The Arbroath Thread

[RedLichtie86]

Dick has the arrogance of a man that will flat out deny there is a problem. Will refuse to listen to advice and simple observations. And will demand his way is the only way.

Today sums up everything wrong about his approach to games.

Last we looked like we played 4-2-3-1. Linn Allan McKenna behind Fosu. Squad overall looked good.

Gave you width and drive forwards and stability in defence.

Today ToB was missing. So one change needed. Drop Bitsindou and bring another DM (Gold/Jacobs) or move Hammy in and play Hancock at LB.

Nope. Lets shuffle about. Bitsindou back, Tait out wide (Though he barely stayed there) McKenna up top and bring Gold and Jacobs into the midfield.

No width down the right as Oakley cant cover every blade of grass. McKenna struggling with the high balls. Centre midfield struggling and losing the ball.

Allan looking pissed off. Can only pass left as no one out right and McKenna up top being bossed about by every Ayr defender.

Game is crying out for an attacking option..... brings on the wonderboy Corfe. FFS.

How can Isiaka and Shanks feel if almost every week they are being over looked for only striker position for players that are clearly not up to the job. Then see the manager bring on a defender when chasing a game.

Oh and Linn lasted 90 mins. Thought he was too old to last past 60mins.

[glasgowlichtie22]

Fucking hell. Pathetic. Dick gonna get us relegated because he’s too stubborn to accept that his signings have been crap. 442 with no strikers is a joke.

[lichtiekev]

Got it wrong for me again today...

Why was Mckenna given no support, then when Scott went off why not just put Hancock on, 

Far to many individual mistakes at times again especially from Jacobs given the ball away, 

Fosu again showed nothing for me and Corfe isn't at this level in a million years,

If you look at shots on goal you might as well call it Ayr vs Linn

Thought Allen had his best game but at times had absolutely no one to pass it forward too

 

[Leicesterlichtie]

Dick Campbell  

[RedLichtie86]

Got it wrong for me again today...
Why was Mckenna given no support, then when Scott went off why not just put Hancock on, 
Far to many individual mistakes at times again especially from Jacobs given the ball away, 
Fosu again showed nothing for me and Corfe isn't at this level in a million years,
If you look at shots on goal you might as well call it Ayr vs Linn
Thought Allen had his best game but at times had absolutely no one to pass it forward too
 

Linn v Ayr sums it up.

[stan3600]

Losing Bitsindou for probably several weeks is a big blow. We have lots of passing and attacking midfielders now but no obvious defensive mid, and if we score very few goals we need clean sheets.

[SmokeyJoe]

Honestly that team shape today was a farce! good back 5 fine. 4 central midfielders with Allan more advanced linn predominately wide left and McKenna playing as striker but never actually central not his fault being played out of position. Barely ever had anyone in final 3rd wide right, asking a fullback to do doggy’s up and down the right flank is a very big ask and one that’s not really realistic. 
 

Getting seriously fed up with dc and his farcical team selections, subs and team set ups. 
 

chasing a game 3 strikers on the bench and not one used and still didn’t bring anyone on to play right side. Shows how much he rates his attacking summer signings when any of them barely get any minutes win lose or draw. 
 

scott Allan is a good player but he’s absolutely not what we need. He needs a competent striker who will make intelligent runs so he can play his nice passes to and we don’t that. And to be honest he gives the ball away about 70% of the time passing it to the opposition or being tackled. 
 

feel we need to go right back to basics 442 or 451/433 with actual wide players and actual strikers on the park. Being awful to play against making it hard for opponents to play and being aggressive on the front foot. Even if it’s not nice to watch being direct winning the ball in the opponents final 3rd. I’ll take rubbish ugly effective wins over the dire stuff I’ve watched this season 

[RedLichtie86]

How long has Dick got?

If we keep playing the way we are and the performances dont improve, surely we cant just wait until the end of season to make a change.

Historical achievements only go so far in protecting a managers job.

[lichtiemike]

I’m beginning to think Dick has had his day here to be honest. 

[Hammerafc]

How long has Dick got?

If we keep playing the way we are and the performances dont improve, surely we cant just wait until the end of season to make a change.

Historical achievements only go so far in protecting a managers job.

13 games into a season and some fans just want to sack the most successful manager we have had. Be careful what you wish for.

[ecto]

Bitsindou at CH, is a mistake waiting too happen, he was dreadful today, Jacobs is also a waste of a wage, he brings nothing to the table, manager has to take responsibility for the godawful recruitment 

[lichtie23]

5 minutes ago, Hammerafc said:

20 minutes ago, RedLichtie86 said:

How long has Dick got?

If we keep playing the way we are and the performances dont improve, surely we cant just wait until the end of season to make a change.

Historical achievements only go so far in protecting a managers job.

13 games into a season and some fans just want to sack the most successful manager we have had. Be careful what you wish for.

We are going down 

[Tattie36]

The Cove game in two weeks is the line in the sand for me.

Even though we played well enough and created a fair bit, today’s lineup and substitutions were an absolute joke.

If some of our fans still think we’re going to limp along until January and then magically unearth a goalscorer to save our season then they need sectioned. For a start these goal scorers don’t exist and even if if they did we’ll be well down the pecking order to get them as every other team will be looking for the same. We will also very possibly be too far behind by then anyway. It worked 2 seasons ago when Jack Hamilton dug us out of a similar hole but the chances of that happening again are, imo, slim to none.

The only way out of this mess is to actually start playing strikers. When Bobby and McKenna are up front, one is being drawn wide and the other is dropping deep, not their fault, therefore there’s no one actually in dangerous areas in the penalty box.

ETA if any of our fans think that Dick should be immune from criticism or the sack then I despair. I support Arbroath FC and if him being replaced saves us from relegation then so be it. 8 goals and 2 wins in 13 games with no recognised striker on the pitch with 3 getting splinters in the erse is indefensible.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Tattie36

[RedLichtie86]

13 games into a season and some fans just want to sack the most successful manager we have had. Be careful what you wish for.

So at what point do we consider his position then?

Relegated this season?
Relegated from League 1?
Relegated from League 2?

There comes a point when all managers, regardless of how many trophies they have won or how well they did the season before, are subject to being under pressure if the results on the park are not good enough.

We set our stall out last season by finishing 2nd. We can compete in this league. We can play football and challenge at the top. But this season we are playing like a team scraping around at the bottom, dreading every game as if we dont know when the next goal will come from.

End of the day the fans want to be entertained with whats on the pitch, to see the club win games and score goals. The fans will come every week to see that. If we are play dire football and the fans are ever more restless and angry at every loose pass or bad substitution then the fans will start to stay away.

Can the club afford to allow the poor on field performances ruin the work being done off field?

[Broath Boy]

Look, calm doon, Dick is gaffer, fact even if we go down which I don’t think we will he will still be gaffer, one season blip and folk hanging Dick, you kunts are moaning like f**k to take back to the bad days, Dick had an agreement with Dowds, said he would play for us, let us down for £50 more fact. Had strikers lined up from down south, said they would sign, literally 5 mins before jumped for a better deal, the guy is trying to get us a striker, bit of slack till end of January window.

[DUAFC]

17 minutes ago, Broath Boy said:

Look, calm doon, Dick is gaffer, fact even if we go down which I don’t think we will he will still be gaffer, one season blip and folk hanging Dick, you kunts are moaning like f**k to take back to the bad days, Dick had an agreement with Dowds, said he would play for us, let us down for £50 more fact. Had strikers lined up from down south, said they would sign, literally 5 mins before jumped for a better deal, the guy is trying to get us a striker, bit of slack till end of January window.

Deluded and totally irrelevant nonsense. 

Listening to garbage like this whilst we just sleepwalk to relegation. 

[RedLichtie86]

Look, calm doon, Dick is gaffer, fact even if we go down which I don’t think we will he will still be gaffer, one season blip and folk hanging Dick, you kunts are moaning like f**k to take back to the bad days, Dick had an agreement with Dowds, said he would play for us, let us down for £50 more fact. Had strikers lined up from down south, said they would sign, literally 5 mins before jumped for a better deal, the guy is trying to get us a striker, bit of slack till end of January window.

And i am sure every manager has had the same sort of issue come up over the years.

But you are speaking like we dont have any strikers at the club.

We have 2 on the bench ffs. If they are not good enough to start or even come of the bench then why even bother signing them in the first place.

[Tattie36]

31 minutes ago, Broath Boy said:

Look, calm doon, Dick is gaffer, fact even if we go down which I don’t think we will he will still be gaffer, one season blip and folk hanging Dick, you kunts are moaning like f**k to take back to the bad days, Dick had an agreement with Dowds, said he would play for us, let us down for £50 more fact. Had strikers lined up from down south, said they would sign, literally 5 mins before jumped for a better deal, the guy is trying to get us a striker, bit of slack till end of January window.

Nah. He’ll be gone soon if things don’t improve. The club have not spent a relative fortune and built up the sponsorship and fanbase to throw it all away and accept relegation.

No one man is bigger than the club. His time as manager is on life support. I take no pleasure in saying any of this as what he has done for the club is incredible but relegation is not acceptable.

ETA today could have well been his Craig Levein moment. Needing to win and playing no recognised striker with 3 fit and available - Inexcusable.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Tattie36

[RedLichtie86]

From what i have heard Dick and Co still believe we will be top 4 and that we are going to sign 2 new strikers.

Guessing he needs 2 more to sit on the bench seeing as he doesnt play the 2 we have.

[Tattie36]

8 minutes ago, RedLichtie86 said:

From what i have heard Dick and Co still believe we will be top 4 and that we are going to sign 2 new strikers.

Guessing he needs 2 more to sit on the bench seeing as he doesnt play the 2 we have.

The desperate ramblings of a man who knows he’s on borrowed time.

Imagine how crap that must make Isiaka, Shanks and especially Hilson feel!?!?