QoS v Livi

[Rjc-1988]

I am not sure how big a lead we actually might need to see a game over the line. A dream start not dissimilar to an earlier 2-3 reverse against St Mirren.

I haven't checked but if I'm not mistaken we have recorded 4 home league wins (two of which were against Brechin and one against Dumbarton). When you add in our failure to best EK and Albion in the League Cup it is pretty sore to take and the pain goes on. I hear the same cliches being churned out - "Palmerston is a tough place to go" - it really isn't!!!

All credit to Livvy - it is unquestionably the sign of a good team when in the face of a 2-0 deficit away from home the whole team re-grouped, never looked as though game was beyond them and set about trying to get back on terms. The team spirit and will to win was impressive. The organisation and tactical system deployed by Hopkin is very shrewd and makes great use of his personnel.

Our defending is absolutely horrendous - 11 goals conceded in past 4 games 3 of which were at home. Rooney is an absolute bomb scare - whether it is the injury he had but Fordyce looks so lacking in confidence. The defensive wall issue - it is surely at the stage where we might be better dispensing with the wall and giving the taker a free shot - at least keeper would have clear vision and we couldn't do any worse.

A very poor second half from us - despite being 2-0 down I think Livvy will be very disappointed with a draw - game could and should have been out of sight before our goal.

Agree with earlier comment - Marshall had another great game at LB.

[LiviLion]

St Mirren fans are weird as f**k 

Sounded like an enjoyable enough game, when I saw we had a goal disallowed I knew Queens would equalise at some point and it just had to be Todorov, big beautiful b*****d, I hate him. Disappointed that we didn't get any bookings, need to up our thuggery and kick harder in our remaining games. 

[TeeMan]

21 minutes ago, Northfield 53 said:

Dobbie was very poor today hope his form has not gone again .At the very end the chance he had should have been the winner but no surprise he missed as he just did not get into the game looked off the pace to me should have been subbed long before the end amazed he played the 90 mins 

I thought he didn't look fully fit. Still managed to crack one off the post and his touch to set up Thomson was just velvet.

[Steeplechat]

Dobbie was very poor today hope his form has not gone again .At the very end the chance he had should have been the winner but no surprise he missed as he just did not get into the game looked off the pace to me should have been subbed long before the end amazed he played the 90 mins 

You talk some shite Jack

[Coventry Saint]

19 minutes ago, LiviLion said:

St Mirren fans are weird as f**k 

Probably fair.

In mitigation: being this far ahead in any context is completely new ground to us. It's difficult to know how to behave.

 

[Livilion28]

Bit of mixed emotions on this game. After being 2-0 down I would have bitten your hand of for a draw but after going 3-2 up and dominating the second half I’m gutted we didn’t win the game. Was a bit confused why byrne didn’t start the game today was he carrying a knock? We were a totally different team when he came on and he should be playing every game. Great spirit our boys showed today , it had to be todorov that scored didn’t it. Not a bad point to be honest , no one gained on us except from Morton which was expected 

[Sloop John B]

Just an odd game really, I'm disappointed we didn't hold a two goal lead but relieved that we didn't lose. 

First half, Livingston were probably on top without really threatening after the first minute whilst we had the best chance with Dobbie smashing the post and somehow missing the rebound. So as surprised that we took the lead through the best strike Thomson had since tuesday. The swerve from where I stood... 'Kisses Fingers'.  Then we somehow managed to turn up the sexiness with as good a team goal as you'd see, just everything about it was divine. But it did feel a lot like the 2-3 St Mirren game but conceding such a cheap goal from a cheap foul with Rooney having a hand on Miller (You can argue that Miller was backing in but how many times can you be told to keep your hands off before it sinks in). Leighfield tried to overcompensate for Tuesday by having the wall more over and anticipating the dive to his left but was caught out by De Vita hitting it to his side. It just kills any momentum conceding from there and gave Livi a way back in.

Second half was not a pleasant watch from Livi getting another cheap goal from a set piece that seemed far too straight forward, nobody is going to throw to the far post so how is the front post so open? The third goal was a nice counter to be fair but it's annoying to concede from two set pieces. The rest of the half Livi controlled it winning cheap fouls and running the clock down whilst Queens launched long balls at the team that is probably the most proficient in dealing with them, so to get an equaliser and almost a winner was very unexpected, it felt very similar to Dundee United at home with a good first half and a very poor second except we got lucky this time .

The referee had zero control over the game, Dykes and Gallacher was a flash point in the first half, if he noticed it he could have booked them both and nothing would have happened later but it kept bubbling and the only reason it didn't escalate further was because we took Dykes off. Livi didn't really do anything obvious but it's the little things like cheap fouls, sly elbows and little pushes that they do that don't help their reputation. The referee had no idea what happened at the Rooney and Dykes incident so booked someone to look like he's in control. He refereed like someone doing their first Championship game rather than an experienced ref. If I could compare Livi to any side it would be Terry Butcher's Inverness when they were in the league, where they might not be the most technical side but they give it all, very well organised and certainly aren't afraid to give it out. Surprised more teams aren't like them tbh.

Not an ideal result but at least Dunfermline or United won so nothing lost on that front (Plus a game against Brechin is essentially a game in hand).

[LIVIFOREVER]

Just now, Livilion28 said:

Bit of mixed emotions on this game. After being 2-0 down I would have bitten your hand of for a draw but after going 3-2 up and dominating the second half I’m gutted we didn’t win the game. Was a bit confused why byrne didn’t start the game today was he carrying a knock? We were a totally different team when he came on and he should be playing every game. Great spirit our boys showed today , it had to be todorov that scored didn’t it. Not a bad point to be honest , no one gained on us except from Morton which was expected 

It's some thing he seems to do when a player has been suspended and comes back in, did it to Gallagher away to Dunfermline too and it cost us the game, fortunately we only conceded 2 in the first half and Rafa pulled one back just before HT, so when he made the HT substitution bringing Byrne on and moving Gallagher into defence we were able to get back into the game. Hoppy is manager of the season candidate but I hope he learns from these two games where he's done this and doesn't do it again.

 

Great that we managed to get by without Byrne last week but there really is no need to keep the same makeshift team when one of our best players is back ready to play.

[Afro]

Can’t comment on the Dykes-Gallagher incident given I wasn’t actually looking at the pitch at the time, but certainly the Rooney incident with Halkett would be worth a second look. Looked to me, albeit from the other end of the pitch, that Rooney’s swung an elbow out; wouldn’t say Halkett is the type of player to overplay incidents or contact, so certainly was a strange one.

Dishing out yellows in both incidents, though, tells me quite clearly the referee didn’t have a clue in either instance. By all accounts, he didn’t offer any insight to Hopkin after the game as to why the Hardie goal was disallowed. I know officials get a bit of unfair stick but they don’t help themselves a lot of the time.

[NOTS]

3 minutes ago, Afro said:

Can’t comment on the Dykes-Gallagher incident given I wasn’t actually looking at the pitch at the time, but certainly the Rooney incident with Halkett would be worth a second look. Looked to me, albeit from the other end of the pitch, that Rooney’s swung an elbow out; wouldn’t say Halkett is the type of player to overplay incidents or contact, so certainly was a strange one.

Dishing out yellows in both incidents, though, tells me quite clearly the referee didn’t have a clue in either instance. By all accounts, he didn’t offer any insight to Hopkin after the game as to why the Hardie goal was disallowed. I know officials get a bit of unfair stick but they don’t help themselves a lot of the time.

Hardie was offside was he not?

[Distant Doonhamer]

3 minutes ago, Afro said:

Can’t comment on the Dykes-Gallagher incident given I wasn’t actually looking at the pitch at the time, but certainly the Rooney incident with Halkett would be worth a second look. Looked to me, albeit from the other end of the pitch, that Rooney’s swung an elbow out; wouldn’t say Halkett is the type of player to overplay incidents or contact, so certainly was a strange one.

Dishing out yellows in both incidents, though, tells me quite clearly the referee didn’t have a clue in either instance. By all accounts, he didn’t offer any insight to Hopkin after the game as to why the Hardie goal was disallowed. I know officials get a bit of unfair stick but they don’t help themselves a lot of the time.

Rooney making bad decisions is a bit of a theme with us.

[MONKMAN]

3 shit goals to concede.

Scenes at Toddy’s equaliser.

Declan Gallagher is a fanny.

[NOTS]

3 hours ago, Livi said:

Yer no25 was lucky to be on the park.

Did he steal someones Mrs at the club heard a few shouts from a he crowd? 

Try former captain JT's former wife plus a son of 4 weeks named Tiime together.

[Skyline Drifter]

3 hours ago, andylivi1 said:

Everyone expected an offside flag, that’s what made it all the more bizarre, when Longridge received the ball my first thought was to look at the linesman, he kept his flag down, he then passes the ball to Hardie who taps the ball in the net, only when Hardie touched the ball was offside given, Hardie couldn’t have been offside as he was behind Longridge, all very strange. 

Yep, exactly how I saw it. Need to see it again but I thought Longridge was comfortably offside for the through ball but the assistant kept his flag down and let him run on with the ball, He then pulled it BACKWARDS to Hardie and the flag went up which is a nonsense. Hardie couldn't have been offside. Even if he was off when the ball was first played through I think he's played on by going back behind the ball once Longridge gets it isn't he? I can only presume it was a very very late flag on Longridge.

Of course the controversy was underlined as we went up the park and equalised within a minute!

4 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Livingston comfortably the better side, certainly in the second half.

I was glad we retrieved a point, but it's not that useful really.

The first and second goals we lost were really poor.  The bookings given to our players in the second half just amounted to a cowardly hedging of bets by the ref.  If elbows really had been thrown, the cards should have been red.  If they hadn't, any cards should have been given to the blokes on the floor.

Either way, bookings for the Queens player could not be justified.

Keen to see the Hardie one late on again.  It certainly looked like it was being allowed to stand.  I also wondered about a possible offside ahead of our equaliser.

^^^^^ Largely this.

I didn't see the first 20 minutes and managed to start watching just before our goals. Can't comment on the balance of play over the first quarter therefore. Two good goals from us. Thomson's hit was terrific again whilst the second was a really good move. We looked lively down Thomas' side most of the game and little came down the left where Todd was which I believe was completely the opposite to Tuesday in Dundee. We had other opportunities to deliver better balls into the box and get better chances but there was a complete inevitability about the cheap free kick on the edge of the box meaning a goal. That put us on the back foot a bit at half time when, based on the part of the game I saw, we really shouldn't have been.

The second goal annoyed me more than anything else all season defensively. It's just such a cheap goal. It's a long flat throw and powered in at the near post inside the 6 yard box with pretty much everyone standing watching it! Don't know if the keeper could have come but the defenders need to be alive to it at least.

The third was given away poorly on halfway too but at least that one then came from some good football, albeit Hardie peeled away to the backpost too easily without being marked. Not sure who lost him.

At that point I didn't really see us coming back and if the controversial 4th had stood we wouldn't have but fair play. For once we snatched a late point with a scrambled goal. Not sure how Lyle (? I think) failed to put the ball in first but Todorov somehow got the rebound in. I couldn't see exactly how as my view was blocked so will look forward to footage. Even after that Dobbie should at least have hit target and we might have won the thing.

Without deliberately coming over all "Arsene Wenger", I genuinely didn't see either of the controversial incidents involving Rooney and Dykes. I was looking elsewhere at the time. Like MT though I'm sure the referee adopted the "I think something happened but am not sure what so I'll just book the guy who isn't lying on the ground approach". There were indications of elbows on both. If they threw elbows and he saw it they should have got red. If they didn't then at best it's nothing and at worst bookings for simulation. I'd like to see them again though presumably if by chance the footage isn't good for our guys then they won't see the light of day! Gallagher at least certainly reacted like he had been hit. He was VERY lucky not to be booked for his reaction when he got up. If you are having to be dragged away by your team mates and the referee then I'm not sure how much more "adopting an aggressive attitude" he could have done!

Anyway, Livi did again what Livi do well. They are big, direct and very difficult to keep down. At 2-0 they didn't fold and will probably feel they should have won. They won't catch St Mirren but I don't see them being caught for 2nd either. United have too many games to play in too short a time (and are inconsistent anyway) and everybody else is less consistent than Livi. They'll get 2nd and I'd fancy them to make the playoff final. That said, if we somewhow got that far and could avoid losing at home, we have done better at Almondvale than at home.

Wasn't a great day for us (again) but it wasn't a bad one either. Unlike MT I think it could be a vital point. It keeps us in touch with Morton and Dunfermline. The away games against the two of them are massive for us now but we're still there or thereabouts.

[Homer Thompson]

The two bookings, actually, look about right. Halkett has a hold of Rooney and in trying to shake him off he catches him with the arm/elbow but its a pushing motion rather than a swing, if that makes sense. Not convinced he catches him in the face though. Gallagher blocks Dykes running towards the keeper, Dykes goes for another shot and leads with his forearm into Gallaghers chest. Again, no swing of the arm but a stupid thing to do. The reaction of both Livi players is embarrassing though. Nothing to do with how hurt they are and everything to do with trying to get the player sent off. Theres absolutely no excuse for McLean not booking Gallagher for his reaction when he gets up either

It looked like the shot took a touch off Hardy in the middle which made Longridge offside for the disallowed goal. No way it could be anyone else. No hint at all of offside for Queens 3rd, Thomson runs from deep before taking the initial shot that Alexander saved. Really nice half volley on the turn by Todorov too

[LIVIFOREVER]

3 hours ago, Broony88 said:

It's called facts pal. 15 fouls to 10 isn't a huge amount more but to claim that Queens were doing the kicking off the park quoting another queens supporter (I know it wasn't you) is fairly embarrassing. 

 

Halkett strolled it again ? He is a good defender but did he not slip on his arse presenting us with a goal at livi ? 

Try checking back mate, it was your QoS fan being dickish about the  kicking you off the park in his first 2 posts when this thread was put up, then your players were booked and not ours, get things straight before wading in.

[Hawk]

2 hours ago, JinkyBairn said:

You fucked a 2-0 lead @ home in a game you really needed to win. Shameful sir.

Have you been 2-0 up at home this season?

[JinkyBairn]

12 minutes ago, Hawk said:

Have you been 2-0 up at home this season?

Yes, when we were fucking your journeyman mob 3-0. Imagine getting pumped off the worst Bairns squad of all time. Oaft.

[pozbaird]

2 hours ago, LiviLion said:

St Mirren fans are weird as f**k 

 

 

Can’t argue with that. It’s a fair cop. 

[Distant Doonhamer]

28 minutes ago, JinkyBairn said:

Yes, when we were fucking your journeyman mob 3-0. Imagine getting pumped off the worst Bairns squad of all time. Oaft.

Yep pumped 3-2.

Imagine losing 10 goals in 3 games to a journeyman mob. Oaft.

Sums up the season so far for the mighty Bairns.