Rovers v Morton

[Been going too long]

Well it certainly wasn’t boring tonight, good pace to the game at times and while not great a lot happier with a draw v Morton than I was v Arbroath who are in free fall. Probably a fair result

[vikingTON]

17 minutes ago, Been going too long said:

Well it certainly wasn’t boring tonight, good pace to the game at times and while not great a lot happier with a draw v Morton than I was v Arbroath who are in free fall. Probably a fair result

Would agree with this. We fell away badly after the subs were made in the second half (demonstrating that we would benefit from adding different options once the transfer window opens than 'swap Quitongo and Muirhead. On the other hand, we had more of the pressure and chances immediately after the second half to go in front ourselves. 

From a Morton perspective I think the performance was pretty good although the press was played through too easily at times. The defending was very poor but the conditions were atrocious both on the deck and with the ball in the air. Not a night for Efe to try his silky skills but he's not going to change at this stage in his career.

With the singular exception of that gang Brechin side from a few years ago, an away draw is always a decent result for us in this division. With Raith only having a trip to Cappielow left, the points gap down to the bottom half of the table is looking increasingly comfortable from our perspective. If we can continue winning the majority of our home games, then we'll have an excellent chance of making the play-offs. 

Imrie's work in going ten league games unbeaten now is unreal. There's no star quality in this Morton team to bail them out of games - whether playing well or badly, the onus is on the team to grind out a positive result and they're doing that every single time. 

[roverthemoon]

Just watched the highlights. Every goal a howler, although Aidan Connolly’s finish deserves credit. Fair few open goals missed too. An entertaining evening I agree. 

[CALDERON]

Happy with the draw.  Keeps us away from danger, and gives a bit of breathing room.

I don't think we played at all well, other than the last 10 mins.  However it was horrific out there, weather wise.  Take the draw and move on.

Morton are a strange side.  I haven't thought any of their players have looked particularly great at any stage in our encounters, but they look a bit ahead of us.  Decent side and they'll be in the mix for top 4 for sure.  

 

[The Ghost of B A R P]

That was a pretty strange game, in terrible conditions...

For us, uncharacteristically nervy after the disallowed handball goal, but then showed unbelievable resilience to get back into it... and should have gone in front early in the second half (although could have lost it in the last ten).

We saw the old Cameron Blues tonight, I'm afraid: missed a sitter for the ages, then disappeared. And it's clear we need options from the bench who aren't called Kabia and think they're better than they actually are. (Side note for big Efe, who had his poorest game for us; see 'conditions', above.)

Only player who caught my eye tonight was Gillespie, who kept trying to play in all circumstances (and maybe McGrattan, who showed in flashes... and then we really noticed his influence when he went off).

First eleven is good-ish; very little beyond that, barring King and O'Connor. Sign two in January or fifth/sixth it will be...

For Raith, good midfielders at this level (actually, better than good) and decent centre-backs... but very little wide and in front of that. Will finish no higher than seventh (unless the ICT implosion goes all the way).

[Dunning1874]

Keeping the unbeaten run going in another away game is good and you can't turn your nose up at at coming back from 2-0 down, but the missed chances do still make it feel like two points dropped.

It's a bit disappointing that Kabia for McGrattan is still the only sub we're making, and if the attack isn't clicking we just swap Muirhead and Quitongo. We did the latter at Arbroath as well and it only leads to both making less of a contribution in possession while weakening us defensively. I don't think we've ever looked better for having Kabia in place of McGrattan. That says something about our lack of options to change things in attack which will hopefully be addressed in January, but I still don't think we have to be so predictable with subs just now.

I've understood Imrie's reluctance to make changes in the middle of the park in tight games when he has three players he trusts there and wasn't sure of his other options, but what was the point of giving fringe players a game in the Challenge Cup, seeing King have a very good game where he scored his second screamer in two appearances, then not giving him a chance in league games? We've got an alternative to Blues and Crawford there, who has done far more to justify a chance in his rare central midfield appearances than Kabia who gets on in every single game. If either of those two aren't at their best, there's no reason not to use him.

Edited December 24, 2022 by Dunning1874

[CountryBumpkin]

Having watched the highlights, can only agree with what has been said. That second Rovers goal absolutely sums up the career of Efe Ambrose, what an absolutely ridiculous header to put his team mate in trouble for no good reason. 

Also unsure why Lang was yellow carded, it didn't look like much of a foul in the highlights 

Edited December 24, 2022 by CountryBumpkin

[Hank Scorpio]

4 minutes ago, CountryBumpkin said:

Also unsure why Lang was yellow carded, it didn't look like much of a foul in the highlights 

Can’t tell if you’re joking or no, but he punched the ball. 

[vikingTON]

8 minutes ago, CountryBumpkin said:

Having watched the highlights, can only agree with what has been said. That second Rovers goal absolutely sums up the career of Efe Ambrose, what an absolutely ridiculous header to put his team mate in trouble for no good reason. 

The career that has involved earning more than 50 caps for his country and winning an international tournament? 

Edited December 24, 2022 by vikingTON

[CountryBumpkin]

15 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Can’t tell if you’re joking or no, but he punched the ball. 

Genuinely didn't spot that in the highlights 

[Hank Scorpio]

I’ve slated Muirhead on here a fair bit but I’d have him in a heartbeat. Quitongo too.

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Hank Scorpio

[CountryBumpkin]

13 minutes ago, virginton said:

The career that has involved earning more than 50 caps for his country and winning an international tournament? 

And yet he's been a bomb scare at every club he's played for. 

[Cowshed]

34 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Can’t tell if you’re joking or no, but he punched the ball. 

Fair play to the guy for trying it thankfully the ref seen it as it was pretty quickly done & could've easily been missed by either him or the linesman 

[Cowshed]

19 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

I’ve slated Muirhead on here a fair bit but I’d have him in a heartbeat. Quitongo too.

 

Quitongo is just a work horse doesn’t stop and causes issues for defence with his pace, but a think a horse has a better 2nd touch than him 

[vikingTON]

3 hours ago, CountryBumpkin said:

And yet he's been a bomb scare at every club he's played for. 

As opposed to the unblemished career of Jack Baird, dunting between assorted Scottish second tier clubs. 

Another total fail from yourself after your Strapp nonsense from a couple of weeks ago. 

[Mr.Blue]

3 hours ago, Hank Scorpio said:

I’ve slated Muirhead on here a fair bit but I’d have him in a heartbeat. Quitongo too.

 

Both have been  great this season. Muirhead became the focal point of our attack with goals and a bit if magic at times. Quitongo on his day is terrific.  Defenders must hate playing against him.

[Hank Scorpio]

22 minutes ago, Mr.Blue said:

Both have been  great this season. Muirhead became the focal point of our attack with goals and a bit if magic at times. Quitongo on his day is terrific.  Defenders must hate playing against him.

Muirhead’s redemption arc at Moron is really something. Was a joke figure in an awful side, now a key player. Got a lot of time for his razzing on oppositions fans too. Had me boiling last night, respect it. 

[Been going too long]

4 hours ago, CountryBumpkin said:

Genuinely didn't spot that in the highlights 

Wish the match officials were the same

[Kuma Power]

Not much to add to the above, can't complain with a draw. Reminded me a bit of how we played in the second half of last season, where we'd somehow race into an early lead before throwing it away and ending up with a point. Fair play to Morton though, who I didn't realise are on such a long unbeaten run.

What is a bit concerning is that five full games have passed since any Raith Rovers player other than Aidan Connolly has scored for Raith in the league, assuming that our first yesterday went down as a Morton own goal. Delighted that Connolly is having a great season, of course, but you have to go back to Hamilton on 5 November when Liam Dick and Dylan Easton scored to find a game when one of our own players other than Connolly scored for us (and if you include cup games too, then only Lewis Vaughan is the only person who isn't Connolly to find the net since then in any game). The fact our two best chances in the second half were shots by Spencer from outside the box is a pretty good indication of where our main weakness lies.

[TxRover]

15 hours ago, The Ghost of B A R P said:

First eleven is good-ish; very little beyond that, barring King and O'Connor. Sign two in January or fifth/sixth it will be...

For Raith, good midfielders at this level (actually, better than good) and decent centre-backs... but very little wide and in front of that. Will finish no higher than seventh (unless the ICT implosion goes all the way).

The Championship has pretty neatly stratified. A top 5, middle 3 and bottom 2. I can’t see much overall movement from those groups, except maybe Arbroath clawing back to the middle with a couple of good signings. The top 5 all look solid enough to be the players at the end, and us poor sods in the middle are all paddling like hell to say away from the Accies and Smokies.

If we somehow found an attack, there’s a slim chance we could bridge the gap to the top group, but I suspect we will lose O’Riordan in January and our defence will slip a bit.