The Ultimate Super Ayr Thread

[No_Problemo]

3 minutes ago, Mod1967 said:

That's a very decent shout 

The only question is whether we have the players to dictate a game, especially when being pressed. The return of Musonda should help, and I actually think Houston over Reading would too. One of O’Connor’s main skills is also that he comes inside and links up well, we just need the central midfielders to step up - Bullen has never really given them the opportunity to do so though. 

[ecocme]

28 minutes ago, rb123! said:

Pretty sure i seen somewhere that the budget for the season already accounted into getting this far in the Scottish Cup so we've already used the money which we'll make from the Quarters

The way the club is currently run I highly doubt that is the case 

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, Mod1967 said:

Stop complaining it's one of our best seasons.....holy f**k what unbelievable pish. 

A decent season which is showing serious signs of ebbing away. 

There's only one person here spouting "unbelievable pish" and it ain't me old partner.

[Mod1967]

Oh don't worry Wattoo Ashford will save us and yer best season will be back on track, happy clapping nonsense as usual from you 

[diegomarahenry]

21 minutes ago, WATTOO said:

There's only one person here spouting "unbelievable pish" and it ain't me old partner.

Current form table. Morton have won two in a row and 3 of our points were a win against cove. This shows how bad things really are. 

[Mod1967]

24 minutes ago, WATTOO said:

There's only one person here spouting "unbelievable pish" and it ain't me old partner.

Don't think I can take anyone who constantly praises Ashford and Reading seriously tbf especially when they started having digs at Chalmers for being inconsistent 

[Mod1967]

4 minutes ago, diegomarahenry said:

Current form table. Morton have won two in a row and 3 of our points were a win against cove. This shows how bad things really are. 

No no that's not the spirit 

[Nelson]

Nothing stays the same in football for very long.  If we slip out of the top 4 altogether (very possible at this stage) and/or get beat by Falkirk then I can see the fans beginning to turn on Bullen.  

The whole situation is just so bizarre.  A manager who had us at the top of the league for 5/6 weeks earlier in the season should never be under pressure.  But then you can’t kid all of the people all of the time.  Dipo has carried us in a way that I’ve rarely seen one man carry an Ayr team - except maybe when Ryan Stevenson carried us to promotion when surrounded by the likes of Ryan Borris, David Gormley, Willie Easton snd Kenny Connolly!  

The tactics and style of play are just dreadful to watch and there is just no sense that Bullen either recognises that or would know what to do about it if he did.

Speaking of Stevo, is he showing any managerial potential at Glenafton???

[D'Jaffo]

8 minutes ago, diegomarahenry said:

Current form table. Morton have won two in a row and 3 of our points were a win against cove. This shows how bad things really are. 

I think there needs to be a realisation though that bad runs of form do happen. Every team experiences it at one stage and whilst you have every right to criticise the players or manager there’s been a lot of stuff posted on here and elsewhere which I would say is over the top. I agree with quite a lot of it and I’d say that most fans on here would regard me as one of the more positive posters and a “happy clapper”. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t absolutely raging yesterday. I like Bullen and I like Mathie. However I think we’re a way off winning this league and I said as much whilst we were sitting at the top. 
 

There’s a huge amount still to play for at this stage. 

[diegomarahenry]

1 hour ago, D'Jaffo said:

I think there needs to be a realisation though that bad runs of form do happen. Every team experiences it at one stage and whilst you have every right to criticise the players or manager there’s been a lot of stuff posted on here and elsewhere which I would say is over the top. I agree with quite a lot of it and I’d say that most fans on here would regard me as one of the more positive posters and a “happy clapper”. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t absolutely raging yesterday. I like Bullen and I like Mathie. However I think we’re a way off winning this league and I said as much whilst we were sitting at the top. 
 

There’s a huge amount still to play for at this stage. 

We were flying at the start of the season with McKenzie and Ashford up front Changed our style of play in September to suit Chalmers and Mullen, Musonda got injured and our form dipped but it the results were mostly ok, results elsewhere papered over those cracks.
Chalmers left and we have been hoping that, despite all evidence to the contrary, JML can perform as a winger. 
We are repeating the same failings as last year, persisting with out of form or incapable players, when there is better options on the bench and lumping the ball forward while playing a deep defensive line. 
It didn’t work last season and it’s not working now. 
We played well at the start of the season playing through the midfield and having three up front. He switched to this at the end of the Elgin game and it worked, he did it in the last 10 against Thistle and it nearly worked so why the f**k does he not start like that. 

If Bullen continues with this, like he did last season then we are fucked. Bypassing the midfield, dreadful to watch and dreadful results. 
 

 

[rb123!]

3 minutes ago, diegomarahenry said:

We were flying at the start of the season with McKenzie and Ashford up front Changed our style of play in September to suit Chalmers and Mullen, Musonda got injured and our form dipped but it the results were mostly ok, results elsewhere papered over those cracks.
Chalmers left and we have been hoping that, despite all evidence to the contrary, JML can perform as a winger. 
We are repeating the same failings as last year, persisting with out of form or incapable players, when there is better options on the bench and lumping the ball forward while playing a deep defensive line. 
It didn’t work last season and it’s not working now. 
We played well at the start of the season playing through the midfield and having three up front. He switched to this at the end of the Elgin game and it worked, he did it in the last 10 against Thistle and it nearly worked so why the f**k does he not start like that. 

If Bullen continues with this, like he did last season then we are fucked. Bypassing the midfield, dreadful to watch and dreadful results. 
 

 

I take it you're not very hopeful then?

[Oceanlineayr]

1 hour ago, Nelson said:

Nothing stays the same in football for very long.  If we slip out of the top 4 altogether (very possible at this stage) and/or get beat by Falkirk then I can see the fans beginning to turn on Bullen.  

The whole situation is just so bizarre.  A manager who had us at the top of the league for 5/6 weeks earlier in the season should never be under pressure.  But then you can’t kid all of the people all of the time.  Dipo has carried us in a way that I’ve rarely seen one man carry an Ayr team - except maybe when Ryan Stevenson carried us to promotion when surrounded by the likes of Ryan Borris, David Gormley, Willie Easton snd Kenny Connolly!  

The tactics and style of play are just dreadful to watch and there is just no sense that Bullen either recognises that or would know what to do about it if he did.

Speaking of Stevo, is he showing any managerial potential at Glenafton???

Got a draw against the Darvel/ the Ayrshire Gretna on Saturday from what I saw.

Also pleasingly....

[Thumper]

1 hour ago, Nelson said:

A manager who had us at the top of the league for 5/6 weeks earlier in the season should never be under pressure.

Except that even at the time it was a case of lucky or unusual results on Ayr's side versus their opponents having horrific form (Partick losing seven in a row, Queens Park contriving to get pumped 5-0, Hamilton in general before christmas etc). Team Doom was pointing out that Ayr weren't actually that good even when they were top of the league, weeks before the capitulation against Dundee.

Ironically it is Bullen's pish-poor performance last season where the club avoided relegation by a thread that is mitigating things now. If he'd been literally any better points-wise than Kerr/Hopkin/Duffy had been, which he was not, then there would be an obvious worry that Ayr would finish lower this season than the last right now.

[D'Jaffo]

3 minutes ago, Thumper said:

Except that even at the time it was a case of lucky or unusual results on Ayr's side versus their opponents having horrific form (Partick losing seven in a row, Queens Park contriving to get pumped 5-0, Hamilton in general before christmas etc). Team Doom was pointing out that Ayr weren't actually that good even when they were top of the league, weeks before the capitulation against Dundee.

Ironically it is Bullen's pish-poor performance last season where the club avoided relegation by a thread that is mitigating things now. If he'd been literally any better points-wise than Kerr/Hopkin/Duffy had been, which he was not, then there would be an obvious worry that Ayr would finish lower this season than the last right now.

Aye we’ve been pish all season and there was no reason to be positive about anything. 

[Thumper]

4 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

Aye we’ve been pish all season and there was no reason to be positive about anything. 

[No_Problemo]

Boring Sunday, so some thoughts on O’Connor:

When you look at O’Connor this season, you can see that he has been very harshly treated. 

Started the season on the bench, before coming on at HT against QP - helping to turn the game and getting an assist. Started the following game against Hamilton - getting another assist. Then started against Cove and Dundee, (likely one of our best performances this season) getting another assist against Dundee. Then starts in a hard fought win against Morton away, and the following week is substituted at Raith when we are 2-0 down at HT. 

That was him on the bench for eight games, until he got injured against Raith. He then gets man of the match from the subs bench on his return from injury and still doesn’t start the following week. 

When you take into account last season, and Bullen citing training and reserve games as reasons for his selection against Partick there is most definitely something there with O’Connor. No other player is dropped to the bench so quickly, or takes so long to earn a starting spot after shining off the bench. Bryden at the weekend a prime example of that. 

Obviously the other factor in there was the arrival of Chalmers, but when you look at the overall picture O’Connor can definitely feel hard done by again this season. 

Said it earlier but he does much more than just look to go by people - he comes inside and links well with the strikers, helping us keep possession but also links very well with his full back. He tries things and will lose the ball but you just have to accept that, and I’m more than willing to. I’m just not sure Bullen is… 

Also think the comments around being less impactful as a starter are a little unfair. If you are coming on while your side is chasing a goal, you are clearly going to see a lot more of the ball as the other team tends to sit deeper. Throughout the course of a game you won’t get as many opportunities to do that, but he has definitely shown that he is capable of providing important moments as a starter. 
 

 

[D'Jaffo]

5 minutes ago, Thumper said:

I think it’s one of the worst takes I’ve seen from you and that’s saying something. 

[rb123!]

5 minutes ago, Thumper said:

Okay i'll take the bite....

Pish all season... Ah yes that's why we've been in the top 4 all season, have the second highest goals scored in the league and the 3rd best goals against in the league. 

You're deluded and a clown to put it politely if you honestly think we've been "pish" all season. 

If you're that obsessed with watching a team who pump the opposition every week then go up to Glasgow and watch one of the ugly sisters. 

[itzdrk]

4 hours ago, UpInTheAyr said:

McAllister has kicked on massively this season compared to last, although that wouldn't be particularly hard. Who's to say he can't do the same next season, to some extent again? 

Would definitely be signing him up. Houston and Reading I wouldn't be bothered if they left. 

He's definitely better but if we are serious about it he can only stay on in the future as a backup centre back, he's our best full back just now undoubtedly but that doesn't actually make him good.  A lack of pace, dribbling and crossing ability should rule him out of being a full back other than emergency cover.  For the rest of this season I've no issue with him being there and doing the defensive job he largely does well.  

It's all just part of the larger problem of the refusal to address the weakest two positions in the team in both the summer and winter windows.  If anything we weakened ourselves in the winter window.  They've done well generally in talent spotting in recruitment but they seem to have a blind spot for full backs.  

[D'Jaffo]

1 minute ago, itzdrk said:

He's definitely better but if we are serious about it he can only stay on in the future as a backup centre back, he's our best full back just now undoubtedly but that doesn't actually make him good.  A lack of pace, dribbling and crossing ability should rule him out of being a full back other than emergency cover.  For the rest of this season I've no issue with him being there and doing the defensive job he largely does well.  

It's all just part of the larger problem of the refusal to address the weakest two positions in the team in both the summer and winter windows.  If anything we weakened ourselves in the winter window.  They've done well generally in talent spotting in recruitment but they seem to have a blind spot for full backs.  

That “cross” he attempted from Dipos pass in the first half was all you needed to be convinced that he offers nothing past the halfway line. 
 

The annoying thing is that both Houston and Reading had their contracts renewed off the back of some good form. As I said I think Reading might need to be moved on but who knows what Bullen and Mathie want to do with him. Houston will maybe leave in the summer after a mixed spell for us but at least he has that goal against Dundee.