The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Scary Bear]

5 hours ago, R.R.FC said:

People also said Reece Donaldson, Lee Bryce and Colin Wilson should be getting more game time and look where they are now. You assume playing a young player every week will automatically make them better, that is not the case. Exposing players to a level they’re clearly not ready for does absolutely nothing for their development. 

Watson would benefit greatly from a spell away on loan at a lower level where he can get regular games and develop at a level he is ready for. Hopefully if we get a right back in he is allowed to do that. 

In saying that and going against popular opinion, I actually think Murray has been fine at right back in recent weeks. He’s clearly not the long term solution but I think he has actually been the better of our two full backs recently. Crane has been nowhere near as good as I was expecting.

Watson has played in our team and looked no worse than the other players who’ve had a go at playing full-back. He’s not Bates, don’t get me wrong but both him and McKay have played at this level and didn’t look out of place. Playing central defenders at full-back is not something I like to see. In general our defence has looked makeshift all season. Can’t see a young full-back changing that. As said, the squad needs sorted out. That won’t happen until the summer.

[CALDERON]

Mckay got benched a year ago to shoehorn Benedictus and Davidson into the team together, and we've been a shambles ever since. 

[Frank conner]

8 minutes ago, CALDERON said:

Mckay got benched a year ago to shoehorn Benedictus and Davidson into the team together, and we've been a shambles ever since. 

And it won't change anytime soon.

[Scary Bear]

The Rovers rollercoaster. Demonstrating why we have no momentum.

Edited January 27, 2019 by Scary Bear

[Athlete29]

Mckay got benched a year ago to shoehorn Benedictus and Davidson into the team together, and we've been a shambles ever since. 

As much as I love Davidson, it’s clear that the defence isn’t working atm. Stick McKay in, who looks more than capable, and see if that works better. The league is gone at this point, we might as well try something different.

[CALDERON]

It's just such a disappointing season. 

McGlynn teams of old were great in defence, very well organised, and hard to beat. Add to that we had a mental toughness to go and get the job done, and last time we won this league he made the full time aspect count. 

They were the main issues I had with Smiths side so I was delighted when McGlynn came in. However it's just not working.  Unreasonable to expect any manager to have us top, owing to Arbroaths fantastic form this season, but we should be far closer. 

Maybe the issues with this side are more deep routed than we thought, maybe Mcglynn just isn't as good as we hoped anymore. Maybe a bit of both. Either way it's been a disaster to be honest. 

I still think he's the right man to take us up, probably not this season, and I really don't know who else we would get in to do any better. But each passing week that's starting to feel like blind loyalty. 

Everyone knows the amount of preparation, analysis etc that he brings to the table, yet there appears to be a massive disconnect to what happens then and what happens on the pitch.  The players need to take a hefty chunk of the responsibility, but we are seeing the same issues under a 4th different manager with most of the squad changing each season. It's incredibly frustrating. 

Either way, failing to address that defence whilst we continue to piss away goals, points, and what remains of the season due to rank incompetence at the back, would be disastrous. 

4 away defeats, all from winning positions and all with the winning goal conceded in the last 25 minutes. You can't get near promotion doing that. 

Edited January 27, 2019 by CALDERON

[johnnymac]

I know Thomson has made some good saves last few weeks but I would change the keeper too. I don’t think the defence have confidence in him and problems are stemming from that. Davo has to be dropped now too

[grumswall]

I know Thomson has made some good saves last few weeks but I would change the keeper too. I don’t think the defence have confidence in him and problems are stemming from that. Davo has to be dropped now too

Agree on both points. It would have been very harsh dropping Thomson yesterday after the dunfermline game but I don't think it will be long before we see Lyness starting.

[embow]

52 minutes ago, CALDERON said:

It's just such a disappointing season. 

McGlynn teams of old were great in defence, very well organised, and hard to beat. Add to that we had a mental toughness to go and get the job done, and last time we won this league he made the full time aspect count. 

They were the main issues I had with Smiths side so I was delighted when McGlynn came in. However it's just not working.  Unreasonable to expect any manager to have us top, owing to Arbroaths fantastic form this season, but we should be far closer. 

Maybe the issues with this side are more deep routed than we thought, maybe Mcglynn just isn't as good as we hoped anymore. Maybe a bit of both. Either way it's been a disaster to be honest. 

I still think he's the right man to take us up, probably not this season, and I really don't know who else we would get in to do any better. But each passing week that's starting to feel like blind loyalty. 

Everyone knows the amount of preparation, analysis etc that he brings to the table, yet there appears to be a massive disconnect to what happens then and what happens on the pitch.  The players need to take a hefty chunk of the responsibility, but we are seeing the same issues under a 4th different manager with most of the squad changing each season. It's incredibly frustrating. 

Either way, failing to address that defence whilst we continue to piss away goals, points, and what remains of the season due to rank incompetence at the back, would be disastrous. 

4 away defeats, all from winning positions and all with the winning goal conceded in the last 25 minutes. You can't get near promotion doing that. 

Fantastic summary of exactly where we are Calderon. 

Nail well and truly nappered!

Edited January 27, 2019 by embow

[ayrmad]

2 hours ago, CALDERON said:

It's just such a disappointing season. 

McGlynn teams of old were great in defence, very well organised, and hard to beat. Add to that we had a mental toughness to go and get the job done, and last time we won this league he made the full time aspect count. 

They were the main issues I had with Smiths side so I was delighted when McGlynn came in. However it's just not working.  Unreasonable to expect any manager to have us top, owing to Arbroaths fantastic form this season, but we should be far closer. 

Maybe the issues with this side are more deep routed than we thought, maybe Mcglynn just isn't as good as we hoped anymore. Maybe a bit of both. Either way it's been a disaster to be honest. 

I still think he's the right man to take us up, probably not this season, and I really don't know who else we would get in to do any better. But each passing week that's starting to feel like blind loyalty. 

Everyone knows the amount of preparation, analysis etc that he brings to the table, yet there appears to be a massive disconnect to what happens then and what happens on the pitch.  The players need to take a hefty chunk of the responsibility, but we are seeing the same issues under a 4th different manager with most of the squad changing each season. It's incredibly frustrating. 

Either way, failing to address that defence whilst we continue to piss away goals, points, and what remains of the season due to rank incompetence at the back, would be disastrous. 

4 away defeats, all from winning positions and all with the winning goal conceded in the last 25 minutes. You can't get near promotion doing that. 

I'd blame your board, you're side were nowhere near a league winning side last season regardless of league positions and points totals, as such they should have punted Smith immediately after the playoffs and allowed someone to build their own team, easy for me to say but I do believe your board and some of your fans let league positions cloud their judgement on exactly where Rovers were as a team last season.

While we were playing well within ourselves for most of the season it did become apparent that Deadeye Dick was building a side capable of winning League One, I thought they'd stroll the playoffs until Goodwin decided to hand all his players a huge pair.

While he doesn't play the style I want to see I've no doubt McGlynn will build a team that gets to the Championship, who knows Dick used to play the same football, McGlynn might even build a side that does play my sort of football down the line.

Anyway all the best for the rest of the season and hopefully wee McGuffie finds his mojo at Starks and helps turn you into a playoff winning team, this Championship ain't as great as some like to think, Arbroath will compete with most next season unless all the sides improve drastically.

[Tony Stark(s Park)]

I agree with most about the defensive woes, I do, but I’m going to try think of it another way.

What if we bring McKay in and he is shot of confidence and is as bad maybe worse of a pairing than Davo and Bene. We are 3 points away from 4th. East Fife win next week and we get beat by Forfar we are 3rd only GD saving us.

Maybe it’s a bit of damned if I do damned if I don’t sort of deal with McGlynn. If it works well, fans say it should have happened months ago, if it doesn’t work we could drop out of playoffs.

Again, I’m game for changing things up, just trying to give a different view of things. As far as I’m aware (could be wrong) have we not only signed that McGuffie on loan, don’t we still have 2 loans possible after Crane resigning? I’d get a CB in, make Davo and Bene shit themselves as they must not see McKay as competition.

[baillieinleeds]

I agree with most about the defensive woes, I do, but I’m going to try think of it another way.

What if we bring McKay in and he is shot of confidence and is as bad maybe worse of a pairing than Davo and Bene. We are 3 points away from 4th. East Fife win next week and we get beat by Forfar we are 3rd only GD saving us.

Maybe it’s a bit of damned if I do damned if I don’t sort of deal with McGlynn. If it works well, fans say it should have happened months ago, if it doesn’t work we could drop out of playoffs.

Again, I’m game for changing things up, just trying to give a different view of things. As far as I’m aware (could be wrong) have we not only signed that McGuffie on loan, don’t we still have 2 loans possible after Crane resigning? I’d get a CB in, make Davo and Bene shit themselves as they must not see McKay as competition.

Put it this way, we can only try it. Putting McKay in beside Bene. We’ve lost the league. The attitude of the players in regards to games lately has been unacceptable. We don’t have the stomach for the play offs. So I wouldn’t be adverse to another season in this league. McGlynn will have his own team. And totally rid ourselves of the deadwood, ie Davo

[Paco]

I’m a huge fan of McKay but I really don’t think just swapping a centre half is going to solve much. Not to say I wouldn’t do it anyway - but I don’t see how it’s going to change us being constantly caught on the counter, or throwing away leads away from home.

We need to play differently on the road. We’ve seen the Brechin game three times already this season and we’ll see it again if we carry on playing the same way. I’m not sure what the answer is but it isn’t doing the same thing - Smith got pelters for it last season, and McGlynn’s period of grace is now over.

In some fairness to McGlynn in all four away defeats we’ve been ahead and looking very comfortable before crumbling, which we were never really doing last season - is that because the opposition figure us out, or because the players are mentally weak? Probably a bit of both for me. Next league away game is likely Stranraer in March so we’ve plenty time to devise a new way of playing, otherwise for a third year in a row we’ll go into the play-offs hoping to stay in touch in the away leg and get it back to Starks. Not good enough, really.

[CALDERON]

5 minutes ago, Paco said:

I’m a huge fan of McKay but I really don’t think just swapping a centre half is going to solve much. Not to say I wouldn’t do it anyway - but I don’t see how it’s going to change us being constantly caught on the counter, or throwing away leads away from home.

We need to play differently on the road. We’ve seen the Brechin game three times already this season and we’ll see it again if we carry on playing the same way. I’m not sure what the answer is but it isn’t doing the same thing - Smith got pelters for it last season, and McGlynn’s period of grace is now over.

In some fairness to McGlynn in all four away defeats we’ve been ahead and looking very comfortable before crumbling, which we were never really doing last season - is that because the opposition figure us out, or because the players are mentally weak? Probably a bit of both for me. Next league away game is likely Stranraer in March so we’ve plenty time to devise a new way of playing, otherwise for a third year in a row we’ll go into the play-offs hoping to stay in touch in the away leg and get it back to Starks. Not good enough, really.

Yeah that's the issue, playing the same way away from home, whilst knowing the home team is going to be chasing the game in the second half is a bit daft. No need for two wingers on a pitch like Brechin whilst 1-0 up. 

It's almost like Mcglynn is trying to change the reputation he had before.  

[baillieinleeds]

It’s likely McGlynn won’t change the formation for away matches, and he’s certainly stubborn enough to stick with the same defence and keeper that make mistake after mistake. Pointless having two wingers that don’t track away from home. Invites unwarranted pressure

[baillieinleeds]

It’s likely McGlynn won’t change the formation for away matches, and he’s certainly stubborn enough to stick with the same defence and keeper that make mistake after mistake. Pointless having two wingers that don’t track away from home. Invites unwarranted pressure

[stevoraith]

Most folk calling for Davo to be dropped for McKay, but the best defensive partnership we had last season was Davo and McKay together while Bene was injured.

It all went to shit when Bene came back from injury and Smith dropped McKay for him.

Not saying the answer is necessarily to drop the club captain as it certainly won’t happen , but maybe try a back 3 away from home, Crane and Dingwall in wing-back roles and then we get the three/five in the middle to match up to what every other team plays when we visit.

That suggestion is probably why I’m not a manager but as most have said, league is gone, now is the time to experiment and find our best line-up for the play-offs.

[HIT THE CHANNEL]

Lot's of good suggestions about being a hit more 'narrow' and solid away from home. As well as bringing in McKay. I would be happy to give both of these things a go.

One thing I think is vital though is the goalie. A goalie (via actual goalkeeping, decision-making, organisation, communication and trust that he can generate in defenders) can make a huge difference. I think Robbie concedes too many cheap goals but beyond this, the defence clearly don't trust him. I would like to see us try the new keeper and see if he can make a difference. 

[renton]

Middle to back is where we are struggling, and while the Davo-Bene partnership is definitely an issue, our central midfield is also struggling. Gillespie is a far better player than he shows half the time, but that's the problem - he only shows up one in every two games. Wedderburn can be eye catching with his play but is also very static at times and has little to no pace. Given he's our anchoring midfielder it's an indictment of him how vulnerable we look on the break. 

I think McGlynn nearly had it, when he he brought in Regan Hendry and we were playing with a midfield three where Hendry's drive and energy allowed him to cover enough of the park to allow the other two to be a bit more positional. Obviously that option got fucked but It's puzzling that McGlynn hasn't so far sought to remedy that and find a Hendry-esque player to repeat those tactics. As it is we've got three central mids (One of whom, Matthews, he doesn't seem to fancy) and three wingers and thus our tactics are limited.

In defence, aye, Davo and Bene don't work as a partnership. Both are fine individually for the most part but neither is the most talkative of defender, and while Davo always has a rip roaring f**k up in his locker, smaller more persistent mistakes have snuck into Bene's game. I've been told that McKay is not good in training, that he makes the same mistakes constantly. Yet I'd invite McGlynn to look back over his actual game time and see whether or not he's worth a shot, because I think he was a far more solid presence than either of our starting pair. The last issue is that the defence do not trust Thompson at all. Wright looked the better keeper until his injury. 

Most of these issues were kind of baked in by the time McGlynn came along (and Cuthbert to his credit rcognised the problem, even as his proposed solution was somehow worse). He can only fix so many of these issues, and with the signing of Hendry you could see what he was going for. The January window is obviously the lesser of the two windows and budgets are finite. How much he can change now is limited by time, money and morale (he could easily bring the dressing room down by wholesale changes). Being honest, while we can take our shot in the play offs there is also little point throwing good money after bad at this point. This team is clearly limited and the blame falls between both Smith and the board for their choices in the Summer. We aren't going to fix the fundamentals now, and it's a case of hanging onto the summer and having another go then, as difficult as that may be.

Edited January 28, 2019 by renton

[Broken Algorithms]

Go 4-3-3 with Dingwall playing centrally in a more attacking role. We're getting nowhere with wingers.