Airdrieonians 23/24 Championship Thread♦️

[cb_diamond]

That goal gets better and better with every watch, the draw that Gabby does on the defender is the chef's kiss of the whole thing. 

[qpfc]

13 hours ago, GoalForAirdrie said:

Not to start a rumour or anything but I’m about 80% sure I seen him in the stand at our game on Saturday with an older gent (possibly an agent?). I wasn’t fully sure it was him at the time though, but thought I recognised him. Even spotted him again in Raith’s match day video. For all I know though, he could just be a random boy going to watch the game with his grandpa but Albion Rovers weren’t playing on Saturday, so maybe was him!  

He was in the QP crowd on Friday night for the game against Ayr also and from what I remember, seemed to be with the same bloke in that pic. Presumed at the time it might have been potentially linked with him maybe coming to us but given he was at your game also, I’m assuming that might not be the case 

Would love QP to take a punt on him in January however 

[Diamonds_Are_Forever]

6 minutes ago, qpfc said:

He was in the QP crowd on Friday night for the game against Ayr also and from what I remember, seemed to be with the same bloke in that pic. Presumed at the time it might have been potentially linked with him maybe coming to us but given he was at your game also, I’m assuming that might not be the case 

Would love QP to take a punt on him in January however 

Contracts up in January aswell am pretty sure

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

On 19/04/2023 at 16:55, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

I know theres likely to be a few interested (and im sure hes contracted for next season) but the boy Bevan from Albion rovers seems like a bit of a player going by match reports and various other threads on the L2 forum, a young guy signed from Camelon, certainly making all the right noises.

He was making the right noises last season, and I managed to see him twice in person playing and was very impressed.  Exactly the type of player McCabe could develop I think.  Id fancy we'd have a chance if we're in a good position in the league in the new year, depends on the competition though!

[Diamonds on the Windshield]

Gabby has a football brain and his give and go with Frizz then his pass to Gal made that goal. If either of our "wingers" had been running through on goal they would have had a shot and the ball would have been blocked by the legs of a defender or hit the linesman.

Gabby is wasted on the outside and anyone who says Gabby and Gal can't play through the middle together just needs to watch the goal. Bring McStravick in for McGregor and play the way we did to score the goal. The obsession with getting it out wide to a winger is not working when we try it. The midfield and fullbacks are mobile enough to get into those wide areas but when they do they have the ability to play triangles in the tight spaces and actually get the ball to Gal in the box to score. They see the pass and not just the useless shot at goal when they have a defender blocking the shot.

 

[Diamonds are Forever]

1 hour ago, Diamonds on the Windshield said:

Gabby has a football brain and his give and go with Frizz then his pass to Gal made that goal. If either of our "wingers" had been running through on goal they would have had a shot and the ball would have been blocked by the legs of a defender or hit the linesman.

Gabby is wasted on the outside and anyone who says Gabby and Gal can't play through the middle together just needs to watch the goal. Bring McStravick in for McGregor and play the way we did to score the goal. The obsession with getting it out wide to a winger is not working when we try it. The midfield and fullbacks are mobile enough to get into those wide areas but when they do they have the ability to play triangles in the tight spaces and actually get the ball to Gal in the box to score. They see the pass and not just the useless shot at goal when they have a defender blocking the shot.

 

 

Is anyone saying that? It's not even been a discussion from what I can see because we don't play with 2 strikers. In any event, his goals and assists last year in that same position hardly give evidence that he's 'wasted' there. The defensive cover he provides out wide shouldn't be overlooked either.

I think if Saturday's goal shows us anything it's that the actual formation on paper in the forward areas doesn't matter too much given how fluid it is and how much movement there is. I think we need Gal central (with or without a partner) for obvious reasons and McMaster sitting centrally as he pins it all together. Where the rest go or end up when we have the ball will vary from move to move.

[cb_diamond]

58 minutes ago, Diamonds on the Windshield said:

Gabby has a football brain and his give and go with Frizz then his pass to Gal made that goal. If either of our "wingers" had been running through on goal they would have had a shot and the ball would have been blocked by the legs of a defender or hit the linesman.

Gabby is wasted on the outside and anyone who says Gabby and Gal can't play through the middle together just needs to watch the goal. Bring McStravick in for McGregor and play the way we did to score the goal. The obsession with getting it out wide to a winger is not working when we try it. The midfield and fullbacks are mobile enough to get into those wide areas but when they do they have the ability to play triangles in the tight spaces and actually get the ball to Gal in the box to score. They see the pass and not just the useless shot at goal when they have a defender blocking the shot.

 

Good point Mr McGill, also you have a magnificent beard.

[Diamonds02]

2 hours ago, Diamonds on the Windshield said:

Gabby has a football brain and his give and go with Frizz then his pass to Gal made that goal. If either of our "wingers" had been running through on goal they would have had a shot and the ball would have been blocked by the legs of a defender or hit the linesman.

Gabby is wasted on the outside and anyone who says Gabby and Gal can't play through the middle together just needs to watch the goal. Bring McStravick in for McGregor and play the way we did to score the goal. The obsession with getting it out wide to a winger is not working when we try it. The midfield and fullbacks are mobile enough to get into those wide areas but when they do they have the ability to play triangles in the tight spaces and actually get the ball to Gal in the box to score. They see the pass and not just the useless shot at goal when they have a defender blocking the shot.

 

Not sure how you can watch that goal and come away with the conclusion that there is something wrong with the way we are set up.

do you really think we would have that space in the middle without wingers to drag defenders away?

[Diamonds on the Windshield]

If you look at the last few games we have created very few shots at goal. When the ball gets lumped into the corner we are losing it and there is the chance of a break away and that is what we are poor at defending against. Our players are intelligent and quite capable of making runs to take defenders away and create space while still moving across the and up and down the field contributing to our creative flowing style. A winger hugging the touchline is a waste of a jersey unless their play is actually leading to chances and goals. If our moves break down trying to find them or when they run the ball out how effective is their contribution?

The goal was not created by the wingers it was created by good passing and movement, and giving the ball to Gal in the box to finish.

 

[Diamonds02]

1 hour ago, Diamonds on the Windshield said:

A winger hugging the touchline is a waste of a jersey unless their play is actually leading to chances and goals. If our moves break down trying to find them or when they run the ball out how effective is their contribution?

The goal was not created by the wingers it was created by good passing and movement, and giving the ball to Gal in the box to finish.

 

That first sentence I have highlighted just shows a complete lack of understanding of the game. Do you think the manager hasn’t thought of this? Do you remember when we played with a diamond in midfield and 2 up front last season? I do and it simply didn’t work. Even if you don’t think the wingers contribute enough (which is insane considering gabby’s stats last season) you need them there so that the opposition are wary of the danger. Otherwise you just become so easy to read that you don’t create anything.

Also you think that gaping hole in the middle of their defence happens if we have every player in the middle? Come on man

[goodwin]

My take on this.

Wingers wide is to create space, so not a waste of a jersey at all. They also defend well and enable fullbacks to get forward.

When Gal comes short (which is the best addition to his game compared to his previous talent of standing off side most of the time!!) Gabby often moves into the space Gal has created and becomes the CF.

All this rotation is mesmerizing. The goal (magnificent goal) involved a pass from McGregor (right winger at that time popping up in midfield) to Gabby (left winger at the time driving infield) to Gal and goal.

And all this started knocking the ball about in front of our own goal until space opened-up/was created to move the ball forward. The idea seems to be to draw the opposition to our goal , so they start to press and leave a gap.

Whatever we win or not this is a golden age of football for us. It is way more exciting than always lumping it forward and then competing for the second ball. Remember whose coaching was some combination of 'second ball' and 'stop the cross?'

[Diamonds on the Windshield]

I am not saying wingers are a waste of time. Over the last few games and especially away from home we have been lumping balls up looking for a run from McGregor or O'Connor and it is frustrating as nothing comes of it. What I am getting at is the players we have in midfield get all over the park and we play a lot of nice stuff in the corners. I am not saying everyone should play through the middle but with the rotation we see and the ability this group have to create space by moving and passing get McStravick in and create havoc by moving to where the ball needs to passed to. The players have shown they have the ability to play this way and it is more effective than the hopeful ball down the line.

I don't consider Gabby a winger any more than I did Smith last year they just started wide before cutting into the box. 

There is no doubt this is the best football we have seen for years and I am loving it but when the move breaks down in the next couple of games keep an eye out for what I am saying.

 

[Rio 2]

20 hours ago, Diamonds Are Red said:

The Rovers fans did manage to squeeze in a rendition of "if you hate the f'ng Airdrie clap your hands..."

Obviously an opportunity to voice their dislike of all things ML6 on the television! 

50 fans can make slot of noise in an empty stadium.

To be fair to UOS, they had much more than when they played us.

[Rio 2]

Bevans grandpa must be taking Michael Jackson pills.

[Diamonds02]

Tbf I would like to see mcstravick left wing just to see how it goes, although I feel like maybe his pace is more across 10 yards than any sort of distance

[Steven Trautman]

3 minutes ago, Diamonds02 said:

Tbf I would like to see mcstravick left wing just to see how it goes, although I feel like maybe his pace is more across 10 yards than any sort of distance

It would be interesting to see how he adapts to the different positioning and responsibilities of a left wing.

[AirdrieFanTV]

 

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

2 hours ago, goodwin said:

'stop the cross?'

I still wake up in a cold sweat hearing that in my night terrors.

[Mr November]

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

I still wake up in a cold sweat hearing that in my night terrors.

Me irl every time I see or hear the phrase “stop the cross”

[Mr November]

I see it’s Rangers B away in the cup then. See the picture above for my thoughts.