The Arbroath Thread

[RedLichtie86]

If Jack Hamilton is available in January, do what it takes to get him in the door permanently. 

Nah. A 38 year old journeyman from the 8th Tier of England will be our only signing.

[1320Lichtie]

39 minutes ago, A.K. Barr said:

Campbell built a solid squad unit over 3/4 years. we thrived on on squad continuity and couple of quality additions to strengthen each year. He’s absolutely blown it to pieces with a single disastrous transfer window. 
 

we picked up handy players from the lower leagues who know the Scottish game Liam hendo, SS, JT, mckenna the list goes on. These tombola signings are baffling and utter fucking mince. The quality on the park tonight was severely lacking. Hilson barely kicked a ball last season until March and now he’s one of our only exciting / threats. Bobby wrongly didn’t get much game time last season but now he’s been utilised a lot because no one else in the squad has anywhere near his ability to create. Mind about 6/7 years ago we beat Berwick 3-1 midweek at gayf and Bobby single handedly got us back into it and basically saved us from 10th place in league 2 by himself, fast forward to now and same predicament if not for his contribution last 2 games we’d have f**k all goals. We have gone so far backwards it’s almost funny. 

100 percent. Our whole signing policy and signing strategy absolutely launched out of the window and into the sea for whatever reason this summer. Nobody can defend that and Dick can’t either. He says he can only sign better than what he’s got. Well we have got a handful of guys, a decent bulk of the squad in really important positions, that L2 teams would turn their noses up at. 

Edited October 19, 2022 by 1320Lichtie

[ExiledLichtie]

All that said, whenever we've encountered a L1, L2 team, we've squashed them fairly easily.

Not defending tonight, that was indefensible, but this idea that our players are below L2 level is hysteria.  I mind when our D1/Championship signings were Craig Feroz, Stevie Fallon etc.  Now THAT was a league 2 team.

[1320Lichtie]

7 minutes ago, ExiledLichtie said:

All that said, whenever we've encountered a L1, L2 team, we've squashed them fairly easily.

Not defending tonight, that was indefensible, but this idea that our players are below L2 level is hysteria.  I mind when our D1/Championship signings were Craig Feroz, Stevie Fallon etc.  Now THAT was a league 2 team.

Yes we have a very good goalkeeper, a very good defence and a good midfield, much better than L1 and L2 teams.
 

In attacking areas and infront of goal we are fucking hopeless, mainly the guys that have been mentioned a million times on here. It’s a team game, we are massively short in one area of the park it’s as clear as fkn day and not hysteria at all. 

[Tattie36]

I didn’t think we would see another performance as bad as v Cove but that was even worse.

I wasn’t going to say anything in here tonight and I’m probably going to regret some of it (hopefully it comes back to bite me in the erse)… oh, and I’m scared that Lichtieeeeee might “call me out” again.

All of this is my opinion and I’m sure others will disagree with some/lots/all of it.

Mind boggling to start with a short arse winger and an off-form midfielder up front when we have 3 strikers on the bench in a MUST WIN GAME! With the wind at our backs. To then punt long, high balls to them was astonishing. McKenna was dreadful again, complete headless chicken stuff tonight and no where to be seen when balls were crossed or cut back. Bobby tried as usual but you can see that he’s always wanting to go wide, still, he looked (relatively) dangerous and I would have left him on.

Yet again, no one willing to have a shot from distance with the wind at our backs. One half arsed attempt by Tait and Bobby’s weak free kick only. Raith had more long range efforts in the first 5 minutes of the second half than we had in 45. 3 attempts on target (1 decent one) in 90 minutes, at home, with the wind at our back for 45 of them is just not acceptable… again.

Midfield is a shambles. No width or physicality, the amount of times Raith passed through and round us was scary.

Yeah the ref was atrocious but it didn’t change the outcome. We were lucky it was only 0-1.

WTF has happened to our defence? You could argue that we have strengthened with Oakley at RB (who I thought was ok) but the once formidable unit has crumbled. Is TOB injured? Does Hammy ever practice passing a ball? Do we miss C Hamilton playing just in front to break up play?

Apart from the Morton game and the 0-0 draws we have had to chase every league game so far this season. It then becomes ever more desperate, panicky and unstructured as the game goes on.

Lose on Saturday and v Ayr and I can’t see any way we’ll avoid the relegation playoff at the very best. Sounds very early to be so dramatic but the way we’re playing can anyone else see where goals, wins and points are coming from?

If things don’t change, and quick, Is there a case for changing the management team? There has been far too much invested in turning us into a Championship team, on and off the park, to throw it all away so meekly.

Last word for Derek Gaston, single handedly saved us from a scudding.

Pish!

[DUAFC]

32 minutes ago, Tattie36 said:

 

If things don’t change, and quick, Is there a case for changing the management team? There has been far too much invested in turning us into a Championship team, on and off the park, to throw it all away so meekly.

"Ken whit gets right oan ma tits......"

A manager who's too arrogant and set in his ways to be able to change things when they're getting them consistently wrong and sleepwalking towards relegation  !

Edited October 19, 2022 by DUAFC

[Tattie36]

13 minutes ago, DUAFC said:

"Ken whit gets right oan ma tits......"

A manager who's too arrogant and set in his ways to be able to change things when they're getting them consistently wrong and sleepwalking towards relegation  !

I just watched his post match interview. He’s scared, you can tell in his eyes that he’s shitting it and doesn’t know what to do.

He says he’s concerned that we never created anything tonight and haven’t for 5 games. I know it’s a wild idea but how about playing strikers up front for a change and having players in their actual positions? Oh, and don’t drop your in form forward to the bench and replace him with a midfielder.

Edited October 19, 2022 by Tattie36

[lichtiekev]

That interview is up there with the "fans need to get a grip" comment, 

He is angry with the players? Maybe he needs to hold his own hands up and realise he has made massive blunders with signings and team selections

Surely someone on the bench seen that we were crying out for width, surely someone can see this diamond midfield doesn't work, we ended a game we needed something out of with Hancock and Fosu in midfield, things like that is why we are bottom of the league and rightly deserved, 

And how he can't see that Bobby Linn has to play every minute just now is beyond me, 

 

[ExiledLichtie]

He's made so many tactical mistakes this season.  The Dundee game earlier this season was the first sign for me.  He picked completely the wrong team. 

 

Edited to finish, I dont necessarily blame him for the transfers, I think our business has been better than many on here say, but I do blame him for a lot of extremely poor tactical decisions, and I sense that with every poor game, he'll be tempted to try all kinds of gambles.  Worrying.

Edited October 20, 2022 by ExiledLichtie

[AFC360PUNK1320]

15 hours ago, lichtiekev said:

I think if everyone was being really honest they would admit the signings haven't been good enough, 

Tait has been the only one who has done enough to deserve any real credit,

Couple of the others have had the odd good game but that's it, 

Corfe, Fosu, Isiaka aren't good enough, 

There was nothing buy praise on here last season and rightly so, but the signings this season deserve critism

Agree with this.

Last night was very poor and toothless.

Apart from a 10 minute period in the 1st half where their keeper had a superb save and a couple of near misses that was about it from an attacking sense.

AGAIN why are we scared to shoot at goal with the wind at our backs?

Within a minute of the 2nd half and the wind at their backs the Raith players were shooting from distance and thanks to Gaston he brought of some great saves to save us from a hiding.

I have said this before and will say it again DC has had praise over the last few seasons and 100% deserved it but this season please hold your hands up and say "I HAVE MADE MISTAKES".

I would have only moved on LD from last years squad and unless players demanded away (Low) i would have not moved anybody else on and brought in quality players especially a "known" striker.

If JT and Craigen were happy to stay as versatile squad players then i would have kept them as they are 2 GOOD players plus good from the dressing room which is very important as well.

DC has brought in a couple of quality players (Tait and Oakly and S.A. still has prove himself) but up to now 50% of them have not been up to his motto "I only bring in players BETTER than i already have at the club".

I feel sorry for young Shanks who i think will be a good striker but he is young and raw and needs a good experienced striker up front with him.

Last night we started with no striker/front player through the middle and you do not have to be Craig Levein to work out if you get chances in the box then there will be nobody there to try and finish them off.

I will back DC 100% but please take some responsibility and everybody and their Granny knew what your MAIN signing was to be this season (a proper experienced striker who knows those leagues) and you failed in this department.

C'Mon the Red Lichties this Saturday's game is now MASSIVE and a Cup Final at this early stage. 

[mo83]

How Arbroath haven't kicked on from last season is beyond belief and no wonder the smokie faithful are fizzing, especially after that performance last night.... Woeful.

Do the Arbroath board have the bottle to relieve him off his duties if the results were to keep going the way they are? Personally I wouldn't I think with how he has turned around Arbroath he deserves to at least see the season out.

As for the Marquee signing Scott Allan when the going gets tough and you have to put in tackles and track back that's not his game and I think he will continue to struggle with you boys.Looked a frustrated figure on the pitch and was moaning all the time at other player's when he did absolutely nothing himself.

One of the best players on the park last night was Dylan Easton who I thought had a really good game same with Scott Brown in the middle of the park both playing League 1 last year SB with a struggling Peterhead side.Thats the route I thought DC would have taken getting the best or better League 1 players to add to his squad rather than these London Journeymen.

And finally got tickets for the Raith end and was thinking to myself that's fine I will stand at the terraced bit beside the film stand only to find you can't get round that far....Poor show.

 

[lichtie23]

I don’t think he will get the punt, even if we are 8-10 points adrift of safety going into January. Last seasons heroics will save him. 
 

The January window is going to be absolutely massive for us

[ahfpjim]

14 minutes ago, lichtie23 said:

I don’t think he will get the punt, even if we are 8-10 points adrift of safety going into January. Last seasons heroics will save him. 
 

The January window is going to be absolutely massive for us

Dick shopping in London in December ?

[lichtie23]

6 hours ago, ExiledLichtie said:

 

Edited to finish, I dont necessarily blame him for the transfers, I think our business has been better than many on here say, 

You don’t actually believe this do you? Surely you’re just fishing for bites. 

[Tattie36]

2 minutes ago, lichtie23 said:

I don’t think he will get the punt, even if we are 8-10 points adrift of safety going into January. Last seasons heroics will save him. 
 

The January window is going to be absolutely massive for us

8-10 points adrift of what/who?

Lose on Saturday and the best we will be is 5 behind Cove and 6 behind Hamilton a third of the way through the season. Everyone is picking up wins and scoring goals apart from us and on our current form we could be on as few as 10-12 points come January. Are we (any team) realistically going to suddenly go from relegation form to title winning form over night after signing this elusive striker/s? even if we had someone like Jack Hamilton, Dowds etc at their best, they ain’t going to score many the way we’re playing, can’t score out of thin air. You’re also banking on another team or teams having the opposite change in fortunes and they’ll all be looking to strengthen then too. Far too risky an approach.

I would love Dick to turn this round more than anything but IMO sentiment has little place in competitive football. The money we have spent and are spending means we have to be playing Championship football next season, we all know what can happen to teams once losing and relegation become a habit.

I would give him until the Cove home game and unless we pick up at least 5-6 points in those 4 games and see a marked improvement in form, then I think we have to seriously start thinking of a change. Hope it doesn’t come to that but when does every “must win” game literally become that?

[timlichtie]

I can’t see any point in management change . There is no manager in the country who can resolve the issues caused by a flawed recruitment and retention policy this summer. Dick will surely see us through this season and if things don’t improve I would hope that it would be his decision whether or not to continue. Ideally he will turn things round but I suspect it won’t be until after Xmas and maybe too late to save us from the drop.

[North Terrace Gazza]

Your success over the past few seasons has been very much based on a core of quality loans. This hasn’t happened this year and the fight to avoid the drop is on.

[ExiledLichtie]

41 minutes ago, lichtie23 said:

You don’t actually believe this do you? Surely you’re just fishing for bites. 

I really don't think its the players, its the tactics. 

[1320Lichtie]

18 minutes ago, North Terrace Gazza said:

Your success over the past few seasons has been very much based on a core of quality loans. This hasn’t happened this year and the fight to avoid the drop is on.

We have had some good loans yes but it’s as clear as day that the overall squad is totally unbalanced and in attacking areas nowhere near good enough. That is why we are where we are. 
 

Our good attacking options out wide and upfront are basically just Bobby Linn, we have basically stuck him upfront and are fully reliant on him for a goal or creating chances.

[Tattie36]

51 minutes ago, timlichtie said:

I can’t see any point in management change . There is no manager in the country who can resolve the issues caused by a flawed recruitment and retention policy this summer. Dick will surely see us through this season and if things don’t improve I would hope that it would be his decision whether or not to continue. Ideally he will turn things round but I suspect it won’t be until after Xmas and maybe too late to save us from the drop.

So you’re happy to accept relegation just because it’s Dick? And then let him decide if and when he goes? No one man is bigger than the club and I’ll always side with what’s best for Arbroath FC.

It’s his flawed recruitment and retention policy that’s caused this so who else should accept the blame apart from him? He seems to be slopey-shouldering it onto the players and fans.

The board must also be scratching their collective heads - Dick is identifying and signing players, putting them on the pay roll then not giving them a game.

He needs to come out and admit his mistakes, eat a huge slice of humble pie and perhaps look for some help and guidance to get us out of this hole.

Edited October 20, 2022 by Tattie36