The Falkirk FC Thread

[AGPar]

43 minutes ago, ShaggerG said:

Problem with that is that I don't think Mercer's suited to a WB role, don't think he has the pace for it. Could play Morrison there I suppose?

Mutch

Hall, Miller, Durnan

Gomis

Morrison, Alston, Connolly/Todd/Leitch, Dixon

Keena, Dowds

That formation reads as a 3-1-4-2? With Dixon as a winger? I wouldn't be moving the likes of Miller into unfamiliar positions purely to prop up two sub-standard central defenders. And the demands of playing as a wingback as opposed to a more conventional winger/wide midfielder are very different. We should never, ever be contemplating asking the likes of Morrison to take on defensive duties when we have precious little creativity as it is and should be looking to go all out for three points in every single game.

The more radical, off-the-wall solution would have been to sign a couple of semi-competent centre halves. They've only had seven months. 

[roman_bairn]

However we set up, I think we can all agree that a Durnan Hall pairing isn’t good enough for L1, and probably not good enough for L2 either.

The management duo must know it too, and if they don’t get it sorted, we won’t win this league, and a 13th (or is it 14th?) consecutive season of failing to win the opening game is an absolute stick on.

There’s no doubt that we have decent quality elsewhere, but Durnan and Hall are a train wreck that every other club will be eager to exploit.

Have we come to this conclusion on the back of a couple of games or is there just an argument that it takes a few games to gel a centre back pairing and we should not be so quick to jump to conclusions?
Asking for a friend.[emoji16]

[Shadwell Dog]

8 minutes ago, roman_bairn said:

Have we come to this conclusion on the back of a couple of games or is there just an argument that it takes a few games to gel a centre back pairing and we should not be so quick to jump to conclusions?
Asking for a friend.

They played a good few games last season after Buchanan got dropped so there's no really any excuse for them in that area.

[ShaggerG]

26 minutes ago, AGPar said:

That formation reads as a 3-1-4-2? With Dixon as a winger? I wouldn't be moving the likes of Miller into unfamiliar positions purely to prop up two sub-standard central defenders. And the demands of playing as a wingback as opposed to a more conventional winger/wide midfielder are very different. We should never, ever be contemplating asking the likes of Morrison to take on defensive duties when we have precious little creativity as it is and should be looking to go all out for three points in every single game.

The more radical, off-the-wall solution would have been to sign a couple of semi-competent centre halves. They've only had seven months. 

I wasn't suggesting we should use this formation. I was responding to a post that asked if Miller could be used as  a sweeper and that's the most effective line-up that I could come up with to achieve that.

Of course we should be signing two better CDs if the budget allows it.

Incidentally, I think Dixon could play wing-back easily.

[Bigbrbairn]

Time for McCrackin to get his boots polished? Only 38. Russel was in his prime at that age

[FFC 1876]

4-4-2 is going to be the way forward. Mercer is essentially going to sit a lot deeper than what Doyle did last season to allow Morrison the freedom to go do what he wants. You seen him last night floating about the park looking for the ball. We need a centre back ideally with a bit of pace so they can cover in behind Hall or Durnan whoever it may be. One of Gomis or Miller in the middle of the park as they essentially do the same job. Dowds is good foil for Francis or Keena to play off of. Francis looks a better footballer than Keena but he doesn't seem as clinical. Hopefully it's just a case of Dowds and Francis getting their first goal out the way then they start banging them in.

[Guest]

Have we come to this conclusion on the back of a couple of games or is there just an argument that it takes a few games to gel a centre back pairing and we should not be so quick to jump to conclusions?
Asking for a friend.[emoji16]

I think we’ve seen enough to know that neither is capable of commanding the back four, and both seem to put the fear into one another. Maybe they will get better, but I doubt it very much. As a partnership, they look pretty useless. One or the other needs to unplugged pronto.

[Guest]

4-4-2 is going to be the way forward. Mercer is essentially going to sit a lot deeper than what Doyle did last season to allow Morrison the freedom to go do what he wants. You seen him last night floating about the park looking for the ball. We need a centre back ideally with a bit of pace so they can cover in behind Hall or Durnan whoever it may be. One of Gomis or Miller in the middle of the park as they essentially do the same job. Dowds is good foil for Francis or Keena to play off of. Francis looks a better footballer than Keena but he doesn't seem as clinical. Hopefully it's just a case of Dowds and Francis getting their first goal out the way then they start banging them in.

Agree wrt Mercer. I think he needs to stay back, as he certainly doesn’t have any pace to get back in a hurry. I reckon he will be fairly consistent (in a decent way).

If we stick with Hall and Durnan, the full backs and Miller are going to have work their socks off to protect them.

[Guest Ecosse83]

Have I just read someone saying Morrison as a right wing back? This forum is bonkers at times

[Marshmallo]

7 hours ago, ShaggerG said:

I'm starting to think that I'd rather have Miller beside Hall/Durnan and even a knackered Gomis in the team than Hall & Durnan together. If we play those two with Miller in midfield then we lose Gomis altogether, which would be a real shame as he's a cracking player.

I think he needs to concentrate on conserving energy as he definitely does start to run out of steam due to him trying to get involved in everything. It's not like he's completely fucked after an hour as some seem to be suggesting, but he does start to commit unnecessary fouls toward the end of the game.

Completely agree with this. In an ideal world our starting two in the centre of midfield would be Miller/Alston, but by far our biggest issue is Barry/Paul as the centre back pairing. Miller dropping back there as a more vocal leader would hopefully help the remaining defender (preferably Durnan - as much of a lump as he is i prefer him to Hall). It would improve the distribution from the back as well rather than it getting shelled aimlessly every time.

I guess then you'd go with Alston and Gomis in the middle and deal with Gomis tiring on occasion as being preferable to the Chuckle Brothers costing us at least one goal every week.

Some strange contract extensions have left us pretty inflexible.

[Shadwell Dog]

4 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

Completely agree with this. In an ideal world our starting two in the centre of midfield would be Miller/Alston, but by far our biggest issue is Barry/Paul as the centre back pairing. Miller dropping back there as a more vocal leader would hopefully help the remaining defender (preferably Durnan - as much of a lump as he is i prefer him to Hall). It would improve the distribution from the back as well rather than it getting shelled aimlessly every time.

I guess then you'd go with Alston and Gomis in the middle and deal with Gomis tiring on occasion as being preferable to the Chuckle Brothers costing us at least one goal every week.

Some strange contract extensions have left us pretty inflexible.

I reckon durnan would be ok with someone like miller talking him through the game . Still no idea why we extended the likes of telfer  whilst only having 4 defenders on the books .

[ebobsboy]

McCracken saying we have a defender training with us at the moment anyone ITK who? 

[Guest]

I would play Dixon at CH and get a LB in

[Gus2]

Ideal we want some who is capable of play any of the defensive positions. But they are few and far between plus expensive

[ShaggerG]

24 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

I would play Dixon at CH and get a LB in

Better LB than CB for me mate.

[ShaggerG]

38 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

Completely agree with this. In an ideal world our starting two in the centre of midfield would be Miller/Alston, but by far our biggest issue is Barry/Paul as the centre back pairing. Miller dropping back there as a more vocal leader would hopefully help the remaining defender (preferably Durnan - as much of a lump as he is i prefer him to Hall). It would improve the distribution from the back as well rather than it getting shelled aimlessly every time.

I guess then you'd go with Alston and Gomis in the middle and deal with Gomis tiring on occasion as being preferable to the Chuckle Brothers costing us at least one goal every week.

Some strange contract extensions have left us pretty inflexible.

Aye, not ideal but better than both at the back.

[ShaggerG]

48 minutes ago, Ecosse83 said:

Have I just read someone saying Morrison as a right wing back? This forum is bonkers at times

Maybe you should go back and read the whole thing then.

[Marshmallo]

16 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

I would play Dixon at CH and get a LB in

If the available left backs are comparatively better than the available centre backs then I'd be fine with this.

[JulioBairn]

I’m sorry but Durnan is 27 years old with almost 250 professional appearances. I can’t accept that he might be ok if someone “talks him through the game” and he kicks the ball away.

He lost his man for the goal last night (again) and was laughably bad in possession. If he needs to be told how to defend and can’t pass 10 yards then he’s simply not good enough. 

[Shadwell Dog]

23 minutes ago, JulioBairn said:

I’m sorry but Durnan is 27 years old with almost 250 professional appearances. I can’t accept that he might be ok if someone “talks him through the game” and he kicks the ball away.

He lost his man for the goal last night (again) and was laughably bad in possession. If he needs to be told how to defend and can’t pass 10 yards then he’s simply not good enough. 

Sometimes players need a guy at the back giving them a kick up the arse and making sure the whole back 4 are doing their job. Look how much better Ivo den bieman made Kevin Christie look when he played at the back beside them and Christie was no 18 year old youngster either.