The Official Airdrieonians Thread - 2019/20 and beyond

[Mr November]

19 minutes ago, airdrieman said:

I think all of those things are probably true but we still pass the ball around nicely and create a ton of chances when he doesn’t play and we’ve probably scored more from Devenny/Telfer free-kicks and corners this season than we have from McCabe set pieces. I’d still have him take a penalty mind you but I’m not sure his ability on the ball is enough to give him a starting spot these days, based on recent evidence. 

I don’t think there’s any argument that McCabe would be one of our best 11 players but the team has more balance without him in midfield. McMaster sits a lot higher and while he doesn’t have the same range of passing as McCabe, he allows the team to be more progressive. Devenny’s running is really useful too and provides a good balance to Frizzell’s movement and quality on the ball. I’d play McCabe at centre back if ATS is out but ideally I’d have him in the dugout, with him or Telfer to come on if we need more control in midfield.

[airdrieman]

3 hours ago, David Fernández said:

Nathan Blockley brings back some memories, he had bags of energy in midfield and I quite liked him, probably had all that energy due to his cocaine habit mind you.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/6976430/scots-footballer-mule-money-laundering-cocaine-habit/amp/

Stefan Milojevic has had an interesting time of things post football. Became a cage fighter then ran a Neo-Nazi, drug trafficking bike gang. 

https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2022/07/01/petrol-head-jailbirds-united-tribuns-biker-gang-jailed-in-mallorca/

Darren McCormack, also a bad egg. *Insert Darren McCormack was murder joke here*. https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/former-hibs-player-darren-mccormack-charged-attempted-murder-592532

[AndyDD]

No injuries incurred, rest for some key players, and a chance to knock off some rust on players who we might end up needing to call upon in the playoff campaign. 

So long as we can say the same on Saturday evening, fine and dandy. 

Go into our first game a week today with a full squad, we've more than a fighting chance to pull it off. We know that, if we hit form, we can get the better of Alloa and Falkirk. I reckon we have it within us to overcome whomever finishes 2nd bottom in the division above, too. All three will likely feel similarly, and that's fair, which is why I'm really not fussed about finishing 3rd or 4th. 

Roll on next Tuesday. 

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

36 minutes ago, AndyDD said:

No injuries incurred, rest for some key players, and a chance to knock off some rust on players who we might end up needing to call upon in the playoff campaign. 

So long as we can say the same on Saturday evening, fine and dandy. 

Go into our first game a week today with a full squad, we've more than a fighting chance to pull it off. We know that, if we hit form, we can get the better of Alloa and Falkirk. I reckon we have it within us to overcome whomever finishes 2nd bottom in the division above, too. All three will likely feel similarly, and that's fair, which is why I'm really not fussed about finishing 3rd or 4th. 

Roll on next Tuesday. 

while I do love the enthusiasm, and on our day we've shown we can beat most teams in the league (Dunfermline and Edinburgh apart), I'll say one thing...... "Airdrie gonna Airdrie".

I'm a massive believer in patterns and history repeating itself etc but I just cant help feel the only way we'll ever get promoted is by winning a league.  More than happy to be proved absolutely wrong btw, more than happy!

[CoveRangers1922]

1 hour ago, AndyDD said:

No injuries incurred, rest for some key players, and a chance to knock off some rust on players who we might end up needing to call upon in the playoff campaign. 

So long as we can say the same on Saturday evening, fine and dandy. 

Go into our first game a week today with a full squad, we've more than a fighting chance to pull it off. We know that, if we hit form, we can get the better of Alloa and Falkirk. I reckon we have it within us to overcome whomever finishes 2nd bottom in the division above, too. All three will likely feel similarly, and that's fair, which is why I'm really not fussed about finishing 3rd or 4th. 

Roll on next Tuesday. 

I agree, regardless of where you finish you should feel confident and have nothing to fear going into the playoffs. All 3 sides at the bottom of the Championship are lacking in some respect.

We barely have any true quality Championship players, perhaps 1 or 2 at a push, and have been conceding a fair few, although stemmed the flow in the last couple of games. Arbroath are struggling for goals (as are we), and Accies are pretty low on confidence.

Hopefully we don't meet you until the final if we do finish 9th. We're far from safe and as much as I really hope we manage to sneak 8th it's statistically more likely we finish rock bottom.

Will be a fascinating playoff whatever happens and a great Championship to be part of next year whoever gets up or stays up.

Edited May 2, 2023 by CoveRangers1922

[CoveRangers1922]

6 minutes ago, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

while I do love the enthusiasm, and on our day we've shown we can beat most teams in the league (Dunfermline and Edinburgh apart), I'll say one thing...... "Airdrie gonna Airdrie".

I'm a massive believer in patterns and history repeating itself etc but I just cant help feel the only way we'll ever get promoted is by winning a league.  More than happy to be proved absolutely wrong btw, more than happy!

How many Championship playoffs have the Diamonds been involved over the last 10 years? By the law of averages you're due to go up sometime or later. Ran out of steam a little in the final 2 years ago but Morton turned in an immense display with at least 1 stunning goal if I remember. Last year I thought was your time, narrow margins.

Playoffs are a b*tch right enough!

[AndyDD]

Just now, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

while I do love the enthusiasm, and on our day we've shown we can beat most teams in the league (Dunfermline and Edinburgh apart), I'll say one thing...... "Airdrie gonna Airdrie".

I'm a massive believer in patterns and history repeating itself etc but I just cant help feel the only way we'll ever get promoted is by winning a league.  More than happy to be proved absolutely wrong btw, more than happy!

Don't get me wrong, we're just as capable of losing to falkirk as we are of beating them, the league games show that. A win each and two draws. Alloa, we fared better against, and looked miles better than them at home, but it would not be some stunning upset for them to beat us either. All three sides will look at it as a very decent chance, at least, of going up. The team in the division above, harder to gauge. 

We'll need our best players to be available, we'll need the front three to click, but we've definitely got it in us.

I don't buy into history and patterns when it comes to football at all, personally; we're pattern seeking animals and ignore cases when the pattern isn't replicated. This side failed to get through the playoffs last year, but all the previous playoff failures have nothing to do with them (okay, I'll grant you Gal and Dycey who were with us for the Morton defeat, too). 

I'm actually of the mind that last season will prove helpful, rather than harmful, but that's possibly the wish being the father of the thought. 

Either way, it's highly unlikely to be dull.

[AndyDD]

5 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

I agree, regardless of where you finish you should feel confident and have nothing to fear going into the playoffs. All 3 sides at the bottom of the Championship are lacking in some respect.

We barely have any true quality Championship players, perhaps 1 or 2 at a push, and have been conceding a fair few, although stemmed the flow in the last couple of games. Arbroath are struggling for goals and Accies are pretty low on confidence.

Hopefully we don't meet you until the final if we do finish 9th. We're far from safe and as much as I really hope we manage to sneak 8th it's statistically more likely we finish rock bottom.

Will be a fascinating playoff whatever happens and a great Championship to be part of next year whoever gets up or stays up.

Cove will be in a totally different mental place than they were for the run-in last season, granted, but those players that having been toiling this year in the division above were more than solid enough to keep us and everyone else at bay last year, so I wouldn't count them out entirely. Fyvie the big loss as we've discussed before, he was the difference maker in the two visits to our place last season, plus the confidence levels and mentality will be entirely different, but the solidity that kept Dundee from scoring could well be enough to keep out any of ourselves, Alloa or Falkirk.

Far from inconceivable that Cove could survive a playoff purely on the basis of reproducing the sort of robustness that has saw them concede only 3 in their last 4 games. Winning in Arbroath and getting a shut out at Dens in very high profile games is no bad going. Those last two games have even given you an arithmetic chance of avoiding the playoffs entirely, as you say. 

If I was betting on it, I'd have both Hamilton and Cove to lose on Friday, but your division is so bonkers this year that I've given up trying to make any presumptions about what will happen. 

The prospect of relegating Cove in a showdown would give me a strong Kevin Keegan feeling, I can't lie, but despite how close the playoffs now are, it's still too early to know their exact make-up.

 

[Mr November]

1 hour ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

How many Championship playoffs have the Diamonds been involved over the last 10 years? By the law of averages you're due to go up sometime or later. Ran out of steam a little in the final 2 years ago but Morton turned in an immense display with at least 1 stunning goal if I remember. Last year I thought was your time, narrow margins.

Playoffs are a b*tch right enough!

I think this will be our ninth attempt since they were introduced in 2006. Since then we’ve lost six finals (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2021 and 2022) and two semi-finals (2010 and 2017). It’s a remarkable record, though caveated by us still ending up in the second tier after losing the 2008, 2009 and 2012 finals because of other teams financial issues. It’s the sort of thing that others think is lucky but actually just leads to us circling the drain for another year.

The last two seasons have been frustrating as we’ve put in big performances in the semi-final second leg only for it to be for nothing. The 3-2 Cove game in 2021 was a cracker, with the two late goals and then Gallagher scoring the winner with his thigh in extra time. Last year we had the Montrose shenanigans, coming from 4-1 down to make it 4-4 (Gallagher’s other thigh scoring the equaliser) before Afolabi turned into prime Olivier Giroud. I still laugh thinking about the nonsense that went on that afternoon.

As you say, last year will always feel like the perfect opportunity. It came down to winning a home game against a team we finished 21 points ahead of and yet we couldn’t manage it, though Queen’s Park absolutely deserved it on the day and across all four games. It’s hard to call this year. This team have it in them to batter any of our possible opponents, however could also easily struggle to play consistently well across four games. 

[CoveRangers1922]

38 minutes ago, Mr November said:

I think this will be our ninth attempt since they were introduced in 2006. Since then we’ve lost six finals (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2021 and 2022) and two semi-finals (2010 and 2017). It’s a remarkable record, though caveated by us still ending up in the second tier after losing the 2008, 2009 and 2012 finals because of other teams financial issues. It’s the sort of thing that others think is lucky but actually just leads to us circling the drain for another year.

The last two seasons have been frustrating as we’ve put in big performances in the semi-final second leg only for it to be for nothing. The 3-2 Cove game in 2021 was a cracker, with the two late goals and then Gallagher scoring the winner with his thigh in extra time. Last year we had the Montrose shenanigans, coming from 4-1 down to make it 4-4 (Gallagher’s other thigh scoring the equaliser) before Afolabi turned into prime Olivier Giroud. I still laugh thinking about the nonsense that went on that afternoon.

As you say, last year will always feel like the perfect opportunity. It came down to winning a home game against a team we finished 21 points ahead of and yet we couldn’t manage it, though Queen’s Park absolutely deserved it on the day and across all four games. It’s hard to call this year. This team have it in them to batter any of our possible opponents, however could also easily struggle to play consistently well across four games. 

That's heartache. 6 finals and 2 semi finals in 17 years, woah. About time that is made right.

As good a chance as any of the playoff candidates this year I feel.

[CoveRangers1922]

1 hour ago, AndyDD said:

Cove will be in a totally different mental place than they were for the run-in last season, granted, but those players that having been toiling this year in the division above were more than solid enough to keep us and everyone else at bay last year, so I wouldn't count them out entirely. Fyvie the big loss as we've discussed before, he was the difference maker in the two visits to our place last season, plus the confidence levels and mentality will be entirely different, but the solidity that kept Dundee from scoring could well be enough to keep out any of ourselves, Alloa or Falkirk.

Far from inconceivable that Cove could survive a playoff purely on the basis of reproducing the sort of robustness that has saw them concede only 3 in their last 4 games. Winning in Arbroath and getting a shut out at Dens in very high profile games is no bad going. Those last two games have even given you an arithmetic chance of avoiding the playoffs entirely, as you say. 

If I was betting on it, I'd have both Hamilton and Cove to lose on Friday, but your division is so bonkers this year that I've given up trying to make any presumptions about what will happen. 

The prospect of relegating Cove in a showdown would give me a strong Kevin Keegan feeling, I can't lie, but despite how close the playoffs now are, it's still too early to know their exact make-up.

 

Fyvie and Yule are massive losses this season compared to last and I'm still not over Harry and Rory leaving. Former was a colossal player for us.

The consensus amongst most is Morton will pick up something if not win on Friday at Balmoral. We're due a home win, haven't had one since 23rd December and Mitch is due a goal,not scored in 10 league games.

Accies vs Hamilton would be a tasty fixture but hope that doesn't happen as it will mean we've been automatically relegated.

Sure the Falkirk fans would also have the Keegan feeling if they relegated us. Hartley not exactly kept in high regard down there it's fair to say

All the best this weekend and with the playoff quest.

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by CoveRangers1922

[David Fernández]

I'd say I'm in the glass half empty camp alongside @++Ammo - Airdrie++ with regards to the play offs. Last season the fightback against Montrose was incredible and after that result I did actually believe we could do it, but even playing against a team who we were 21 points ahead of in the league and a team we hadn't lost a game to all season, we still blew it.

I know Queens Park didn't lose a lot of games or concede very much but last season's final was the best chance we had in years of going up.

This time round we are reliant on a team that has been inconsistent, lacking in squad depth and are capable of a massive collapse. In order to win the play offs, this team have to perform over 4 games and some players to have the game of their lives. 

I think McCabe is definitely doing the correct thing by resting players cause we are going to need everyone, the last few seasons in the final the players looked knackered so hopefully that will help going in this time. 

Our play off record gives me the absolute fear but I really hope I'm proved wrong and finally this will be our year.

Edited May 2, 2023 by David Fernández

[airdrieman]

2 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

How many Championship playoffs have the Diamonds been involved over the last 10 years? By the law of averages you're due to go up sometime or later. Ran out of steam a little in the final 2 years ago but Morton turned in an immense display with at least 1 stunning goal if I remember. Last year I thought was your time, narrow margins.

Playoffs are a b*tch right enough!

 

58 minutes ago, Mr November said:

I think this will be our ninth attempt since they were introduced in 2006. Since then we’ve lost six finals (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2021 and 2022) and two semi-finals (2010 and 2017). It’s a remarkable record, though caveated by us still ending up in the second tier after losing the 2008, 2009 and 2012 finals because of other teams financial issues. It’s the sort of thing that others think is lucky but actually just leads to us circling the drain for another year.

The last two seasons have been frustrating as we’ve put in big performances in the semi-final second leg only for it to be for nothing. The 3-2 Cove game in 2021 was a cracker, with the two late goals and then Gallagher scoring the winner with his thigh in extra time. Last year we had the Montrose shenanigans, coming from 4-1 down to make it 4-4 (Gallagher’s other thigh scoring the equaliser) before Afolabi turned into prime Olivier Giroud. I still laugh thinking about the nonsense that went on that afternoon.

As you say, last year will always feel like the perfect opportunity. It came down to winning a home game against a team we finished 21 points ahead of and yet we couldn’t manage it, though Queen’s Park absolutely deserved it on the day and across all four games. It’s hard to call this year. This team have it in them to batter any of our possible opponents, however could also easily struggle to play consistently well across four games. 

If you include the Hibs play-off in 1997 as well, though that was for the Premiership, then we’re into double figures in play-off attempts now. 

I also believe we’ve never won a home leg of a play-off final? Which is probably even more remarkable than never winning one outright. 

[airdrieman]

 

 

[Mybitchunderprotest]

3 hours ago, AndyDD said:

Don't get me wrong, we're just as capable of losing to falkirk as we are of beating them, the league games show that. A win each and two draws. Alloa, we fared better against, and looked miles better than them at home, but it would not be some stunning upset for them to beat us either. All three sides will look at it as a very decent chance, at least, of going up. The team in the division above, harder to gauge. 

We'll need our best players to be available, we'll need the front three to click, but we've definitely got it in us.

I don't buy into history and patterns when it comes to football at all, personally; we're pattern seeking animals and ignore cases when the pattern isn't replicated. This side failed to get through the playoffs last year, but all the previous playoff failures have nothing to do with them (okay, I'll grant you Gal and Dycey who were with us for the Morton defeat, too). 

I'm actually of the mind that last season will prove helpful, rather than harmful, but that's possibly the wish being the father of the thought. 

Either way, it's highly unlikely to be dull.

I'd be delighted with 4 dull matches which we won on aggregate.

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

4 hours ago, airdrieman said:

 

If you include the Hibs play-off in 1997 as well, though that was for the Premiership, then we’re into double figures in play-off attempts now. 

I also believe we’ve never won a home leg of a play-off final? Which is probably even more remarkable than never winning one outright. 

 

5 hours ago, Mr November said:

I think this will be our ninth attempt since they were introduced in 2006. Since then we’ve lost six finals (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2021 and 2022) and two semi-finals (2010 and 2017). It’s a remarkable record, though caveated by us still ending up in the second tier after losing the 2008, 2009 and 2012 finals because of other teams financial issues. It’s the sort of thing that others think is lucky but actually just leads to us circling the drain for another year.

The last two seasons have been frustrating as we’ve put in big performances in the semi-final second leg only for it to be for nothing. The 3-2 Cove game in 2021 was a cracker, with the two late goals and then Gallagher scoring the winner with his thigh in extra time. Last year we had the Montrose shenanigans, coming from 4-1 down to make it 4-4 (Gallagher’s other thigh scoring the equaliser) before Afolabi turned into prime Olivier Giroud. I still laugh thinking about the nonsense that went on that afternoon.

As you say, last year will always feel like the perfect opportunity. It came down to winning a home game against a team we finished 21 points ahead of and yet we couldn’t manage it, though Queen’s Park absolutely deserved it on the day and across all four games. It’s hard to call this year. This team have it in them to batter any of our possible opponents, however could also easily struggle to play consistently well across four games. 

These two posts are exactly summing up my feelings on the playoffs, I've been at every one of they finals, including that Hibs 97 heartbreak, that feeling of dread waiting for the inevitable shattering ending.

[Mr November]

13 minutes ago, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

 

These two posts are exactly summing up my feelings on the playoffs, I've been at every one of they finals, including that Hibs 97 heartbreak, that feeling of dread waiting for the inevitable shattering ending.

Last year’s final was awful for that. We had a big crowd in but the stadium was silent, the full thing had a lot of nervous energy. As soon as Queen’s Park equalised it felt like it could be a struggle and by the time Murray had taken off all our good forwards it felt inevitable we weren’t going to win, you were just waiting on the second goal coming.

I felt pretty good about the play-offs a few weeks ago but the closer we get, the more I’m starting to feel the same way as you. I think it’s hard not to when since the last league win it’s been almost 20 years of disappointments. What I would say is I don’t care at all where we finish in the league as I’m equally as concerned about playing Falkirk as I am Cove or Hamilton. If this team turn up they’re more than good enough to do it, it’s just whether they’re able to do that for long enough over four games.

[diamondman]

4 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

All the best this weekend and with the playoff quest.

 

Thanks David.

We will surely need it.

 

[Skyline Drifter]

9 hours ago, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

 on our day we've shown we can beat most teams in the league (Dunfermline and Edinburgh apart),

Ahem. *cough*

[Passionate]

7 hours ago, David Fernández said:

I'd say I'm in the glass half empty camp alongside @++Ammo - Airdrie++ with regards to the play offs. Last season the fightback against Montrose was incredible and after that result I did actually believe we could do it, but even playing against a team who we were 21 points ahead of in the league and a team we hadn't lost a game to all season, we still blew it.

I know Queens Park didn't lose a lot of games or concede very much but last season's final was the best chance we had in years of going up.

This time round we are reliant on a team that has been inconsistent, lacking in squad depth and are capable of a massive collapse. In order to win the play offs, this team have to perform over 4 games and some players to have the game of their lives. 

I think McCabe is definitely doing the correct thing by resting players cause we are going to need everyone, the last few seasons in the final the players looked knackered so hopefully that will help going in this time. 

Our play off record gives me the absolute fear but I really hope I'm proved wrong and finally this will be our year.

Good post,  many of our fan base especially on Facebook page are deluded in thinking we just need to turn up and attack, attack attack ,   get6 up and start ' swinging the dick',   the more mature amongst us know we are in for a titanic  battle over 180 maybe more minutes,  as you say we hav e players, who need to play the games of their lives,   personally I would prefer Falkirk in the semi,  on paper a classic,   with Falkirk quite rightly going off Favourite,  can we beat them over 2 Legs,  Yes,   can they beat us over 2 Legs absolutely....

 

the main reason I want Falkirk is I am convinced the championship side whichever one will get to the final,  these teams might have been getting rode all season,  does it matter in the playoffs,  NO,  everybody starts,from scratch and looking at rearguard performances recently from Arbroath, Cove and Hamilton(final) they have proven under pressure hey can find something to dig it out,   something us Falkirk and Aloa maybe lack ,Time will tell..

 

One thing that remains certain is we need out this league and if we fall once again ,    we need Falkirk out ( controversial) the league,  in order for us to have a ,'Shot at Glory ' next season,  where winning the league must be a priority..

 

Onwards and upwards