Sons' sorrow

[Silverton End]

2 hours ago, microdave said:

Five wins from 23 so far. It's difficult to see how we'll win the same amount in the last 13 games of the season. I'd be looking at the home games against Stenny, Brechin and Stranraer as must win. We should be looking at beating Airdrie too but they're the only games I can see us winning in the run in. Still, with the logic of some folk a year ago, we might win more games in league 2!

My particular favourite was..."A season or two convalescence in League 1  may be no bad thing"

[FifeSons]

At least League Two is nice and easy to get out of. Just ask Clyde.

[1320Lichtie]

Just ask Clyde.

What's a Clyde?

[FifeSons]

I’m amazed how many people on the FB group just seem to blindly think we’ll be ok. ‘6th or 7th at worst’ 

Edited February 10, 2019 by FifeSons

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

I’m amazed how many people on the FB group just seem to blindly think we’ll be ok. ‘6th or 7th at worst’ 

It's mental. I can't wrap my head around it. I don't know if it's a trying to remain positive type of deal or if they are just completely deluded but there's a real sense that people are struggling to accept reality.

We may well stay up, it's not outwith our grasp but we are in real, real danger right now and people should be prepared for the worst case scenario outcome. I'm not suggesting we all mope around accepting relegation in February, I do think we need to try our best to get behind the team, but there's a lot of heads in the sand IMO.

I'm even considering going to Stranraer next week such is the magnitude of the game, and I hate that fruitless journey.

[Old Scrotum]

9 hours ago, 1320Lichtie said:

What's a Clyde?

 

 

[Old Scrotum]

I imagine we'll see the big Rovers down at the Rock the midweek after next.

[sonsanorak]

Half expecting injury news this morning, how did the friendly go?

[RockMusic]

15 hours ago, FifeSons said:

Not what we needed today, to say the least.

How many points do people reckon we’ll need to stay up? I think we’re looking at needing at least five, but probably six, more wins.

That suggestion frightens me more than going bottom. Where are 6 wins coming from? I'd even struggle to be optimistic about 6 draws, given our defence. We will need to rely on another team having a very bad run, however that's more likely to be us the way things are going. To think we were joint favourites with Arbroath to win the league too.

[Jan Vojáček]

9 minutes ago, RockMusic said:

That suggestion frightens me more than going bottom. Where are 6 wins coming from? I'd even struggle to be optimistic about 6 draws, given our defence. We will need to rely on another team having a very bad run, however that's more likely to be us the way things are going. To think we were joint favourites with Arbroath to win the league too.

Raith actually. Think Arbroath were third.

But aye there's no chance we're winning six games between now and May. We'll have to hope that we can outscore Stenny and Brechin, and if that means finishing level on points and scraping ahead of both on goal difference then I'd take that right now.

If there's one positive it's that only the top four have scored more goals than us, so starting with a defence of Ballantyne, Mango, Henk and Ferguson (in their correct positions) should help our dismal goals against column. Our problem is that we can't eek out 1-0 wins. We almost always need to score twice to take anything from a game, let alone win it.

Duffy's comments after the Stenny game (I think) still resonate with me. We're having to work very, very hard to just take a point from games - and that's the opposite of the 'good teams win when they play poorly' cliche.

[RockMusic]

25 minutes ago, Ross Forbes said:

Raith actually. Think Arbroath were third.

But aye there's no chance we're winning six games between now and May. We'll have to hope that we can outscore Stenny and Brechin, and if that means finishing level on points and scraping ahead of both on goal difference then I'd take that right now.

If there's one positive it's that only the top four have scored more goals than us, so starting with a defence of Ballantyne, Mango, Henk and Ferguson (in their correct positions) should help our dismal goals against column. Our problem is that we can't eek out 1-0 wins. We almost always need to score twice to take anything from a game, let alone win it.

Duffy's comments after the Stenny game (I think) still resonate with me. We're having to work very, very hard to just take a point from games - and that's the opposite of the 'good teams win when they play poorly' cliche.

And there's the hope - an improved defence could turn the draws we've been getting into victories. If Don Thomas is in the mood then more 20 yard and free kick goals could come our way also. But then there's the goalkeeper issue...

[FifeSons]

1 hour ago, RockMusic said:

That suggestion frightens me more than going bottom. Where are 6 wins coming from? I'd even struggle to be optimistic about 6 draws, given our defence. We will need to rely on another team having a very bad run, however that's more likely to be us the way things are going. To think we were joint favourites with Arbroath to win the league too.

I don’t see us getting that many wins, but I think it’s perfectly possible that Stenny and Brechin will get four more wins, which leaves us needing five or six. Brechin beat Raith recently and Stenny have just beaten Montrose and drawn at Pittodrie.

[FifeSons]

2 hours ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

It's mental. I can't wrap my head around it. I don't know if it's a trying to remain positive type of deal or if they are just completely deluded but there's a real sense that people are struggling to accept reality.

We may well stay up, it's not outwith our grasp but we are in real, real danger right now and people should be prepared for the worst case scenario outcome. I'm not suggesting we all mope around accepting relegation in February, I do think we need to try our best to get behind the team, but there's a lot of heads in the sand IMO.

I'm even considering going to Stranraer next week such is the magnitude of the game, and I hate that fruitless journey.

I suppose it’s the old thirteen cup finals cliche. The Stranraer game feels particularly important though, especially given we haven’t won in forever. It would be great if we could take a decent support through.

[Sons Fan]

Does anyone know if we played a bounce game yesterday? If so what happened? 

[Jan Vojáček]

Changing the tone slightly, this year will obviously be a decade since Annan. I fired up the old Dell family computer for the first time since about that time, and have a wee folder full of (mainly terrible) pictures from that day.

In a sea of drivel though was this one of Ross Clark, which I absolutely love.

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

I suppose it’s the old thirteen cup finals cliche. The Stranraer game feels particularly important though, especially given we haven’t won in forever. It would be great if we could take a decent support through.

Looking in.... Your game with Stranraer is absolutely massive IMO. Think I had a wee Chinwag with "Ross Forbes" on Twitter last week about it and we both agreed that they'll probably be the best chance the Sons have to catch someone.
Its by no means done yet and there's a hell of a lot of football to be played but I certainly wish you all the best in the run in.

[pleslie99]

We are in a mess, there is no doubt about it, we could well be playing league 2 football next season if we don't pick up and quick. The hope I'm clinging onto is that ability wise there isn't much between the teams/players in league 1 and everyone can beat everyone else. If Jim Duffy can get another 10% fight out of every single one of our players between now and the end of the season we should be ok, if he can't then we are in a whole heap of trouble.

Just on another note, and I know our striker situation has been discussed at length on here. However looking at the teams who have a prolific striker who scores regularly, it really does make a difference. Arbroath, Raith, forfar in our league, Edinburgh city, clyde and peterhead in league 2. It's something we have never really had who was the last guy to bang in 20+ goals a season for us?

[Beachbum]

30 minutes ago, pleslie99 said:

Just on another note, and I know our striker situation has been discussed at length on here. However looking at the teams who have a prolific striker who scores regularly, it really does make a difference. Arbroath, Raith, forfar in our league, Edinburgh city, clyde and peterhead in league 2. It's something we have never really had who was the last guy to bang in 20+ goals a season for us?

Or Stephen Dobbie.

 

[microdave]

We are in a mess, there is no doubt about it, we could well be playing league 2 football next season if we don't pick up and quick. The hope I'm clinging onto is that ability wise there isn't much between the teams/players in league 1 and everyone can beat everyone else. If Jim Duffy can get another 10% fight out of every single one of our players between now and the end of the season we should be ok, if he can't then we are in a whole heap of trouble.

Just on another note, and I know our striker situation has been discussed at length on here. However looking at the teams who have a prolific striker who scores regularly, it really does make a difference. Arbroath, Raith, forfar in our league, Edinburgh city, clyde and peterhead in league 2. It's something we have never really had who was the last guy to bang in 20+ goals a season for us?

Paddy Flannery was the last. He scored 21 in 2000/01.

[Howlin' Wilf]

Changing the tone slightly, this year will obviously be a decade since Annan. I fired up the old Dell family computer for the first time since about that time, and have a wee folder full of (mainly terrible) pictures from that day.
In a sea of drivel though was this one of Ross Clark, which I absolutely love.

At that very moment......