The General Ross County Chat Thread

[frankthetank22]

Just now, Comrie said:

Kelly's just got into his groove at full back, don't throw him at centre half or he might go all Marcus Fraser and have his form utterly implode.

 

Good point, most improved player by a HUGE amount imo. Still prone to a dip in confidence, even during a game but he's looked like a proper left back, never thought i'd ever hear myself say that.

Still don't want Fontaine anywhere near the starting XI.

[stagdhu]

29 minutes ago, frankthetank22 said:

 

Morris is head and shoulders above all our other defenders, Watson can't seem to get a run of games and has been prone to more errors this season than last.

Even with Grivo and maybe Donaldson out for the season I hope Fontaine gets nowhere near the field for us, I'd rather Draper, Fraser and Kelly were given a go a head of Liam, who like Cowie should be no more than a youth coach for us now.

Agree completely with your assessments of Morris and Fontaine, however can’t figure out the displeasure with Cowie? I thought he has been steady if unremarkable since his return from injury, however hasn’t done anything of note to suggest he’s in poorer form than the likes of Draper or Vigurs (who I thought was poor today by his standards). 

Yes he’s lost pace, but did you see him run off the bench to celebrate with Billy? We need that passion and drive ON the park, we sure don’t have any leadership otherwise

[Comrie]

1 minute ago, stagdhu said:

Agree completely with your assessments of Morris and Fontaine, however can’t figure out the displeasure with Cowie? I thought he has been steady if unremarkable since his return from injury, however hasn’t done anything of note to suggest he’s in poorer form than the likes of Draper or Vigurs (who I thought was poor today by his standards). 

Yes he’s lost pace, but did you see him run off the bench to celebrate with Billy? We need that passion and drive ON the park, we sure don’t have any leadership otherwise

The issue with Cowie is that he was never particularly good at anything when at his peak. A decent passer, crosser, tackler and shooter and was used mostly either on the wing or as a box to box player. He's totally lost the engine which massively impacts his effectiveness. His still got the will and the drive, but much like Fontaine the legs just won't do what his body wants at times.

[stagdhu]

1 minute ago, Comrie said:

The issue with Cowie is that he was never particularly good at anything when at his peak. A decent passer, crosser, tackler and shooter and was used mostly either on the wing or as a box to box player. He's totally lost the engine which massively impacts his effectiveness. His still got the will and the drive, but much like Fontaine the legs just won't do what his body wants at times.

I’ve thought at times this season I’d like to see what Cowie would be like as a holding midfielder shielding the defence, in a Draper-esque role. That would allow the likes of Vigurs/Paton/Tillson to move forward and try to create more, and Don *shouldnt* have to be as mobile as long as we actually manage to string a few passes together and defend. Saw today he was urging others on and giving grief for poor passes etc. That, for me, is just as if not more important than losing his legs

[Comrie]

7 minutes ago, stagdhu said:

I’ve thought at times this season I’d like to see what Cowie would be like as a holding midfielder shielding the defence, in a Draper-esque role. That would allow the likes of Vigurs/Paton/Tillson to move forward and try to create more, and Don *shouldnt* have to be as mobile as long as we actually manage to string a few passes together and defend. Saw today he was urging others on and giving grief for poor passes etc. That, for me, is just as if not more important than losing his legs

This is what I assumed we'd brought him in for, screening cover when a better passer than Draper is needed, but Vigurs also has zero engine so they basically end up doing the same thing when playing, with the big difference being that Don isn't a total bampot and won't go in two footed on someone for no reason.

[frankthetank22]

Cowie is a great guy and has an important role within the club but not the role he was in yesterday, in a midfield with Draper and Vigurs. Don couldn't get near the opposition when they were running at us meaning Draper always had two or three players breaking at him. Iain Vigurs was equally liable, there's no substitution for workrate and that's what the St J midfield offered more than us yesterday, Kane and May run and chased everything and their midfield worked their socks off to support them, our midfield were over run! 

I, like stagdhu, thought Cowie would play a deeper role, more like what Lawson did spreading the ball about, than a breaker like Draper. Have Cowie, Draper and Vigurs is like a perfect storm of deep midfielders. Draper was the most effective imo yesterday but was hooked due to his yellow card and the HOPE that Vigurs may create something (like the pass for the second against Livi). The change in the team once Paton came on was dramatic as he was always looking for the ball and was willing to run and beat other midfielders it added a dynamic that the other three couldn't provide. 

[Savage Henry]

I’m pretty sure Draper was clutching his arm when he went off, but the yellow card sealed the deal. He’s not match fit at the moment either way. I actually thought Iain Vigurs grew into the game in the absence of Draper.

It’s all about Dynamic. Vigurs has the vision, Paton the movement, and Draper the physicality. Not sure what Cowie adds to that.

[Matty-RCFC]

Paton needs a run of games in the team anyway. He was a bright spark yesterday - he brought energy and drive that just wasn’t there in the first half.

[frankthetank22]

1 hour ago, Matty-RCFC said:

Paton needs a run of games in the team anyway. He was a bright spark yesterday - he brought energy and drive that just wasn’t there in the first half.

I only really see home games but imo Paton has been one of the top performers this season, can't understand why he's not ALWAYS a first pick, I'd have had a new contract under his nose months ago. 

[central staggie]

I actually thought before Paton came on Cowie was streets ahead of anyone else in that midfield yesterday. Vigurs was infuriating, and Draper obviously had to be careful after the yellow. His tackle on McCann(?) that was given as a free kick was inch perfect and exactly what hes in the team to do, but the card left him in limbo.

For me, Paton starts ahead of Vigurs in that midfield.

[RossCountyFan14]

I think it’s ridiculous to suggest binning the managers. Everyone at the start of the season said they’d take finishing 10th and bite the hand off finishing above that. We’re 9th, yes the football hasn’t been pretty, Was Naive not to strengthen more in January and I don’t agree with some tactics used by the managers. But we are doing better than 99% of us hoped for.

It’s fergie and Ketts first crack at management in a top flight, they’ve won a cup and championship the year before and are still learning so I think we need to have some realism amongst us. What’s the best we realistically could hope for? 7th? Donaldson and Tilson have looked like great additions so credit to the gaffers for that. I still have faith in the duo progressing us over the seasons

[stagdhu]

7 hours ago, RossCountyFan14 said:

I think it’s ridiculous to suggest binning the managers. Everyone at the start of the season said they’d take finishing 10th and bite the hand off finishing above that. We’re 9th, yes the football hasn’t been pretty, Was Naive not to strengthen more in January and I don’t agree with some tactics used by the managers. But we are doing better than 99% of us hoped for.

It’s fergie and Ketts first crack at management in a top flight, they’ve won a cup and championship the year before and are still learning so I think we need to have some realism amongst us. What’s the best we realistically could hope for? 7th? Donaldson and Tilson have looked like great additions so credit to the gaffers for that. I still have faith in the duo progressing us over the seasons

I just don’t believe we should be aiming for 10th and just survive by the skin of our teeth. It seems a bit defeatist in my opinion. Where is the hope and optimism we had in our first few seasons in the top flight where we gave everyone a game and went out all guns blazing, not caring if we win or lose as long as we gave it a bash? A club of our budget and talent really should be aiming for at least 8th

[Comrie]

8 hours ago, RossCountyFan14 said:

I think it’s ridiculous to suggest binning the managers. Everyone at the start of the season said they’d take finishing 10th and bite the hand off finishing above that. We’re 9th, yes the football hasn’t been pretty, Was Naive not to strengthen more in January and I don’t agree with some tactics used by the managers. But we are doing better than 99% of us hoped for.

It’s fergie and Ketts first crack at management in a top flight, they’ve won a cup and championship the year before and are still learning so I think we need to have some realism amongst us. What’s the best we realistically could hope for? 7th? Donaldson and Tilson have looked like great additions so credit to the gaffers for that. I still have faith in the duo progressing us over the seasons

If they get 10th I am more than happy, it's more the quality of football is often abysmal, our current form is worse than under Owen Coyle and none of the weaknesses that were glaring last season have been addressed.

I also don't think the gaffers know their best XI or formation (I know injuries haven't helped) but often going to games is a "guess the line up".

[Big Ally]

Was at the Hibs game last Wednesday, again very frustrating,we last 2 goals from corners where Doidge and Jackson scored with headers in at the unguarded post . Seems like we have lost too many goals this season with nobody guarding the post at a corner .

When I played with the local team we always had someone on each post, throw in a goalkeeper and there isn’t much space to get the ball in the net . Am I missing something here, or are County not set up correctly at corners ?

 

[stagdhu]

1 hour ago, Big Ally said:

Was at the Hibs game last Wednesday, again very frustrating,we last 2 goals from corners where Doidge and Jackson scored with headers in at the unguarded post . Seems like we have lost too many goals this season with nobody guarding the post at a corner .

When I played with the local team we always had someone on each post, throw in a goalkeeper and there isn’t much space to get the ball in the net . Am I missing something here, or are County not set up correctly at corners ?

 

We need to start closing down the opposition and managing to actually do this newfangled thing I believe they call “defending” before we can discuss set-piece routines.

Fergiewell can only process one thing at a time it seems...

[Matty-RCFC]

I think it’s ridiculous to suggest binning the managers. Everyone at the start of the season said they’d take finishing 10th and bite the hand off finishing above that. We’re 9th, yes the football hasn’t been pretty, Was Naive not to strengthen more in January and I don’t agree with some tactics used by the managers. But we are doing better than 99% of us hoped for.

It’s fergie and Ketts first crack at management in a top flight, they’ve won a cup and championship the year before and are still learning so I think we need to have some realism amongst us. What’s the best we realistically could hope for? 7th? Donaldson and Tilson have looked like great additions so credit to the gaffers for that. I still have faith in the duo progressing us over the seasons

For me it’s the style of football (or in fact lack of one) that’s making county boring to watch. I’ll always like SF and SK for everything they’ve done for the club - playing and coaching. However, the point I make is that this goes completely in their favour. I just feel as if they are out of their depth in their current roles. We have, I think, a squad that is better than our current league position suggests. We’re grinding out results here and there, and the inconsistency is just too unreliable.

Put it this way, if SKSF were not county legends (or whatever you want to call them), would they be getting away with the performances? I don’t think they would.

[Staggie52]

I can’t see us getting any advantage by getting rid of getting rid of managers at this stage. We’ve tried that before and it hasn’t worked. I think we should re-evaluate how it’s working at the end of the season. In particular they should assess whether joint management works. I still think we can survive, maybe by the skin of our teeth. The return of Stewart would help.

[Matty-RCFC]

Sacking them with a handful of games to go until the end of the season would be farcical right enough.

[Les Westander of County]

Obviously we all (including management and players) want to finish as high as possible. I don't think there's evidence that anyone lacks ambition.

Are we really a better team than the majority in the bottom 6? Several of them have excellent managers e.g. St. Johnstone & St Mirren.  I think we might achieve a 9th place finish but am not putting any money on it.

 

 

[TheScarf]

I work with a former County player who is good mates with Ferguson. 

He told me Ferguson is seen as McGregors right hand man as it were, and sees him as a Mr County like himself.  Even takes him down to SFA meetings etc. 

Edit - my point is I don't think he'll be hasty at sacking him. Unlike a non County hero. 

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by TheScarf