Cowdenbeath 2018-2019

[Aberdeen Cowden]

3 minutes ago, Cowden loyal brethern said:

Sorry the way we're playing we could lose all six

Change could to???

[Muzza81]

3 minutes ago, Cowden loyal brethern said:

Sorry the way we're playing we could lose all six

Absolutely we could but Berwick won’t take 13 points. 

[onecowden]

We will not finish bottom. Berwick and Albion play each other. The chances of Berwick winning four and drawing one while we lose every game is next to zero. 
It’s not inconceivable Albion could catch us as they seem to be on a wee run. 

I agree with this. However we are very poor and lucky we have a cushion. It’s still better than the last two seasons. More improvement needed for next season.

[PELE]

2 hours ago, Muzza81 said:

Absolutely we could but Berwick won’t take 13 points. 

Agree. We are poor, but so are Albion and Berwick. Both of them won't catch us. Both of them will probably lose on Saturday.

[PELE]

3 hours ago, silkybeath said:

Embarrassing performance again by the sound of it! 

This is how bad we were. This is how we played when we were bottom of the league the last two seasons. Hoofball and toothless upfront 

[CowdenLoyal]

I don't think you'll get any Cowden fan arguing that we're delighted we won't be finishing last again. However can we really even call it mid table mediocrity? We're (just) above potentially two worse sides than we had when we finished bottom two years in a row - hardly something to cheer about.

Anyway, we've shown this season in a few games the performances we are capable of. I still absolutely stand by my claim that we have the players capable of better - the blame for not doing so lies at doorstep of Gary Bollan. He's had a fairly easy ride at it in that his only job was to keep us up. In my opinion, I think come the season end, we thank him for that and send him on his way to allow someone new with fresh ideas to come in. I'm confident there will be a better candidate for the job in the waiting.

[MDM]

6 hours ago, CowdenLoyal said:

I'm confident there will be a better candidate for the job in the waiting.

Berwick thought that when they replaced Robbie.......

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

We will not finish bottom. Berwick and Albion play each other. The chances of Berwick winning four and drawing one while we lose every game is next to zero. 
It’s not inconceivable Albion could catch us as they seem to be on a wee run. 

Agree. We are poor, but so are Albion and Berwick. Both of them won't catch us. Both of them will probably lose on Saturday.

Agree with both. Cowden won't be caught by either. The run the rovers are on just now I imagine they'll pick up a few more points, but its hard to see where Berwicks next point is coming from. In their last 3 games they've played 2 teams with more or less nothing to play for (QP & Stirling) and lost both, with a freak 3 points thrown in there against the league leaders.

I don't think you'll get any Cowden fan arguing that we're delighted we won't be finishing last again. However can we really even call it mid table mediocrity? We're (just) above potentially two worse sides than we had when we finished bottom two years in a row - hardly something to cheer about.

Anyway, we've shown this season in a few games the performances we are capable of. I still absolutely stand by my claim that we have the players capable of better - the blame for not doing so lies at doorstep of Gary Bollan. He's had a fairly easy ride at it in that his only job was to keep us up. In my opinion, I think come the season end, we thank him for that and send him on his way to allow someone new with fresh ideas to come in. I'm confident there will be a better candidate for the job in the waiting.

IMO Bollans done what he was asked of this season.... Not finishing bottom. IMO cowdens players could MAYBE have gained an extra place but that's it, certainly not a playoff challenging squad.

[HenryHill]

Very concerned about just how bad its getting. The players gave plenty of effort last night but rest of the performance was terrible. Hoping we are not looking at another relegation play off next season.

[The Minertaur]

It's quite hard to put a positive spin on our form since the end of January.

12 games and 1 win.  Just 7 goals scored in that time (1 penalty, 1 rebound from a penalty and a direct free kick) and 19 conceded.  I think our big problem (ignoring tactics) is that the players aren't actually that good.  Despite having more strikers than we could ever need we don't have anybody who can put it in the net.  Our midfield has zero pace or skill.   We were all screaming for Swann to come in to the team but in the 2 matches I've seen him play recently he's been poor.

Are our set pieces as bad as they always have been?  Genuine question - when did we last score a header from a corner or a free kick?  Could be last week for all I know  

[Muzza81]

30 minutes ago, ++Ammo - Airdrie++ said:

Agree with both. Cowden won't be caught by either. The run the rovers are on just now I imagine they'll pick up a few more points, but its hard to see where Berwicks next point is coming from. In their last 3 games they've played 2 teams with more or less nothing to play for (QP & Stirling) and lost both, with a freak 3 points thrown in there against the league leaders.IMO Bollans done what he was asked of this season.... Not finishing bottom. IMO cowdens players could MAYBE have gained an extra place but that's it, certainly not a playoff challenging squad.

We are absolutely no where near the top 3 but I look at Annan’s squad and hardly pine for a whole host of their players.  We should be challenging for fourth with the squad we have assembled.

At least we haven’t wasted any of the Rangers money on dramatically increasing the budget in January. The only positive. 

[NELLY]

Grim watch last night. 2 terrible teams and the key difference was their front line. Pace and power and they had that tiny bit more up top which was the difference.

Hard working team we are no doubt. Very very limited ability on the ball especially in the forward areas. It was difficult for decent football to break out due to the pitch and intensity in which albion pressed all over the pitch. I think Albion just shaded the game. 3 goals in 9 games is woeful. Give sheerin a longer run out. Young lad bollan did well last night but he is Raw as hell. Imagine we would try get him back again next season.

I echo the sentiment of a couple of posts any good things Gary has done is slowly evaporating due to the poor run/poor performances/poor to watch football. Its likely we will lose Saturday so the players need a win from somewhere in future games.

I would change the shape of the team slightly and give renton a rest. Put sheerin through middle on his own with Allan pushed right up on right side and cox pushed right up on left side. Middle of the pitch Miller/Fraser/Buchanan as a flat 3.

 

[CowdenLoyal]

Despite having more strikers than we could ever need we don't have anybody who can put it in the net.

There's one been sitting on the bench most of the season albeit a hefty one at that.

[Disc Potato]

6 minutes ago, CowdenLoyal said:

 

 

There's one been sitting on the bench most of the season albeit a hefty one at that.

 

A bit of a kick in the teeth for Sheerin last night when he took Rents off. Bringing Kyle on in midfield and pushing Cox through the middle. Thought the big man caused them more trouble in 10 mins than Renton and Allan. Fraser was the one player that put his foot on the ball and tried to play yet he got hooked before Malcolm who was poor and looks to struggle in centre midfield.

Seen a few complaining about Swann but I thought he was good, wasn’t his fault he was asked to send it long every time. I’d take him in a heartbeat. 

I would think for you Bollan has accomplished what was required but won’t get you to the next level, a change is needed for that. 

Not a bad squad for a new manager to start working with, a few additions and change of style could bring positive results. 

[Aberdeen Cowden]

1 hour ago, CowdenLoyal said:

 

 

There's one been sitting on the bench most of the season albeit a hefty one at that.

 

Other than Mullen, at free kicks, we don’t have anyone who can shoot! Just watch the players before a game it’s scary.

[++Ammo - Airdrie++]

We are absolutely no where near the top 3 but I look at Annan’s squad and hardly pine for a whole host of their players.  We should be challenging for fourth with the squad we have assembled.
At least we haven’t wasted any of the Rangers money on dramatically increasing the budget in January. The only positive. 

I can empathise with this.
We (Airdrie) only brought in 2/3 loans in January so there SHOULD be the Celtic money (or most of) in the pot for next year.
We will wait and see.

[Cowden Cowboy]

5 hours ago, Muzza81 said:

We are absolutely no where near the top 3 but I look at Annan’s squad and hardly pine for a whole host of their players.  We should be challenging for fourth with the squad we have assembled.

At least we haven’t wasted any of the Rangers money on dramatically increasing the budget in January. The only positive. 

The Rangers money isn't a cure-all.   There wont be some big sum to take into next season - looking at one aspect of budgets in isolation is a big mistake.  What about how much has been raised by Club 135 against target?  How much sponsorship/fan/director/other cash input has there been against budget or expectation and how much from these sources can be included and relied upon  in next year's budget? 

Edited March 27, 2019 by Cowden Cowboy
typo

[Aberdeen Cowden]

2 hours ago, Cowden Cowboy said:

The Rangers money isn't a cure-all.   There wont be some big sum to take into next season - looking at one aspect of budgets in isolation is a big mistake.  What about how much has been raised by Club 135 against target?  How much sponsorship/fan/director/other cash input has there been against budget or expectation and how much from these sources can be included and relied upon  in next year's budget? 

I’m more worried about this season. A good finish might just attract some fans to return. The football we are playing, even if we stumble through another win, which is doubtful, won’t.

[Muzza81]

2 hours ago, Cowden Cowboy said:

The Rangers money isn't a cure-all.   There wont be some big sum to take into next season - looking at one aspect of budgets in isolation is a big mistake.  What about how much has been raised by Club 135 against target?  How much sponsorship/fan/director/other cash input has there been against budget or expectation and how much from these sources can be included and relied upon  in next year's budget? 

No one is for one minute suggesting it is a "cure-all". I simply stated I am glad the extra money, which we would have received, wasn't used to suddenly increase the playing squad budget.

[the_bully_wee]

From the outside looking in, Cowden have a few right good players - McGurn is obviously still a very good keeper, even if he's on the decline, Deas (though absent just now) is a centre-back almost certainly destined for a full-time career, Gary Fraser has largely played at Championship level and above and Jordan Allan has undoubted talent, although perhaps the attitudes of the latter can be questioned to a degree. Renton seems to get a lot of stick, but any time I've seen him he's been a pretty effective target man - I just don't think his strengths are played to (well) enough. Cox is not much more than a competent player at this level; a real hard-worker but not really explosive enough to be considered a stand-out. One that I find interesting is the ongoing situation with Harvey Swann; any time I've seen him, he's struck me as a pretty standard young modern full-back in that he's got decent technical ability - and certainly a good build - but deficiencies in the defensive side of his game. That's never really been something Bollan's been keen on, and the solution of playing good attacking full-backs as wingers very seldom works out - completely different running from deep into space when you're generally not directly marked to having to take men on or make attacking runs early in transition. 

Bollan is underperforming with what he's got at his disposal - Muzza has done a world's first and hit a nail on the head with his Annan comparison. They're largely a bunch of jobbers with what would seem to be a very competent manager at the helm, and in most seasons would be a lot closer to what is at present a very strong top three. The issue, as always, is who do you bring in that's better? Annan lucked out big-time with a complete shot in the dark in Murphy, and such risks might end up taking you back towards the drop zone.