The Queen of the South thread

[DUMFRIES_CREW]

The obsession some people have with formations continues to bemuse me. Doesnt really matter that much how we line up, if players are playing well they will pass the ball and move into spaces. If they arenot then they won't. The formation isnt the reason we spent the first half yesterday largely unable to complete a forward pass to feet or a step behind the Cowden players.

We basically didnt turn up until half time and thats not good enough. The same group have been very good so far this season though. Lets hope they are back on form next weekend.

We need a manager. Simple as that.

The board have done some great things at palmerston with the ground etc but have royally fucked up by delaying and not appointing sooner

[Hawk]

Well, I clearly outlined why I think that. Maybe you should do the same. In what ways did the formation contribute significantly to the result?

For what it's worth I'll use some facts to try to explain to you. We were playing against a team who hadn't won a league game in 6 attempts, they have the worst goal difference and have conceded an average of 3 goals a game. We played 1 up front who was very isolated.

They were a team we should have been going after but in the first half we didn't and in fact they did to us what we normally do to teams in that their front two pressed us high up the park. When we changed our formation in the second half and played two up front we looked a lot better and more threatening.

Agreed?

[Swarley]

We need a manager. Simple as that.

The board have done some great things at palmerston with the ground etc but have royally fucked up by delaying and not appointing sooner

Completely agree, one defeat, our season is over, everyone might as well go home....

[Broony88]

The obsession some people have with formations continues to bemuse me. Doesnt really matter that much how we line up, if players are playing well they will pass the ball and move into spaces. If they arenot then they won't. The formation isnt the reason we spent the first half yesterday largely unable to complete a forward pass to feet or a step behind the Cowden players.

We basically didnt turn up until half time and thats not good enough. The same group have been very good so far this season though. Lets hope they are back on form next weekend.

So managers like mourinho have made a cracking career for themselves by just turning up and hoping the players play half decent. What a load of tosh, tactics is the biggest part of the game nowadays and we got that way wrong yesterday and were outnumbered in the key areas.

[Skyline Drifter]

So managers like mourinho have made a cracking career for themselves by just turning up and hoping the players play half decent. What a load of tosh, tactics is the biggest part of the game nowadays and we got that way wrong yesterday and were outnumbered in the key areas.

Tactics and formations are not the same thing. If you asked the Queens fans what the formation actually was yesterday you would get at least three different answers. I thought we started 4-4-2. You clearly don't. As I said, whatever it was it is not the reason we spent most of the first half passing the ball straight to Cowden players. Edited September 28, 2014 by Skyline Drifter

[McGuigan1978]

Your website's tactic board thingymajig says that you had two up front yesterday. Is it a mistake or did one of your forwards play a bit deeper? I know it's probably splitting hairs but I'm just wondering.

Also, while I appreciate that you'll be down about yesterday's defeat at Cowdenbeath, you can always console yourself without the fact you've a Friday night in Kirkcaldy to look forward to soon.

[Northfield 53]

Surely after yesterday the board must see Fowler is not ready yet to be manager.

For a start he is still playing which makes his job more difficult

Johnston was really done as a player and ready to step up.

Fowler has a season or 2 to go yet as a player.

We need someone away from the playing side

My choice would be Danny Lennon

Edited September 28, 2014 by Northfield 53

[SUPERSOUTH]

Surely after yesterday the board must see Fowler is not ready yet to be manager.

For a start he is still playing which makes his job more difficult

Johnston was really done as a player and ready to step up.

Fowler has a season or 2 to go yet as a player.

We need someone away from the playing side

My choice would be Danny Lennon

I thought Fowler was brought in as a coach primarily and player to fill in due to all the injuries we had in midfield ie Burns Kerr McKenna Paton.

[football maniac]

We need a manager. Simple as that.

The board have done some great things at palmerston with the ground etc but have royally fucked up by delaying and not appointing soon

Maybe not! They could well of purely taken the result against Hibs into consideration and rushed into appointing Fowler. So may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Performances not impressed me either. Stephen Aitken the favourite imo

[football maniac]

Anyone any idea when our injured players will be back. Surprised Paton has been out so long. At the time seemed like he twinged his hamstring but didn't look in that much pain so surprised he has missed over 2 months considering that is usually the worse case scenario for a hamstring pull. What was up with Carmichael? Would like to see Kev the American more as hes our best passer and has showed up really well in his last few sub appearances. Fowler not doing it for me as a player

[Homer Thompson]

We need a manager. Simple as that.

The board have done some great things at palmerston with the ground etc but have royally fucked up by delaying and not appointing sooner

Seriously?

For what it's worth I'll use some facts to try to explain to you. We were playing against a team who hadn't won a league game in 6 attempts, they have the worst goal difference and have conceded an average of 3 goals a game. We played 1 up front who was very isolated.

They were a team we should have been going after but in the first half we didn't and in fact they did to us what we normally do to teams in that their front two pressed us high up the park. When we changed our formation in the second half and played two up front we looked a lot better and more threatening.

Agreed?

Im sorry, but thats the footballing equivalent of all cats have four legs. My dog has four legs. My dog is a cat.

I agree we looked more threatening in the second half but the change of formation was only a small part of that. Far more important was the fact that we started actually passing the ball, played far fewer long balls and, probably the biggest contributor, Cowden offered absolutely no attacking threat whatsoever, content to defend deep and hit on the break.

Similarly, the formation in the first half didnt really contribute to the poor passing, the long balls and the defending schoolboys would shudder at

Your website's tactic board thingymajig says that you had two up front yesterday. Is it a mistake or did one of your forwards play a bit deeper? I know it's probably splitting hairs but I'm just wondering.

Also, while I appreciate that you'll be down about yesterday's defeat at Cowdenbeath, you can always console yourself without the fact you've a Friday night in Kirkcaldy to look forward to soon.

Its the same formation we've played the last few games. Two strikers, one playing off the other. I made the same point as you after the Hibs game, whether or not its 4-4-2 with one striker deeper or a 4-4-1-1 is splitting hairs.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Mr X

[Aberdeen Cowden]

Surely after yesterday the board must see Fowler is not ready yet to be manager.

For a start he is still playing which makes his job more difficult

Johnston was really done as a player and ready to step up.

Fowler has a season or 2 to go yet as a player.

We need someone away from the playing side

My choice would be Danny Lennon

Fowler made a big difference to Cowden when we got him on loan last season. Not because of his great play but he did get players motivated.

His best days as a player are behind him, but how often do you get the chance to have someone on trial for the manager's job? He should have left himself out of the team as soon as he was put in temporary charge.

Good luck to him I hope he gets it, don't think you'll be disappointed.

Re yesterday, too many players didn't turn up for your team. Your central defenders were poor and the keeper looked very dodgy.

It was only one game though. Not the end of the world.

[Homer Thompson]

Fowler made a big difference to Cowden when we got him on loan last season. Not because of his great play but he did get players motivated.

His best days as a player are behind him, but how often do you get the chance to have someone on trial for the manager's job? He should have left himself out of the team as soon as he was put in temporary charge.

Good luck to him I hope he gets it, don't think you'll be disappointed.

Re yesterday, too many players didn't turn up for your team. Your central defenders were poor and the keeper looked very dodgy.

It was only one game though. Not the end of the world.

Pretty fair summary. I think, in an ideal world, Fowler would have left himself out of the team when he was put in charge. The problem, though, is that he is one of only 3 fit central midfielders, at the moment. With Kerr returning yesterday, I'd expect Fowler to be in the dugout next Saturday

[Fae_the_'briggs]

I can't understand why some want the Managerial candidates named. Surely in any business job applications are submitted in confidence. If the applicant wants to make it public that's up to them but the club is right not to make names public. Once the successful applicant is named he/she will be told, the unsuccessful applicants will be advised of the decision, thanked, in confidence, for applying, and then the press and fans will be informed. That's how it should be done. Should we appoint an experienced Manager? Experienced Managers tend to cost more money and experience doesn't always guarantee success, although it obviously helps. An experienced Manager may also want to bring in his own assistant/backroom staff which could bring further financial costs. He/She may not want to work with existing coaches, etc. This has all to be taken into consideration by the Board when reaching a decision. Should James Fowler get the job? Financially, probably the best option for the Club, and the players appear to be behind him, although when we have more players fit and he has to drop some of them, this may change. It may also be the ideal time to "bed in" an inexperienced man considering that we realistically aren't expected to challenge for the top three places and should be strong enough over the season to avoid the bottom three spots. Basically the fans have no input in whatever the Board decides we will have to accept that decision and keep behind the team. Fowler has done well enough in his short time in charge, yesterday's performance could have happened under anyone, so he shouldn't be ruled out on that alone.

[CowdenConvert]

It may also be the ideal time to "bed in" an inexperienced man considering that we realistically aren't expected to challenge for the top three places and should be strong enough over the season to avoid the bottom three spots.

Have to disagree with you there. Before a ball was kicked most people would have had the big three up top followed by Falkirk edging you out of 4th. Falkirk have sold some players and weakened considerably whereas you have kept your squad that finished 4th last season. Results so far have shown you to be far better than Falkirk. Hibs look to be this seasons Morton. We're all saying they must turn the corner at some point but will it actually happen?

No reason you can't make top 3. Not a cat in hells chance you'll be bottom half let alone bottom 3.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

Have to disagree with you there. Before a ball was kicked most people would have had the big three up top followed by Falkirk edging you out of 4th. Falkirk have sold some players and weakened considerably whereas you have kept your squad that finished 4th last season. Results so far have shown you to be far better than Falkirk. Hibs look to be this seasons Morton. We're all saying they must turn the corner at some point but will it actually happen?

No reason you can't make top 3. Not a cat in hells chance you'll be bottom half let alone bottom 3.

Seven games in is a bit early for anyone to be making predictions but I think Hibs and Falkirk will improve, they more than the other "strugglers" probably have the resources to strengthen their squads. We did well last season to finish 4th especially after the bad first couple of months under McIntyre. We have basically the same squad but the challenge at the top end this season will be more difficult. We have players to come back after injury, I don't think that's been mentioned very often has it, so we will see how we perform when they return. Also having a settled squad may be another reason to be able to bed-in an inexperienced Manager when there is little need of re-organising the playing staff.

[Hawk]

Seriously?

Im sorry, but thats the footballing equivalent of all cats have four legs. My dog has four legs. My dog is a cat.

I agree we looked more threatening in the second half but the change of formation was only a small part of that. Far more important was the fact that we started actually passing the ball, played far fewer long balls and, probably the biggest contributor, Cowden offered absolutely no attacking threat whatsoever, content to defend deep and hit on the break.

Similarly, the formation in the first half didnt really contribute to the poor passing, the long balls and the defending schoolboys would shudder at

Its the same formation we've played the last few games. Two strikers, one playing off the other. I made the same point as you after the Hibs game, whether or not its 4-4-2 with one striker deeper or a 4-4-1-1 is splitting hairs.

What the **** is that all about, didn't think you would agree anyway.

How can't you see that we are not playing with 2 strikers up front, we are playing 4-2-3-1 with Lyle between Russell and Danny/Kidd. You are close enough to those in the know at the club, ask them what our formation is. Going by your theory if we played Baird at fullback we would be playing with 3 strikers!

You seem to be the font of all football knowledge, is your name one of those on the managerial list?

Edited September 28, 2014 by Hawk

[Homer Thompson]

What the **** is that all about, didn't think you would agree anyway.

Its an association fallacy, also known as politicians logic.

How can't you see that we are not playing with 2 strikers up front, we are playing 4-2-3-1 with Lyle between Russell and Danny/Kidd. You are close enough to those in the know at the club, ask them what our formation is. Going by your theory if we played Baird at fullback we would be playing with 3 strikers!

You seem to be the font of all football knowledge, is your name one of those on the managerial list?

Nice to see you can conduct a conversation without making it personal

Im not, nor have ever claimed to be, any of those things

Edited September 28, 2014 by Mr X

[Broony88]

It's not splitting hairs as it changes the whole complexion of our game. When we play two out and out strikers on the shoulder of defenders we are immediately in a position to cause problems. With the isolated lone striker we have rarely threatened in three games, If fowler gets the gig after that shambles yesterday I will be extremely disappointed with the board. If they want someone who fits the team rather than other way round then avoid fowler has he has already switched us into a very negative side.

[Swarley]

I can't understand why some want the Managerial candidates named. Surely in any business job applications are submitted in confidence. If the applicant wants to make it public that's up to them but the club is right not to make names public. Once the successful applicant is named he/she will be told, the unsuccessful applicants will be advised of the decision, thanked, in confidence, for applying, and then the press and fans will be informed. That's how it should be done. Should we appoint an experienced Manager? Experienced Managers tend to cost more money and experience doesn't always guarantee success, although it obviously helps. An experienced Manager may also want to bring in his own assistant/backroom staff which could bring further financial costs. He/She may not want to work with existing coaches, etc. This has all to be taken into consideration by the Board when reaching a decision. Should James Fowler get the job? Financially, probably the best option for the Club, and the players appear to be behind him, although when we have more players fit and he has to drop some of them, this may change. It may also be the ideal time to "bed in" an inexperienced man considering that we realistically aren't expected to challenge for the top three places and should be strong enough over the season to avoid the bottom three spots. Basically the fans have no input in whatever the Board decides we will have to accept that decision and keep behind the team. Fowler has done well enough in his short time in charge, yesterday's performance could have happened under anyone, so he shouldn't be ruled out on that alone.

Great post