Partick Thistle v Arbroath

[1320Lichtie]

A very tough game in store for Arbroath even if we are coming off the back of a very good run where we’re winning games and scoring goals.
 

Thistle away will be a really hard one and their front 3 of Lawless, Graham and Fitzpatrick really do look the business. Also seem to have signed well, McInroy in the middle of the park looks like he’s been magic. 
 

However I think this season we are well capable of performing and picking up results here and there so in games like this and the tougher games away from home especially it really is a what have we got to lose type situation instead of what it was last year when you’d absolutely dread these matches. 
 

It is going to be made all the tougher now we have lost Ricky Little to suspension (cheers Craig Napier you wee fanny), breaking up that partnership with ToB so would like to see us put Darren Lyon in for his debut, moving David Gold back to right back. Bird or McIntosh uptop too to let us get up the park more effectively. 
 

Gaston

 

Gold

Steele

ToB

Stewart 

 

Turan

Lyon

Slater 

McKenna

Hylton

 

Bird 

 

 

[oneteaminglasgow]

Will be interesting to see Arbroath play. I thought they looked rancid against Dundee United, and then got beat quite comfortably off Queen’s Park twice. But four wins since then - wonder if it’s just that they’ve been up against a load of dross or if they’re actually an ok side.

If we keep up how we’ve been playing, I think we’ll be fine. Lawless in particular has been sensational in the last few weeks. 

[jagsfan57]

So far I am amazed that we haven’t been punished more for not having a midfielder that can break up the play.

[lichtie23]

The 4 game winning run has been very pleasant but this is a very tough test on Saturday. Made harder with the suspension for Ricky. Would be tempted to put the new lad Lyon at RB with Goldy continuing his centre midfield partnership with the continually improving Slater. 

[1320Lichtie]

37 minutes ago, oneteaminglasgow said:

Will be interesting to see Arbroath play. I thought they looked rancid against Dundee United, and then got beat quite comfortably off Queen’s Park twice. But four wins since then - wonder if it’s just that they’ve been up against a load of dross or if they’re actually an ok side.

If we keep up how we’ve been playing, I think we’ll be fine. Lawless in particular has been sensational in the last few weeks. 

There’s definitely a decent side there it’s just taken time, we had plenty of good players for this level last year but had absolutely zero upfront or out wide aside from a 37 year old Bobby Linn who we somehow did our utmost best to keep off the park for whatever reason. Plenty options and pace uptop and out wide now. 
 

We crumbled after that mistake against United and never recovered, QP away the week after there was definitely a lack of confidence there come kick off but grew into that game towards the end and then the week after QP absolutely did not beat us comfortably and we were very unlucky to lose that game, if anything I thought we should’ve won. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by 1320Lichtie

[ExiledLichtie]

It'll be good to see Steele at CB, ultimately I think that's where he will end up long term, so we're looking potentially at the partnership of the future.  I would keep Gold in cm where he's vital, so to me it would make sense to drop Lyon in there and avoid disrupting the midfield.  Hylton and McKenna seems to be working fantastically, so I'd be inclined to keep those two, and then its just a question of Dow, Turan, Balde, or Stowe on the right.  Each offers something different.  Given that Partick are a really good team, I'd imagine the more defensively minded Balde or Dow would get the nod.  Harsh to drop Turan after the strong start to the season he's had, but thems the breaks.

Up front, Id be happy with either of Bird or McIntosh.  

[clashcityrocker]

Thistle will pose a better barometer to Arbroath's recent run of fine form.

But Arbroath fans have every reason to be optimistic about this match , and we have a good track record against Thistle (excluding last season).

Thistle fans will also be confident - so expecting a tight match and a tough challenge for both teams.

Would settle for a draw - but hoping for an away win.

 

[SmokeyJoe]

Lyon in for little steel to cb and Lyon into RB. Keep gold in the middle of the park hes been brilliant there for us. LM9 for turan 

Gaston 

lyon steel tob stewart

dow gold slater hylton

mckenna LM9 

[1320Lichtie]

Hope Lyon is fit - be a tough game to come into after not playing for an extended period. Main reason why I put him into midfield where he could just sit instead of one on one with a guy like Fitzpatrick who has pace to burn. 

[Smokerson]

There’s no way I’d be taking Gold out of midfield 

[Its not only a game]

4 hours ago, ExiledLichtie said:

It'll be good to see Steele at CB, ultimately I think that's where he will end up long term, so we're looking potentially at the partnership of the future.  I would keep Gold in cm where he's vital, so to me it would make sense to drop Lyon in there and avoid disrupting the midfield.  Hylton and McKenna seems to be working fantastically, so I'd be inclined to keep those two, and then its just a question of Dow, Turan, Balde, or Stowe on the right.  Each offers something different.  Given that Partick are a really good team, I'd imagine the more defensively minded Balde or Dow would get the nod.  Harsh to drop Turan after the strong start to the season he's had, but thems the breaks.

Up front, Id be happy with either of Bird or McIntosh.  

Steele natural position is CB that’s where he played  at EF- will be a good game . McKenna seems bang on form again- few can match his strength …. I fancy Arbroath to do another surge again this year. Lawless goal last week was ridiculous - so will be a close game- 2 teams in form.

[I Clavdivs]

League match performances to date have been very much Jeckyll and Hyde affairs . When on song we are unstoppable,however, we know we can lapse into periods of insipid torpor basically riding our luck and relying on inspired goal keeping to keep us in the game.Certainly will be looking for better consistency on Saturday .Good to have Milne back at left back also .

[ExiledLichtie]

54 minutes ago, Its not only a game said:

Steele natural position is CB that’s where he played  at EF- will be a good game . McKenna seems bang on form again- few can match his strength …. I fancy Arbroath to do another surge again this year. Lawless goal last week was ridiculous - so will be a close game- 2 teams in form.

Two years ago, what made McKenna great was having great strikers.  We had Nouble and Dowds, who both required marking (double and triple marking in Nouble's case), and also Linn, leaving McKenna with pretty much the entire pitch to operate free and unmarked.  Last year, we didn't have that, and so he wasn't as prolific.  Plus he was expected to be the main man.  This year, he's got good players around him again, with a proper striker up front (Turan, Bird or McIntosh), and a really good emerging partnership with Hylton.  These players need to be marked, meaning McKenna once again has freedom to roam.

Edited September 18, 2023 by ExiledLichtie

[El Gringo Jag]

Easy

 

Feed these part timers like you would a greyhound just before the match. Couple of Greg's sausage rolls and the game is ours! MON THE JAGS!

[velo army]

In a world where managers get the sack after a bad couple of months it's great to see Arbroath sticking with Campbell despite having a comparatively poor season last time out. It's obviously reaping rewards.

 

[thistledo]

I'd say this will be our toughest league game so far this season, always hard to play a team on form. This could be about 4-3 either way on Saturday depending on who can defend the best. 

[keptie]

1 hour ago, velo army said:

In a world where managers get the sack after a bad couple of months it's great to see Arbroath sticking with Campbell despite having a comparatively poor season last time out. It's obviously reaping rewards.

 

They had a lot of credit in the bank after what they have done  in there time here but it was kinda getting stretched to the limit last season and the start of this season and a good few of our support were thinking there time was up ( me included) but the board stuck with them and we appear to be back on track. So kudos to the board for staying with them.

Tough game this for Arbroath and a real test for us but the team will be confident and hopefully we get something out of it.

[1320Lichtie]

26 minutes ago, keptie said:

They had a lot of credit in the bank after what they have done  in there time here but it was kinda getting stretched to the limit last season and the start of this season and a good few of our support were thinking there time was up ( me included) but the board stuck with them and we appear to be back on track. So kudos to the board for staying with them.

Tough game this for Arbroath and a real test for us but the team will be confident and hopefully we get something out of it.

I thought Dick and Ian signed very well was just waiting on seeing a team with a plan on the park and it for whatever reason just all come together in the QP defeat at home (I know that sounds silly because we got beat but we looked like a proper team for the first time in forever that day). 
 

I think with the way we play too it’s hard for us in friendly matches and the league cup to an extent, our game is really just high intensity, direct, second balls and if we’re playing we are playing in other teams halves for the most part. We don’t f**k about with it.
 

When guys aren’t up to speed and there’s not the same competitive edge on games we struggle a wee bit I think. Couldn’t win a tackle all pre season and in the league cup and we’re back to biting boys ankles and getting stuck in in the middle of the park and a big part of that is just Gold, McKenna, Slater etc getting up to speed. 
 

Be a very tough test with Ricky out though, I do think if their front 3 have a good game they’ll win this one but if we can do a job on them we will have a chance. In Edinburgh for the gf birthday all weekend so it’ll be a Soccer Saturday / bet365 effort. Hoping we can get something which is a good feeling after feeling hopeless going into most games last year. 

[thistledo]

2 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

 In Edinburgh for the gf birthday all weekend so it’ll be a Soccer Saturday / bet365 effort. 

Can't believe you're not taking her to Firhill for feast of football, via Munn's or the Woody for a pre-match pint or two, what more could a woman want? 

[1320Lichtie]

33 minutes ago, thistledo said:

Can't believe you're not taking her to Firhill for feast of football, via Munn's or the Woody for a pre-match pint or two, what more could a woman want? 

 

Truth be told I’ve been sick fed up of Firhill in recent years so I’m not overly fussed and that would not have gone down well, never made the last good performance we had there which was the 2-0 game Anton Dowds and Liam Henderson scored headers in and every time I’ve been since has been miserable.
 

The 3-1 however many years ago now where Luke Donnelly, Colin Hamilton and McKenna scored the only visit I’ve enjoyed off the top of my head.
 

Was in the aforementioned Munns by the 70th minute the last game down there

Edited September 19, 2023 by 1320Lichtie