The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Wullie McNaught]

Very, very proud to be a Rover right now.

Agreed. Makes all the hard times we go through supporting our club worthwhile. It's probably the thing I love most about the Rovers, our ability to do crazy things, be they good or bad. I mean, who the fk saw this run coming?? Brilliantly unpredictable since 1883.

[Dee Till A Die]

Well done Rovers!

[lellywong]

If anyone is coming to the Ally Gourlay memorial game today and fancies a pre match refreshment the 200 Club will be open from noon. 

[Ro Sham Bo]

Hats off to the squad and management. They have proved me completely wrong and reached levels I doubted they were capable of. I'm absolutely delighted to have been proved so wrong.

[Beachbum]

It's no coincidence that our good run started with the 2-2 draw at Falkirk when Thomson returned as a substitute. The following week Barr played the whole game in a 2-0 win over Livingston and both have played in every game since then. The return of these two in defence, more than any other factor, is the reason we are where we are today. Barr is the single most important signing we must make before the season ends.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

It's no coincidence that our good run started with the 2-2 draw at Falkirk when Thomson returned as a substitute. The following week Barr played the whole game in a 2-0 win over Livingston and both have played in every game since then. The return of these two in defence, more than any other factor, is the reason we are where we are today. Barr is the single most important signing we must make before the season ends.

 

We really should be thanking Hippolyte for breaking Jason's nose then.

[rrfsee]

The three things in a pub to cause most arguments religion, politics and football. So what did we find out this week? The P.M. is a liar. The Archbishop of Canterbury is a bast*red and Raith are in the play-offs. Think I may go to Scumfermline for a pint later.

[R.R.FC]

What's everyone's thoughts on how we should approach the last 3 games?

We have slightly rotated the team most weeks recently so happy for that to continue with no wholesale changes to try and keep the momentum going. Would be good to get our first win against Falkirk as I still think that's who will finish 3rd.

However, I would play the youths on the last day with the first play off game only a couple of days later.

[Scary Bear]

What's everyone's thoughts on how we should approach the last 3 games?

We have slightly rotated the team most weeks recently so happy for that to continue with no wholesale changes to try and keep the momentum going. Would be good to get our first win against Falkirk as I still think that's who will finish 3rd.

However, I would play the youths on the last day with the first play off game only a couple of days later.

Agreed about the last game, but wholesale changes and we run the risk of losing momentum. Keep the unbeaten run going and the confidence flowing. It's only one game a week for 3 weeks.

Edited April 10, 2016 by Scary Bear

[McGuigan1978]

With Dundee United coming down, and Hibs stuck in the second-tier, do you think our New Year opponents next season will Hearts or Dundee?

[Rovers1992/1993]

With Dundee United coming down, and Hibs stuck in the second-tier, do you think our New Year opponents next season will Hearts or Dundee?

I'd imagine Aberdeen will be Dundee so we'll settle for Hearts..

[Michael W]

Difficult one. Good form doesn't last forever but then you don't want to play the reserves and have us going into the playoffs with three defeats in a row.

Anyone carrying a knock should be rested. That's about as much as I can offer, really. The playoffs are secure, we aren't finishing higher than 4th, so we have nothing really to play for and would be foolish risking injuries.

[Ro Sham Bo]

Resting 2 or 3 players over the next couple of games then making 5 or 6 changes for the last game make sense to me.

How good is it to be actually contemplating such decisions with three games to go?!

Edited April 10, 2016 by Martin Nelson

[R.R.FC]

Another question is what would everyone say is our strongest team currently? I'm still not sure what our strongest line up is, it depends on the type of game it is.

Cuthbert, Barr, Thomson, McKeown, Bene and Toshney are nailed on starters for me. After that you can switch up the midfield and strikers quite a lot, depending on formation, without really weakening the side.

[Rovers1992/1993]

Another question is what would everyone say is our strongest team currently? I'm still not sure what our strongest line up is, it depends on the type of game it is.

Cuthbert, Barr, Thomson, McKeown, Bene and Toshney are nailed on starters for me. After that you can switch up the midfield and strikers quite a lot, depending on formation, without really weakening the side.

Cuthbert

Thomson Bene Barr Mckeown

Toshney

Connolly Callachan Longridge

Stewart Hardie

That's the strongest line-up until Vaughan comes back in for Falkirk/Livi, and he'd replace Hardie for me

[Hank Scorpio]

Some of my favourite Craig Barr posts from FanTalk:

 

Is he even that good ????? 

He's a big lump of a boy 
He's not mobile 
He's ok in the air 
He's ok on the ball 
He's never fit 
And when he plays we get beat, 
Think he's started 13 games for the rovers, we've lost 9 of them 
Still gutted we got rid of hill and Watson for this imposter

 

 

 

in light of our injury crisis, I wish this chap would do the decent thing and agree to have his contract terminated for all the good he's been to the club since the day he was signed ,

 

Considering Barr seems to specialise in showing up for pre-season with an injury some of the blame may be attributable to him. 

The guy has robbed us blind for 18 months. Someone with a bit of class might well offer to rip up their contract. It's been done before.

 

 

 

Barr is a journeyman pro who we signed on two year contract, of which he has spent at least 75% of that time on the treatment table. Even if he got himself fit it's doubtful he would be able to get into the side anyway.

 

 

We need to stop talking about a player that is unlikely to ever kick a ball for us again. If we could ger rid I would, complete waste of wage and place in squad.

 

 

In keeping with my previous post. 

I'll not be commenting on him again until he's either playing or has left at the end of his contract.
 

[McGuigan1978]

I wouldn't make too many changes for the last few games. Certainly a few, and you can look at our bench now and see we've relative strength in depth, but I'd rather try and sustain the momentum.

I know the squad is stronger now, with Barr and Thomson back, and boys like Hardie and Connolly coming in, but while they're on a roll just now, losing or stuttering can also become a habit too, which the team demonstrated earlier in the season.

Changes here-and-there and using the subs bench to its fullest should be enough to make sure everyone isn't completely puggled when the playoffs start.

As for the strongest side, I'd say something along the lines of,

Cuthbert

Thomson

Barr

Benedictus

McKeown

Connolly

Toshney

Callachan

Craigen

Hardie

Stewart

Dropping in Davidson and going one up front when we're playing a better side seems sensible, and maybe replacing Connolly with Robertson in those circumstances for a bit more solidity.

In terms of a generic 4-4-2 though, I'd say that's our best bet.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

Cuthbert

Thomson Bene Barr Mckeown

Toshney

Connolly Callachan Longridge

Stewart Hardie

That's the strongest line-up until Vaughan comes back in for Falkirk/Livi, and he'd replace Hardie for me

 

Lewis played 60 minutes in a development game last Tuesday, the only way he'll get game time is as a substitute late on.

He didn't seem to have anywhere near his previous sharpness and it would be foolhardy to see him start and get torn a new one(no pun).

[Scottydog]

I hope we rotate our way through the last three but with a view to keeping the run going, there a lot to be said for confidence and momentum.

 

Wing wise we have Connoly and Longridge as preferred options but can use Ando from the start as an option too.

Defensively we have a choice of Barr, Bene, Toshney, Davo, Thomson and Rory as preferred starters but there's also Ford and Matthews who can play at fullback. On a side note anyone know how Batesy is getting on?

Up front there is Hardie, Harri and Thomas (and Courts) in an another week or two we may have Vaughan and Stewart available too.

Midfield we have a preferred choice of Callachan, Craigen and Davo with options to use Robertson, Matthews, McCord or even Petrie and Campbell.

 

There's also the option for Ray Mac to rotate and try different formations.

 

Not that I'd want to see it but even with an almost entirely rotated side we could be quite formidable.

McGurn, Ford, McKeown (we have no natural replacement), Bates, Davo, Matthews, Robertson, McCord, Anderson, Thomas, Vaughan,

 

Any variations on that team but with The cat, Toshney, Bene, Barr, Thomson, Hardie, Harri, Longridge, Connolly and Callachan getting some game time would be playing a strong 11 and keeping them all relatively fresh. The last three games isn't the issue as I see it but the potential to be playing 6 games (potentially with extra time?) after the Livi game and all in just 22 days.

[Rover the Moon]

Would we get fined for playing a weakened team in the last game if Livi can still survive? If not, then we shouldn't be risking key players 3 days before the play-offs start.