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Arbroath vs Clyde


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It doesn't matter what team you are at this level; lose a goal after 2 minutes and you'll struggle. Particularly if you're a team with no pace up front and a natural inclination to keep possession at times when you should be more expansive.

All three Arbroath goals are evidence of the futility of long periods of pointless passing; the first came after a set piece which O'Donnell cleared and took a right whack in the process. The referee, perhaps rightly, allowed play to continue as we had possession but as O'Donnell hobbled out of the penalty area, Murray passed the ball in his direction. O'Donnell just stared at it, allowing their Murray to nip in, shrug off Traynor, and square to Linn who couldn't miss from 6 yards out.

What followed was a period of possession for Clyde during which Marko certainly felt he should've been awarded a penalty; bodies meant that my view was obscured, as I assume, was the referee's. Didn't remotely test their goalkeeper at any point and our only tactic to break them down seemed to be the long diagonal over the underwhelming Johnstone's head.

Their second goal again saw possession break down and Clyde stopped thinking the ball was about to go out for a throw-in. McBride got there and punted it forward, where Murray's flick-on set Linn through on goal and he finished well. Really sloppy, dozy play.

Ferguson chose to bring on Fisher and go to a back three and we should've been back in it right before the break as O'Donnell somehow complete missed the target with a header from a Parker free kick. However, the second half had barely started when Linn completed his hat-trick. Well taken, but Marko literally fell asleep allowing Murray to nip in front of him and win the ball, before Fisher's laughable attempt to stop Linn's progress.

What followed was a period of domination from the home team and only some excellent saves by Martin and some terrific tackles by Marsh kept the score-line at three. Fisher was regularly sitting too deep, scuffed clearances, got beaten one-to-one. One of the worst individual performances we've had to witness in recent years and Ferguson should have changed it. The change to 352 could have worked; our loan striker was isolated, whilst their threat came from long balls which employing a sweeper should have eliminated. However the personnel didn't really suit the change.

We had a half chance when O'Donnell went clean through but got tackled before getting his shot away but it was only really when McQueen came on (far too late) that we looked like scoring. We did net when Parker found himself through on goal and despite aiming the ball straight at the goalkeeper, it snuck in.

Not many positives from a Clyde point of view. Marsh played well and was one of the few who didn't chuck it at 3-0. Too many poor touches from McLaughlin, McManus and Murray in particular. Nothing has changed in that we need more pace throughout the midfield/front line, and more importantly players who can beat a man and therefore take the organisation out of a defensive line.

Arbroath deserved to win and although Linn played well, I thought Whatley was again outstanding given that he was covering for the lazy Carreiro for most of the game. Would be in with a shout of divisional PotY if it wasn't almost always given to a striker. Two centre halves were good as well and meant their goalkeeper was underworked. Strangely though, for the first time this season, I'm not convinced they'll finish in the top two. I think McBride, Johnstone and Carreiro bring a weakness that the other two contenders don't have, although I appreciate Hunter would replace one of them.

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