Airdrieonians 23/24 Championship Thread♦️

[Rhys McCabe Hype Train]

Bring back Jordan Allan & Liam Coogans, they’ll give us some firepower.

[Mr November]

1 hour ago, Kenny_m said:

That's happened a few times this season although don't really have an issue with it as the manager doesn't want to give too much away.

The pre-match stuff is done on a Tuesday isn’t it? Suppose Telfer might have picked up an injury/illness between then and the game. Hopefully he’s back next week though as he’s been our best midfielder over the last few months.

[Kenny_m]

30 minutes ago, Mr November said:

The pre-match stuff is done on a Tuesday isn’t it? Suppose Telfer might have picked up an injury/illness between then and the game. Hopefully he’s back next week though as he’s been our best midfielder over the last few months.

Yip agree, it's been Telfer and 2 others when picking the side. Even the Telfer doubter/hater I know concurs, well at the moment!

[Diamonds on the Windshield]

While we are concentrating on playing nice football the other team are trying to beat us. I'm all for the way we are playing and wouldn't change it but we need to lose the attitude that if we play this way the goal will come. After the second goal yesterday we got a bit of urgency and McStravick was more direct and got in the box. Mason Hancock was trying to drive forward and the last few minutes of the game I felt we might put enough pressure on them and score. We need to start every game with that intensity.

A lot of the goals we lose are easy goals because we lose the ball when we are higher up the pitch and there are very few players in our half of the field. That is when ATS lack of speed is a real problem (as the second goal with him over on the right where Janny would normally be to cover). The opposite is true for us because we are passing the ball and they get further into their box until it is so packed that scoring is difficult or we have a wild shot from outside the box.

We need to transition much quicker and that is where McCabe's pinged passes are sorely missed to hit them before the box is packed. Gal's hold up and distribution was missed yesterday and other than a couple of headed knock-ons Todarov was useless at linking up with anyone.

 

[Passionate]

13 minutes ago, Diamonds on the Windshield said:

While we are concentrating on playing nice football the other team are trying to beat us. I'm all for the way we are playing and wouldn't change it but we need to lose the attitude that if we play this way the goal will come. After the second goal yesterday we got a bit of urgency and McStravick was more direct and got in the box. Mason Hancock was trying to drive forward and the last few minutes of the game I felt we might put enough pressure on them and score. We need to start every game with that intensity.

A lot of the goals we lose are easy goals because we lose the ball when we are higher up the pitch and there are very few players in our half of the field. That is when ATS lack of speed is a real problem (as the second goal with him over on the right where Janny would normally be to cover). The opposite is true for us because we are passing the ball and they get further into their box until it is so packed that scoring is difficult or we have a wild shot from outside the box.

We need to transition much quicker and that is where McCabe's pinged passes are sorely missed to hit them before the box is packed. Gal's hold up and distribution was missed yesterday and other than a couple of headed knock-ons Todarov was useless at linking up with anyone.

 

Good assessment,   we are in danger of being overcoached , players playing dot to dot football just an AI version of FIFA,    McMaster and Gallagher look decent enough  but didn't really do anything to hurt the opposition not good enough, how did Dunfermline run through our midfield at will all first half ... ATS is a great big player with his major flaw being his inability to turn,  we saw that when Frizz skinned him on the touchline playing against Falkirk (where has that Frizzell gone that's another debate). Rhys must know this and not give him any full back cover was crazy , wouldn't blame him for the second goal Fordyce got caught up the park and his glaring lack of pace showed as well,

 

Rhys McCabe must play, he would probably be first name on the team sheet for majority of teams in this league,  maybe Rhys doesn't feel he can play the system he wants to play, weirdly enough 

[Kenny_m]

6 minutes ago, Passionate said:

Rhys McCabe must play, he would probably be first name on the team sheet for majority of teams in this league,  maybe Rhys doesn't feel he can play the system he wants to play, weirdly enough 

Yes, in a team struggling to score we need players who pose a goal threat. 

[Diamond1924]

McCabe in for Frizzell next week

[Jack Reed]

33 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

Yes, in a team struggling to score we need players who pose a goal threat. 

Any team can play the way we do   ,side to side  we need better players than we have to play high press high reward , surely manager can see that,get stuck into teams and get some points before it's to late and we end back where we came from ,

[Kenny_m]

26 minutes ago, Diamond1924 said:

McCabe in for Frizzell next week

It's possible Frizz could get dropped but only if Telfer is fit as a midfield of 3 sitters, McCabe, McMaster & Gav Gal wouldn't work.

[Kenny_m]

Sad news.

Any other oldies remember the Spring Cup final at Firhill where Willie, as well as scoring 2, accidently nutted the referee to his arse when protesting about a decision. Would have been a straight red these days, accidental or not.

https://www.airdriefc.com/2324-news/231210/willie-mcculloch?fbclid=IwAR0lyjzmT5NwyKZiUB-PPEbA-G0amzXbI0NVU2sXTgUz44k9UQypRlgedpo

[Diamonds on the Windshield]

There is no doubt McCabe is trying different setups to find something that overcomes the failings and that is good. Sometimes it won't work like yesterday. Learn from it and move on

Hopefully Telfer is fit next week and I think we should have another go with the back 5. Megwa is better on the right and Mason came through the game after his injury ok so get him back at wing back. He was the one driving forward yesterday. Janny needs be more central and hang back as he is usually fast enough to cover back if they break.

Rae

Megwa Janny McCabe Fordyce Hancock

Telfer McMaster Frizz

CalGal   McStravick

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds]

Rather than drop Frizzell (who has been poor) I’d rather see him play deeper like he did when we had Eason, with McStravick maybe playing in Easton’s role. Maybe something like this

Rae

Watson Fordyce Hancock Megwa

McMaster McCabe Frizzell

McStravick

McGill Gallagher

Not that easy to tell when it’s written like that but McCabe would sit deepest in a midfield diamond, could even drop between the centre halves and make it more like the back 5 we’ve been using. Likewise you could shift it to 433 by moving McStravick to the left and McGill to the right in a front 3. Although I still would like to see Todorov and Gal play together as a strike pairing at some point just to try it out.

 

[Jack Reed]

8 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

Sad news.

Any other oldies remember the Spring Cup final at Firhill where Willie, as well as scoring 2, accidently nutted the referee to his arse when protesting about a decision. Would have been a straight red these days, accidental or not.

https://www.airdriefc.com/2324-news/231210/willie-mcculloch?fbclid=IwAR0lyjzmT5NwyKZiUB-PPEbA-G0amzXbI0NVU2sXTgUz44k9UQypRlgedpo

Was at the game,good memories  of Willie McCulloch ,rip ,

[DiamondDownSouth]

3 hours ago, Jack Reed said:

Was at the game,good memories  of Willie McCulloch ,rip ,

He was also key to our '75 cup final goal against Celtic by using his body to protect/ create space for McCann. RIP - a true Airdrie legend.

[Jack Reed]

41 minutes ago, DiamondDownSouth said:

He was also key to our '75 cup final goal against Celtic by using his body to protect/ create space for McCann. RIP - a true Airdrie legend.

True legend I could not agree more,

[Chapelhall chap]

Agree with all the comments on the sad news about Willie McCulloch. 

It might be just a tale but in the Tynecastle late win after coming on, a Hearts fan leaving the ground, is reported as bemoaning that auld, baldy guy's impact. 

RIP.

 

[airdrieman]

I'd still like to try the back 3/5 as I think it gets most of our best players on the park and gets the best out of them, and for me, was probably the system where we gave our most complete performances in Raith away and Arbroath at home. In theory anyway negates the problem of having no wingers or effective wide forwards and, if we can get it working like we did in the aforementioned two games there should be 2 or 3 players regularly up in support of Gal. Don't think it was a coincidence the Raith game is the one where it feels like we created the most chances in weeks. Should be a bit more compact though as we've been caught out badly with our wing-backs so far up the park in the last couple of games, the right-hand side in particular. Something like - 

                                Rae 
Megwa McCabe Fordyce ATS Hancock 
                              McMaster 
                     Telfer Frizzell McStravick
                             Gallagher 

Although I wouldn't be entirely against swapping out McStravick and playing one of Todorov or Gabby upfront with Gal. 

[Mingus2000]

4 hours ago, airdrieman said:

I'd still like to try the back 3/5 as I think it gets most of our best players on the park and gets the best out of them, and for me, was probably the system where we gave our most complete performances in Raith away and Arbroath at home. In theory anyway negates the problem of having no wingers or effective wide forwards and, if we can get it working like we did in the aforementioned two games there should be 2 or 3 players regularly up in support of Gal. Don't think it was a coincidence the Raith game is the one where it feels like we created the most chances in weeks. Should be a bit more compact though as we've been caught out badly with our wing-backs so far up the park in the last couple of games, the right-hand side in particular. Something like - 

                                Rae 
Megwa McCabe Fordyce ATS Hancock 
                              McMaster 
                     Telfer Frizzell McStravick
                             Gallagher 

Although I wouldn't be entirely against swapping out McStravick and playing one of Todorov or Gabby upfront with Gal. 

I’d been expecting us to stick with this formation since Raith (one of our best performances) but I think we need Ballantyne to make it work. It’s a tough shift for the wide positions and he has the quality and speed required, as does Megwa. After that, not so sure I like Jannie out there, and Hancock would likely be needed as left side of the 3. I don’t think we can have Fordyce, Rhys, ATS..  Manager, Assistant, Coach all on the park. One needs to be watching from the sideline. For me that would be Fordyce, as I think we need Rhys in the holding role if fit., particularly with other creative players still out.. and wasn’t Fordyce out for both Raith and Arbroath...

I’ve seen the “send him back” comments (unfair imho) but if McGregor isn’t back this week I’d be ok with Josh getting a start. He was decent for the short time he was on on Saturday and we are short on speed in wide areas, and up front in general.

Gall to start. 100% sure on that one.

Any news on Telfer? Hopefully not another name on the injury list.. Cammy, Murray, Lewis...

 

[Diamonds_Are_Forever]

14 hours ago, Mingus2000 said:

I’d been expecting us to stick with this formation since Raith (one of our best performances) but I think we need Ballantyne to make it work. It’s a tough shift for the wide positions and he has the quality and speed required, as does Megwa. After that, not so sure I like Jannie out there, and Hancock would likely be needed as left side of the 3. I don’t think we can have Fordyce, Rhys, ATS..  Manager, Assistant, Coach all on the park. One needs to be watching from the sideline. For me that would be Fordyce, as I think we need Rhys in the holding role if fit., particularly with other creative players still out.. and wasn’t Fordyce out for both Raith and Arbroath...

I’ve seen the “send him back” comments (unfair imho) but if McGregor isn’t back this week I’d be ok with Josh getting a start. He was decent for the short time he was on on Saturday and we are short on speed in wide areas, and up front in general.

Gall to start. 100% sure on that one.

Any news on Telfer? Hopefully not another name on the injury list.. Cammy, Murray, Lewis...

 

Josh Oconnor is absolute hopeless be better playing with ten men than him that’s how it feels when he’s on just never involved in a game and runs like a headless chicken 24/7

[Diamond8]

2 hours ago, Diamonds_Are_Forever said:

Josh Oconnor is absolute hopeless be better playing with ten men than him that’s how it feels when he’s on just never involved in a game and runs like a headless chicken 24/7

Eager to see what his Da has seen that has made him make the claim that Josh is 'ripping it up in the championship'. Even in one of our better performances of the season he came on and cost us a goal in the home game v Inverness.