Alloa vs Airdrie 1/4/23

[Kenny_m]

57 minutes ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

 

Agree on both. McMaster is a decent young player, McCabe is clearly a technically superior player but that isn't the point. McMaster provides a much better balance to the midfield. Since he has come in to the team we've won 4 out of 4, scored 19 goals and conceded 2 (neither from open play). Not saying that's all down to him by any stretch but he's part of it.

For me Rhys is too slow and can't go with runners, he therefore drops deep to avoid players running off him but that then means the space in front of the back 4 is vacated. Also because he's good on the ball he sometimes drifts forward with it, so when we lose it again there is no midfield. It's also obvious from the last few games that we don't need his passing in there, we are still creating loads of chances and scoring goals. McMaster holding that position, picking up second balls and passing the ball 10 yards is all we need at the moment. We'll see how the next few games go but there's no reason at all to change it just now. It is also provides the thing we've all been calling for all season - someone on the touchline.

The quality of the opposition prior to yesterday played a far bigger part than McMaster or McCabe or having someone on the touchline. (Don't want to be too picky but it was a McMaster blunder that led to 1 of them 2 goals conceded)

Having said that yesterday was McMaster's best game for us, especially in the first half and concur that he plays the "holding" position better as McCabe tends to want to contribute more in attacking sense as he is undoubtably more creative. Early days for him though.

[Oweny]

Obviously being an Alloa fan I was disappointed with the result yesterday. I was looking forward to this match with both teams going well and Airdrie freescoring many of the previous weeks. 

Airdrie will be delighted with the result and the cliché at this time of the season is it's all about winning which is true but I was disappointed with the whole game I was expecting much more from both teams to be honest. 

An absolutely superb goal aside , both didn't really create much certainly we never at any point and a dour battle . Not much goalmouth action with both keepers not really called upon apart from the time wasting.  Not sour grapes I am sure we would have done the same defending a narrow lead . 

It's another Saturday in where one of the top sides in this division have turned up at the Recs , not had to play that well and walked away with the points . We have seen this often this season with Dunfermline, Falkirk and Airdrie. Last gasp penalty aside against Falkirk,we have failed to lay a glove on these sides much . 

Yesterday we were devoid of any craft in the middle of the pitch and as I alluded to earlier we created nothing. 

We are in a fight for 4th place and I'm not convinced that we will make it.  

Airdrie I am sure will certainly be a contender to go up in the playoffs. 

 

[Kevchenko]

Bitterly disappointing performance yesterday and Airdrie well worth their win. 
 

Thought our back four played well, particularly in the first half, but felt we were poor outside of that. 
 

Cracking strike for the goal and although Airdrie had a couple of other chances, I didn’t think they were overly impressive going forward - think we could have played another 90 minutes and still never looked like scoring though!
 

Where I thought Airdrie excelled was their defensive setup without the ball. Extremely disciplined and well structured shape which completely nullified any attack we had. Although Airdrie won their 2 home games more comfortably, I felt in those games there still looked a bit of vulnerability defensively - absolutely none of that yesterday. That, mixed with an attack that usually flows much better than yesterday, puts Airdrie as favourites to go up through the playoffs imo. 
 

For us, puts a bit more pressure on the next couple of games, but still in a good place to make the top 4. Much improved performance needed next week though. 

[Rhys McCabe Hype Train]

41 minutes ago, Oweny said:

 An absolutely superb goal aside , both didn't really create much certainly we never at any point and a dour battle . Not much goalmouth action with both keepers not really called upon apart from the time wasting. 

 

13 minutes ago, Kevchenko said:

Cracking strike for the goal and although Airdrie had a couple of other chances, I didn’t think they were overly impressive going forward 

We hit the woodwork twice and fluffed 2 tap-ins. It should’ve been 5-0. 

[Rory]

6 hours ago, Vegetableman said:

 Coulson really should have had the ball in the net with Rae's first half blunder which summed up the whole game to me .

Thought that too, it was almost slow motion watching him try and get the ball under control.

Other than that and Kings (I think?) looping header, we didn't really trouble the goal.

[Aufc]

5 hours ago, Oweny said:

Obviously being an Alloa fan I was disappointed with the result yesterday. I was looking forward to this match with both teams going well and Airdrie freescoring many of the previous weeks. 

Airdrie will be delighted with the result and the cliché at this time of the season is it's all about winning which is true but I was disappointed with the whole game I was expecting much more from both teams to be honest. 

An absolutely superb goal aside , both didn't really create much certainly we never at any point and a dour battle . Not much goalmouth action with both keepers not really called upon apart from the time wasting.  Not sour grapes I am sure we would have done the same defending a narrow lead . 

It's another Saturday in where one of the top sides in this division have turned up at the Recs , not had to play that well and walked away with the points . We have seen this often this season with Dunfermline, Falkirk and Airdrie. Last gasp penalty aside against Falkirk,we have failed to lay a glove on these sides much . 

Yesterday we were devoid of any craft in the middle of the pitch and as I alluded to earlier we created nothing. 

We are in a fight for 4th place and I'm not convinced that we will make it.  

Airdrie I am sure will certainly be a contender to go up in the playoffs. 

 

 

4 hours ago, Kevchenko said:

Bitterly disappointing performance yesterday and Airdrie well worth their win. 
 

Thought our back four played well, particularly in the first half, but felt we were poor outside of that. 
 

Cracking strike for the goal and although Airdrie had a couple of other chances, I didn’t think they were overly impressive going forward - think we could have played another 90 minutes and still never looked like scoring though!
 

Where I thought Airdrie excelled was their defensive setup without the ball. Extremely disciplined and well structured shape which completely nullified any attack we had. Although Airdrie won their 2 home games more comfortably, I felt in those games there still looked a bit of vulnerability defensively - absolutely none of that yesterday. That, mixed with an attack that usually flows much better than yesterday, puts Airdrie as favourites to go up through the playoffs imo. 
 

For us, puts a bit more pressure on the next couple of games, but still in a good place to make the top 4. Much improved performance needed next week though. 

It’s actually bloody glorious to hear this about airdrie. Usually we get praised as being superb going forward but soft at the back so it’s a nice change to win whilst not playing well. If only we had done that earlier in the season then may have been different. 

[Kenny_m]

On 31/03/2023 at 10:41, AndyDD said:

Nae huff from me, the club handed you the one rogue pie exactly as I planned... 

Enjoyed listening to the podcast, albeit raised my eyebrows a tad at the suggestion the Alloa squad is the stronger. Not convinced, but I suppose we shall see over the next 6 games. 

The form our forwards are in, indeed the form we're in across the whole pitch, I strongly fancy us to be a different animal than that which visited the recs the previous two times this season. 

Alloa have been excellent at home evidently, so this is a great test to start what looks quite a tasty run-in. 

Airdrie by a cupla goals. 

The commentary team re-emphasised during the stream although suggested that whilst they thought Alloa had a better squad perhaps Airdrie had a better starting 11. After the 90 mins I'm left wondering who from Alloa would get in our side, Stanger, Taggart maybe?

Edited April 2, 2023 by Kenny_m

[Mr November]

23 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

The commentary team re-emphasised during the stream although suggested that whilst they thought Alloa had a better squad perhaps Airdrie had a better starting 11. After the 90 mins I'm left wondering who from Alloa would get in our side, Stanger, Taggart maybe?

Taggart and Scougall definitely, maybe Stanger and Robertson too. I quite like Hogarth and Church too but not convinced they’d start for us. I’d say Alloa’s squad is more consistent overall whereas we have a bit of a drop-off in quality in some positions but I certainly wouldn’t swap squads.

[Rhys McCabe Hype Train]

47 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

The commentary team re-emphasised during the stream although suggested that whilst they thought Alloa had a better squad perhaps Airdrie had a better starting 11. After the 90 mins I'm left wondering who from Alloa would get in our side, Stanger, Taggart maybe?

Probably wouldn’t say no to Scougall or Cawley if Frizz is offski in the summer, but more on reputation than anything else.

[Kenny_m]

18 minutes ago, Mr November said:

Taggart and Scougall definitely, maybe Stanger and Robertson too. I quite like Hogarth and Church too but not convinced they’d start for us. I’d say Alloa’s squad is more consistent overall whereas we have a bit of a drop-off in quality in some positions but I certainly wouldn’t swap squads.

Robertson best days are behind him given that he's 3 years older than our Manager! Yeh a fit Scougall.

[Kenny_m]

1 minute ago, Rhys McCabe Hype Train said:

Probably wouldn’t say no to Scougall or Cawley if Frizz is offski in the summer, but more on reputation than anything else.

Cawley 3 or 4 year ago yes but another who's pushing on in years. 

[Chapelhall chap]

Of that starting Alloa side yesterday only Stanger would have improved our back line over the course of the season. Clearly Cawley still is a smashing player but maybe his time has passed. Taggart is an excellent player across the defence but our full backs are finally showing their quality.

It will still be a tough time should we meet again in the playoffs so I'm not getting carried away.

[Vegetableman]

3 hours ago, Kenny_m said:

Cawley 3 or 4 year ago yes but another who's pushing on in years. 

Wee kev has been immense for us but is no spring chicken now , might retire soon IMO

[Oweny]

4 hours ago, Kenny_m said:

Robertson best days are behind him given that he's 3 years older than our Manager! Yeh a fit Scougall.

Robertson has been a superb player for Alloa and still is a classy operator . 

[Willie Gut]

Funny wee incident at the start of the game.  As at all grounds an announcement  is made just before kick-off that  'foul and abusive language will not be tolerated'.  Game starts and Mr McCabe is shouting ' f-ing this and f-ing that' to players all over the park. Think somebody had a wee word with him and he was like a choirboy after that.

We don't talk like that in Clackmannanshire.

[Kenny_m]

40 minutes ago, Willie Gut said:

Funny wee incident at the start of the game.  As at all grounds an announcement  is made just before kick-off that  'foul and abusive language will not be tolerated'.  Game starts and Mr McCabe is shouting ' f-ing this and f-ing that' to players all over the park. Think somebody had a wee word with him and he was like a choirboy after that.

We don't talk like that in Clackmannanshire.

Swearing at football, who’d have thought it. Games fecking gone!

[AndyDD]

Very pleasing result, good to be able to win in a different manner as well, even if we really ought to be have 2 or 3 up at halftime. 

Alloa seemed incredibly blunt, lacking in creativity or real spark at the top end of the pitch considering their recent form. Josh Rae will have precious few easier days than that. Very routine catches and one safety-first tip over the bar for a header that in truth looked like it was headed for the crossbar. I'll forgive him the poor kickout; Alloa didn't have the guile or ability in their team to turn that into a goal, so no harm done. 

A strong showing across the back again and, even taking his excellent finish aside, Watson had a great afternoon. A really good period for the team who are looking nice and settled. I'd still have liked a touch more composure in the middle towards the end of the match, so would have subbed Rhys on to see things out (and he'd also have the killer pass in his locker to send someone in for a clincher), but hey ho, he must be enjoying watching on from the sidelines. And no wonder. Really good run, this. 

With QOS bang in form, Alloa have a fight on their hands to hold on to fourth. That could be a significant result either way next week between the two. Montrose look like they're about to be cut off in the last-chance saloon, with their hopes looking pretty remote at this point, so hopefully we keep the run going and push on with another big win. Apply ourselves properly and I fancy us to be comfortable again. Another clean sheet would be excellent too, but then I am greedy. 

[AirdrieFanTV]

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[Chapelhall chap]

On 03/04/2023 at 07:50, Willie Gut said:

Funny wee incident at the start of the game.  As at all grounds an announcement  is made just before kick-off that  'foul and abusive language will not be tolerated'.  Game starts and Mr McCabe is shouting ' f-ing this and f-ing that' to players all over the park. Think somebody had a wee word with him and he was like a choirboy after that.

We don't talk like that in Clackmannanshire.

We had an alleged stooshie a few years ago and our board insisted on a family friendly section in the area I sat in. It's funny indeed to hear the similar industrial chat, that actively features to this day just below the said area.

It never bothered me then nor now .