Cove v Annan

[CoveRangers1922]

Last game of the first quarter of matches and it's back to L1 with a bump for Cove. Hartley's neck is well and truly on the block this time around. 3 straight 2-2 draws have put some points on the board but it's woefully short of expectation. Nothing other than a win saves him is the general consensus amongst Cove fans. All 20 of us will riot at FT if we fail to pick up the points. No disrespect to Annan who will fancy their chances and rightly so.

Annan directly above us and should come with confidence knowing we are without a home league win since 23rd December and to add to that have conceded 2 or more in 10 out of our 13 matches this season. Away side have only picked up a solitary point on their travels so far in the league campaign.

Mitch misses due to his head butt antics against Stirling Albion. Williamson likely to partner Burrell in attack. If Blair is fit he'll start.

Goals here I suspect and BTTS has got to be likely.

[Moorie]

Won’t happen but McGowan needs to be bench in place of Yule if he’s fit.

as you say Hartley in trouble if you’s lose but even a draw won’t be good enough with the top 2 already pulling away.

 

I wonder what there is more off on here cove or Annan fans 

[Watson Nimrod]

McGowan has brought absolutely nothing to the table since signing, not one single piece of play that could be regarded as memorable. I noticed on Saturday he must have been reading the club Facebook page as his attitude to his fellow players seemed to have improved … it’s a shame that wasn’t reflected in his play.

Will this one go ahead? I wonder if Annan are halfway or already holed up in some over priced travel barn in the suburbs of Aberdeen? I imagine if they aren’t they won’t travel up tomorrow. Might just give Hartley another week in the job. Given the lack of any comments positive or negative on the clubs ‘social’ channels I suspect all 21 of us fans are now resigned to the sort of desperate football that we have been served all season with the widely held belief the board would be bricking it that giving him his P45 will mean them having to dig into their own (not shallow admittedly) pockets. 
 

An air of apathy seems to have descended on the Balmoral and he will be heartened that the heavy rain forecast will either a) Call the game off or b) Be a deterrent to the handful that surround the dugout shouting lighthearted banter.

If it’s the latter it will give his 2 Rottweilers the opportunity to concentrate on what they are paid for….

[CoveRangers1922]

12 hours ago, Watson Nimrod said:

McGowan has brought absolutely nothing to the table since signing, not one single piece of play that could be regarded as memorable. I noticed on Saturday he must have been reading the club Facebook page as his attitude to his fellow players seemed to have improved … it’s a shame that wasn’t reflected in his play.

Will this one go ahead? I wonder if Annan are halfway or already holed up in some over priced travel barn in the suburbs of Aberdeen? I imagine if they aren’t they won’t travel up tomorrow. Might just give Hartley another week in the job. Given the lack of any comments positive or negative on the clubs ‘social’ channels I suspect all 21 of us fans are now resigned to the sort of desperate football that we have been served all season with the widely held belief the board would be bricking it that giving him his P45 will mean them having to dig into their own (not shallow admittedly) pockets. 
 

An air of apathy seems to have descended on the Balmoral and he will be heartened that the heavy rain forecast will either a) Call the game off or b) Be a deterrent to the handful that surround the dugout shouting lighthearted banter.

If it’s the latter it will give his 2 Rottweilers the opportunity to concentrate on what they are paid for….

Good post and glad to see an additional Cove fan on P&B

At least Vigurs could spray a pass and play a killer through ball. Granted he couldn't jog the length of himself though and rightly curtailed his involvement. McGowan just isn't adding anything. Only memorable moment I can remember is a moment of madness at Hamilton. Poor signing all round when we needed strengthening/budget spent in other areas Hartley has just forgotten even existed.

Sacking Hartley will be a tough one as it will showcase the board members failure and nepotism to hand out the contract they did. As you say it will be costly but less so than the relegation he brought upon us. Sheran will walk when Hartley does is my prediction. 

13 hours ago, Moorie said:

Won’t happen but McGowan needs to be bench in place of Yule if he’s fit.

as you say Hartley in trouble if you’s lose but even a draw won’t be good enough with the top 2 already pulling away.

 

I wonder what there is more off on here cove or Annan fans 

It should be win or P45. To be honest he's on borrowed time regardless.

Yes there's time after this game to turn it around and still get top 4 but the overwhelming feeling is that's not going to happen under Hartley's control. He's showed his "abilities" in these last 9 months and that's enough now. His recruitment has baffled us all, landed us in this mess and will forever be his achilles heel that will stop any significant progression. Should say I'd make an educated guess that our budget will be much lower that many think and finding full time players willing to play up here, in L1, for those wages would be far from easy but it's still a failure; it's his responsibility and his team he's formed.

It's time for some new fresh management and for the boys club element to end. Imperative the board get the next appointment right as it's clearly never a given.

Edited October 7, 2023 by CoveRangers1922

[Watson Nimrod]

12 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Good post and glad to see an additional Cove fan on P&B

At least Vigurs could spray a pass and play a killer through ball. Granted he couldn't jog the length of himself though and rightly curtailed his involvement. McGowan just isn't adding anything. Only memorable moment I can remember is a moment of madness at Hamilton. Poor signing all round when we needed strengthening/budget spent in other areas Hartley has just forgotten even existed.

Sacking Hartley will be a tough one as it will showcase the board members failure and nepotism to hand out the contract they did. As you say it will be costly but less so than the relegation he brought upon us. Sheran will walk when Hartley does is my prediction. 

It should be win or P45. To be honest he's on borrowed time regardless.

Yes there's time after this game to turn it around and still get top 4 but the overwhelming feeling is that's not going to happen under Hartley's control. He's showed his "abilities" in these last 9 months and that's enough now. His recruitment has baffled us all, landed us in this mess and will forever be his achilles heel that will stop any significant progression. Should say I'd make an educated guess that our budget will be much lower that many think and finding full time players willing to play up here, in L1, for those wages would be far from easy but it's still a failure; it's his responsibility and his team he's formed.

It's time for some new fresh management and for the boys club element to end. Imperative the board get the next appointment right as it's clearly never a given.

I would agree with all of that, Vigurs is/was a cultured footballer and it’s nice of the club to let us know exactly what the situation is with him….

I would also agree that when Hartley goes Sheran will move on too but it’s hard for these guys to give up the blazers, just like it will be hard to get rid of the utter deadwood that surrounds Hartley like a human shield of mediocrity. If they put as much effort into their coaching as they do into squaring off with disaffected fans then we will be in a for a treat for the rest of the season.

Didnt go today as I had to take my missus ring shopping which is fairly typical, checked the score at 3-0 and was happy to tuck my phone away and look interested and part with some hard earned, then almost choked on a £7.45 Pint of Moretti when I saw the result.

Sounds like it was the Fraser Fyvie show. When he is in the mood he could save any manager. Even Paul Hartley. 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Watson Nimrod

[CoveRangers1922]

26 minutes ago, Watson Nimrod said:

I would agree with all of that, Vigurs is/was a cultured footballer and it’s nice of the club to let us know exactly what the situation is with him.
 

I would also agree that when Hartley goes Sheran will move on too but it’s hard for these guys to give up the blazers, just like it will be hard to get rid of the deadwood that surrounds Hartley. If they put as much effort into their coaching as they do into squaring off with disaffected fans then we will be in a for a treat for the rest of the season

Didnt go today as I had to take my missus ring shopping which is fairly typical, checked the result at 3-0 and was happy to part with some hard earned then almost choked on a £7.45 Pint of Moretti when I saw the result.

Sounds like it was the Fraser Fyvie show. When he is in the mood he could save any manager. Even Paul Hartley. 

Oh sounds like an expensive day but good on you!

McGowan did something today, at last, with a decent 20 yard finish. Fully didn't expect that and then resorted to barely doing much else. Fraser ran the show in the middle but first half Annan were at sea. Space everywhere, very little closing down and if it wasn't for Burrell wasting easy chances it could have been 4 going into the break.

Fair play to Annan showed more second half and until Fyvie's wonder strike looked like they might threaten, highlight our vulnerabilities and get back in it. At 3-0 after Fyvie's pearlier of a free kick I thought it was all done but no we concede, look petrified and immediately concede a second. Surprised the away side didn't play through Goss more and use his height and physicality.

Fyvie, coming back from injury, is continually looking better each game just a shame the rest of the squad is nowhere near his standard. 

Scoring 3 to win a game isn't going to work. Conceded 2 or more in 11 out of 14 games now. No full backs and all round the defence is a shambles.

On a positive side a win, undefeated in 4 league games, 4 points of the playoffs. Apart from the top 2 it's wide open for 3rd and 4th and for me L1 is poorer, generally, than when we were last here.

Saying that it's going to take something to get consistency out of the squad he's put together. Need to be as close to the playoff spots as possible come January and hope we can bag a few loans/signings in the window. I laugh as I type that with Hartley likely still here doing the recruiting.

Edited October 7, 2023 by CoveRangers1922

[Watson Nimrod]

Yes the margins are just so slim at this level. We have been pretty stagnant since Mo away but we are not out of it by a long shot. Just imagine if we inherited (because it won’t be via the skill or the contact book of the manager) some creativity on the flanks I don’t doubt we would not be far away at all.

Imagine then if we also had a young dynamic, positive manager and back room team……

[Gall09]

How’s Scott Williamson getting on? 

[CoveRangers1922]

9 hours ago, Gall09 said:

How’s Scott Williamson getting on? 

Lately been used more frequently as a sub as Mitch and Burrell are favoured up top. With Mitch serving a 2 match ban he started yesterday 

Williamson, likely Burrell, has a turn of pace but is wasteful in front of goal. Neither are predator finishers like Mitch or Rory who will clinically take their chances. I'd put both behind Leighton McIntosh.

He should develop with game time but hard to see him having any longevity with the Spiders.

[Watson Nimrod]

9 hours ago, Gall09 said:

How’s Scott Williamson getting on? 

Didn’t see him today but to me looks like he desperately needs a goal to gain some sort of confidence to move up a level in his performances. There is no doubt in my mind he has some potential but just not unlocking it right now and hasn’t shown anything when he has gotten a start.
 

I can’t remember many games under Hartley where he has brought on subs much before the 70th minute so his game time will be limited unless Mitch or Burrell are out and that’s a frustration for him too.

Be interesting to see how he would fit into a side with more creativity down the flanks. Cove might not be the best place right now for his development. 

[Moorie]

Aidan Smith just become one my players to look out on for the mullet alone.

 

said to the old man looked like he’s been scouted mistakenly and been singed from an Aussie Rules football team