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Forfar Athletic News 2018 onwards


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16 hours ago, SlipperyP said:

Ok lads, this has been quiet....

Thoughts on the team so far?

Let's get this thread moving....... 

I think Gary has made a very decent squad. We already knew we had a very strong defence, and Strachan has slotted in well and his set piece deliveries are improving. 

Craig Slater is just immense, however,  I'm always nervous that he's going to pick up an injury and be sidelined for a few months.

Our wingers are great, especially Thomson, but PJ and Grant have also done well. Stefan started the season slow (he did pick up an injury at the start if I remember correctly) but has become fairly clinical in front of goal. Matty did the opposite starting the season on fire but then had a dip (which coincided with our run of 1-0 up at HT to concede an equaliser late in the second) but thankfully he seems to be coming into a run of form.

Oh, and finally, how could I forget, Gary Harkins is deserving a ballon d'or nomination! 😂

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Given Kelty’s  attacking options and this being Irvine’s first season in charge think we are doing OK. That squad should be second or third and that is exactly where we are so can’t complain too much so far. Certainly a big improvement on last couple of seasons and actually some decent football to watch also so far.

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Guest mr_malcolm

We were never going to match kelty in a title Race . Will comfortably finish in play offs as we are the 2nd or 3rd best team in this league . If we could find a prolific goal scorer we would be laughing .

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I think every team in world football would be laughing if they find a prolific goal scorer.  I do agree with you in a way, as we need someone better than Shepard to play with Aitken.  

Overall I'm pleased, could have been better, could have been worse.

As for Kelty, sure they are way ahead, but let's keep winning, they will drop points.  It's isn't like they are blowing teams away every week.

 

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A third of the way through the league campaign and we're in 2nd place, pretty happy overall.

I can't see us catching or even pushing Kelty, they'll win the league with 6 or 7 games to spare, but we're already 9 points ahead of 5th place and I'm confident in saying we'll finish top 3.

After the shite of the last 2 years I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was a bit apprehensive about this season. With Brechin gone it really was a season where everybody was targeting top 4 while also looking over their shoulders to 10th so to already have to not worry about that is great. I think credit has to go to Gary Irvine for bringing a lot of positivity as well as a few good signings, certainly better than Malcolm and his sign anybody available policy. We've got a pretty solid team now.

We know how good McCallum is, and although I think he's lost a couple of goals he'll be disappointed with this season, he's always capable of a spectacular save and is generally solid.

Back 4 has been consistent which helps. We know how committed Meechan is, when we had our blip he was culpable for a couple of goals but he's responded well and got a couple of assists. Thought Strachan was poor defensively to start with but he's improved, plus we've started scoring from his deliveries every week, he must have 6 or 7 assists. Andy Munro is your classic heid the ball all day centre half perfect for this league, I love how furious he is at conceding goals. Ando doesn't quite have the legs anymore but you can still see his class. Still have Whyte to come back too, remains to be seen if he'll be the same player.

Centre midfield has been all about Slater, he's on a different level, so clever and the way he makes space is fantastic. He's had a torrid time with injuries in his career so happy for him to be showing what he can do with us. We do need a partner to do the dirty work for him. Gallagher started well before his injury, Archie Thomas is ok and Jamie Ness has already had a couple of niggles. I'd love a proper take no prisoners ball winner beside Slater to let him play.

Out wide I think Thomson has been the star, we've been crying out for a direct winger for years and he also has a final product, he's been involved in a lot of goals. I'd like to see Grant Anderson get a few more chances from the start, he seems to get opportunities when he plays. PJ has been OK, hasn't quite hit the heights after his injury. Stefan McCluskey has been good, delighted he's got a few goals after Dumbarton fans told us he'd never score.

Up top Matty has done OK, he's our top scorer and on his day is a handful, he's had a few quiet days though so looking for him to start stamping his authority on games. I both love and hate Shep. He runs himself into the ground and wins a lot of lost causes, he gets us up the pitch, but then a chance will come his way and he can't control his feet, he just doesn't have the technical ability needed, but in a weird way I think he's quite important to the team for the dirty work he does. A clinical striker would complete us as a team I feel.

Sorry for the novel, started thinking and just spraffed. Happy to have a good team again, think we're capable of being a great team. We won't win the league but I'll be very surprised if we're not playing Stirling in the playoff semi come May, we're definitely capable of winning them.

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Am I the only one who really thinks we can push Kelty, we’re second and every point we’ve dropped has been in games we’ve dominated. Next week is a big marker as to whether it will be play offs or a realistic push for the title. Would love a goal scorer in January but so would everyone, prefer McCluskey up front with Aitken.

Craig Slater is up there with the best I’ve seen in a Forfar top. Class above everyone every time he steps out in this league. 

Fairly confident we’ll be too strong for anyone we could face in the playoffs if we keep going the way we are. Promotion is a must.

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9 minutes ago, lwh said:

Am I the only one who really thinks we can push Kelty, we’re second and every point we’ve dropped has been in games we’ve dominated. Next week is a big marker as to whether it will be play offs or a realistic push for the title. Would love a goal scorer in January but so would everyone, prefer McCluskey up front with Aitken.

Craig Slater is up there with the best I’ve seen in a Forfar top. Class above everyone every time he steps out in this league. 

Fairly confident we’ll be too strong for anyone we could face in the playoffs if we keep going the way we are. Promotion is a must.

No, I'm also confident we can push them, however, ask me again at 17:00 on Saturday.

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7 hours ago, lwh said:

Am I the only one who really thinks we can push Kelty, we’re second and every point we’ve dropped has been in games we’ve dominated. Next week is a big marker as to whether it will be play offs or a realistic push for the title. Would love a goal scorer in January but so would everyone, prefer McCluskey up front with Aitken.

 

Goalkeeper, Defence and Midfield are on a par with Kelty’s but their attacking options are so much stronger than anything we have IMO. Austin, Cardle, Higginbottom all easily League 1 level if not higher, our options are decent League 2 level. Our inability to kill games is what will keep us well off Kelty’s pace.

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To start with I thought we'd push, then I thought it was too much, now seeing we're 2nd and playing well, I honestly don't know. As @SlipperyP said, how we do at New Central Park will give me a better idea. The main difference I've noticed between the two sides (only by looking at latest scores on BBC Sports) is that Forfar appear to dominate but can then concede late on (cue montage of all our 1-0 up at HT, 1-1 at FT results) whereas Kelty could be drawing until late on, but then snatch a winner. As @nofixedability said, our inability to kill games off could be our downfall. We may well have nearly as many points as Kelty come end of the season but most of our results will be 1-0, 2-1, 2-0. Kelty have the ability to win some games 4 or 5 nil.

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Guest mr_malcolm

The things that’s annoying me is there’s at least 3 games we should have been out of sight in and ended up drawing . There’s an extra 6 points on the board if we had options up front .

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This is the league decider no doubt....win and we are back in it, lose and its play offs only, Slater,Thomson and Mcluskey are our class players who have to be on their game, if Doris had been match fit I would play him instead of Shep, we will need the front players to hold the ball up to relieve the pressure that Kelty will surely have.

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Guest mr_malcolm
This is the league decider no doubt....win and we are back in it, lose and its play offs only, Slater,Thomson and Mcluskey are our class players who have to be on their game, if Doris had been match fit I would play him instead of Shep, we will need the front players to hold the ball up to relieve the pressure that Kelty will surely have.

I’ve a feeling Marc will have a busy day in goals too.
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Whatever happens on Saturday, I recommend a pint or 2 at the Kelty Social Club. ONe of my best nights every (because I left alive).

The night was young and the 30p shots were flowing. Give the neck a twitch and the hips headed to the dance floor.....she was hot. Hottest girl in the land, Leopards skin leg ins and a mane that not far of the lion of the town.

After about 4 sec of me given it my best, this was obviously not the village to see me new moves. A 10 ft bouncer, didn't grab me, but rugby tackled me in the middle the dance floor.  Which sent the signal for the whole place to riot.     

Enjoy your day lads. Make sound, make., make peace. 

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Guest mr_malcolm
Whatever happens on Saturday, I recommend a pint or 2 at the Kelty Social Club. ONe of my best nights every (because I left alive).
The night was young and the 30p shots were flowing. Give the neck a twitch and the hips headed to the dance floor.....she was hot. Hottest girl in the land, Leopards skin leg ins and a mane that not far of the lion of the town.
After about 4 sec of me given it my best, this was obviously not the village to see me new moves. A 10 ft bouncer, didn't grab me, but rugby tackled me in the middle the dance floor.  Which sent the signal for the whole place to riot.     
Enjoy your day lads. Make sound, make., make peace. 

What the f**k was that
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2 hours ago, Ludo*1 said:

Any chance Strachan can push for a place in our team?

Disappointed to see Fisher is struggling to get back into your team after his injury. How do you feel about him in general?

Last season we had Jack Mackenzie on loan from Aberdeen, he was decent for us and returned to the Don's in January and became a first team regular. 

Strachan, on the other hand has been playing (IMO) better than Mackenzie, and his set pieces have become really helpful for us. (4 assists in 3 games or something similar).  He could probably be in and around the first team, however, please let us keep him for the whole season as he's our only LB.

Fisher had been decent before his injury but with Anderson and Travis back fully fit, he'll probably not partner Munro in defence again.

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2 hours ago, Ludo*1 said:

Any chance Strachan can push for a place in our team?

Disappointed to see Fisher is struggling to get back into your team after his injury. How do you feel about him in general?

Strachan is definitely improving, seems to have a good delivery, was a bit lost at left back to begin with but coming onto a game recently will no doubt be tested on Saturday. Not a chance he could play left back for you just now.

 

Would be surprised to see Fisher get back in team.  Bit of a waste of a loan in retrospect , guess Irvine got spooked by last seasons centre half carousel and brought in too many. With Anderson and Travis now fit can’t see Fisher getting in bar injuries or suspension. He does look decent but the time out injured in his two spells with us suggest it is not worth relying on him.

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Guest mr_malcolm
Strachan is definitely improving, seems to have a good delivery, was a bit lost at left back to begin with but coming onto a game recently will no doubt be tested on Saturday. Not a chance he could play left back for you just now.
 
Would be surprised to see Fisher get back in team.  Bit of a waste of a loan in retrospect , guess Irvine got spooked by last seasons centre half carousel and brought in too many. With Anderson and Travis now fit can’t see Fisher getting in bar injuries or suspension. He does look decent but the time out injured in his two spells with us suggest it is not worth relying on him.

Can we not swap fisher for griffiths in January?
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