Stirling Albion v East Fife

[dave_binos]

Well done to East Fife first of all. After your first it was absolute domination. You also had a good support through. Can easily see you guys making top 4. A couple of decent loans and potential champions. 

Felt like we started well. Some nice bits of play but didn't really test the goalkeeper. Nathan Austin is an absolute class act at this level. You just knew he'd score the free kick. A change in formation didn't work. The team put in a shit performance but it's clear some players are out their depth. 

As others have touched on, there is absolutely zero coming from the wings. We have two young full backs who are learning the game. Actually think Weir has potential and does show flashes of getting forward (and has done in previous games) but Carrick is getting very little service. Hoping Harkness can make a difference. Heard nothing about him since he signed on loan - is he injured or another Sam Bird? The likes of Wright and Roy have offered little so far. 

I really hope Davidson, Milne and Hilson can make a full return soon. Milne and Hilson weren't great at League 1 level but hoping they do better this season. 

Any call for Maybury to leave is just ridiculous. After the absolute shitshow during the summer in appointing a manager in the first place and having to build a new squad/backroom team, I think he's done a good job. Games like yesterday will happen but it's clear there isn't as big a budget this time round. He will likely want 4-5 players in who would make a difference but it just isn't going to happen. 

I've also noticed the 'family end' is no longer in existence. Having 10-12 ultras or whatever they call themselves show up and bang 2 drums repeatedly for 90 minutes without watching the football just seems to drive supporters to other parts of the stand/away all together. I actually don't mind drums if there was any rhythm. But there isn't. 

[King Kebab]

 

[King Kebab]

Still can’t see what was wrong with Munro’s goal, it was flagged for offside but I still can’t see it!!!

Robbed!!!

[headthebaw]

Gaston at fault for the first three goals. Really poor marking for the fourth.

I thought the free kick award for the first looks soft . 
 

Unlimately well beaten

[Kelheart]

Just watched highlights great finishing from Fash and Peggie but Gaston has a lot to answer for a couple of them imo terrible positioning at free kick and pompadom wrists at the third , well done EF

[King Kebab]

 

[WattersIsGod]

On 25/08/2024 at 09:37, BB_Bino said:

In 2015, a 5 year old BB_Bino Junior came into the Living Room and said “I go to football with Daddy today”, so I took him to Forthbank to see Austin run riot, score a hat trick and it be the end for then Stirling manager, Stuart McLaren.

BB_Bino Junior has been by my side at pretty much every game since, and yesterday’s match drew a lot of comparisons with that day in 2015, and this squad also has comparisons to the one that Stuart McLaren built, on the back of a promise to play football and entertain the fans.

Yes, some of the phases of play in the first 20 minutes or so, were pleasing on the eye and the football that I personally like to watch, but that’s all fine and well if you actually do something with it, but we don’t. 

Full credit goes to East Fife, they were in total control, even when we were stroking the ball about in our wee triangles, they were pressing and knew exactly what they were doing. Our Midfield was pretty nonexistent, their’s were in total control and command, it was all just a little frustrating and you just knew what was coming and when the first goal did, that was it for us, in every sense.

East Fife upped the game and we just fell to pieces, I’ve already made my mind up about certain players in this team, I’m sure Maybury and McMinn have also. For me, Weir & Wright aren’t ready for the step up to First Team football at this level and Roy a Lowland League level Striker at best. This leaves our talisman, Carrick, again having to work off scraps or dropping into that Attacking Midfield role that he did yesterday.

The calls for Maybury to be removed are not for me, yet, but there’s no doubt there are a large section of supporters who are simply unhappy with the goings on at the club and are short of patience. To be fair, I’m struggling to remember when I was last excited at a game and actually enjoyed the full 90 minutes and I’m starting to question why I do it week in week out and there’s no doubt that my own passion and interest is dropping quickly. I simply no longer can be arsed….and I stayed for the full 90 minutes.

I like what Maybury is trying to do, but I’m yet to be convinced it works in League 2. The successful teams at this level over the years, don’t play through the zones, not that I have seen. Yes when I’m watching football on the TV, I love seeing that and would love to see a successful Stirling side playing that way, but the reality is that I haven’t seen anyone implement it successfully at this level and there must be a reason for that. I’m hoping Maybury is the first, but on yesterday’s performance, our football is for decoration and East Fife’s was for effectiveness. I’m rambling now but I’m just scunnered…….again!

as usual, we agree on a lot. 

midfield was nonexistent again. i don't think Weir and Wright are ready either but we aren't exactly awash with replacements. 

on the playing style comments, the only team i really remember playing that way and having much success was Danny Lennon's Clyde. i certainly think its more difficult to implement than a more direct style and attempting it with many positions being occupied by inexperienced lads is brave to say the least. 

it could still work but i think it needs different personnel to make it work. IF Ross Davidson can come back to anything like his best form then would help the centre of midfield greatly. i still think we've got problems out wide. we don't have any attacking threat from full back or wide midfield and looking at the squad, i still don't know where that's coming from.  

Gaston has a bit of a mare on Saturday but has generally showed he's a decent keeper at this level. we've got 3 centre halves who should be fine and we should have enough up front. there's just a total lack of balance in the squad. we're forcing out best striker in Carrick to play more of an attacking midfield role.

i don't have the answers. i thought the centre halves look more comfortable in the 3 but there's no really good candidates for the wing back roles then. if we play a back four then none of our full backs get forward to provide width and the wide midfielders have been ineffective at best. 

[AlbionMan]

On 25/08/2024 at 15:17, Kelheart said:

Just watched highlights great finishing from Fash and Peggie but Gaston has a lot to answer for a couple of them imo terrible positioning at free kick and pompadom wrists at the third , well done EF

Taking nothing away from the finishes, all well taken. From a Albion point of view it was very disappointing at how easily you got the chances, seldom will you have to put so little in to make them. We lost one soft goal, fell apart and in the end the result could have been anything.