest position on the pitch there is and will be relying on another young loan player to do it. 

[diegomarahenry]

1 minute ago, UpInTheAyr said:

I wonder if there will be a dreaded vote of confidence this week since there's no game on Saturday. Or some kind of Mathie statement. Or maybe they are holding off till after the Thistle game. A skudding from them and I think the decision will be out of their hands at that point. I can actually see him holding on to his job if it's only 2 or 3 though

It'll either be silence or an out of the blue announcement he's gone. 

There is 10 days before the next game, a lot of people will calm down in that time and be hoping for a result against Thistle. There would be no point in the board making a statement on him if they want him to be in the dugout next week. 

[No_Problemo]

1 minute ago, D'Jaffo said:

You definitely look at Ahui and wonder what we’ve seen in him. He’s arguably the worst one Glendinning has suggested as afaik Gondoh and Bangala weren’t his suggestions. 
 

At the end of the day it’s a collective responsibility and watching last night it looked like the players aren’t suited to what Bullen wants them to do. FWIW I don’t think we’re a million miles off it but we’re now looking to fill the hardest position on the pitch there is and will be relying on another young loan player to do it. 

The only thing I don’t agree with is that we aren’t a million miles off it - I think we are, so many issues and just inept all over the place. Partick are going to ragdoll us and I have no faith that the recruitment Bullen is talking about will be any good. 

Our real issue is no decent manager is going to touch us with the standard of player being recruited - it’ll need to change completely to get any decent options. I think we also need to think about the previous club Glendinning was at too and how they were relegated..

[diegomarahenry]

I am more concerned about who is doing opposition analysis. Falkirk had us nailed from kick-off and knew how to get at us. I can't think of any time we have ever done that in the last 2 years.