Airdrieonians 23/24 Championship Thread♦️

[Jack Reed]

1 minute ago, Diamonds02 said:

Ah well

Fair play to the defence as it could have been 10 without them putting the bodies on the line to block everything. Johnson as well despite some terrible distribution made some unbelievable saves.

McCabe got it massively wrong today but I’m not shiting the bed just yet. A team that’s 43 games unbeaten can do that to you. It’ll be them or Ayr for the title this year and I’ll be happy with 8th this year. If Morton do that to us then I’ll get worried.

Lessons to learn for sure but still early days.

After watching that ,I would think Morton will do that  to us ,that performance rates with the Ayr game,we were outplayed by a good side and lucky to get away with 2 goals,wonder what manager was just saying to players in there after a performance like that at  home,

[Mr November]

A very concerning game, or at least a game which showed up the concerns we’ve had over this team. There was some naivety to it in terms of making the same mistakes but for me the main issues today were a lack of experience and once again a lack of any physicality to actually keep the ball on the rare occasions we did get it beyond our own third. 

I thought we did fine in the first half hour today, both teams had spells on top but there wasn’t too much in the game. Falkirk seemed to suss us out at that point though and we never had an answer to them. Every time we tried to build from the back we’d make a mistake or they’d be right on top of us, every time we played a long pass their defenders won it. Once we took Reid off we then had nobody to aim for and were stuck trying the same thing over and over again.

I’ve said all season we don’t have enough physicality or pace in midfield or attack. Reid has done better than I expected in the last few games but I’m still not convinced he’s the answer. McGregor is our only player, maybe Wilson aside, with genuine pace but as I’ve said before, he wasn’t even a guaranteed starter last season. We have lots of technically good midfielders but I don’t think you can fit McGregor, Wilson and Reid into the same team without dropping some of Frizzell, Mochrie etc., and to be honest I’m not sure what the answer is. 

The lack of experience was an issue today too. Having a few guys like Fordyce, Ballantyne, McGill etc to know how to take the sting out of the game for a few minutes and stop the relentless Falkirk attacks would have helped today. As much as both teams are trying to play the ball on the ground more this season, I do worry for this team going to Cappielow and Almondvale in the next couple of weeks.

[Diamond1924]

That goal kick routine is nothing short of embarrassing. A part of me actually wanted us to concede from it to show McCabe how easy it is to counteract which we very nearly did. 
 

There wasn’t any sign of a game plan or structure in that second half. We looked like a league 2 team at best. 
 

I have been very critical of McCabe and will continue to be so. It is ultimately down to him as a manager to sign players that are good enough for this level and that can play his style and he’s fallen short on both. However, my biggest issue with Rhys is the players let leave; Todorv, Fordyce (McCabes fault), Ballantyne and the list goes on and on and on. I think a lot of that is down to his stubbornness which is only to our detriment as a team. 
 

He’s on a shaky peg for me 
 

 

[Mr November]

Just now, Diamond1924 said:

That goal kick routine is nothing short of embarrassing. A part of me actually wanted us to concede from it to show McCabe how easy it is to counteract which we very nearly did. 
 

There wasn’t any sign of a game plan or structure in that second half. We looked like a league 2 team at best. 
 

I have been very critical of McCabe and will continue to be so. It is ultimately down to him as a manager to sign players that are good enough for this level and that can play his style and he’s fallen short on both. However, my biggest issue with Rhys is the players let leave; Todorv, Fordyce (McCabes fault), Ballantyne and the list goes on and on and on. I think a lot of that is down to his stubbornness which is only to our detriment as a team. 
 

He’s on a shaky peg for me 
 

 

I’m far from McCabe out but I do worry that he bought into the hype too much over the summer. It might yet come good but I worry it’s all been a bit too Football Manager, almost exclusively signing very young players to play a specific style of football in a tough league.

McCabe’s had several times already where he’s looked out of new ideas, only to figure it out and make us a better team. My worry this time is the squad is too imbalanced for us to try anything different.

I’m not sure how his injury is but I actually think we could do with McCabe on the park just now.

[Chapelhall chap]

1 hour ago, Diamond1924 said:

 

3 hours ago, Reggie Perrin said:

Before my time so never happened

 

That made me smile for the first time since second goal went in.

Edited Saturday at 17:08 by Chapelhall chap

[airdrieman]

No arguments today. That was a pumping, and it was actually a bit farcical that Falkirk didn’t score more. Midfield were outfought and outplayed and we’re really missing some experience in there. Player(s) that can provide a bit of composure, in-game intelligence and be consistently correct in their decision-making. Whether that be passing, shooting or holding onto the ball. Felt like every decision we made over a prolonged period of the second-half was the wrong one. I like all the players we have individually but, there is a lack of Championship experience in all areas of the park that is being taken advantage of. As said above, somebody like Telfer who could have helped stop that Falkirk onslaught would make a big difference. I don’t think he’s getting a sniff at Ross County so if there was any chance of getting him back on loan we should be all over that. I think McInroy is a great shout too. 

I was genuinely cringing every time Murray Johnson had to take a goal-kick in the second-half. His distribution had been poor in general in the first-half but, whether it was McCabe ordering a change or somebody on the park taking responsibility either to take the goal-kicks themselves or to make the executive decision and tell Johnson to go long, that whole extended episode should never have been allowed to happen and was evidently hurting his confidence. Which is a shame as he made a couple of tremendous saves in the game still, and we know how talented a keeper he is. At the end of the day, give yourselves a chance and stop putting relentless pressure on Johnson, Graham and Badley-Morgan who all actually dealt with the onslaught probably better than could have been expected (MacDonald too). Again, the midfield needs to do better in terms of giving Johnson and the centre-halves options when playing it out. Telfer and McMaster were always good at this. There’s a lot to like about Agyemang but he’s not got the same positional awareness or experience in a holding midfield role to make the system work as efficiently. As said above, we could really do with McCabe back playing in this regard. 

Upfront I have written about Reid and McGregor before. I think both will have their part to play. But we should not be relying on them to start or win games. Because that is not going to happen more often than it will. I’m loath to criticise him because he does need better playing alongside him. But I am expecting more from Ben Wilson. I don’t expect him to be winning balls in the air or playing like a target man. But at least make yourself difficult to play against and when you get the ball into feet, either hold it or run with it. A goal would be nice too! How long can we call him unlucky when he’s missing, IMO, reasonable chances? 5 goals against a pub side and two League 1 teams does not make a striker. Anyway, really glad we let go our strikers from last season who could hold the ball up and score, for these guys. 

Big game now at Cappielow next week. A pity that their support is feeling so optimistic. 

Edited Saturday at 17:55 by airdrieman

[g martin]

1 hour ago, Diamond1924 said:

That goal kick routine is nothing short of embarrassing. A part of me actually wanted us to concede from it to show McCabe how easy it is to counteract which we very nearly did. 
 

There wasn’t any sign of a game plan or structure in that second half. We looked like a league 2 team at best. 
 

I have been very critical of McCabe and will continue to be so. It is ultimately down to him as a manager to sign players that are good enough for this level and that can play his style and he’s fallen short on both. However, my biggest issue with Rhys is the players let leave; Todorv, Fordyce (McCabes fault), Ballantyne and the list goes on and on and on. I think a lot of that is down to his stubbornness which is only to our detriment as a team. 
 

He’s on a shaky peg for me 
 

 

Have you considered the fact that he is likely just working within the budget constraints of the club? You've got to be lowest or second lowest for expenditure in the championship, as far as I'm concerned mccabe and the players worked a miracle getting to fourth last season. If I were you I would be happy with simply avoiding relegation spots in this tight league and I don't see anyone more likely than mccabe to achieve that for you. Why do you think he got so many mentions at the start of the raith manager search. Even being able to hold on to Frizzell this season I would put into the bonus category, considering the wages he could likely get elsewhere. These young unproven players are cheaper and can be sold on if successful. 

[David Fernández]

I think this is the biggest test of McCabe's managerial career so far.

McCabe inherited the vast majority of Ian Murray's team who really should've got promoted that season whilst making a few tactical tweeks and minimal signings.

Last season we managed to keep the core of that successful squad together whilst again only making minimal signings and a few tactical weeks which made us punch above our weight and achieve an excellent 4th place finish.

This season feels like there's been far too many changes that have happened at the one time, guys like Fordyce, McGill, Telfer and Ballantyne were not only the spine of the team but the heart of it too.

I'm all for trying to produce young players in the hope of selling them on to make us more sustainable as a club, but if you want to succeed at this level you need the same blend of youth and experience like we did last season.

This is starting to feel a bit like Queens Park under Veldman for me and I think we badly need some experience in the midfield and attack.

 

 

[Diamonds are Forever]

1 hour ago, Mr November said:

A very concerning game, or at least a game which showed up the concerns we’ve had over this team. There was some naivety to it in terms of making the same mistakes but for me the main issues today were a lack of experience and once again a lack of any physicality to actually keep the ball on the rare occasions we did get it beyond our own third. 

I thought we did fine in the first half hour today, both teams had spells on top but there wasn’t too much in the game. Falkirk seemed to suss us out at that point though and we never had an answer to them. Every time we tried to build from the back we’d make a mistake or they’d be right on top of us, every time we played a long pass their defenders won it. Once we took Reid off we then had nobody to aim for and were stuck trying the same thing over and over again.

I’ve said all season we don’t have enough physicality or pace in midfield or attack. Reid has done better than I expected in the last few games but I’m still not convinced he’s the answer. McGregor is our only player, maybe Wilson aside, with genuine pace but as I’ve said before, he wasn’t even a guaranteed starter last season. We have lots of technically good midfielders but I don’t think you can fit McGregor, Wilson and Reid into the same team without dropping some of Frizzell, Mochrie etc., and to be honest I’m not sure what the answer is. 

The lack of experience was an issue today too. Having a few guys like Fordyce, Ballantyne, McGill etc to know how to take the sting out of the game for a few minutes and stop the relentless Falkirk attacks would have helped today. As much as both teams are trying to play the ball on the ground more this season, I do worry for this team going to Cappielow and Almondvale in the next couple of weeks.

 

I've always been very supportive of the club when they get stick for not pushing the boat out or not being able to get proven players in as we can't compete financially with most of the league. However that is an excuse for not signing quality players, it is not an excuse for what we have which is a totally inbalanced squad. In isolation most of our players would be good enough for the Championship in a well balanced side playing in their best position, but that isn't the case.

I think we have 10 central midfielders - Frizzell, McStravick, Mochrie and McGrattan in the attacking role. Agyemang, Aiken, Armstrong in the 'box to box' category and McCabe, McMaster and Gallagher in the defensive role. It is complete overkill and misuse of resources, particularly in the attacking role where we essentially have 4 identical players. On the other hand we have no wide players at all, arguably McGregor but he now seems to be a striker due to a lack of strikers. And then at centre back, we sign one during the summer, who then gets injured leaving us with no-one and we have to scramble around in late August to bring two in - who thankfully look pretty decent given the onslaught they need to deal with.

It's the first squad McCabe has ever had to build and his lack of experience in that area is definitely showing. The excessive number of central midfielders is the sign of a manager who only wants to play one way - intricate passing through the park - with no real idea of what to do when that doesn't work. As you mentioned, I'm more concerned this season than the previous two when we had a bad spell because this season I don't see how he actually can change things with the design of squad that he's built.

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds]

7 minutes ago, g martin said:

Have you considered the fact that he is likely just working within the budget constraints of the club? You've got to be lowest or second lowest for expenditure in the championship, as far as I'm concerned mccabe and the players worked a miracle getting to fourth last season. If I were you I would be happy with simply avoiding relegation spots in this tight league and I don't see anyone more likely than mccabe to achieve that for you. Why do you think he got so many mentions at the start of the raith manager search. Even being able to hold on to Frizzell this season I would put into the bonus category, considering the wages he could likely get elsewhere. These young unproven players are cheaper and can be sold on if successful. 

Massive increase in income last season after finishing fourth. Apparently knocked back fees for Hancock. Fordyce, Telfer, Ballantyne all presumably higher earners who left. We’re running a bigger squad this season so I don’t think it’s ridiculous to think we could have pushed the boat out a tad more for a signing or two with more experience.

In fairness I think Aidan Wilson is probably one of the higher earners of the new signings this season and it’s unfortunate he’s picked up a bad injury. But it seemed to take that injury for us to get the finger out and sign some defenders, through the League Cup groups and first few league games we were all crying out that we needed a defender in and had done for a while.

Armstrong looks to have been Telfer’s direct replacement imo, and I think he started well but a few poorer games and he’s since dropped to the bench. I think we have plenty of tidy players in midfield, Agyemang, Frizz, Mochrie etc, but it seems to me we need someone that can impose himself on the game from there and hold his position to allow the others to flourish. Realistically that’s McMaster’s job when he’s fit (although he’s far from physically imposing) and I think I’d have preferred GavGal in that role today with Agyemang a bit further forward.

I can’t wrap my head around the forward situation at all. It was time to let Gallagher go, I agree. I was a bit surprised when we released McGill. It was fine if we replaced him with better, but we haven’t. Wilson looked an excellent signing on paper and started well but he’s done nothing for weeks. Yes he’s been isolated but he should be doing more to get involved. Reid and Cooper are absolutely untested at this level and Cooper seemingly is not ready to be involved at all. In fairness I don’t think Reid had a bad game today (as far as that can be said in such a poor team performance), but it’s criminal that we willingly released Todorov from his contract without replacing him. It’s been two months since he left and we haven’t signed another forward.

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds]

I think what we might need ultimately is McCabe or Watson (or Wilson but that’s further away) back fit and a switch to a back five. An extra man at the back will help us play out. The full backs playing higher up will help us get the ball up the park as we seem to struggle doing this through the middle but have no wingers to do it any other way.

[Diamond72]

As someone previously said, if this game and the result was against Queen's Park or Hamilton I would be very worried. The only teams to dominate us this season league-wise have been Ayr and Falkirk.  it must be obvious to many, even at this stage that those two sides are stick -ons for the first and second places. I have to agree though that a lack of experience in games like today cost us big time. Gallagher and Mochrie looked lost in midfield and Reid was fighting a losing battle against two of the best central defenders in the league.  The upside today was the defense, especially Bradley-Morgan who was outstanding in my opinion.

[Mr November]

1 minute ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:

I think what we might need ultimately is McCabe or Watson (or Wilson but that’s further away) back fit and a switch to a back five. An extra man at the back will help us play out. The full backs playing higher up will help us get the ball up the park as we seem to struggle doing this through the middle but have no wingers to do it any other way.

Yeah ultimately I think this is what we’ll end up doing. Reid/McGregor up front beside Wilson, Frizzell and two others in midfield. That does leave your bench almost entirely consisting of midfielders but it is what it is. 

Obviously it’s a new team but I reckon if you asked 10 Airdrie fans what our best team is the only players to get in all of them would be Hancock, Frizzell and Aidan Wilson. We do need to figure it out soon though.

[Diamonds are Forever]

7 minutes ago, Diamond72 said:

As someone previously said, if this game and the result was against Queen's Park or Hamilton I would be very worried. The only teams to dominate us this season league-wise have been Ayr and Falkirk.  it must be obvious to many, even at this stage that those two sides are stick -ons for the first and second places. I have to agree though that a lack of experience in games like today cost us big time. Gallagher and Mochrie looked lost in midfield and Reid was fighting a losing battle against two of the best central defenders in the league.  The upside today was the defense, especially Bradley-Morgan who was outstanding in my opinion.

 

That was exactly the result against Queens Park! And the result against Hamilton until 10 minutes to go.

I think people have been ignoring some clear warning signs in recent weeks by trying to explain away results with excuses of playing superior teams and an exaggerated injury crisis. Our only league win looked good at the time, but looking at it now we beat the league's bottom side at home by 1 goal.

It's a long season and it shouldn't be panic stations, but we'll need a major improvement to be competitive this season.

 

[DiamomdsD]

Individually I think we’re generally ok but we seem to have lost the ability to play out from the back. And if that’s not possible the only option is to go long, with Reid the only player who can give an option for that. Take him off today and look what happens…

Looking at the team, how many players in the starting 11 were here last season? Will it just take longer for everyone to settle? Maybe this is the cost of playing with a low budget and resultant high turnover of players year on year.

[airdrieman]

1 hour ago, g martin said:

Have you considered the fact that he is likely just working within the budget constraints of the club? You've got to be lowest or second lowest for expenditure in the championship, as far as I'm concerned mccabe and the players worked a miracle getting to fourth last season. If I were you I would be happy with simply avoiding relegation spots in this tight league and I don't see anyone more likely than mccabe to achieve that for you. Why do you think he got so many mentions at the start of the raith manager search. Even being able to hold on to Frizzell this season I would put into the bonus category, considering the wages he could likely get elsewhere. These young unproven players are cheaper and can be sold on if successful. 

I don’t entirely disagree with you. Some people have short memories or have no sense of perspective or patience whatsoever. Even after last season I do think consolidating in the Championship would still be a positive and progressive season for us. But, I think the discussion on here has been fair and reasonable and most over-reactions have, as usual, been confined to the Facebook group. Like I think it is fair to believe that our squad is imbalanced and the budget we have/had could have been better used in the summer. For instance, would I have rather signed two even somewhat proven Championship players across the spine of the team in pre-season than (no harm to them) McGrattan/Cooper/Bruce/Aiken? Probably. We let Todorov go for free and the fact he’s ostensibly a higher earner who hasn’t been replaced is negligible. It’s especially frustrating because even after today I still don’t think we’re that far away. But the imbalance of and gaps in the squad is killing us at the moment. 

[airdrieman]

Also, £4.50 for a kebab pie? Bring back Christie’s.

[Jack Reed]

1 hour ago, g martin said:

Have you considered the fact that he is likely just working within the budget constraints of the club? You've got to be lowest or second lowest for expenditure in the championship, as far as I'm concerned mccabe and the players worked a miracle getting to fourth last season. If I were you I would be happy with simply avoiding relegation spots in this tight league and I don't see anyone more likely than mccabe to achieve that for you. Why do you think he got so many mentions at the start of the raith manager search. Even being able to hold on to Frizzell this season I would put into the bonus category, considering the wages he could likely get elsewhere. These young unproven players are cheaper and can be sold on if successful. 

That being the case be better in lower league then ,no,no  we set our stall and we have signed players not at the races,

[qpfc]

13 hours ago, David Fernández said:

This is starting to feel a bit like Queens Park under Veldman for me and I think we badly need some experience in the midfield and attack.

Sounds very similar going from what I’ve read 

The persistent style of play regardless of how successful it proves to be, recruiting a large amount of no doubt talented young guys but lacking any sort of experience or bite to actually get results in this league. It got to a point under Veldman that you cringed so hard with the goal kicks as we were so inept at passing it out from the back and conceding an abundance of comical goals

Think some managers underestimate how critical experience is in this league. We signed Sean Welsh in the January time last season once Veldman was punted and it’s crazy what a difference it made. 

The worst part is when you get yourself in a rut with a squad of young players, it’s a monumental task to get the confidence back. 

Still early days of course for you guys and fortunately there’s a couple teams in this league who seem to be in a worse nick but im curious to see how results pan out until the January time with such a young group 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds]

Interesting to see McCabe criticising the team for going long to Reid and saying that’s not how we play, doesn’t seem like tactics will be changing any time soon.

In fairness he seemed to be more critical of players not showing for the ball rather than the players that hoofed it up, but until we considerably improve in playing it out from the back and playing around a high press we’re just going to keep losing. McMaster is a big miss in that regard (as is Wilson’s experience and calmness) but we need to be prepared to deal with a couple of injuries. I’ll possibly sound mad here but would it not be good to play Frizz deeper at the moment? He’s the captain and our most experienced midfielder so surely if you have him making himself available and taking the ball under pressure it would at least inspire a bit of confidence in the rest of them?