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Airdrieonians 23/24 Championship Thread♦️


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47 minutes ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

 

I agree, although listening to McCabe's interview I doubt that will happen. Basically says we are mainly trying for younger players which have been scouted and have sell-on value, and that the more established players are too expensive. So we'll maybe get a couple of loans or another McStravick type signing. Doesn't come as any surprise to be honest as that has been our policy until now under McCabe. I've no issue with that long term strategy but we really need a couple of ready made first team players.

Spot on but a dangerous strategy as virtually every club in Scotland are pursuing the same thing.

You only need to look to last season to see that our Lanarkshire neighbours were the best U18 side in the country and sold Ryan One to Sheffield Utd for a reported 6 figure sum. Well, we know the rest!

 

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54 minutes ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

 

I agree, although listening to McCabe's interview I doubt that will happen. Basically says we are mainly trying for younger players which have been scouted and have sell-on value, and that the more established players are too expensive. So we'll maybe get a couple of loans or another McStravick type signing. Doesn't come as any surprise to be honest as that has been our policy until now under McCabe. I've no issue with that long term strategy but we really need a couple of ready made first team players.

Or another loan which we’ll try and get on a permanent deal 

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1 hour ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:

Presumably it’s either going to be Easton or Smith playing on the left for Raith today and I’m really looking forward to seeing Megwa come up against either

Yes, him or Cammy seem best suited for Easton.

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5 hours ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:

Presumably it’s either going to be Easton or Smith playing on the left for Raith today and I’m really looking forward to seeing Megwa come up against either

Megwa had their number all game. One of his best performances yet. 

An outstanding win for us today and thoroughly deserved too. The better team throughout and even when Raith had spells on top we defended very well, held our shape and never looked in any real danger. Hard to pick out a man of the match but the full backs were excellent and Fordyce won every header. It seemed like one of those games where McCabe was in control of everything that happened. Pleased for Todorov too, I’ve always said if we can get crosses into the box he’ll be a threat and he took his goal really well today.

Morton winning was a shame but there’s a good chance next week to open up more of a gap on the teams below us. What a difference from how we were feeling at half time at Hampden. 

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5 minutes ago, Mr November said:

Megwa had their number all game. One of his best performances yet. 

An outstanding win for us today and thoroughly deserved too. The better team throughout and even when Raith had spells on top we defended very well, held our shape and never looked in any real danger. Hard to pick out a man of the match but the full backs were excellent and Fordyce won every header. It seemed like one of those games where McCabe was in control of everything that happened. Pleased for Todorov too, I’ve always said if we can get crosses into the box he’ll be a threat and he took his goal really well today.

Morton winning was a shame but there’s a good chance next week to open up more of a gap on the teams below us. What a difference from how we were feeling at half time at Hampden. 

No slight on Hancock but Megwa was MoM to me despite all his previous MoM's. Worryingly I thought he was too good!

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3 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

No slight on Hancock but Megwa was MoM to me despite all his previous MoM's. Worryingly I thought he was too good!

He was definitely more of a threat going forward today while still being imperious defensively. I thought Hancock deserved man of the match on Tuesday so that just balances it out!

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On 31/12/2023 at 12:53, cb_diamond said:

The January fixtures are really interesting. On paper (and if you're a gambler) then it looks like a return of between 1 and 3 points and a cup exit, given the only game we should really fancy ourselves in is against ICT, however, if we can take 6 or more points then the traditional post January Airdrie momentum will really start to motor. 

We have to fancy ourselves to be competitive and given the injury issues currently at some of our rivals compared to our squad now coming back towards being fully fit then this may be a pivotal 4/5 weeks in the season.

That's your 6 points gathered already. Hopefully be able to get something from EEP as well next week. 

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3 minutes ago, Mybitchunderprotest said:

That's your 6 points gathered already. Hopefully be able to get something from EEP as well next week. 

I suspect we're playing them at the ideal time as well!!

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40 minutes ago, cb_diamond said:

I suspect we're playing them at the ideal time as well!!

Great result and performance today,reading Raith were poor,no they only played as well as we let them ,and once again we had the measure of them ,great for team and manager ,another good sat night ,

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Currently got the 2nd best goals against record in the league, who would have thought that at the start of the season?! Even during our poor form we're generally just losing 1 goal a game, which is fine. A lot of good organisational work going on, but also the emergence of Megwa and Hancock at full-back (and Ballantyne when he's been fit) has been great to see.

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28 minutes ago, Diamonds are Forever said:

Currently got the 2nd best goals against record in the league, who would have thought that at the start of the season?! Even during our poor form we're generally just losing 1 goal a game, which is fine. A lot of good organisational work going on, but also the emergence of Megwa and Hancock at full-back (and Ballantyne when he's been fit) has been great to see.

Was saying during the Inverness game what an upgrade Hancock and Megwa are on guys like Euan Deveney. For all the chat about our poor defence we were actually pretty solid for the last quarter last season but McCabe and Fordyce have them very well drilled this season. Obviously it’s the other end of the pitch which has been frustrating for the last few months but fair play to McCabe if he’s found a way around that. It’s quite funny that simply not playing wingers has made us much more dangerous from wide areas.

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17 minutes ago, Mr November said:

Was saying during the Inverness game what an upgrade Hancock and Megwa are on guys like Euan Deveney. For all the chat about our poor defence we were actually pretty solid for the last quarter last season but McCabe and Fordyce have them very well drilled this season. Obviously it’s the other end of the pitch which has been frustrating for the last few months but fair play to McCabe if he’s found a way around that. It’s quite funny that simply not playing wingers has made us much more dangerous from wide areas.

 

Definitely. We were quite solid towards the end of last season but that was with going to a more experienced back-line with Ballantyne, ATS, Fordyce and Watson. At the moment we have experience at centre back with youth and energy at full-back, which is a great mix.

I also think McCabe playing deep midfield takes a lot of pressure off Fordyce to be a ball-playing centre back because he'll drop deep and demand the ball and dictate play. Whereas McMaster doesn't have the confidence to do that yet which means Fordyce ends up a playmaker from the back, which doesn't work as well in possession and I think impacts on him defensively. He's been great recently when he's just able to focus on what he is good at - defending. It may even just be having McCabe on the park at all helps take some of the pressure off his shoulders and allows him to focus on his game.

Edited by Diamonds are Forever
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Telfer had another really good game and he is effective from the wide areas getting good crosses in from tight spaces and retaining the ball with the short close passes. He is also all over the place cutting out the space, closing down and some great tackles. With Frizz starting to get back to his tricky best all he has to do is stop being too tricky for his boots and we will hurt teams in the final third again.

I said a couple of months ago that playing ineffective wingers was stopping us playing to our strengths and I am really pleased to see that Rhys has found a way to get the best from the players we have and not stuck to the "we need wingers" philosophy. I also think McGregor is starting to look like he may score some goals through the middle in the second half of the season and he can do a job covering back also.

The 3 points yesterday were well deserved and so important but there is no feeling like it. Megwa will be sad to leave this team and you could see at the end how much it meant to him when he turned to the crowd. He is coming on so well that Hibs should take a long term view and send him back to us for the rest of the season after Dubai. When he gets singled out for so much praise from the losing teams supporters that tells you a lot. He has it all and just needs more confidence that comes with games and winning. His jaunt over to the right wing shows that he is starting to relax into his game and just go for it.

Now if we can only get someone on the back post for the crosses.....

 

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On 06/01/2024 at 22:07, Mr November said:

Was saying during the Inverness game what an upgrade Hancock and Megwa are on guys like Euan Deveney. For all the chat about our poor defence we were actually pretty solid for the last quarter last season but McCabe and Fordyce have them very well drilled this season. Obviously it’s the other end of the pitch which has been frustrating for the last few months but fair play to McCabe if he’s found a way around that. It’s quite funny that simply not playing wingers has made us much more dangerous from wide areas.

Megwa still here on Sat ?????

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