The Sons vs The Spartans

[Silverton End]

On 12/08/2023 at 18:56, TheClosingArguement said:

Based on those numbers & the fact forfar haven't scored in the 1st 2 league games, should we expect utter dross next Saturday? 

Every possibility 

[The Moonster]

2 hours ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

Is there any indication of his likely return ?  

Farrell said 2 to 3 weeks post match I'm sure. Wallace is back on Tuesday.

[TullyBascombe]

Was there any reason why we lined up at the river end of the ground for kick off? Warmed up as usual but then Long came out beckoning the coaches to the other end when he emerged for the game. 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

2 hours ago, The Moonster said:

Farrell said 2 to 3 weeks post match I'm sure. Wallace is back on Tuesday.

If that's the case then there is little option than to play McLean off Wallace up front as the experiment with Shiels was a failure. 

Sadly, Declan Byrne looks to be following the same path as Rory Loy and Denny Johnstone so we need to hope Ruth is a quick healer.

[Jan Vojáček]

Jinky Hilton spent a fair chunk of last season up front for Stranraer. He doesn't particularly playing up there, but he might be worth a punt if/assuming Wallace isn't fit enough for a full 90 minutes.

I actually thought we might've been better playing Tony Wallace up top on Saturday and kept Shiels wide. He's big, strong, powerful, good in the air and a good finisher. He might not be the most natural up there, but (imo) he'd have been a better option than Shiels.

Edited August 14, 2023 by Jan Vojáček

[FifeSons]

Ross MacLean really needs to pull his socks up and start contributing, for me. We're not seeing enough from him to justify a starting spot.

[The Moonster]

58 minutes ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

If that's the case then there is little option than to play McLean off Wallace up front as the experiment with Shiels was a failure. 

Sadly, Declan Byrne looks to be following the same path as Rory Loy and Denny Johnstone so we need to hope Ruth is a quick healer.

I'd drop MacLean tbh. Shiels and Orsi wide, Hilton playing off Wallace, Gray and Blair Malcolm into midfield. 

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

1 hour ago, FifeSons said:

Ross MacLean really needs to pull his socks up and start contributing, for me. We're not seeing enough from him to justify a starting spot.

He’s contributed very little since the first half season he was with tbh. He has the odd good game here and there but over the course of last season he done nowhere near enough to warrant being a regular starter, especially when we have other options.

[Jan Vojáček]

Ross MacLean is very like Bobby Barr imo. Four games a season where he's unplayable, a good few where he looks a threat and causes problems and a good few where he can't cross a ball, shoot or beat a man. They are delivered in no particular order, and irrelevant of who he is up against.

I actually think (hope) that he might thrive with a bit of competition. Because for the last two seasons he's been a guaranteed starter if he's fit. Now we've got plenty of wide players, and maybe a spell on the bench might be what he needs.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

All good shouts and I like the sound of Moonster's idea.  I also agree that Ross McLean is the definition of the inconsistent winger but he's not the only player who is currently off it.

We need to rejig the midfield if we want to avoid a repeat of 42/58 home possession stats.  But you honestly wonder if Stevie Farrell can ever bring himself to field a genuinely offensive formation.

[Sweet Pete]

44 minutes ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

All good shouts and I like the sound of Moonster's idea.  I also agree that Ross McLean is the definition of the inconsistent winger but he's not the only player who is currently off it.

We need to rejig the midfield if we want to avoid a repeat of 42/58 home possession stats.  But you honestly wonder if Stevie Farrell can ever bring himself to field a genuinely offensive formation.

Dunno, a lot of the stuff we played last season was very offensive... to the eyes.

[cameron2000]

8 hours ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

All good shouts and I like the sound of Moonster's idea.  I also agree that Ross McLean is the definition of the inconsistent winger but he's not the only player who is currently off it.

We need to rejig the midfield if we want to avoid a repeat of 42/58 home possession stats.  But you honestly wonder if Stevie Farrell can ever bring himself to field a genuinely offensive formation.

I don’t know if you were at the game but the possession stats shown were definitely incorrect. It was at least 55-45 in our favour. 

[O'Kelly Isley III]

8 hours ago, cameron2000 said:

I don’t know if you were at the game but the possession stats shown were definitely incorrect. It was at least 55-45 in our favour. 

I was at the game and I don't agree with you.  The last twenty minutes in particular was a flashback to last season - we had difficulty getting out of our own half.  Over the ninety minutes The Spartans were the quicker and more composed team in possession, and no-one could grudge them their equaliser.