Airdrieonians 23/24 Championship Thread♦️

[Kenny_m]

1 hour ago, Passionate said:

Having watched the footage back and everybody giving a half assed autopsy on the game and the McCabe incident, at the time albeit behind the goal,   I thought Fordyce was going to take control of the situation,  did he shout to Rhys and make a mess of it,    where were the rest of the defence McCabe messed up, Fordyce messed up with no defensive cover.

Again and I'm Rhys biggest fan, but is this not a result of the high risk high reward policy? I take it your assuming that ATS passed on McIntosh to Fordyce for the 4th goal, perhaps you may be right and ATS looked particularly perturbed after that goal, but that would make your autopsy as half assed as mine.

The damage was done with the first 2 goals.

 

1 hour ago, Passionate said:

Moving forward IMo we have a lot of impact players starting,  players are probably playing above their level,  this was always the risk resigning players that finished 3rd in the league below.  McGregor, O Connor, McGill ,  are the main players who are struggling,   what can we do,  not an awful lot, we need Telfer fit,  Todorov utilised more and, we still have 3 Loanee slots available, do we really think after all this time, we will get the players we really need....

Agree with this though

[Passionate]

44 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

Again and I'm Rhys biggest fan, but is this not a result of the high risk high reward policy? I take it your assuming that ATS passed on McIntosh to Fordyce for the 4th goal, perhaps you may be right and ATS looked particularly perturbed after that goal, but that would make your autopsy as half assed as mine.

The damage was done with the first 2 goals.

 

Agree with this though

Your right this is the High risk, High reward we talk about, 2 down late on, push players up if you lose 2 in the break, then that's fine..      a lot of us are making opinions on the footage, I tend to rely on real time and make my mind up of what I actually see at the game,    just had a look at the league stats we have only had 11 shots on target in 5 games,  therein lies the problem,  and cannot continue if we are to win games..

[Jack Reed]

9 minutes ago, Passionate said:

Your right this is the High risk, High reward we talk about, 2 down late on, push players up if you lose 2 in the break, then that's fine..      a lot of us are making opinions on the footage, I tend to rely on real time and make my mind up of what I actually see at the game,    just had a look at the league stats we have only had 11 shots on target in 5 games,  therein lies the problem,  and cannot continue if we are to win games..

Still boils down to,  play high-risk high reward you need quality players a good bit better than we have, ,sometimes you can miss things in real time that can be picked up on recordings,

[Passionate]

3 minutes ago, Jack Reed said:

Still boils down to,  play high-risk high reward you need quality players a good bit better than we have, ,sometimes you can miss things in real time that can be picked up on recordings,

Totally agree,   been crying out for better players all summer... ..

 

Fair point regarding the recordings 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds]

Midfield diamond of McMaster holding, Frizz and Aiken playing as 8s and McStravick in a more advanced no 10 role with either McGill or Todorov to partner Gal up top would work for me, but that’s no good for Saturday with McStravick suspended. I think that shape going forward might be our best bet though since we’re definitely better in midfield than in wide areas.

[Mr November]

1 hour ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:

Midfield diamond of McMaster holding, Frizz and Aiken playing as 8s and McStravick in a more advanced no 10 role with either McGill or Todorov to partner Gal up top would work for me, but that’s no good for Saturday with McStravick suspended. I think that shape going forward might be our best bet though since we’re definitely better in midfield than in wide areas.

I was thinking of something similar earlier. Aiken and Frizzell would be well suited those roles as two players with plenty of energy and the ability to cover wider areas when needed. I feel like it would have to be McGill up front, Todorov and Gallagher might lack mobility but it’s certainly worth a go.

[Diamonds are Forever]

1 hour ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:

Midfield diamond of McMaster holding, Frizz and Aiken playing as 8s and McStravick in a more advanced no 10 role with either McGill or Todorov to partner Gal up top would work for me, but that’s no good for Saturday with McStravick suspended. I think that shape going forward might be our best bet though since we’re definitely better in midfield than in wide areas.

 

16 minutes ago, Mr November said:

I was thinking of something similar earlier. Aiken and Frizzell would be well suited those roles as two players with plenty of energy and the ability to cover wider areas when needed. I feel like it would have to be McGill up front, Todorov and Gallagher might lack mobility but it’s certainly worth a go.

 

That seems to the fit the players we have but with a lack of width I think we're going to hit even more of a brick wall than we've hit in the Dundee Utd and Arbroath games. Teams will just sit in and watch us pass the ball about at the back and midfield and we'll have no way through or round it. With Ballantyne an 'inverted full-back' Watson would be our only source of width, he can put a defent ball in (Gal's goal versus Partick) but it's not going to be a regular threat or route to goal, even with 2 up front. I don't have any better solutions mind you!

Last season we had McGill on fire and Smith in the wider areas, Smith wasn't at his best for much of last year but he's still a level above McGregor and O'Connor even when off form. And McGill is playing like a shadow of the player at the moment.

The key for us is getting the first goal, that's true to some extent for every team but more so for us because teams will happily sat and watch us pass it about and defend a lead and then pick us off. We were very unlucky in that sense on Saturday as Gal's goal would have changed the game, although that still doesn't excuse what came after.

I was critical of a couple of aspects at the weekend but I'm still not hugely concerned, I've seen enough to know we'll be competitive in most games. What was always going to be the case though was that teams worked us out quite quickly so just like last season it will be a test of McCabe's ability and willingness to adapt our style but still keep it in line with how he wants to play.

Edited September 18, 2023 by Diamonds are Forever

[Jack Reed]

24 minutes ago, Mr November said:

I was thinking of something similar earlier. Aiken and Frizzell would be well suited those roles as two players with plenty of energy and the ability to cover wider areas when needed. I feel like it would have to be McGill up front, Todorov and Gallagher might lack mobility but it’s certainly worth a go.

Todorov with Gal  for me,

[Mr November]

1 hour ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

 

 

That seems to the fit the players we have but with a lack of width I think we're going to hit even more of a brick wall than we've hit in the Dundee Utd and Arbroath games. Teams will just sit in and watch us pass the ball about at the back and midfield and we'll have no way through or round it. With Ballantyne an 'inverted full-back' Watson would be our only source of width, he can put a defent ball in (Gal's goal versus Partick) but it's not going to be a regular threat or route to goal, even with 2 up front. I don't have any better solutions mind you!

Last season we had McGill on fire and Smith in the wider areas, Smith wasn't at his best for much of last year but he's still a level above McGregor and O'Connor even when off form. And McGill is playing like a shadow of the player at the moment.

The key for us is getting the first goal, that's true to some extent for every team but more so for us because teams will happily sat and watch us pass it about and defend a lead and then pick us off. We were very unlucky in that sense on Saturday as Gal's goal would have changed the game, although that still doesn't excuse what came after.

I was critical of a couple of aspects at the weekend but I'm still not hugely concerned, I've seen enough to know we'll be competitive in most games. What was always going to be the case though was that teams worked us out quite quickly so just like last season it will be a test of McCabe's ability and willingness to adapt our style but still keep it in line with how he wants to play.

All very fair points. While Smith definitely had the poorest season of our front three last year I think he was probably best equipped to make the step up to the Championship. McGill is a much better player than when he was last at this level but it might take a bit longer for him to adjust his fairly unique playing style to a team who are a bit more patient and less all out attack.

[Diamonds on the Windshield]

McGill is the only one who can run at the defence and beat a man then put it away and that brings more to the team than being fast. He was unlucky on Saturday but he was sharp enough to get his toe to the ball first. Arbroath were marking so tight they cut most of the through balls out. They were moving to the ball that our players were waiting to come to them and getting there first. ATS should maybe have been rested after his international duty. Watson did not look fit and the ball was nicked off his toes by someone moving faster with more purpose. Rhys was beaten hands down by a player determined to win the ball and we lost a soft goal. Arbroath have stayed in this league by stopping better teams from playing and that is down to fitness and determination. They knew how to stop us playing and we did not adapt.

I thought we could pull the goals back with the extra man and pushing towards their goal. When Frizz got on the ball he was running past them but the short passes and through balls in the channels were being stopped by their sheer determination to get to the ball first.

Our full backs give us our width and Frizz and Telfer are regularly in the corners with little passes to each other creating chances. McGregor and O'Conner too often just make a bee line for goal and shoot into a defender without seeing the square pass for someone else to tap in.

 

 

 

[Kenny_m]

I don't see Rhys tinkering with the formation too much on Saturday, Gayfield was the place for that, but I do see Watson, O'Connor & himself out of the starting 11.

[Chapelhall chap]

Watched the footage and some of our attacking at the far end was a bit better than what I could see from the wee stand, but Arbroath were just more determined to defend, whereas we were wide open in those final minutes.I'm still concerned like others about our squad quality and some of the "keep the ball" moving slowly up the park,  but I'm willing to be proved wrong, just so we can put Ian Murray's gas on a peep. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by Chapelhall chap
Spelling

[ExiledLichtie]

Its Monday evening, so presumably McCabe has just this minute got back to defend for that third goal.

[Glenmavis Diamond]

13 hours ago, ExiledLichtie said:

Its Monday evening, so presumably McCabe has just this minute got back to defend for that third goal.

Personally don't think he or Fordyce running back would've made the slightest bit of difference to the outcome, but from a fans perspective, you want to see the effort and at least an attempt. What if the keeper had blocked it but no defender was near to cover and clear? The striker has another go. That's the frustrating bit for me. You've got to bust a gut and at least try to make a difference there. 

[Jack Reed]

6 hours ago, Glenmavis Diamond said:

Personally don't think he or Fordyce running back would've made the slightest bit of difference to the outcome, but from a fans perspective, you want to see the effort and at least an attempt. What if the keeper had blocked it but no defender was near to cover and clear? The striker has another go. That's the frustrating bit for me. You've got to bust a gut and at least try to make a difference there. 

Aye,it was high press no reward ,

[Airdrie101]

Does anyone else when coming on the site still auto pilot to the league 1 forum.  I did and wasted at least 5 minutes looking for the Airdrie thread, until I realized we are in the championship.  I do this every other day.  

[GoalForAirdrie]

23 minutes ago, Airdrie101 said:

Does anyone else when coming on the site still auto pilot to the league 1 forum.  I did and wasted at least 5 minutes looking for the Airdrie thread, until I realized we are in the championship.  I do this every other day.  

I did that through all of pre season until the league started!

[AirdrieFanTV]

 

[Chapelhall chap]

1 hour ago, AirdrieFanTV said:

 

Watched it on my big TV and your breadth of coverage of the whole day visit was excellent. Pity about the wind drowning out some of the stuff. Good to see Arbroath fans on it, and it seems to have gone down well on their P/B site.

[Rovers_Lad]

Enjoyed that,good watch