The New Raith Rovers Thread

[grumswall]

Gullan isn't fast enough to be running in behind defenders. He's probably slower than Ross is. He shouldn't be playing as a lone striker. It doesn't matter what system you put him in, he isn't suited to playing up front on his own. He should never be the focal point of the attack. He plays best when he can play off of someone else who can create some space for him.

[TxRover]

6 hours ago, CountryBumpkin said:

If we have to go long, it should not be to Gullans head, let him get in behind the defenders and have them turning, get Connolly or Ross, neither of whom are quick, to be closer to him to support any balls he gets into feet and have Easton finding the space made by those players runs. Or better still, keep it on the ground and move it quickly, get between the lines and make teams commit

 

5 hours ago, grumswall said:

Gullan isn't fast enough to be running in behind defenders. He's probably slower than Ross is. He shouldn't be playing as a lone striker. It doesn't matter what system you put him in, he isn't suited to playing up front on his own. He should never be the focal point of the attack. He plays best when he can play off of someone else who can create some space for him.

Honestly, our speed merchant is Mitchell. The problem is if you slot Mitchell into the lineup, you still want a big physical forward as the second attacker, not Gullan. With Gullan paired with Mitchell, we’d still be lacking the physical presence many crave.

I do wish I understood what, besides determination and effort, IM sees in Coulson.

[CALDERON]

1 hour ago, TxRover said:

 

Honestly, our speed merchant is Mitchell. The problem is if you slot Mitchell into the lineup, you still want a big physical forward as the second attacker, not Gullan. With Gullan paired with Mitchell, we’d still be lacking the physical presence many crave.

I do wish I understood what, besides determination and effort, IM sees in Coulson.

Probably determination and effort.  And the fact there isn't really anything else on the bench.  

[foreverarover]

After watching the highlights the defending at both goals is laughable. Inside your own six yard box if you get a chance to put laces through the ball and clear it that's what should be happening. What the hell was Nolan thinking of. We are a striker away from being a decent team which is encouraging though.

[Ro Sham Bo]

1 hour ago, foreverarover said:

After watching the highlights the defending at both goals is laughable. Inside your own six yard box if you get a chance to put laces through the ball and clear it that's what should be happening. What the hell was Nolan thinking of. We are a striker away from being a decent team which is encouraging though.

It won't happen but we could really do with another centre back as well. The fact is Nolan and O' Riordan could make blunders like that every week and not get dropped because there is nobody to replace them. 

[grumswall]

It won't happen but we could really do with another centre back as well. The fact is Nolan and O' Riordan could make blunders like that every week and not get dropped because there is nobody to replace them. 

Lang should be back relatively soon but even at that, going with 3 natural cbs in your squad isnt ideal.

[raith1974]

We need a striker, winger and defender, however we will probably bring in a striker and even then it will most likely be a loan.

Those goals conceded yesterday were shocking. Millen should have put his boot through the ball and Nolan shows a lack of experience. 

[raith1974]

1 hour ago, grumswall said:

2 hours ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

It won't happen but we could really do with another centre back as well. The fact is Nolan and O' Riordan could make blunders like that every week and not get dropped because there is nobody to replace them. 

Lang should be back relatively soon but even at that, going with 3 natural cbs in your squad isnt ideal.

Lang will be lucky to be back before the New Year hardly soon.

[CALDERON]

15 hours ago, raith1974 said:

He's not a clown, but he is also not good enough for this level. Waste of a wage. We were told throughout preseason players would only be signed if they are better than  what's here. In Connells case it appears we signed him as we had no number 9 and still don't. 

What strikers, who are currently available,  is Connell worse than?

[McGuigan1978]

I went into that yesterday expecting the worst to be honest, so to lose 2-1 and have chances to get something from the game is actually reasonably encouraging, albeit Partick Thistle had opportunities that they spurned as well. 

We feel like a decent, but ultimately incomplete team, and unless a few more come in, we’ll probably end up bumbling along in sixth or something for the bulk of the season.

I do think that from the games against Dundee and Partick, we don’t need to fear anyone, but by the same token, there looks like there’s not too much between a whole bunch of clubs, and it would be frustrating if we weren't challenging for top four. 

Talking about frustrating, I was getting exasperated at the use of subs yesterday. Just because you can make a huge array of changes now, doesn’t mean you have to, and with each additional change and system tweak, we got weaker and weaker, and seemed to lose the wee bit of momentum we’d built up. 

I’ve no idea what formation we ended up with, but it looked like a 2-5-3 and was all a bit of a guddle and just killed the game for us. 

Hopefully the law of averages kicks in for us next week against our bogey team, it has to at some point, right? 

[Enigma]

12 minutes ago, McGuigan1978 said:

Talking about frustrating, I was getting exasperated at the use of subs yesterday. Just because you can make a huge array of changes now, doesn’t mean you have to, 

To flip that on it’s head, now that you can make five subs why wouldn’t you try to take advantage of that rule. Granted we don’t have the squad size or depth to do it right now but in rugby these days you have players who are “starters” and “finishers”. I think we’re going to see that sort of concept come into football more now. Certainly the days of making just two like for like subs bang on the 70 minute mark are gone, or at least going.

[raith1974]

2 hours ago, CALDERON said:

What strikers, who are currently available,  is Connell worse than?

How do you or I know who is available. That's a matter for managers and football clubs. One things for sure Connell is not a Championship striker if he was Killie would have played him last season. A pointless signing and certainly no better than Mitchell. My god I sound like TX.

[Ro Sham Bo]

I have also channelled my inner TxRover and agree that Mitchell would be equally capable of carrying out the non goalscoring forward role that Connell performs. 

An absolute waste of a loan signing and the definition of a signing just for the sake of it. 

[CALDERON]

14 minutes ago, raith1974 said:

How do you or I know who is available. That's a matter for managers and football clubs. One things for sure Connell is not a Championship striker if he was Killie would have played him last season. A pointless signing and certainly no better than Mitchell. My god I sound like TX.

I meant available for selection at the moment (basically excluding Vaughan).  Also worth asking since you are privvy to boardroom info around finances it seems.  

[Raith Against The Machine]

"Boo! Sign a striker!"

"Okay, I've signed a striker."

"Not that one! Boo! Booooo!"

[raith1974]

1 hour ago, CALDERON said:

I meant available for selection at the moment (basically excluding Vaughan).  Also worth asking since you are privvy to boardroom info around finances it seems.  

I won't disclose who I heard the rumour about us having no money but the person is connected to the club.

[raith1974]

Just now, raith1974 said:

I won't disclose who I heard the rumour about us having no money but the person is connected to the club.

I think it's plain to see, we released or lost a right back, 4 CBs, a left back, 2 centre midfielders,  a winger and 2 forwards, over 10 players some of which were big earners and replaced them with a kid from Aberdeen, a kid from Killie, a young keeper and 5 what I'd call 1st team players. Our bench is full of kids some of which are not good enough and others that should be out on loan. 

[CountryBumpkin]

12 minutes ago, raith1974 said:

I think it's plain to see, we released or lost a right back, 4 CBs, a left back, 2 centre midfielders,  a winger and 2 forwards, over 10 players some of which were big earners and replaced them with a kid from Aberdeen, a kid from Killie, a young keeper and 5 what I'd call 1st team players. Our bench is full of kids some of which are not good enough and others that should be out on loan. 

I feel that most of the reduction in budget, if there is any is down to having two big money ties this season in the form of Dundee and even that only pulled in a 3200 crowd first time around. Reduced prize money this season based on last season's finish, cup money spent on DG and Ethan Ross and the auto increases in some wages as well as a massive shortfall each season already according to Sim, we have to reduce the budget for signings. 

[TxRover]

2 hours ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

I have also channelled my inner TxRover

Careful, its no small risk to channel something the size of me internally! You might end up looking more like…

[Hank Scorpio]

Murray has explicitly said there is money for signings and we are always looking to add. He also said he would rather run with a smaller squad. We have four players out injured (who are still getting paid) and we will probably try and add a couple more. You’re looking at us being 6 players away from a complete squad. That makes a huge difference. Calm doon ffs.