The Falkirk FC Thread

[Shodwall cat]

15 minutes ago, Blame Me said:

Can you tell the players that as I can't discern the difference between those that downed tools with nothing to play for and those last night with a play-off/semi on the horizon  

Since the Dunfermline defeat we've been playing for second place and nothing else apart from one of the only games we did turn up in which was Ayr.  Our only other really decent performance was Dunfermline who we outplayed for most of the match and should really have won.  That in itself is a big game  due to the size of crowd etc. The other games have looked very much like the players cruising along biding their time till the playoffs and cup semi to me. It's not acceptable and mcglynn will know that . The players perhaps aren't doing it deliberately but they have lost focus . The worry for me is it's not just as easy to switch it back on again . 

[Gaz]

40 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

Okay let's sack the manager and sign a whole new set of players in the summer and see where we are this time next year. The seasons not even over yet and there's a whole heap of stuff to play for whilst over the last two years we've been finished and hanging our boots up with feck all to show for it at this stage. We're 8 months into a 5 year plan and we've seen a hell of a lot of progress. For some who were on here saying they'd like just to see us going in the right direction this season that's suddenly not good enough. Well I said at the time that playoffs this season would be a real sign of that and I'm not suddenly now going to say anything different.  The last few weeks have been disappointing. Some poor performances and some decent ones without the results required due to individual errors mainly.  Players have got to lift themselves back to the form they showed at the turn of the year. You can talk about tactics all you want but at this level having a far better 11 than the other side should win you the vast majority of games if the players perform. That hasn't been happening often enough in recent weeks . Players like Morrison and mcginn standards have dropped considerably and they are big players for us. Donaldson again is playing nowhere near the level he should be . For us to get promoted these players need to get their fingers out . Mcglynn isn't blameless but as he said we should've had more than enoughet  to beat Edinburgh last night whether it's one up top, two up top or 5 up top.  Fans need to get behind the side though or there's no way we'll be getting anywhere. Big games coming up then we take stock in the summer.

I don't think anyone is calling for the manager to be sacked, are they?

For me it's the opposite. I've seen enough with McGlynn to believe that with a bit of time he will get it right. I didn't see anything like that with any of the previous 4 or 5 managers.

[SouthStander1876]

7 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

Since the Dunfermline defeat we've been playing for second place and nothing else apart from one of the only games we did turn up in which was Ayr.  Our only other really decent performance was Dunfermline who we outplayed for most of the match and should really have won.  That in itself is a big game  due to the size of crowd etc. The other games have looked very much like the players cruising along biding their time till the playoffs and cup semi to me. It's not acceptable and mcglynn will know that . The players perhaps aren't doing it deliberately but they have lost focus . The worry for me is it's not just as easy to switch it back on again . 

I agree with this, I've got a feeling a switch will be flicked in their heads by the time the semi comes around. I think we'll play very well but get beat by ICT

[SouthStander1876]

1 minute ago, Gaz said:

I don't think anyone is calling for the manager to be sacked, are they?

For me it's the opposite. I've seen enough with McGlynn to believe that with a bit of time he will get it right. I didn't see anything like that with any of the previous 4 or 5 managers.

They most definitely are

[Zbairn]

When I saw the team last night I knew McGlynn had lost the plot. Williamson starting had me scratching my head…..just why?

Then to have Burrell on his own up top again, when it has never worked, supported by McGuffie, Kennedy and Nesbitt was just ludicrous.

The substitutions were even more ridiculous. Losing and you take off potentially our most effective striker….nonsense. 

Although I tend in the most part agree with DF re McGlynn not really being the most successful manager on the planet, shifting him out now is not the answer. Lose the play-off’s and I think it’s time to say cheerio. 

[Tea and Busquets]

McGlynn did say when he was appointed we had a lot of technically good footballers but they had a heart of a pea. Well we are seeing that in fruition now. No wonder he signed Mackie, McGinn and Donaldson straight away and he wanted Benedictus. Wouldn’t be surprised to see more of these types of players signed in the summer. 

[Guest Caractacus Potts]

4 minutes ago, SouthStander1876 said:

They most definitely are

Depends how we fair in the semi final for me. Big game to show he can do it when it natters(which we’ve failed so far in the season other than the Scottish Cup). 

[Donathan]

Airdrie are 5 points behind us with a better goal difference and a last three games of the hungover Pars at home, QOS home and away to Edinburgh. It’s far from out of the question that they win all three of them and then we’d have to win our last two to finish second.

 

Alloa are seven points behind us with a far worse goal difference so realistically they need to win all three of their games and us lose to Peterhead for them to finish above us. I think it’s quite unlikely given they’ve got a tricky game at Montrose and then the Pars at home in the last game when the hangover will have subsided.

 

So IMO, McGlynn has to decide between going into the playoffs with a well rested squad but risk having to go to Airdrie for the second leg, or go all out for second place but risk having a tired squad going into the playoffs.

 

Personally I’d go all out to win at Alloa on Saturday and hope Dunfermline do us a solid. If we beat Alloa and Airdrie fail to beat Dunfermline then second is clinched, so we can give key players a 10 day rest between the semi final and the first playoff game. 

[Shodwall cat]

1 minute ago, Donathan said:

Airdrie are 5 points behind us with a better goal difference and a last three games of the hungover Pars at home, QOS home and away to Edinburgh. It’s far from out of the question that they win all three of them and then we’d have to win our last two to finish second.

 

Alloa are seven points behind us with a far worse goal difference so realistically they need to win all three of their games and us lose to Peterhead for them to finish above us. I think it’s quite unlikely given they’ve got a tricky game at Montrose and then the Pars at home in the last game when the hangover will have subsided.

 

So IMO, McGlynn has to decide between going into the playoffs with a well rested squad but risk having to go to Airdrie for the second leg, or go all out for second place but risk having a tired squad going into the playoffs.

 

Personally I’d go all out to win at Alloa on Saturday and hope Dunfermline do us a solid. If we beat Alloa and Airdrie fail to beat Dunfermline then second is clinched, so we can give key players a 10 day rest between the semi final and the first playoff game. 

Given our recent mediocre home form perhaps going to Airdrie for the second leg wouldn't be a complete disaster.  

[PedroMoutinho]

27 minutes ago, Kevin James Left Knee said:

My personal view: Can we stand back and take a breath. Clearly recent performances and team selections have not been good but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. We are clearly in a better position than last year

Yes- we have improved on one of the worst seasons in the club’s history in large part due to the fact that the manager has been backed to bring in a whole new squad.

Hardly an earth-shattering achievement managing to win 17 of 34 games in the third tier.

Edited April 19, 2023 by PedroMoutinho

[Zbairn]

1 minute ago, Caractacus Potts said:

Depends how we fair in the semi final for me. Big game to show he can do it when it natters(which we’ve failed so far in the season other than the Scottish Cup). 

Semi final is a bonus. Final is a bonus with cream on top.

The key for our season is promotion. Big play off matches coming up. If the team bottles it here then I think McGlynn has to go.

From what I’ve seen this season, I have absolutely no confidence that we would win the league next season. Be OK, bang average…but not Champions.

[SouthStander1876]

2 minutes ago, PedroMoutinho said:

Yes- we have improved on one of the worst seasons in the club’s history in large part due to the fact that the manager has been backed to bring in a whole new squad.

Hardly an earth-shattering achievement managing to win 17 of 34 games in the third tier.

When has anyone ever claimed it was anywhere near 'earth-shattering'

[Fallen Angel]

13 hours ago, 18BAIRN76 said:

0-1 down to an Edinburgh side with nothing to play for and he puts Oliver up top on his own Jesus wept 

You do realise Edinburgh CAN still make the Play-Offs mate?

It's a long shot but they are only 4 points behind Alloa.

Alloa have you on Saturday, Montrose away then us last game of the season.

Edinburgh have Kelty at home then Airdrie last game who will, most probably be resting players for the play-offs...it's not inconceivable for Edinburgh to sneak into 4th.....

[AGPar]

27 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

Since the Dunfermline defeat we've been playing for second place and nothing else apart from one of the only games we did turn up in which was Ayr.   

Simply not true. The Saturday after the Ayr game Dunfermline drew with Edinburgh. Had we won at QOS the gap would have been six points, with the game against Dunfermline at TFS still to come. Two weeks later they drew with Kelty Hearts, the same day we could not beat a rank-rotten Clyde. We have had the opportunity - at the very least - to put Dunfermline under a bit of pressure and really make them work for their title. Unfortunately we have a group of players who clearly had no interest in taking such opportunity. Fine for that section of our fanbase who are now deluding themselves that we'll just "flick a switch" and roll over the top of, on current form, the best side in the Championship. Not acceptable to the rest of us.

In terms of mounting a serious championship challenge, this has been a complete waste of a season.

[Fallen Angel]

On 16/04/2023 at 21:54, bairn88 said:

Not that difficult, beat a free falling Edinburgh in 2 days and it’s pretty much guaranteed

I'm saying nothing mate 

[18BAIRN76]

Some amount of whataboutery on this thread this morning. 

[Blame Me]

It's not been mentioned in the thread but the atmosphere in the last two home games in the KM has been subdued.

Took until we scored for any singing and to me there was a great deal of chatter in the stand so can only imagine how that translates onto the pitch. The only real noise (screams) came from the community teams in the Main stand.

You feel it shouldn't have to be co-ordinated or instructed but really need the singing section to get going continuously in the play-off games. 

 

 

[Springfield]

27 minutes ago, Shodwall cat said:

Given our recent mediocre home form perhaps going to Airdrie for the second leg wouldn't be a complete disaster.  

Spot on, not in the camp we must take second spot, actually would prefer second game at Airdrie. 

[Shodwall cat]

11 minutes ago, AGPar said:

Simply not true. The Saturday after the Ayr game Dunfermline drew with Edinburgh. Had we won at QOS the gap would have been six points, with the game against Dunfermline at TFS still to come. Two weeks later they drew with Kelty Hearts, the same day we could not beat a rank-rotten Clyde. We have had the opportunity - at the very least - to put Dunfermline under a bit of pressure and really make them work for their title. Unfortunately we have a group of players who clearly had no interest in taking such opportunity. Fine for that section of our fanbase who are now deluding themselves that we'll just "flick a switch" and roll over the top of, on current form, the best side in the Championship. Not acceptable to the rest of us.

In terms of mounting a serious championship challenge, this has been a complete waste of a season.

The way we have played has said to me that the players have accepted that was all they were playing for whether that was really the case or not. Up to that game we had only lost once in 16 league games. Since that game we've won one in 7. You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out that the players attitude since that game hasn't been anywhere near good enough . 

[Balde Bairn]

Dunfermline haven’t been outstanding, we’re building this league up far too much. Dunfermline have done what a full time team in league 1 should do. McPake is no tactical genius for managing to only lose 1-game this season. With our budget we should be ashamed to lose any games.