Forfar v Dunfermline

[nofixedability]

I still think Foxy will be good enough to start; but in saying that he wouldn't make my starting line-up for now.

I'd look at it as a positive rather than a negative. We have great depth in midfield this year and will need to rely on all of them. I've no doubt that Foxy will deliver when called upon although starts may become rarer for him.

Agree with this. To say he's no longer good enough to start games in this league is utter garbage. He is however picking up too many injuries and until he's free of those and playing more regularly would not be starting with him.

Young and Husband seem to be the preferred central midfielders with Foxy, Malin and Dale all more than capable of slotting in as well.

[nofixedability]

Yes, if we play as well as we know we can (ie, against Rovers) then we should win this, and indeed any, match in the division. But we won't see that level of performance every week, and to that end there are teams who have the ability to cause us problems. Forfar are one of those.

It's a fair comment. Though as a measure we also played Raith Rovers in a cup at Starks Park and drew with them 2-2 with a good performance.

[Cresto11]

I wouldn't play Templeman for starters.

I find that incredible, Martyn has been a great servant but injuries have got the better off him, without knowing the stats I cant think of the last time he played 10 consecutive games in the past 18 months to two years. Good squad player and will do a job when called upon.

[Jupiter Jazz]

Sannys been a great player for us but lets face it he's had a really quiet couple of years. He tends to slow the play up too much for my liking now and it is an easy option to just hoof it at him.

Hilson scores goals when played through the middle.

[forfarfred]

Sanny will be one of the first selected in the starting eleven .

[funkitineemert78]

rab

baxter/if fit? malky james steeves

young

swankie foxy husband danny

hilson

like sanny as well but feel him and omar have more chance of having a big impact coming from the bench. poor gav malin not even getting a mention.shows how much our squad has been improved.to say foxy isn't good enough to start games is totally and utterly hilarious!

[Cresto11]

There is no doubting his ability, competition has gone up a notch so its up to Martyn to take the opportunity if and when he gets the chance. Sadly I dont see it (albeit mainly due to injuries)

[DAFC]

That we did, however Forfar utterly hammered us 4-0 at Station Park, and picked up two draws at EEP - the first of which we needed a 94th minute equaliser. The games we've had with them have been tough for us and most Pars fans don't expect any different on Saturday.

Yes, if we play as well as we know we can (ie, against Rovers) then we should win this, and indeed any, match in the division. But we won't see that level of performance every week, and to that end there are teams who have the ability to cause us problems. Forfar are one of those.

JJ really doesn't help himself against teams like Forfar. You can't play four or five physically smaller players and hope to win out at corners at set pieces.

I think he has far too much confidence in the group of youngsters and for these games should just go with bigger lads like Page, Thomson etc.

If you sit back and let us play we will win but teams have sussed us out now. We need to stop being so predictable and easily beaten. In the example of free kicks etc. It's just far too easy for other teams to sit back let us have possession where it doesn't hurt them and counter attack us or score easily from headers.

[Bogs_Dollox]

Templeman always seems to cause Dunfermline problems

[Shandon Par]

JJ really doesn't help himself against teams like Forfar. You can't play four or five physically smaller players and hope to win out at corners at set pieces.

I think he has far too much confidence in the group of youngsters and for these games should just go with bigger lads like Page, Thomson etc.

If you sit back and let us play we will win but teams have sussed us out now. We need to stop being so predictable and easily beaten. In the example of free kicks etc. It's just far too easy for other teams to sit back let us have possession where it doesn't hurt them and counter attack us or score easily from headers.

Since getting humped by Cowden we've (first team or something approaching a first team) has faced Livi, Spartans, Hibs, Rangers Berwick, Annan, Raith, & Brechin without getting beaten so I think the 'easily beaten' tag is a bit unfair at the moment. We lack a killer touch and a bit of creativity - hopefully we should get that with Stirling and Wallace recovering, Ugwu gaining fitness and and Falkingham returning from suspension.

The Brechin game was a bit grim bit we didn't lose.

The fixture list handed us a bunch of our bogey games to start with - you can probably quite rightly state that they are only bogey teams because of the lightweight/predictability you cite but going on last season's results we could drop points in the next couple of games and still end up cantering to the league with good results elsewhere.

My confidence in JJ was shaken by the Cowden games but the signings at least showed he could spot the weak areas and Young departing probably leaves room in the budget for one more big guy to be brought in.

[DAFC]

Since getting humped by Cowden we've (first team or something approaching a first team) has faced Livi, Spartans, Hibs, Rangers Berwick, Annan, Raith, & Brechin without getting beaten so I think the 'easily beaten' tag is a bit unfair at the moment. We lack a killer touch and a bit of creativity - hopefully we should get that with Stirling and Wallace recovering, Ugwu gaining fitness and and Falkingham returning from suspension.

The Brechin game was a bit grim bit we didn't lose.

The fixture list handed us a bunch of our bogey games to start with - you can probably quite rightly state that they are only bogey teams because of the lightweight/predictability you cite but going on last season's results we could drop points in the next couple of games and still end up cantering to the league with good results elsewhere.

My confidence in JJ was shaken by the Cowden games but the signings at least showed he could spot the weak areas and Young departing probably leaves room in the budget for one more big guy to be brought in.

From reading my post back I should clarify. I meant easily beaten to headers and poor marking and postions at set pieces.

I'm sure this was one of the main reasons Gregor Buchanan was brought in. I haven't checked but I'm willing to bet that 80% of the goals lost last season were directly from set pieces or through basic errors.

It can be infuriating to watch players who you know are very gifted technically but lose a goal to just being not strong enough or not experienced enough to mark or overcome an opponent in the box.

After a year on I don't think it's acceptable that a full time team cannot mark and do the basics in the box. They must work on set pieces as this is evident from the new attacking moves but perhaps, like I have mentioned, the players simply don't have the experience,ability or physique to compete?

Buchanan played junior football but looks miles ahead or our players so far. It's not easy to say but perhaps our youth setup and training isn't working as good as it should be?

We should be running rings around some of these teams yet Cowden did it to us and with less resources and younger players.

Time to ask questions about JJ.

[HoBNob]

Our marking is still questionable, just look at the highlights of the Raith game, Thompson has a free header in the box from a corner, at no point was anyone marking him.

[DAFC.]

Our defence is still questionable. Not as cataclysmic as it was last season by the looks of things, but we still look a bit dodgy when it comes to corners and high balls.

It's true about most teams sussing us out, we need something else in our game plan instead on constant passing about the back, ball gets to midfield, too many defenders in the way and we lose it in the final third. We need two wide men. We play too centrally and defences seem to be coping with it easily.

[dafcburty]

JJ on Thursday -

http://dafc.co.uk/story.php?t=Manager_on_Thursday&ID=7886

So, going by that, I'd go;

Scully

Millen

Page

Martin

Drummond

Geggan

Spence

Falkingham

Wallace

Moffat

Stirling

Subs:

Goodfellow

Williamson

Whittle

Byrne

Forbes

Faissal

Ugwu

Changed my mind from the provisional team I chose on page 1 of this thread. I feel it's far too difficult to leave out Stirling now that he is back fit as he gives us some natural width, but Wallace also got 90 minutes in the U20's on Monday night so I have a feeling we might be seeing him from the start in this match. I feel 4-3-3 will suit us better as Geggan / Falkingham out on the right of midfield doesn't allow them to play to their full potential imo. Still a little worried we've only got 2 fit CB's, assuming Buchanan doesn't make this match, but I'm not feeling as bad now that I know Whittle is fit for this match - he can easily come on at LB with Drummond going into CB if push came to shove. Same with Williamson coming on and Millen moving across one. I wouldn't start Whittle as he's not played in a couple of weeks and just returned to training today after injuring himself in the warm up last Saturday so I wouldn't throw him back in, straight away. I don't feel Drummond has done too much wrong, either, tbf, to deserve to be dropped for this match.

Going to stick with my .net predictor league prediction for this game:

Forfar 1-2 Dunfermline

[HoBNob]

Scully

Millen

Page

Martin

Whittle(if fit)

Wallace

Falkingham

Geggan

Stirling

Ugwu

Moffat

Subs:

Whittle/Drummond

Williamson

Forbes

Thomson

Faiss

Goodfellow

Spence

Would like to see that, two men out wide to stretch the game.

[Synthetic Bridie]

Neither set of fans convinced about their defences. 0-0 anyone?

[Poet of the Macabre]

Is anyone excited for this game? I know it would be different if I was going but I find myself very ambivalent.

[Cresto11]

First home game of the season and most Forfar fans first look at the team. I picked and chose the friendlies because in the main i find them pretty boring too watch.

Also the opening of our new 1984 Lounge and hospitality suites so looking forward to the day.

[Larbert_Par]

JJ really doesn't help himself against teams like Forfar. You can't play four or five physically smaller players and hope to win out at corners at set pieces.

I think he has far too much confidence in the group of youngsters and for these games should just go with bigger lads like Page, Thomson etc.

If you sit back and let us play we will win but teams have sussed us out now. We need to stop being so predictable and easily beaten. In the example of free kicks etc. It's just far too easy for other teams to sit back let us have possession where it doesn't hurt them and counter attack us or score easily from headers.

Away from home teams are more likely to try and take the game to us, therefore it should be easier for us to play through them and create chances. Regardless of size, if you don't defend properly at set pieces then you'll get punished - and Forfar have exploited that before. We do need to mark the likes of Templeman and Swankie a lot tighter in open play though.

Would bring Josh back into midfield and go with the same four that played v Rovers. I don't think Stirling is fit enough to start, and although I like Drummond and think he's doing well, I'd look to bring Whittle back in.

Is anyone excited for this game? I know it would be different if I was going but I find myself very ambivalent.

I'm looking forward to it. Despite previous results, I enjoy the trip to Forfar and a few pre-match pints in the Plough.

[da_no_1]

Scully

Millen

Page

Martin

Whittle(if fit)

Wallace

Falkingham

Geggan

Stirling

Ugwu

Moffat

Subs:

Whittle/Drummond

Williamson

Forbes

Thomson

Faiss

Goodfellow

Spence

Would like to see that, two men out wide to stretch the game.

Genuinely interested as to why you think Ugwu deserves a start? All he did last Saturday was clobber the opposition unnecessarily. Hope I'm wrong & he makes an impact.