The New Raith Rovers Thread

[grumswall]

The lack of experience in the defence is solely down to berra chucking it when he did. Can't really pin that one on Murray. Our defence also isn't THAT bad. Mistakes will be made with it being so young, but we've seen those same mistakes made for years with davo, bene etc.

His signings for the most part have been decent enough without excelling. O'riordan, Nolan, Easton, brown are all decent enough for this level.
Ngwenya has looked decent enough but had limited time and obviously gave away the pen yesterday.
Millen, connell, mcbride all seem poor signings to me.
Time will tell with frederiksen.
We still have Vaughan and lang to come back in to the team so we do at least have enough options on paper.
The likes of Ross and Connolly haven't been the same players this season so far but stanton looks massively improved. If he can get our creative players back on form and frederiksen can get up to speed, we keep gullan and Vaughan fit, then there's no reason we can't kick on. Leaving our strikers isolated and having to work to create chances needs to stop but will only come with Connolly, Ross etc stepping up and creating the chances for them.

[CALDERON]

We've conceded the 2nd fewest goals in the league, the defence has been fine.  There's a reason why 3 defenders from last season find themselves in League 1, and one retired.  Keeping Benedictus and Musonda,  as Murray has been chastised for not doing, wouldn't have made any impact on where we are.

The issue up front is obvious.  It's also obvious for a good number if clubs.  For some reason, Murray hasn't been able to get deals over the line, but we've no idea as to why that was - so I'm not sure a change of manager would have  fundamentally changed anything.

[CALDERON]

1 hour ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

Avoiding a relegation battle, which won't happen if we persevere with this clown for much longer. Defeat by Arbroath this week will drag us right back into the mire.

I am hoping the reason he's not appointed an assistant is because the board realise he's not likely to be in charge beyond the short term and are delaying sanctioning a new appointment. 

As for who we appoint? No clue. I thought Murray would be a decent appointment but the warning signs were there after his first two friendlies that it was never going to work and that is turning out to be the case. 

How are Airdrie doing? Haven't heard the "Airdrie are doing so much better without Murray " argument for a while.

[TxRover]

I hear poster after posting saying the attacking issue has to be solved…no shit. I do not hear any names tossed out that we should have signed that would have scored a goal a game or whatever, simply because signings like that don’t occur at this level, except in very specific circumstances. There was no goal scorer hammering on Murray’s door to sign for Raith, let’s face it, in the Scottish Championship, a true scorer is rarer than hens teeth…and when they appear, they get snapped up by a Scottish Premiership team or an English side.

[grumswall]

I hear poster after posting saying the attacking issue has to be solved…no shit. I do not hear any names tossed out that we should have signed that would have scored a goal a game or whatever, simply because signings like that don’t occur at this level, except in very specific circumstances. There was no goal scorer hammering on Murray’s door to sign for Raith, let’s face it, in the Scottish Championship, a true scorer is rarer than hens teeth…and when they appear, they get snapped up by a Scottish Premiership team or an English side.

It isn't always a case of signing players to resolve that. Tactically we can be better in an attacking sense. We are also so wasteful when we do get chances, like yesterday when Easton didn't just hit it with his left foot.

[TxRover]

3 minutes ago, grumswall said:

7 minutes ago, TxRover said:

I hear poster after posting saying the attacking issue has to be solved…no shit. I do not hear any names tossed out that we should have signed that would have scored a goal a game or whatever, simply because signings like that don’t occur at this level, except in very specific circumstances. There was no goal scorer hammering on Murray’s door to sign for Raith, let’s face it, in the Scottish Championship, a true scorer is rarer than hens teeth…and when they appear, they get snapped up by a Scottish Premiership team or an English side.

It isn't always a case of signing players to resolve that. Tactically we can be better in an attacking sense. We are also so wasteful when we do get chances, like yesterday when Easton didn't just hit it with his left foot.

Absolutely, but everyone blethers on about signing this or that…I looked at the top scorers in the Championship…there were a couple of those out there to be signed, but most were signed before IM even get the job. The ones that might have been available are marginal types who likely won’t be in the top 20 come May.

[DaveT]

7 minutes ago, TxRover said:

I hear poster after posting saying the attacking issue has to be solved…no shit. I do not hear any names tossed out that we should have signed that would have scored a goal a game or whatever, simply because signings like that don’t occur at this level, except in very specific circumstances. There was no goal scorer hammering on Murray’s door to sign for Raith, let’s face it, in the Scottish Championship, a true scorer is rarer than hens teeth…and when they appear, they get snapped up by a Scottish Premiership team or an English side.

again I understand where you are coming from on this.

Problem I see is that it is the job of a manager at a football club to sort out these issues.

He has signed Fredriksen who seems to be his solution, we can only hope this is the case.

I still feel last years team didn't need to be dismantled just so quickly before better replacements were available.

We will never know why so many centre backs were allowed to leave the club and the Berra situation did not help.

Hopefully we can hang onto our defensive loan players or we are pinning our Hope's on Laing hitting the ground running and staying injury free.

It's no easy job a manager has but it's his to solve.

[CALDERON]

4 minutes ago, DaveT said:

 

We will never know why so many centre backs were allowed to leave the club and the Berra situation did not help.

 

I'm presuming it's because they weren't particularly good last season?

[Hottoddy22]

1 hour ago, raith1974 said:

I've got to say I wanted IM as manager but his transfers have been fairly poor. Is that due to him or restraints from the board. Connel, McBride should never have been signed. Wasting money on players who are not good enough. Its taken months to bring in a striker who may or may not be up to it. Millen not great, I'm also shocked at the lack of experience in our back line and up front. Now we have no number 2. Cost cutting or Murray just doesn't have a clue. For me an assistant must be signed. I'll give Murray until Christmas but if things don't improve he will need to go to give a new manager a transfer window to bring in the missing pieces that are clearly needed.

Ian Murray has had very little funds for players down to the Goodwillie debacle, but is definitely the man to take us forward, this season is about finishing mid -table as it is a rebuild in progress, and then to push on next season ,keep the faith C.O.Y.R

[DaveT]

4 minutes ago, CALDERON said:

I'm presuming it's because they weren't particularly good last season?

But it seemed as if they were allowed to leave before a new manager was appointed.

The Berra thing was unexpected, Mussonda, we dont know why he left but still doing a good job at this level for Ayr.

Benny possibly his time had come.

Knowing laing was injured I feel we created a problem of our own making.

Our loan signings in defence are really good and have no real complaints, but we need to hang onto them in January.

We cant rely on players who have been out long term coming straight back in and solving our problems.

I think our midfield can be sorted with the right mix in the team.

We all know the problems up front as do every other team, we dont score enough goals

[D'Jaffo]

Wanting a manager sacked whilst sitting 5 points off 4th with a game in hand is fucking bizarre regardless of form. Given the tightness of this league you won’t find out until January what kind of battle you’re actually going to be in. Unless you look like getting cut adrift it’s just pointless making a change in manager at this point.

Some fans need to put on a dry pair of knickers.

[foreverarover]

I think we have a good midfield, and our defence actually isn't too bad. Don't think we were in that much danger throughout the game yesterday, defending a lot of long balls from throws - until the penalty. 
We are light up top. Gullan is absolutely fine but we've struggled to keep him fit. Connell showed a good performance against Ayr and absolutely nothing else any other time. Is it inconsistency from a young guy, or is he mostly shite, but a good Killie lad who'll raise his game against Ayr?
Not sure what everyone is expecting from Frederiksen. Yesterday was largely an extension of his Cove cameo. There are some good bits in there, overlaid by what looks like a combination of rustiness and culture shock. The guy hasn't had any minutes in a long time before coming to us, and y'know - had that whole brain tumour thing to deal with as well. Like Nolan and O'Riordan (and Millen who has improved of late) he's going to have to learn on the job.
We do lack a nuisance presence, I think. Our forwards and attacking mids are very much 'technical and tidy' type players. We don't have a Weir type player who runs channels, upsets full backs and gambles on percentage balls. We need to also keep it a bit simpler at times (looking at you Dylan Easton).
I dunno, I don't think Murray is doing a bad job. We look generally a bit more solid than McGlynn's 2nd half of the season squad, and it's worth noting that for the obvious technical talent in the side he hasn't inherited a high flying team, instead he's taken over a team with relegation form, and in a sticky market we're in October still trying to get a squad together and match fit. 
Thing is, even a good defence (and I think our CBs generally look better than last season) can't be water tight, so if you aren't scoring goals you'll be hard pressed to get anything out of games. We've started games at a high tempo and when we've scored we've generally gone on to win, when we don't and the tempo drops and we start losing second balls that's where the issues start.
Maybe Frederiksen gets more match fit and shows a bit more (he was unlucky not to score yesterday), maybe we keep Gullan fit and he helps drag them team up the park. Maybe Vaughan comes back in a few weeks and gives us another, quality option. Hell, there is a good chance his knee goes in 5 minutes but if it doesn't, we all know He'll add that score out of nothing option.
Or maybe we continue to limp along going lose-win-lose and Murray has to reassess in January.

A Weir type layer for me is a headless chicken that runs about with little impact.

[Been going too long]

2 hours ago, CALDERON said:

From the first half of last season, agreed, but this side is better than the team that  finished last season.

I would say this team is playing better than the team that finished last season but I wouldn’t say personnel wise that it is imo 

[Ro Sham Bo]

9 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

Wanting a manager sacked whilst sitting 5 points off 4th with a game in hand is fucking bizarre regardless of form. Given the tightness of this league you won’t find out until January what kind of battle you’re actually going to be in. Unless you look like getting cut adrift it’s just pointless making a change in manager at this point.

Some fans need to put on a dry pair of knickers.

You must certainly wouldn't be of that opinion if you had this moron in charge of Ayr, that's for sure. 

When we lose these next two matches he should be sacked. End of. 

[grumswall]

You must certainly wouldn't be of that opinion if you had this moron in charge of Ayr, that's for sure. 
When we lose these next two matches he should be sacked. End of. 

Can you actually explain how Murray is a moron?
There's alot of factors to be taken in to account for our season so far. I don't think him being a moron is one of them and as D'jaffo basically states, its too early to get your knickers all bunched up, twisted and wet.

[Hank Scorpio]

1 hour ago, TxRover said:

I hear poster after posting saying the attacking issue has to be solved…no shit. I do not hear any names tossed out that we should have signed that would have scored a goal a game or whatever, simply because signings like that don’t occur at this level, except in very specific circumstances. There was no goal scorer hammering on Murray’s door to sign for Raith, let’s face it, in the Scottish Championship, a true scorer is rarer than hens teeth…and when they appear, they get snapped up by a Scottish Premiership team or an English side.

Actually looking at the strikers for each club in the Championship:

Arbroath: Kareem Isiaka - had him on trial, not good enough. Dale Hilson? No thanks. 
 

Ayr: Dipo Akinyemi - would take him. A total shot in the dark though, and it’s not exactly a name you’d be sitting down and identifying pre-season. (What a truly horrific website btw)

Cove: Megginson - failed here before and it clearly suits him to be based up there.
 

Dundee: Zak Rudden - would take. However, just joined Dundee and likely on a fortune. Not a realistic target. 
 

Morton: Robbie Muirhead - no, absolute huddie. 
 

Hamilton: Literally no one. Children. 
 

Inverness: Shane Sutherland - nearly signed him before he went to Inverness but chose to stay up north. Billy McKay - pretty old. George Oakley - might have been an option? Not sure. 
 

Thistle: They have three actually very good options up front, and are the only club in the division to have so. No surprise they are top and look to be the favourites. Graham, Mullen and Anyon Dowds would all walk into our side. They are all very likely earning much more money with Thistle than they could with us. 
 

Queen’s Park: Simon Murray would be a starter for us, no doubt, but given his reported salary, would not even consider a move to us. 
 

There is a complete dearth of attacking talent across the division. There are very, very few options we could have actually got. 

[Been going too long]

9 hours ago, CountryBumpkin said:

We're a team built for possession football and short, smart passes, but we're trying to be a more direct attacking side and it isn't working with what we have.

Would like to see matthews back in beside Brad because he will break forward and score a few, maybe harsh on brown given he has been decent but matthews is a good player at this level

[Hank Scorpio]

2 minutes ago, grumswall said:

Can you actually explain how Murray is a moron?
There's alot of factors to be taken in to account for our season so far. I don't think him being a moron is one of them and as D'jaffo basically states, its too early to get your knickers all bunched up, twisted and wet.

Stop replying to him please. It only encourages him. No surprises he’s been very active after a loss, after being very quiet last week after a win. A miserable b*****d, best ignored. 

[pub car king]

Some very fickle people on here, last week after we battered Cove everything was coming together and great things would happen. This week we've lost a shit game 1-0 to a last minute Pentyrch and the world is opening up beneath our feet. 

Truth is the team is a patched up work in progress and we are all going to be very frustrated this year. We were told by Airdrie fans it would take time and there are definite signs of improvement. There are also other issues such as the lack of goals, now I don't believe we are particularly worse off than most other teams in this league and we need to be set up better in this respect.

I also think recruitment has been interesting to say the least. 

Ngwenya looks decent now he's getting a run. 

Brown has been pretty solid 

Easton, can be the best player in this league but form is and will be inconsistent. 

Nolan decent enough player and does a job. 

ORiordan is a real find pity we can't keep him. 

Millen works hard but time and again makes hideous decisions especially in the box.

McBride jury is still out but looks to be a squad filler. 

Connell 1 decent performance so far. 

Fredericksen way to early to make any judgement. 

In terms of players that were here last year.

Gullan looks so up for it every week which he didn't look last year. 

Dick is improved no doubt. 

Stanton is a new man he looks like a massive weight has been lifted. 

There's a lot to build on over the season and I'm prepared to give the manager the time. I don't think we will be relegated we might flirt with 8th place but we have enough to stay in this league. 

Next year could be very interesting provided we evolve at the right speed and the squad settles. 

 

[Been going too long]

3 minutes ago, grumswall said:

Can you actually explain how Murray is a moron?
There's alot of factors to be taken in to account for our season so far. I don't think him being a moron is one of them and as D'jaffo basically states, its too early to get your knickers all bunched up, twisted and wet.

Definitely disappointing start to the league but don’t think sacking him achieves anything other than throw us into chaos. Murray is a slow burner type of manager, he feels he is building something but it will take him time like he did at airdrie. Got to hold our nerve and hope we start putting a run of results together, we deserved a point yesterday but got done by a poor referee buying a dive.