Morton v ICT

[Dr Watson]

5 hours ago, CityDave said:

We are just going for the win here, no pressure, let Dunfermline worry about themselves and about what's happening at Cappielow.

 

 

The biggest problem for ICT here is that Dumbarton are already preparing for the play offs and you can't blame them. Looks very much like ICT will be back at Cappielow next season.

[Buddist Monk]

22 minutes ago, Jamie_M said:

Any stats that include our mid-season performances are irrelevant.

We downed tools 11 games ago, the only stats that matter are those therefore, stick on away win.

As "relevant" as the fact Inverness downed tools for the first 11 games. They certainly have current form, but over a season you are very evenly matched.

[IainMorton]

15 minutes ago, Jamie_M said:

Please, please, please, wait to see if they all walk over to the shed for a wee clap and a wave. The minute they get there, 321 HOUND.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Pie and Bovril mobile app
 

Going to go out on a limb here, but surely the players aren’t to blame for our slump down the table? They are only doing the job they are told to do, and that lies firmly at the feet of the manager. We have some talented players in our squad, it’s not their fault that they aren’t being used to the best of their ability.

[Jamie_M]

Going to go out on a limb here, but surely the players aren’t to blame for our slump down the table? They are only doing the job they are told to do, and that lies firmly at the feet of the manager. We have some talented players in our squad, it’s not their fault that they aren’t being used to the best of their ability.

I agree that the main root of the problem lies in the dugout, but the players cannot be blameless, particularly those that have now been involved in 2 final third slumps.

Set up badly with the wrong lineup but their performances and effort levels have not been acceptable either.

If it was 100% just the manager, surely the players would share that belief and he would have lost the dressing room by now? Doesn't seem to be the case.

Regardless, Duffy is unlikely to come over alone so if there was such a hounding it would likely involve the group.

[TheScarf]

I have a bad feeling about this. 2-0  Greenock Morten.

[Dr Watson]

1 hour ago, IainMorton said:

Going to go out on a limb here, but surely the players aren’t to blame for our slump down the table? They are only doing the job they are told to do, and that lies firmly at the feet of the manager. We have some talented players in our squad, it’s not their fault that they aren’t being used to the best of their ability.

C'mon, you don't really believe that do you?  

[IainMorton]

40 minutes ago, Dr Watson said:

C'mon, you don't really believe that do you?  

I wouldn’t have posted it otherwise.

Some of the abuse the players get is uncalled for. On Saturday O’Ware came over to applaud the fans at full time and someone shouted at him to “f’ck off”. Not sure why. Also heard someone call Frank Ross a “dirty sheep shagger”. Again, for no reason whatsoever.

[purplemonkeydishwasher]

I suspect the attendance for this will be at an all time low, yet the tannoy guy will announce a crowd of ~2000 like he always does.

[cif73]

Coming from the north, where is the best place to park for Cappielow? 

[Scozzie]

The play off place was lost when Livi scored with the last kick of the ball to get that 1-1 draw... don't understand why the manager put a forward on when he had a defender on the bench.. in my opinion thats where we blew the play off place

 

[tonnitus]

22 hours ago, Jamie_M said:

I agree that the main root of the problem lies in the dugout, but the players cannot be blameless, particularly those that have now been involved in 2 final third slumps.

Set up badly with the wrong lineup but their performances and effort levels have not been acceptable either.

If it was 100% just the manager, surely the players would share that belief and he would have lost the dressing room by now? Doesn't seem to be the case.

Regardless, Duffy is unlikely to come over alone so if there was such a hounding it would likely involve the group.

It's hard to say where to draw the line, but on the line about losing the dressing room...

Duffy's a good coach, but not a tactician and not great in the transfer market (with a couple of exceptions).
The players clearly like training with him, and that obviously plays a big part in the player/manager relationship.

I wonder if the lottery-numbers team selections have something to do with the run of defeats:
If you know that the actual result doesn't mean you'll [get picked again/be dropped], does that not have an impact on the players' mentality?

[cornbeef]

23 hours ago, IainMorton said:

Going to go out on a limb here, but surely the players aren’t to blame for our slump down the table? They are only doing the job they are told to do, and that lies firmly at the feet of the manager. We have some talented players in our squad, it’s not their fault that they aren’t being used to the best of their ability.

Agree with you here Iain. We didn' t lose for the want of effort on the players part. 

There' s general agreement that we have a decent group of players (and fair play to Duffy for that). But how  he chose to use those players brings us to this position in the league.

Had the board any ambition to challenge for promotion whatsoever - they would have had  JD in for a meeting to clarify his bizarre strategies. But no ,he didn't waiver from his path to the lower end of the table. My guess is, he was tasked with remaining in the championship (gold star from the board) and squeezing a few quid out of the cup ( better luck next time Jim)

I have no issues with the players, bigger issues with JD and his tactics - but at the end of the day he's  simply dancing to the boards tune and that is the root of all our problems.

[Jamie_M]

My guess is, he was tasked with remaining in the championship (gold star from the board)

At what end?

[Rudolph Hucker]

4 hours ago, Scozzie said:

The play off place was lost when Livi scored with the last kick of the ball to get that 1-1 draw... don't understand why the manager put a forward on when he had a defender on the bench.. in my opinion thats where we blew the play off place

I don't know why he didn't bring on a defender as that substitute, but I do think too much significance has been given to it. The substitution was probably made just to wind down the clock, and even if we had taken someone off and put nobody on to replace him then in 99 cases out of 100 you'd expect competent players (and they all are, even though the sub wasn't specifically a defender) to see out the last seconds without incident. Unfortunately that night was the 1 in 100 and Livi scored, but I don't think the sub even touched the ball. Bit harsh to blame the substitution too much imo.

[Poet of the Macabre]

Morton should have finished 3rd and may well end up 7th. Must be a fair loss - £150,000?

[Jamie_M]

I don't know why he didn't bring on a defender as that substitute, but I do think too much significance has been given to it. The substitution was probably made just to wind down the clock, and even if we had taken someone off and put nobody on to replace him then in 99 cases out of 100 you'd expect competent players (and they all are, even though the sub wasn't specifically a defender) to see out the last seconds without incident. Unfortunately that night was the 1 in 100 and Livi scored, but I don't think the sub even touched the ball. Bit harsh to blame the substitution too much imo.

Baird was stripped and ready to come on at 0-0. We scored. Duffy proceeded with the sub instead of being tactically astute and telling him to sit the f**k down.

[Jamie_M]

Morton should have finished 3rd and may well end up 7th. Must be a fair loss - £150,000?

Before he decided to field a weakened team against Livi, we had a good chance of trying to get 2nd. We now look like finishing 7th.

The prize money difference between those 2 positions is £249000.

[cornbeef]

7 minutes ago, Jamie_M said:

At what end?

Theyre as happy as a pig in shit, wallowing about in the championship. Quite sure they feel that they'e put out enough money into Morton (which they probably have) and rather than speculating to accumulate - they are pushing the sustainability model. 

Dougie is approaching his nineties and is failing in health, Crawford is said to be much less interested. He' s a cricket club /golfer type I believe. A cup run would have resulted in a boardroom jizzfest of course and Duffy gambled on achieving that and failed.

The lack of drive is clear for all to see ... deal with it.

To all those calling for a new manager I ask... to what end ?

[Jamie_M]

Theyre as happy as a pig in shit, wallowing about in the championship. Quite sure they feel that they'e put out enough money into Morton (which they probably have) and rather than speculating to accumulate - they are pushing the sustainability model. 
Dougie is approaching his nineties and is failing in health, Crawford is said to be much less interested. He' s a cricket club /golfer type I believe. A cup run would have resulted in a boardroom jizzfest of course and Duffy gambled on achieving that and failed.
The lack of drive is clear for all to see ... deal with it.
To all those calling for a new manager I ask... to what end ?

So to clarify, you say Duffy was instructed to ignore going for 2ND, finishing 7th, and chucking away £249000?

[cornbeef]

32 minutes ago, Jamie_M said:

So to clarify, you say Duffy was instructed to ignore going for 2ND, finishing 7th, and chucking away £249000?

Hardly.  Almost no one foresaw 7th looming. 

After our second place in 2013 did we try to go one better the following season  by boosting the squad  ? No, once again they thought they could maintain a place in the 'championship' with a reduced budget.  Did anyone foresee relegation as a follow up ? 

So they clearly don't intend to throw money away, but inevitably do. The  board have run out of steam once again and the fans are following suit.