Livi 🟡🟡 v. Morton 🔵⚪ 24-8-24

[MarkoRaj]

45 minutes ago, Dav nan Gael said:

How many goals did we score  ??

1. It finished 1-1

[Livi]

53 minutes ago, Cptn Hooch said:

Can't understand how people keep saying we're being too defensive when we're getting stats like this

Wonder what we would look like with some old fashioned direct football  

Edited August 25 by Livi

[MarkoRaj]

When can we expect highlights? I'm dying to see that last clearance off the line

[AyrshireTon]

1 hour ago, Cptn Hooch said:

Can't understand how people keep saying we're being too defensive when we're getting stats like this

Half of your possession was your back three passing it about around JET, who wasn't terribly inclined to close it down.

[Freedom Farter]

One of Woods' saves from May, I think it followed an initial save from a Yengi shot, was spectacular. My view was in line with the shot's direction and it was going in top corner until Woods got to it.

[Snooky]

5 minutes ago, Freedom Farter said:

One of Woods' saves from May, I think it followed an initial save from a Yengi shot, was spectacular. My view was in line with the shot's direction and it was going in top corner until Woods got to it.

One of the best saves I’ve seen live in years. Genuinely amazing stop that got his team a point!

Edited August 25 by Snooky

[LIVIFOREVER]

Not sure about the bbc stats, i remember at least one shot from Morton later in the game going curling past our post, yet the stats say 0 shots off target. That's just one i def remembered happening.

Anyways, the stats don't really show how the game went, or how us as supporters viewed the game, it's slow and ponderous in the 1st half, picks up in the 2nd half (where most of those shots at goal stats are racked up), and a bit boring to watch. We've seen, esp in the 2nd half of games, we've players that can play quick attacking football, zipping passes to feet* and moving forward quickly,  just feels it takes us far too long before we actually start playing with an attacking intent. We play into opposition's hands, Morton were happy letting us have possession bringing it out of defence, so was QP, then hit us quickly on the counter, both scored goals against us doing that too, that's 2 carbon copy games we've drawn 1-1 after having most of the possession and shots at goal stats, homage to the 'how many times' REF Martindale guy (R.I.P).

As Freedom Farter said, Sole is maybe still not fit to start games after picking up an injury in our league opener, but benching Muirhead was a mistake, he's the kind of player that will score goals, but limiting him to a late sub appearance isn't the best way to get him to score, he's not an impact sub. I don't know what's happening with Green either, he makes things happen in attack, by quickly getting the ball forward (why isn't he getting a game), i've seen positives from the squad we have, and hopefully things gel soon, but at the minute it's just frustrating to watch, esp when we drop pts like yesterday.

*noticed Martindale bemoaning our plastic pitch being sticky as to why we weren't moving the ball quickly enough first half, certain amount of irony/karma for us there, after listening to Premiership managers making the same complaint, and us mocking them for it.

Edited August 25 by LIVIFOREVER

[Freedom Farter]

2 hours ago, Cptn Hooch said:

Can't understand how people keep saying we're being too defensive when we're getting stats like this

Indeed, its not about attacking versus defensive.

It's about build up style; methodical versus direct. The former is more deliberate where you're looking to really earn your chances, you create them yourself. The latter is where you keep peppering the opposition back line with longer, more vertical "percentage" passes. Then you're mainly looking to capitalise on individual defensive errors and second balls.

Methodical build up is our preference especially for home matches but we mix it up depending on game state. We went more direct for the last 20 minutes yesterday once Morton had equalised. We'd subbed our target man option (Yengi) unfortunately but were knocking it longer for May to chase. It created little although did force the corner Nottingham almost scored from.

[LIVIFOREVER]

2 minutes ago, Freedom Farter said:

Indeed, its not about attacking versus defensive.

It's about build up style; methodical versus direct. The former is more deliberate where you're looking to really earn your chances, you create them yourself. The latter is where you keep peppering the opposition back line with longer, more vertical "percentage" passes. Then you're mainly looking to capitalise on individual defensive errors and second balls.

Methodical build up is our preference especially for home matches but we mix it up depending on game state. We went more direct for the last 20 minutes yesterday once Morton had equalised. We'd subbed our target man option (Yengi) unfortunately but were knocking it longer for May to chase. It created little although did force the corner Nottingham almost scored from.

I see what you're saying but don't fully agree with you, methodical doesn't need to be slow, and direct doesn't need to be punts straight up the pitch to a target man playing percentage football, feeding off mistakes, we can zip it forward on the deck quickly, use wingers (when we actually play them), get overlaps going, and get balls into the box from the byeline, not just crosses, but balls to feet, or cut backs, for shots at goal. Methodical just now is slow and ponderous build up play, that is easy to defend against. Sole for one, takes players on, beats them, and opens up spaces for others by having defenders on the back foot, i'd like to see more of that from us.

Basically i just want to see us moving the ball forward quicker, so the opposition is moved about opening gaps up in their defence, and turning all that possession domination into meaningful attacks that gets us goals.

[Freedom Farter]

40 minutes ago, LIVIFOREVER said:

benching Muirhead was a mistake

This was key, for me. I'm delighted with the May signing, I expect him to be an important player for us this season and I think he had a promising debut yesterday. However, I wouldn't have put him straight in the team.

Yengi had been doing well at centre forward. Ran Dunfermline ragged then while QP was below his usual high standard, he still dragged their defence around all match and assisted Clarke's goal. Muirhead proved himself in the League Cup games in that right attack position. He had a poor game against QP but that's because he was made to play as an out and out right winger. Finlayson wasn't overlapping him so he was forced to just stay wide and knock in crosses. Not his game.

First half yesterday, Finlayson was bombing on down the right and even almost scored. That overlap allowed Yengi to cut in all the time but Yengi hasn't played right attack yet this season so didn't know what he was doing first half (he improved second half). That first half was tailor-made for Muirhead with Finlayson overlapping, him coming inside and shooting.

[Chippyminton]

I was also quite relieved to see Robbie Muirhead sat on the bench. He was often a frustrating player for us as you’d never know from one week to the next which version of Robbie would turn up on game day. But he was always capable of pulling a moment of total magic out of the hat - which he did for us on multiple occasions.

[AyrshireTon]

Our highlights are up.

 

[MarkoRaj]

Never over the line then

I did think that from where I was stood but you can never be sure

[Freedom Farter]

1 hour ago, LIVIFOREVER said:

I see what you're saying but don't fully agree with you, methodical doesn't need to be slow, and direct doesn't need to be punts straight up the pitch to a target man playing percentage football, feeding off mistakes, we can zip it forward on the deck quickly, use wingers (when we actually play them), get overlaps going, and get balls into the box from the byeline, not just crosses, but balls to feet, or cut backs, for shots at goal. Methodical just now is slow and ponderous build up play, that is easy to defend against. Sole for one, takes players on, beats them, and opens up spaces for others by having defenders on the back foot, i'd like to see more of that from us.

Basically i just want to see us moving the ball forward quicker, so the opposition is moved about opening gaps up in their defence, and turning all that possession domination into meaningful attacks that gets us goals.

Morton had two 0-0 draws in their two league games prior to yesterday with one of those away to Partick. They know how to defend. Yet Livi created enough good chances to win. The spells of passing in front of Morton was partly to try and draw them forward. You're also seeing players rotate with each other which all moves a defence around so that spaces open up. I think yesterday was an improvement tactically on QP. The full backs were let off the leash and we got the benefit from that. Finlayson had a goal-bound shot cleared and his cross assisted our goal. Clarke got himself so far forward he ended up with an open goal chance.

Edit: On Sole, I'm a huge fan. He has an extra spark over our other attackers. Even with yesterday being a bit of a nightmare for him, he still had that excellent dribble and cross which May couldn't quite get enough of a header on.

Edited August 25 by Freedom Farter

[Freedom Farter]

39 minutes ago, AyrshireTon said:

Our highlights are up.

 

Moffat had a good game. His pass for Delaney leading to the penalty he scored. A couple of dangerous shots when cutting inside too.

[LIVIFOREVER]

44 minutes ago, MarkoRaj said:

Never over the line then

I did think that from where I was stood but you can never be sure

You think?

[MarkoRaj]

5 minutes ago, LIVIFOREVER said:

You think?

Nice pixels mate

[Dunning1874]

Ultimately can't tell much from the highlights on the big incidents - Ballantyne isn't in shot for the ball being played for our disallowed goal, can't clearly see whether the ball is over the line or not at the death though I'm still leaning to probably was and we all already knew the penalty was a stonewaller.

For the one Reynolds was booked for diving there is contact but it's contact he's initiated by dangling his leg towards George then crumpled to buy it rather than just trying to stay on the ball then getting wiped out; can argue that contact makes the booking harsh when McGowan wasn't booked for his considerably more ridiculous flop to try and get a penalty from a corner in the first half, but would have been an extremely soft foul.

[LIVIFOREVER]

19 minutes ago, MarkoRaj said:

Nice pixels mate

Don't think you can say with certainty it was def not over the line, your keeper had the best view and said it was in.

[LIVIFOREVER]

1 hour ago, Freedom Farter said:

Morton had two 0-0 draws in their two league games prior to yesterday with one of those away to Partick. They know how to defend. Yet Livi created enough good chances to win. The spells of passing in front of Morton was partly to try and draw them forward. You're also seeing players rotate with each other which all moves a defence around so that spaces open up. I think yesterday was an improvement tactically on QP. The full backs were let off the leash and we got the benefit from that. Finlayson had a goal-bound shot cleared and his cross assisted our goal. Clarke got himself so far forward he ended up with an open goal chance.

Edit: On Sole, I'm a huge fan. He has an extra spark over our other attackers. Even with yesterday being a bit of a nightmare for him, he still had that excellent dribble and cross which May couldn't quite get enough of a header on.

It's getting a bit repetitive, Spartans, QP, and now Morton, a defeat and 2 draws where we created enough good chances to win, but didn't.

My biggest gripe is how we're playing it a bit too slow and safe, your methodical assessment sums it up, slow and careful, we need to be quicker and take more risks with our forward passing. For instance we're not picking our runs, Muirhead against QP, and May yesterday, making runs and the player on the ball turns back looking for a safe pass. I was impressed with how good QP were at picking out runs up the wing, they made the pass without even looking up, knowing a player was making the run. Maybe that will come when players get to know one another better and have gelled, hope so.