Forfar Athletic News 2018 onwards

[lwh]

1 hour ago, Bridie Vision said:

The central midfield debate is an interesting one, so I'll give my opinions. However, I'll preface it by saying this is a positive debate to have, no way should we be slagging off either player. 

Slater and Robson are both classy, incredible players and any lower league team would love to have either one, so the fact we have both (for now) is brilliant. The problem is, is that they are both really similar players. That's why Hutton + Slater or Robson is an effective midfield two. Hutton is your ball winner and deeper midfielder that'll drop into defence when needed and Craig/Finn is your visionary man who will play the passes and look for attacking options.

When you put Slater & Robson together in a two, or part of a 3 man midfield. They both try to do that same job and inevitably stumbling upon each other. Considering that, it's then not surprising that since Craig's comeback from injury one or both of Craig and Finn have put in poor performances. If I had to choose one or the other I'd probably go for Slater as he has more experience but would be happy to keep both. As it stands with rumours circling neither of them will be at the club come August. Craig to Arbroath and Finn back to Dundee United, pushing for the starting XI but most likely a useful option from the bench for the Tangerines.

My preferred formation for the Loons has flip-flopped throughout  the season but from now on and potentially going into the playoffs I'd play a 4-2-3-1 with Seb Ross number 10 and Hutton playing alongside Slater, as I feel that gives us the most balanced midfield. Hutton deep winning tackles, Slater (or equally Robson) playmaking and Seb being the attacking runner, supporting Ben upfront but also drifting wide to help Thommo/Flanny/Stef whoever's out wide at that point in the game.

Finally, I'll reiterate my original point, these debates are good debates to have, much better than last autumn where we unbelievably played Aitken and Harkins as wingers!

I think Robson is more than capable of playing the Hutton role if asked, he’s a good tackler and a good reader of the game for his age. Not that Hutton has done anything wrong but I’d like to give Robson and Slater a try. both have more quality on the ball.

[Guest]

9 hours ago, lwh said:

I think Robson is more than capable of playing the Hutton role if asked, he’s a good tackler and a good reader of the game for his age. Not that Hutton has done anything wrong but I’d like to give Robson and Slater a try. both have more quality on the ball.

Slater & Robson started against Stirling in the Midweek game & got totally overrun as the game went on. 

 

Hutton is a must.

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Bridie Vision said:

The central midfield debate is an interesting one, so I'll give my opinions. However, I'll preface it by saying this is a positive debate to have, no way should we be slagging off either player. 

Slater and Robson are both classy, incredible players and any lower league team would love to have either one, so the fact we have both (for now) is brilliant. The problem is, is that they are both really similar players. That's why Hutton + Slater or Robson is an effective midfield two. Hutton is your ball winner and deeper midfielder that'll drop into defence when needed and Craig/Finn is your visionary man who will play the passes and look for attacking options.

When you put Slater & Robson together in a two, or part of a 3 man midfield. They both try to do that same job and inevitably stumbling upon each other. Considering that, it's then not surprising that since Craig's comeback from injury one or both of Craig and Finn have put in poor performances. If I had to choose one or the other I'd probably go for Slater as he has more experience but would be happy to keep both. As it stands with rumours circling neither of them will be at the club come August. Craig to Arbroath and Finn back to Dundee United, pushing for the starting XI but most likely a useful option from the bench for the Tangerines.

My preferred formation for the Loons has flip-flopped throughout  the season but from now on and potentially going into the playoffs I'd play a 4-2-3-1 with Seb Ross number 10 and Hutton playing alongside Slater, as I feel that gives us the most balanced midfield. Hutton deep winning tackles, Slater (or equally Robson) playmaking and Seb being the attacking runner, supporting Ben upfront but also drifting wide to help Thommo/Flanny/Stef whoever's out wide at that point in the game.

Finally, I'll reiterate my original point, these debates are good debates to have, much better than last autumn where we unbelievably played Aitken and Harkins as wingers!

Hutton isn't a particularly attractive midfielder, yet I worry some underestimate how important he is to the make-up of the midfield.

I'd go Hutton & Slater, but I don't see too much difference should it be Hutton & Robson. 

Bigger issue is Ray's insistence on giving Matty a start every 2-3 games & it's just Munro Shelling it up the park.

[Loon From Outta Toon]

As mentioned above it’s potentially a good headache to have as a manager.

for the run in however I’d like to see us playing 4-4-2 

 

McCallum

Nditi Munro Hutchison Brindley

Thomson Slater Hutton Flanagan

Mcluskey Armour.

I’ve not been too impressed with Ross, he’s look decent in games but anonymous in others when played on the wing, feel him & Robson would be good options coming on from the bench to potentially stretch the game if change is required. Prefer Brindley to Docherty although Sparky had a decent game yesterday he’s just not got the legs required to get back against tougher opponents unfortunately. 

[Loon From Outta Toon]

3 hours ago, TheClosingArguement said:

Slater & Robson started against Stirling in the Midweek game & got totally overrun as the game went on. 

 

Hutton is a must.

Totally agree here, slater & Robson together as a two just doesn’t work & the Stirling game proved that. Leitch ran rings around them.

Hutton does all the dirty work to allow Slater or Robson to spray the ball about. 

[lwh]

Some very loose working out leaves me predicting this as the final standings:

3rd. Stenny - 55 points

4th. Forfar - 54 points 

5th. Annan - 51 points 

6th. East Fife - 50 points

 

[theSilverFox]

Just looking back at our results and under McKinnon we are as follows:

Played 18, Won 9, Drawn 6, Lost 3, Points, Points 33.

Given it’s a 36 game season at that rate we’d be hypothetically finishing on 66 points, that would surely equal first or second place. Oh for having Ray in all season. 

[nofixedability]

2 hours ago, theSilverFox said:

Just looking back at our results and under McKinnon we are as follows:

Played 18, Won 9, Drawn 6, Lost 3, Points, Points 33.

Given it’s a 36 game season at that rate we’d be hypothetically finishing on 66 points, that would surely equal first or second place. Oh for having Ray in all season. 

Even if the Board had acted when everyone knew Irvine was done instead of issuing their ‘statement’ we could have been so much better off.

[lwh]

1 hour ago, nofixedability said:

Even if the Board had acted when everyone knew Irvine was done instead of issuing their ‘statement’ we could have been so much better off.

I’d be keen to know if anyone has ever turned it around after one of those statements. Never, ever seems to end in anything but a sacking a few weeks later

[nofixedability]

36 minutes ago, lwh said:

I’d be keen to know if anyone has ever turned it around after one of those statements. Never, ever seems to end in anything but a sacking a few weeks later

It was bizarre because everyone knew Irvine was done and that he had completely lost the players but the Board doubled down anyway and backed him only to realise a couple of weeks later that actually , yes, he was done. They really risked a major disconnect with the fans at that point and have been at great pains to try to reconnect since ( relatively successfully).

[Guest]

20 hours ago, Loon From Outta Toon said:

Prefer Brindley to Docherty although Sparky had a decent game yesterday he’s just not got the legs required to get back against tougher opponents unfortunately. 

If we could combine Dochertys mind with Brindleys fitness levels we'd have a player.

[RateofKnots]

15 hours ago, nofixedability said:

It was bizarre because everyone knew Irvine was done and that he had completely lost the players but the Board doubled down anyway and backed him only to realise a couple of weeks later that actually , yes, he was done. They really risked a major disconnect with the fans at that point and have been at great pains to try to reconnect since ( relatively successfully).

I think the egos were bruised by the continued mockery of the golf days etc. Meant that they felt they had to say something, but for whatever reason weren't ready to sack Irvine, who looked like he was ready to go in July.

[lwh]

Annan beating Dumbarton is not good. 

[lwh]

1 minute ago, lwh said:

Annan beating Dumbarton is not good. 

East Fife beating Stirling - also not good

[SlipperyP]

Thank you Mr McKinnon.

Now that we have mathematically avoided relegation, let's push on for that playoff place.

Big game on Saturday.

[lwh]

4 hours ago, SlipperyP said:

Thank you Mr McKinnon.

Now that we have mathematically avoided relegation, let's push on for that playoff place.

Big game on Saturday.

I mean it’s not going to happen but we’re not mathematically safe yet 

[SlipperyP]

50 minutes ago, lwh said:

I mean it’s not going to happen but we’re not mathematically safe yet 

We are, bonny and Elgin play each other, they both can then overcome our point total

 

[lwh]

2 hours ago, SlipperyP said:

We are, bonny and Elgin play each other, they both can then overcome our point total

 

Ahh fair play then

[fafc1885]

Someone needs to tell Munro he doesn’t need to shell the ball every time he gets it. He’s become a liability with his constant mistakes and constantly blames everyone else for them.

[lwh]

Worst performance I’ve seen under Ray today and by some distance. So so flat