[60s-airdrie]

I don't believe this topis exists, and that testifies to the apathy of the dwindling band of Airdrie supporters who don't view shopping with the wife as a more rewarding afternoon than going to the football. We have a squad of players who, on paper, are as good as most squads in the division. However, we have a manager who seems tactically inept and totally unable to motivate his players. Should professional players who get paid to do something many of us would give our right arm to do need motivation? Perhaps not, but they should at least appear as if they have been introduced to their team mates before going onto the park. Too many times this season our team looks as if it had been cobbled together in the car park just before kick off. Plan A is to pass the ball square at the back and then take turns in punting it forward to our diminutive strikers. Plan B is to replace one of the wee guys with Holmes, but keep the punting as before. Plan C is to play players out of position, and plan D is to go down to 10 men to put a better spin on the result. The chairman appears to take the view that the fewer and fewer fans are getting the team they deserve, whereas I believe the team is getting the number of fans it deserves.

Anyway, rant over. A win again East Fife would be a pleasant and unexpected surprise; a draw would be better than I hoped for; and a win would only serve to provide a slight spark to the dimming embers of our play off hopes before having another bucket of cold water poured on it next week. Pessimist or realist? I reckon most Airdrie fans would think I am in the latter camp.

[diamonds2002]

Meh - cant see anything other than an East Fife win here.

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

A realist 60s fan most definitely. I've been to 2 games since the mauling in coatdyke and I honestly don't miss it on a Saturday.
Fwiw I'd be trying a different spin on this for this week to try and stop the rot. Maybe something like...
........................Adam............. ............
Bain....lilley......lovering........goodall
Johnstone..stevo...lynch......mclaren
.............donnelly....boyle........... .......

Get bain back to right back, he just aint cutting it at midfield, recall Johnstone ne ain't gonna be any worse and could be hungry to make an impact.
Lovering into centre half, he's the best we have in the air and his old legs aren't cut out for enthusiastic wingers anymore, stallards due a wee break.

This post has been edited by ++Ammo - Airdrie++: 23 February 2012 - 11:07

[Mybitchunderprotest]

Apathetic.

I'm almost enthused about my backshift on Saturday in comparison.

[Airdrieunited1]

I'm going for 2-2.

[Scotchie]

++Ammo - Airdrie++, on 23 February 2012 - 11:06, said:

A realist 60s fan most definitely. I've been to 2 games since the mauling in coatdyke and I honestly don't miss it on a Saturday.
Fwiw I'd be trying a different spin on this for this week to try and stop the rot. Maybe something like...
........................Adam............. ............
Bain....lilley......lovering........goodall
Johnstone..stevo...lynch......mclaren
.............donnelly....boyle........... .......

Get bain back to right back, he just aint cutting it at midfield, recall Johnstone ne ain't gonna be any worse and could be hungry to make an impact.
Lovering into centre half, he's the best we have in the air and his old legs aren't cut out for enthusiastic wingers anymore, stallards due a wee break.

You can tell you haven't been to many Ammo. Lilley is a diddy! Keep Stallard in with Lovers in centre. Most importantly, imo a player doing well at the moment is young Nathan Blockley. Give him the opportunity in place of Lynch.

.....................................Adam. ...........................
Bain............Stallard.............Lovering. ..........Goodall
Johnstone....Stephenson.....Blockley..... .McLaren
.......................Donnelly........Boyle. .................

TBH it won't matter who you put out, the bottom line is there is no motivation whatsoever!

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

f**k I forgot about blockley, he's versatile so fire him even at left back, he's sharper on terms of match fitness than goodall anyway.
Anyways i'll be at the bowls anyway so I couldn't really give a f*ck who plays.

Lolllzzzz

[Super Hans]

It's a really annoying situation with Airdrie at the minute like people have said before the "Meh." factor.

Just feel a real lack of ambition Ballantyne can moan and groan about the support all he wants I wonder if he actually considers that Airdrie have the biggest average home support and the highest matchday prices in the division 2? Clickity

Every week all we hear from the manager is "This is the turning point of the season" or "My worst game as Airdrie manager".

Can only hope we manage to beat Albion Rovers away in a few weeks time or I can see this "Meh." business being a pretty long term problem.

For what it's worth I reckon we might take a point from East Fife with Ryan Wallace scoring early on for them.

[Scotchie]

++Ammo - Airdrie++, on 23 February 2012 - 13:38, said:

f**k I forgot about blockley, he's versatile so fire him even at left back, he's sharper on terms of match fitness than goodall anyway.
Anyways i'll be at the bowls anyway so I couldn't really give a f*ck who plays.

Lolllzzzz

Of course you do....or you wouldn't have posted. However keep telling yourself that and perhaps one day you'll believe it!!

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

Scotchie, on 24 February 2012 - 11:43, said:

Of course you do....or you wouldn't have posted. However keep telling yourself that and perhaps one day you'll believe it!!

all I said in my post was the team I would pick.
Never mentioned what I hoped the manager would do etc. Therefore whoever plays (gets beat even) I couldn't really care

[Super Hans]

Jamie Stevenson out. (Back injury)

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

Wi trying to carry a full team on it?

[Wee Red Book]

My team vs EF (now Stevenson out)

Adam

Blockers Stallard Lilley Lovers

PJ Lynch Owens Mclaren

Giggsy Boyle

This post has been edited by Wee Red Book: 24 February 2012 - 17:40

[faither]

Despite our rubbish second half against Dumbarton on Tuesday I still think we'll win this 3-1.

No ratiional grounds - just sheer optimism!

[el Gringo]

Wee Red Book, on 24 February 2012 - 17:39, said:

My team vs EF (now Stevenson out)

Adam

Blockers Stallard Lilley Lovers

PJ Lynch Owens Mclaren

Giggsy Boyle

I'd have Bain back at RB and Blockley in midfield ahead of Owens. Losing Stevenson is a blow, he and Blockley have been our only consistent performers recently.

[Wee Red Book]

el Gringo, on 24 February 2012 - 20:17, said:

I'd have Bain back at RB and Blockley in midfield ahead of Owens. Losing Stevenson is a blow, he and Blockley have been our only consistent performers recently.

I think a lot of people would have Bain at right back as you said but i really think he needs a spell on the bench. He seems to have lost his ability to tackle and goes down far too easily - its actually a bit embarrassing. He seemed much better charging forward from RB than RM where he seems a bit lost to be honest. Maybe a break for a few games and then back in at RB down the line.

Another issue is Lovers at left back. Whilst arguably our most solid player he is slow and too easily exposed at left back, particulalry when Mclaren is left mid/winger and provides absolutely no cover whatsoever. Any team with a decent right mid/winger should have a field day.....unless they get crunched within the first few minutes.

This post has been edited by Wee Red Book: 24 February 2012 - 21:22

[Team GB]

Mon the diamondos!

0-2 Airdrie

Donnelly, Lovers

[60s-airdrie]

I won't be surprised if Stevenson is out with a back injury - he's been carrying the team for much of the season so far. With him missing the chances of an Airdrie win are dimimished. I reckon a narrow win for East Fife..

[Scotland rule!]

No Scott Durie and Steven Cambell for East Fife... quite a blow for Fifers defence, right?

[gy diamond]

Airdrie (4-4-2): Adam; Bain, Lilley, Lamie, Goodall; Owens, Blockley, Lynch, McLaren; Holmes, Donnelly.


Airdrie subs: Boyle, PJ, Lovers, Rankin, Duncan(gk)

[Super Hans]

More red card's and another defeat.

I was going to suggest Jimmy Boyle be sacked but what's the point Ballantyne won't sack him and he won't do the honourable thing and call it a day on his Airdrie management days so I suppose we'll just have to accept another defeat and pretend this is when our season turns a corner and we start picking up points.

Bursting with optimism.

[Black&Gold4Ever]

Disgusting display by Airdrie. Kicking, elbowing, diving,but they did play for 15 mins in first half and should have led. Lucky not to finish with 7 men. A disgrace to the game.

[headthebaw]

Super Hans, on 25 February 2012 - 17:02, said:

More red card's and another defeat.

I wasn't happy with the Airdrie players conduct following their red cards.

I'll give it some thought and maybe next week make a complaint to the SFA.

[LiamA]

Black&Gold4Ever, on 25 February 2012 - 17:14, said:

Disgusting display by Airdrie. Kicking, elbowing, diving,but they did play for 15 mins in first half and should have led. Lucky not to finish with 7 men. A disgrace to the game.

Firstly let me say that Airdrie should have had a penalty in the last minute, a definate foul on Donnelly! Just one of many strange decisions by Matt Northcroft!

Secondly WTF did the Airdrie fans have to boo about? We should have had a penalty in the third minute when Sloan was hauled down in the box but the ref missed it, Adams' sending off was a stonewaller and the decision not to send Lynch off for the penalty was a disgrace! Apparently the ref said to the EF players that it would have been harse as he had just sent the keeper off! Scandellous!

Lynch deserved to be sent off and it could & should have been a straight red for an horrendous lunge at Ryan Wallace. His pathetic attempt to get Wallace booked in the first half was laughable! Wallace was nowhere near him yet he squeeled like a pig on heat to get the free kick!

Now to the football .......... sorry there was FA on display as EF continued their recent failing of being unable to make the right decision with the final pass! Really felt there was going to be a sting in the tail as we continually missed opportunities & at 1 nil were always susceptible to a dead ball loss of a goal b ut thankfully Airdrie's left back couldn't kick a coo's backside with his deliveries!

In the end it was a good three points (aren't they all?) & scarily if we beat Forfar on Tuesday we could be in 4th place despite not really playing well in the last three games

This post has been edited by LiamA: 25 February 2012 - 18:00

[Sergeant Wilson]

LiamA, on 25 February 2012 - 17:55, said:

straight red for an horrendous lunch at Ryan Wallace.

What did he do.....hit him with a pie?