UpInTheAyr Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 7 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said: The season being a write off shouldn’t take away from a player improving and potentially becoming an important player for us. I mean, that would be the turnaround of all turnarounds. Going from being first out the door, to playing well in the cup, to being 'fine' in the league, to becoming an important player worthy of a new contract. And I would say he's already had a chance, the entirety of it last season. And he was judged surplus to requirements for this season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 2 minutes ago, UpInTheAyr said: I mean, that would be the turnaround of all turnarounds. Going from being first out the door, to playing well in the cup, to being 'fine' in the league, to becoming an important player worthy of a new contract. And I would say he's already had a chance, the entirety of it last season. And he was judged surplus to requirements for this season. Players perform badly or poorly for any number of reasons. Sean McGinty is evidence that even the worst players can become decent enough if the circumstances suit. Right now Reading is playing well and yeah I think a large part of that is Murphy but he also looks to be playing with more confidence. The good thing is that if he reverts back to poor form and doesn’t recover then he’s out of contract and it’s a chance for a clean break. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) 18 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said: The season being a write off shouldn’t take away from a player improving and potentially becoming an important player for us. If he continues to improve and becomes consistent at what point do we concede that he might be due a new contract? Of course this might be short lived and he reverts back to last seasons form but he deserves a chance. He had already run out of last chances by the end of last season. Only the club's utter incompetence in the transfer window kept him around. The notion that a bad player can be given infinite extra lives because they make it through two or three games without chucking it into their own net is why Ayr's defence routinely ships multiple stupid goals per game. 1 minute ago, D'Jaffo said: Sean McGinty is evidence that even the worst players can become decent enough if the circumstances suit. Sean McGinty is evidence right enough. Edited October 1, 2023 by Thumper 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 That would be one hell of a redemption arc in Reading's case. On a par with McGinty. I'm not convinced Reading has improved at all. He's no longer the weakest link in the team so he doesn't get targeted to the same degree. Any team that does the slightest bit of oppo research realises that Nicholas McAllister is the weak link and looks to exploit it. That used to be Reading. He's not turned into a poundland Maldini. He's just not been asked as many questions at the minute so isn't found wanting as often. He's certainly not worthy of a contract renewal but knowing our recruitment they might be worried we'd sign worse so better to tie him down now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 6 minutes ago, Thumper said: He had already run out of last chances by the end of last season. Only the club's utter incompetence in the transfer window kept him around. The notion that a bad player can be given infinite extra lives because they make it through two or three games without chucking it into their own net is why Ayr's defence routinely ships multiple stupid goals per game. It’s not his fault the club didn’t sign a left back. We’ve got him this season whether we like it or not. And whilst he’s here and playing well then people don’t really have a leg to stand on when it comes to criticising him. If he goes on to have a run of shockers I’ll be on here criticising him but I’m also well within my rights to praise him and think people are being harsh on him at this moment in time. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) 34 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said: It’s not his fault the club didn’t sign a left back. We’ve got him this season whether we like it or not. And whilst he’s here and playing well then people don’t really have a leg to stand on when it comes to criticising him. I'd argue that given that he was at least partly at fault for QP's first last week, a goal which has been shipped constantly for years, and that he's part of a back line which has the second-worst GA in the league (at nearly 2.5 per game), the degree to which he is playing well is not undisputed. And as others have pointed out, one of the reasons for this is simply that the club in their wisdom somehow managed to make right back a worse mess than last season and so this has taken a bit of pressure off him. Ultimately, it's rare indeed that a player is going to fully escape the wrath of the fans even if they are personally playing well in an otherwise shit team. Adeloye got constant bad vibes from elements of the support when he was pretty much the only reason the side didn't get relegated. But this isn't an Adeloye situation. Edited October 1, 2023 by Thumper 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No_Problemo Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) Reading was absolutely awful against Dundee United btw and continually roasted one v one. He has definitely been better in other games, but I still have no faith that he will get the better of someone running at him though. IMO, it would be ridiculously harsh to blame Reading for the second goal yesterday. No idea what McAllister was doing though. The first I don’t really blame anyone bar Bullen - we were chasing shadows as they had more players in the middle of the park. ETA, dropping the only pace we have in defence in Stanger was sheer fucking lunacy - he is our best centre half right now. Edited October 1, 2023 by No_Problemo 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rb123 Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Didn't ever think Brian Gilmour would go from playing for Mark Roberts to being part of a management team taking charge of the rangers 1st team... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 10 minutes ago, Rb123 said: Didn't ever think Brian Gilmour would go from playing for Mark Roberts to being part of a management team taking charge of the rangers 1st team... He’s not even the most ridiculous member of that coaching staff. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Brian 'Hollywood pass' Gilmour. I have fond memories of those balls he played into the corners. When we had Preston & Moore upfront it actually worked quite well. The trouble was, he kept playing those passes when we didn't have anyone who could run onto them! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callum-ayr Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 7 hours ago, D'Jaffo said: Reading was fine yesterday. He wasn’t even in the same post code for the second goal yesterday, causally jogging by the half way line after the ball hit the net 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 17 minutes ago, callum-ayr said: He wasn’t even in the same post code for the second goal yesterday, causally jogging by the half way line after the ball hit the net Which is exactly my point. You can’t criticise him for not getting forward and also criticise him for being out of position when he’s up the other end of the pitch and loses the ball whilst trying to keep it in. We had multiple chances to stop the Raith attack and McGinty, Young and McAllister are all far more at fault for that goal that Reading is. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eez-eh Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 1 hour ago, Rb123 said: Didn't ever think Brian Gilmour would go from playing for Mark Roberts to being part of a management team taking charge of the rangers 1st team... I think this is the second time he’s done it now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shibuya Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) Reading is doing fine at the moment, I certainly don't think he was to blame for the goals yesterday, it was McGinty's shite pass that ultimately led to the second goal. Paddy will stick around until May and then he'll be released and sign for a League 1 side, similar to what Houston did. The right back situation is pretty damning: you've got a full back starting every game who was previously an understudy for a player who is now a sub at QotS. Meanwhile, his 'competition' is so poorly thought of that Bullen visibly winced when he realised McAllister was due a suspension. Edited October 1, 2023 by Shibuya 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrunitedfw Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Reading is still rank rotten and nowhere near the levels required. He may have improved slightly on last season however that isn’t saying much. The biggest reflection on how wrong we have got recruitment is the fact we still have the same two useless fullbacks as last season which every Ayr fan acknowledged was our main weakness. I’ve said it before but I don’t know where we go from here. Bullen has got to go, I think that’s fairly clear however there is no guarantee a new manager comes in and improves us. We need to hope to muster up enough points to stay in the race till January where hopefully we can overhaul the defence. It’s a depressing state of affairs however I’m mellowing to the idea of McCall in short term to stabilise us somewhat. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No_Problemo Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 53 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said: Which is exactly my point. You can’t criticise him for not getting forward and also criticise him for being out of position when he’s up the other end of the pitch and loses the ball whilst trying to keep it in. We had multiple chances to stop the Raith attack and McGinty, Young and McAllister are all far more at fault for that goal that Reading is. Yeah, absolutely this. If a full back goes forward then the rest of the team should be set up to counteract it if the ball is lost - it isn’t the players fault who is out of position. I mean fair enough if it is given away stupidly about thirty yards out but he was literally on the goal line. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Just now, No_Problemo said: Yeah, absolutely this. If a full back goes forward then the rest of the team should be set up to counteract it if the ball is lost - it isn’t the players fault who is out of position. I mean fair enough if it is given away stupidly about thirty yards out but he was literally on the goal line. Tbf it should be a winger or a central midfielder who is covering that space on the left (when the left back has gone forward). It shouldn't be a centre half imo. Again, that's Bullen and his coaching. Your fullbacks pushing forward if part of the plan you should be able to cover the gaps. The players have no idea who's meant to be where. That's evident by the space Raith were allowed consistently in and around our box throughout the game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No_Problemo Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Trogdor said: Tbf it should be a winger or a central midfielder who is covering that space on the left (when the left back has gone forward). It shouldn't be a centre half imo. Again, that's Bullen and his coaching. Your fullbacks pushing forward if part of the plan you should be able to cover the gaps. The players have no idea who's meant to be where. That's evident by the space Raith were allowed consistently in and around our box throughout the game. Also a team selection issue as having a singular defender with pace gives you a better chance of resolving that situation. I’m at the apathy stage already this season, the anger at the signings, team selection, set up etc has now gone. We are better away from home, maybe we can try and cling on to that! Morton have QP and Inverness before they play us too. Edited October 1, 2023 by No_Problemo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Jaffo Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 33 minutes ago, Trogdor said: Tbf it should be a winger or a central midfielder who is covering that space on the left (when the left back has gone forward). It shouldn't be a centre half imo. Again, that's Bullen and his coaching. Your fullbacks pushing forward if part of the plan you should be able to cover the gaps. The players have no idea who's meant to be where. That's evident by the space Raith were allowed consistently in and around our box throughout the game. Yeah absolutely it’s a midfielder for me that has to cover there. Always remember McCall saying that Kerr and Docherty were two brilliant players are covering gaps that allowed full backs to bomb on. Again it’ll come down to learning with Young or Syla that they need to be aware of space and try and fill it. It will also come down to what Bullen has told them to do in that scenario. I’d find it hard to believe he’s told Sean McGinty to abandon his position at centre half and go and try to cover. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 If Reading comes up against someone who is willing to run at him then he’s generally awful. I would imagine other teams have noticed that too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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