Cold Feet

It is even more stark if you take the loses as a %. Has he gone yet?

It is even more stark if you take the loses as a %. Has he gone yet?

I am echoing what everyone else is saying. The best team one, the best team came with a high tempo, the best team had attack options, the best team had a plan, the best team pressed, had desire, commitment and was motivated. Everything we were not. I am hard pressed to think of a worse performing team ever for Brechin - not to say we have bad players just bad management. I can take getting beat but not in the manner we are having them. The stats from Greendot is interesting and surprising as I thought his would have been a lot worse - it certainly feels like it. 85 defeats with a philosophy to defend - cann't even get that right. His signings are clear - I counted 6 players on the park who have played in our back line this year. Plus another on the bench and a holding midfielder. Not much attacking options. We had nothing yesterday but most notable was lack of midfield. We won nothing in there. But yet we never changed it. As soon as we went a goal up (against the run of play) he should have changed it but noooooooooo……..more arms folded or in pocket. I have said before I am not paying another £1 to watch them, I have a season ticket but if I have another option for my Saturdays I will be doing it. Even Christmas shoppoing feels less painful. Time for him to fall on his sword and go before we are screwed.

I have decided that other than the festive pish ups I am not paying another £1 to watch them - I was swaying all summer about a season ticket and then bought one. That said if a better offer comes up on a Saturday then that is where I will be. To pinch a quote the style of play generally makes my eyes bleed. We had half an hour against Dumbarton, a half against Arbroath and most of the game v Airdrie where it went well. The rest has been dire. All these games are when we went behind and it was chuck everything at it and see what happens. Equally we chucked it against Forfar and Stranraer. It is just as well much of the league is dire or we would be up to out necks in it. C'mon Mo give us a pumping on Saturday to get Dods out the door...………………….please

The surprise of this is that we were actually 8th. Wow. Either way I am interested by the lack of praise after 3-1 win at weekend. It appears we were good and credit for that but lets follow it up with something else.

A win and a draw from impossible positions will have Dods in his job for a time yet. Which I do not mind if, and a very big IF he sets the team up for the whole 90minutes to play rather then defend which this year has been like last - no use! Being two goals down twice in twenty minutes and a third time with half an hour to go is no good at all. However when we play to get it back we have looked, clearly competitive but for whatever reason we do not see it often enough - too safe and that is what will cost us. Let the handbrake off Dods, like last year we will get beat but are also likely to win a few more. How we are forth in the league I will never know but welcome.

Doh. But a couple of new players arriving this week, lets see.....

Dods still here? How many more defenders has he signed - will it ever end?!

Considering the team we had out it would be harsh to be critical of the result, I for one thought they did better than anticipated -I was expecting a right doing. By all accounts Paddy in goal was excellent and that useless F + C (according to some on Saturday), Shields scored. And indeed others got a run out. I have no qualms about the team he put out. Striker from Dundee - anybody got thoughts on him?

Smith and Spark in the centre of a back four with Lynas and Burns midfield - Moreno, Sinclair, Osri, ? (Tapping suspended - again!) I guess one of the young lads will get a shout. Boris and Andy up top. We still need to sign a couple of forward thinking players - any word?

Congratulations, I know one swallow does not make a summer just like one result does not make a season. However credit where it is due a nice win by playing some decent stuff, not brilliant but good enough. It is plain to see that McGeaver, Tapping and Jackson give us a good spine. Of course others did there thing too but most high balls to our defence were one and we have a striker that can hold the ball up. Kalvin is much better out wide. Pretty much every player in there proper position playing to there strengths so positives. We still need one or two creative / forward thinking players as there was not much option on the bench or sitting in the stands to come back into those positions if needed. The signs are there and well done but still work to be done.

This makes for grim reading. I now have four games I will attend and then make a judgement, although in all honesty I will take some convincing that Dods is the man. We seem to have no idea about how to win games (something like a 30% win rate - excluding last year). We have been duped too long - the great escape year had a good end to a season, we forgot how shite the previous 25 games had been, we got promoted losing more than we won but hey we got promoted - excellent and we forget what a chore most of the season was and then last season - a free hit (?) playing the same non football tactics all season and now this one. Not starting well, signings not been the best, we have replaced decent players for average or is it still the tactics that make the players look average. My money is more on the tactics - sit tight and counter. Boring as PISH! I do not think it good going back to previous managers. I see the argument for an old hand to steady the ship otherwise we maybe looking at oblivion. Ignore the pish about no money - we are okay after last year with a bit of a reserve, with a prediction of a 50 - 70k loss this so spending large is not an option. That said the crowds will dry up this year if the anti-football is continued to be served up, which in turn might make the predicted loss worse. Stevie Campbell did a good job at Utd and I for one would like to see him given a go, if he would take it. Any word on who was (if anyone) was falling out with the players and committee after Saturday?

Okay, I'll pass comment on yesterdays game. For all those who said we could not defend, I think yesterday showed we can but it relied on our Keeper being MOM and ten behind the ball. We were so deep we were in the Tay! No out ball. Folk can shout at our forward guys as much as they like but they were told to hang back just as the midfield was. The amount of times midfielders were standing next to our centre half's was unbelievable. Luckily Dundee had nothing like the cutting edge of Dunfermline and seemed content to play walking football and they got two lucky goals; a misplaced cross and a deflection. I understand the desire not to get another pumping but if this is how we are setting up it is going to be another long and tedious season. I am of the understanding that Boris, Henry and Dailly are all short term signings but if nothing else is forthcoming then we will have to go with them. Not sure where reinforcements are coming from and would be surprised if Dods can pull a couple of signings out the bag. It was plain to see that Dundee were not that good but we allowed them to look better than they were by sitting back and watching - for all purposes it was a training exercise. Thought we could have changed formation in second half and made some attempt - but no. It was not until we were forced into a back 4 after yet more injuries that we got into Dundee's box. All in all another show that either Dods cant read the game or is too stubborn to change the set up. Till next time...………...

Henry and Daily are short term signings to help get through the Betfred Cup, whether they stay beyond this or not is another question. There is still time to sign players but the ones that would most likely make an impact will have already been snapped up. Not sure where we go from here. I am prepared to give it till the internal break and then comment.

Led to believe that Dailly and Harvey signings are short term to give some time to get others in, which I am led to believe is a striker. Storie is not training with us - not fit and not trying hard enough to get fit. McGeaver is looking to be ready for Stenny and is working hard - this would be good as at the moment we have C Tapping, Pabs and Hill all suspended for the opener. Jackson is approaching fitness too but carrying weight. As much info as I have. And if you speak to committee members they do speak to you, clarly like anyone if you seek to attack them they will go defensive. I have found them open to discussions if you approach them with a decent attitude.

Why have we only four subs?

And Boris puts us 1-0 up yee ha.

Harvey Dailly. Nothing against him but do we need another defender when we are crying out for attackers? Can he play more of an attacking role? Can Burns? It is an odd signing...……….again! Maybe Dundee Utd old boys act here.

Yep, yesterday was poor, not sure where our goals are going to come from. Yes it ends up with a 5 back line because our full backs are not good enough to be further up the park to join midfield or even further. We did not look like conceding but offered nothing going forward. Shields not at it yet. Orsi is not a striker - did slightly better when pushed out wide. Boris needs ball at feet or in the channel - not at head height - still need to see more of him to decide. Central three defenders looked solid enough but had no pass out, Connor looked confident enough too in goals. When Burns / Spark got up the park we created some opportunities but they were rare. C Tapping had a poor game, Moreno looked good as a holding midfield but he should be the only one and E Smith blew hot and cold. My main concern for the season is where are the goals doing to come from? We need something else up top or creating in midfield. I am led to believe Storie is still training with us and trying to get fit. And as for all those who moan about Dods - not one challenging question or disgruntled statement to him at the AGM. You had your chance so lets back him - for now.

Aye Dene must be getting on a bit but with Templeman at Montrose last year aged 38 there is hope. Good to see Lynas sign up but nae idea about Connor Burns. What of Storie and Graham? Squad already looking defence heavy. Is Burns a midfielder or defender?

I agree. Not even free friendlies or Bet Fred as an added incentive. And if u r 80+ you get a free one, so 50% of our support. Paying this money Dods needs to hit the ground running or he's out before October.

We also need a keeper, those still to commit; Paddy Lynas Storie Orsi Graham Signed, by my reckonning McLean McGeaver Hill Burns Tapping Smith Jackson Spark Sinclair I must be missing someone......

Finn Graham coming your way? Anybody heard this?

Your experience of Tapping seems to have been similar to ours. Feeling he may have been signed on the basis that he can be good. However he also seems injury prone as we discovered - the club paid £4k to get him fixed only for him to turn his back on us and sign for you. Be interesting to see how our muppets take to him.

We will be owed compo - he recently signed a contract with a signing on fee of £100,000. Get the cheque book oot.