The Sons v The Rovers

[Dumbarton Rock]

On ‎14‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 10:36, HIT THE CHANNEL said:

This is the first of a run of four, on paper, 'winnable' games  for us [Ayr (H), Morton (H) and St Mirren (A)], before we play Dundee Utd and Hibs back-to-back.

We have 7 points already this quarter, so another 7 or 8 would keep us on track to hit around 56 points.

With this in mind, I think if we want a play off spot, we could really do with winning on Saturday. However, the clocks going back jinx , the fact that we seem to ship goals at the Rock for fun (the 3-3 last year was genuinely sickening to watch), and the fact that we are not really playing well without a few key players means I am far from confident. 

I had a little read of the Sons v Morton thread and see that the win against Saints was not exactly followed up with a good performance - do you predict a bit of a backlash on Saturday to rectify it?

Team-wise, I agree with others that it would be good to see a bit of Osei or Coustrain.

Whilst nervous about the result, I am very much looking forward to my day out and cheap as f**k drink in the Bowling Club - for those ITK, does it open at 11 or 12?

Club will be open from about 11.45 m8. Managed to get a wee seat at the match sponsors table so this will be my first time back since chucking the groundsman postition. Looking forward to a good day.

[Rover the Moon]

The managers preferred formation may not be conventional or pretty to watch at times but to say it isn't working is just wrong. We are as high as we can expect to be in the league, in good form and I think the only league game we have lost with Mathews playing right midfield is at home to Falkirk. Yet it seems many share this view that the current formation/RM should be changed.  

I accept we're getting by at the moment and I'm pleased with results. My point was that we could do with an alternative attaching outlet. If we've only got one side - the left - offering anything going forward then teams can just squeeze the play there to stop us.

I think we can afford to be a bit bolder in a match like this.

[steely59]

Would love to see Osei and Coustrain get game time

[Jan Vojáček]

"Injury Update: Frazer Wright and Grant Gallagher will sit out tomorrow's game but there is better newsn with respect to Mark Docherty who was stretchered off last week as he has a 50/50 chance of taking part. Garry Fleming moves into the very doubtful category as he has a broken wrist. Joe Thomson is causing the medical team concern too with a knee injury and he will be assessed tomorrow."

Guess that's the excuses already firmly in. J.Thomson, Fleming and Sparky would likely all start if they were fit.

By the way, if Joe Thomson is injured who will he take off in the 69th minute?

[The Moonster]

So we basically have no centre midfielders fit. Probably see Todd and Stevo start in there with Stanton in front of him. Up front will be Thomson which means we're short on the wing, only option there is bring Pettigrew back in and move Smith forward or play McCallum there. Glad I'm missing this and I'll be astounded if we take anything.

[Jan Vojáček]

Assuming the absolute worst case scenario that all the players mentioned above are out, it leaves us with 11 fit outfield players: Barr, Buchanan, Pettigrew, Harvie, Stevo, Stanton, Smith, Todd, Stirling, McCallum and Thomson.

Going to be a very young bench I think.

[renton]

2 minutes ago, Sonsteam of 08 said:

Assuming the absolute worst case scenario that all the players mentioned above are out, it leaves us with 11 fit outfield players: Barr, Buchanan, Pettigrew, Harvie, Stevo, Stanton, Smith, Todd, Stirling, McCallum and Thomson.

Going to be a very young bench I think.

Given the usual pattern of Rovers vs Sons games, I wouldn't worry too much. Even if (and it's a big if) Rovers go and race into a big lead, it's absolutely nailed on that Dumbarton will peg us back.

Besides, usual rules of championship apply: Home team struggling for form and barely enough fit players to put a team out, away team with large squad on the back of a 4 game unbeaten run: Home win, every time.

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

Jesus. That injury list is a shocker.

[Boghead ranter]

55 minutes ago, Sonsteam of 08 said:

Assuming the absolute worst case scenario that all the players mentioned above are out, it leaves us with 11 fit outfield players: Barr, Buchanan, Pettigrew, Harvie, Stevo, Stanton, Smith, Todd, Stirling, McCallum and Thomson.

Going to be a very young bench I think.

That'll be why those three youth players were invited to first team training this week then.

Extra defenders.

[sonsanorak]

"Injury Update: Frazer Wright and Grant Gallagher will sit out tomorrow's game but there is better newsn with respect to Mark Docherty who was stretchered off last week as he has a 50/50 chance of taking part. Garry Fleming moves into the very doubtful category as he has a broken wrist. Joe Thomson is causing the medical team concern too with a knee injury and he will be assessed tomorrow."

Guess that's the excuses already firmly in.

Lighten up man.

I know theres a bit of post match interview bingo with stevie, but you ve made your mind up before we ve kicked a ball/scored/played well/named the team/reached saturday.

[Jan Vojáček]

15 minutes ago, sonsanorak said:

Lighten up man.

I know theres a bit of post match interview bingo with stevie, but you ve made your mind up before we ve kicked a ball/scored/played well/named the team/reached saturday.
 

 

What can I lighten up about? We've won 2 in 20, 1 home game this season, play atrocious, negative football and now have a (fairly) major injury crisis to deal with. I don't need to wait until the lineup is named, I can practically already name it!

If Stevie does not mention the injuries in his post-match interview I will change my team on here to Clydebank for the rest of this season*

Spoiler

*be some laugh if Stevie read P&B and deliberately didn't mention it

I remember when I used to be positive 

[sonsanorak]

Stevie bringing them up doesnt make it less of a genuine factor. As is our pt time training.

What sort of season were you expecting us to have?

[Jan Vojáček]

3 minutes ago, sonsanorak said:

Stevie bringing them up doesnt make it less of a genuine factor. As is our pt time training.

What sort of season were you expecting us to have?

I don't exactly think that "expecting" us to win more than once every ten games, or at least look as if we want to attack every once in a while would be too much to ask?

Stevie blamed the injuries for last week's defeat. We didn't have a shot on target. The players who went off were defensively minded. The reason we lost last week was that we played for a 0-0 and conceded when our players got injured. Perhaps if we'd played for a victory then we could've conceded and still gone on to win the game.

Stevie blamed a lack of squad depth for losing to Forfar, East Fife and Peterhead. He blamed new players coming in with little training for defeat to Dunfermline. He blamed being part-time for defeat to Hibernian (when we looked content with a 0-1 defeat), he blamed the players for not turning up against Ayr. 

Would we best not bother turning up again this season, because we have no real chance anyway?

[Dazzle]

NAP Dumbarton win now. 

[Frank Quitely]

1 hour ago, sonsanorak said:

 

 

Lighten up man.

I know theres a bit of post match interview bingo with stevie, but you ve made your mind up before we ve kicked a ball/scored/played well/named the team/reached saturday.
 

 

With the greatest respect, have you watched Dumbarton recently ?

[sonsanorak]

Aye, plenty. Though i wonder why sometimes.

Personally i think we re set up to play cagey games and look to counter attack or for set piece chances. That suggests to me that aitken doesnt think we have much threat going forward, that lack of threat is enhanced further with the likes of fleming being injured and having erratic form. Some of the attacking players brought in have been generally below par too, although im glad to see stirling get a run out lately.

[sonsanorak]

I don't exactly think that "expecting" us to win more than once every ten games, or at least look as if we want to attack every once in a while would be too much to ask?

Would we best not bother turning up again this season, because we have no real chance anyway?

Our expectation would be that we re fighting near the bottom of the league. Yes, form has not been great but we re not bottom and the players have been committed (brown apart) and applied themselves. I would expect that.

I hope that we re rewarded with good results.

[Rovers1992/1993]

Starting to get a really bad feeling about tomorrow now.

[Jan Vojáček]

Our expectation would be that we re fighting near the bottom of the league. Yes, form has not been great but we re not bottom and the players have been committed (brown apart) and applied themselves. I would expect that.

I hope that we re rewarded with good results.

I'd say that we are being rewarded with the results we deserve. We don't do any attacking, so we don't deserve to score many. We are fairly tight at the back, so we don't deserve to be absolutely pasted, and we haven't been.

I dare say that (given the league position) Stevie will be quite confident that the way we are playing is working.

[CALDERON]

Weather going to be an issue for this one?