The Alloa Athletic Thread

[KierenAAFC]

We have had several class strikers, Spence, Renton ,Malcom and others but if you don't get quality ball to them they fail. We have a defender as coach and our goals against is very good.  We have a goalkeeper coach. How about we have a coach for the forward half of the team? After all we have one of the lowest scoring teams in this division.

Paddy Connolly was a striker? I highly doubt that’s the reason for the lack of goals this season. Malcolm & Renton not the same class as Spence. Spency got near enough thirty goals last year.

[P475]

You guys have landed a bloody good player in Smith. The lad is a trier with plenty energy and pace. He know where the goal is too. 

Just mind and hand him back at the end of the season please. 

[Redwedge77]

Curtains for Renton?

Has anyone considered that PJ’s injury may be worse than first thought. As it looks like to me smith is a direct replacement

[LeodhasXD]

33 minutes ago, Redwedge77 said:

Has anyone considered that PJ’s injury may be worse than first thought. As it looks like to me smith is a direct replacement

Parry

Taggart McCart Graham Crane

(Robertson/Hetherington) Fleming

Flannigan Kirkpatrick (Stewart/Cawley)

(Smith/Renton)

PJ does have another few weeks at least out but that's my lineup with my 3 subs to use.

[KierenAAFC]

Parry
Taggart McCart Graham Crane
(Robertson/Hetherington) Fleming
Flannigan Kirkpatrick (Stewart/Cawley)
(Smith/Renton)
PJ does have another few weeks at least out but that's my lineup with my 3 subs to use.

Hetherington on the bench? Controversial!

[LeodhasXD]

32 minutes ago, KierenAAFC said:

Hetherington on the bench? Controversial!

Got my own personal bias against Stevie that we are both the exact same age and before I done my knee in I was sure I was a better footballer than him.  But I still think that Robertson is the best midfielder we have in the team and he is so reliable. Hetherington is sometimes absolutely awful (although he's had some games that he's been excellent in). For me I want Robbo's consistency in there; just incase the Stevie who can't pass a ball 5 yards pops up.

[Redwedge77]

Just to shake things up
Parry
Back 3 Taggart graham mcart
Wing backs crane Robertson
Holding midfieldhetherington
Midfield flanny Stewart Cawley
Up top Smith

[Ro Sham Bo]

Smith to run riot against Ayr this weekend please.

[whereismillar]

2 hours ago, KierenAAFC said:

Hetherington on the bench? Controversial!

nah robertson will be on the bench , cert!

[whereismillar]

Is it just me . but i think flannigan and cawley have went off the boil a bit ?

[Not a Bee]

22 minutes ago, whereismillar said:

Is it just me . but i think flannigan and cawley have went off the boil a bit ?

Neither has been as influential since they both had time out with similar virus just around Christmas.

[Not a Bee]

3 hours ago, Redwedge77 said:

Has anyone considered that PJ’s injury may be worse than first thought. As it looks like to me smith is a direct replacement

The soft lad probably did more damage to himself when he got a wee hammy against Albion Rovers.  He would have been fine if he stayed down but I think he was playing "The grand old duke of York" in his head because he was up then down then up then down and when he was only half way up...Goody subbed him 

[Shandon Par]

Nicky Clark was out injured at the start of the season for us. Smith was likely to go out on loan but instead grabbed the chance to shine and ripped various teams (including Hearts) apart. Meant to be on the radar of a few teams down south. Could be a very handy addition - just don't send him back broken. 

[whereismillar]

2 hours ago, Shandon Par said:

Nicky Clark was out injured at the start of the season for us. Smith was likely to go out on loan but instead grabbed the chance to shine and ripped various teams (including Hearts) apart. Meant to be on the radar of a few teams down south. Could be a very handy addition - just don't send him back broken. 

many of you saying this , looks like he could be really good for us i hope he shines for us and does well for himself too.

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

5 hours ago, LeodhasXD said:

Got my own personal bias against Stevie that we are both the exact same age and before I done my knee in I was sure I was a better footballer than him.  But I still think that Robertson is the best midfielder we have in the team and he is so reliable. Hetherington is sometimes absolutely awful (although he's had some games that he's been excellent in). For me I want Robbo's consistency in there; just incase the Stevie who can't pass a ball 5 yards pops up.

Have to strongly disagree here. Since hes settled and got a run in thè team Hetherington has probably been our most consistent performer. If we were voting Alloa player of the year right now, he would probably be my pick.

[Shandon Par]

1 hour ago, whereismillar said:

many of you saying this , looks like he could be really good for us i hope he shines for us and does well for himself too.

Terrible haircut on the lad. Annie Lennox meets Eminem meets Sick Boy. 

[LeodhasXD]

5 hours ago, Father Barrys Sign (Top Half) said:

Have to strongly disagree here. Since hes settled and got a run in thè team Hetherington has probably been our most consistent performer. If we were voting Alloa player of the year right now, he would probably be my pick.

Not one to not back up my claims with evidence. One of the things I'd like to speak to the chairman about is getting a system for performance analysis on the games.

Just picked the Raith game as an example for what Hetherington gives you (he had a game where I took 7 clips in 20 minutes of him giving the ball away so I'll not give you that one). Thought he had a so-so performance like many of our players. How Andy Graham wasn't man of the match I will never understand but Fleming would have been 2nd for me.

Hetheringtons passes are mostly the simple sideways and backwards kind. It puts the emphasis on the backline to play their own way out of trouble. (Thankfully Graham has such a cool head when it comes to this. McCart showed a good range of passing too. Fleming aswell contributes an excellent range of passing to advance us down the pitch).

Although he gets a few interceptions Fleming does more of them (could just be anomalous due to Raiths playstyle)

I always look to give positive effort for making runs into space but Hetherington rarely does in fact sometimes fustrating that he doesn't make a 2/3 yard run to open up himself as an option. Most of his energy is directed towards maintaining shape mostly covering Fleming or sometimes Crane. 

Hetherington contributed frequent turnover of possession to Raith. Only 1 of these was in an advanced position. 

Chances created were from set pieces. Although delivery was unpredictable (strong wind) 

My analysis of Hetherington for that game:

3:53 Good Closing down spence(questionable support from Raiths midfield)
4:14 Bad touch loses the ball with a weak pass
5:52 Bad touch loses the ball with a weak pass
6:59 Neutral Closing down (remains 5 yards away. no threat of tackle on defender) Thomson overhits cross into the box Parry catches.
7:45 Neutral delivers the corner bounces to Ross Stewart as Raith fail to clear
8:41 Neutral pass on the half way line
8:44 neutral pass on the half way line
8:51 neutral pass back to defence
9:00 neutral pass back to defence
10:40 neutral pass back to defence
14:11 good blocks cross by corner flag. Concedes Corner
16:40 good interception edge of the box
16:50 Neutral pass forward
16:53 Neutral pass backward
17:05 Neutral effort closing down
18:50 Good Interception Bad touch Lost possession
18:59 Good tackle Bad Pass forward Lost possession
28:53 Good Interception Neutral pass back to defence
29:53 Neutral pass back to goalkeeper
30:28 neutral pass sideways
32:10 Bad pass forward Lost possession
34:06 Neutral pass forward
34:27 Good Effort Closing down
34:40 Bad Pass forward Lost possession
44:24 neutral pass backward

45:08 neutral pass sideways
45:17 good pass down the line
48:49 bad pass forward lost possession
49:58 good pass forward
50:18 neutral pass sideways
51:53 Good Freekick Chance andy graham (wide)
53:17 neutral pass along the half way line
54:20 Good pass forward
56:30 good pass forward
57:17 neutral pass backward (2 yard run would've made himself available for  a return pass. Crane played ball all the way back to keeper)
59:08 Fouls half way line
65:30 good pass forward
65:41 good effort closing down
65:46 clears ball out for a throw in. (Lost possession)
69:55 Lost possession (slip)
70:19 Wins header loses possession
72:49 bad touch lost possession
78:10 positive dribble. Lost possession.
80:27 Neutral pass along the half way line. Good Effort making run into space (slips. Lost possession)
82:21 Good pass forward
82:40 Good closing down wins freekick in a dangerous position
84:03 neutral pass back to goalkeeper
87:40 good tackle wins possession
88:09 Bad touch lost possession. Concedes foul
90:00 Free kick good delivery to Cawley (over the bar)
 

[pencils]

Think someone's a bit jealous! He's been outstanding this year for me.
No better example of how much he influences our midfield than how much we fell out the game at bayview a couple weeks back when he had to move to left back

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

Absolutely.

With an eight year old daughter running riot round the ground these days, I might miss the odd aspect of a home game (shes barred from aways, for obvious reasons). But the text shows nothing which I didnt notice at the time. Raith Rovers were winning a lot of possession high up the pitch in the first half with deliberate pressure in that area. This was to their credit. Particularly at this level, opposition doing good work for me does not automatically equate to an utter failing on our teams part.

Its not Stevies job to spray Sebastian Veron passes all over the pitch. Its not his job to create tons of chances for the strikers either. The thing is he recognises this, doesnt try to be something he isnt. He does a job which isnt pretty, sticks to it and lets others do theirs more effectively. I dont think theres anyone in there who's more of a team player for us.

Its alluded to in the post- he covers for Crane and Fleming amongst other aspects. He notices these areas where the opposition are gaining a foothold and minimises them. Early in the season we had problems to this regard. We have a lot less now with him in there week in week out. Sometimes he doesnt have to do anything to get involved in the play to do this. From the Raith Rovers game mentioned (not his best this season by any means)- Vaughn was quiet in terms of influencing. Part of that is down to Hethrington being in the right place, and creatively Rovers having to move the ball elsewhere to attack.

pencils mentions the East Fife game and nowhere was it more apparent. You take him out of that midfield and suddenly everyone else looks like they have to do so much more work, regardless of who replaces him. Fleming isnt mobile enough to do it all, Flannigan and Cawley have to drop in and you lose a bit of creative nous, and Ross Stewart is also having to do more work deeper and we lose threat in the final third. Its a domino effect, which was primarily caused by Stevie moving to left back.

We also look a bit more lightweight without him in there. He provides a bit of fire and makes us far more resolute- not by doing anything particularly eye opening but an absolute requirement in a midfield battle. He'll put a strong tackle in at some point in a game- not with any real regularity, and maybe even just one each match- but it gives everyone in the team a lift, and shows the opposition they arent going to get an easy time of it.

Jon Robertson maybe has more to him- but he tends to try and do a lot more and its dilutes influence. Hetherington does a job, which allows others to worry less and focus on their strengths. The best people to ask about Stevie would be the players who play with him. Im sure Kev and Flanny will all be very grateful of the role Stevie plays in the team.

Got to also remember its part time Scottish football. Im not suggesting Gareth Southgate will be up looking at him for the World Cup. But if Im looking I could probably find 10 Andy Graham errors in a game, 10 Flanny errors in a game etc...and these are our key players....but its not the point. Even at a far higher level, players rarely have the perfect game- because its based on 22 individuals, and you always have stages when others will shine.

Edited February 2, 2018 by Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)

[Not a Bee]

Arguments for and against Hetherington well made.  Football is certainly all about opinions and looking what is best for our team.  We all have our favourites as well as others who we don't rate as highly as others, if at all.

For what it is worth he had an absolute nightmare at left back v East Fife and his lack of pace was crudely exposed.  Since then I think his form has dipped a bit, maybe confidence was knocked.  Having said that he has had some superb performances in holding midfield together to allow the team to be confident going forward knowing Stevie was doing his job further back.  For me he has been one of the top players in first half of season along with Andy and Taggs.