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The Official Airdrieonians Thread - 2019/20 and beyond


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7 minutes ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:

I thought your suggestion was that we could never win the league with our budget?

It's beginning to look like it i'm afraid as numerous attempts have proven although it's fair to say i never thought we could win it this season.

 

10 minutes ago, ShineOnYouCrazyDiamonds said:

I just don’t think we can really blame any of our shortcomings on budget since it’s mismanagement from a rookie manager trying to do two jobs that’s the real issue. I‘d really like to see a new (non-playing) assistant manager brought in and Dycey returning to just player and captain to allow someone to manage from the dug out and Dycey to concentrate on his game.

So what was our budget then?

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What can you even say about the defending at this point? Riley a complete disaster. McCabe’s backwards header lays the equaliser on a plate. Watson pathetic for the penalty and corner. And Lyness and Fordyce as dreadful as always at the corner for the 4th.

A real indictment of McCabe’s coaching, shape and game management that this nonsense is still happening every week. What is going to change things? New centre-halves? A proper coach with autonomy in the dugout and at training? Because this isn’t good enough and it’s a waste of all the talent that is in this team. To potentially not even reach the play-offs with Frizzell, Smith, Gal, Ballantyne, Rae, Telfer, McCabe and Fordyce in that squad is a disgrace and a waste of not only all that talent but the progress made on the park in the last few seasons. That, and then consequently losing all of those players is my biggest fear. Get to the play-offs and McCabe would deserve another crack at it but if we don’t then he has to go. But either way, without either new centre-halves and/or a defensive midfielder or a new coach, that team isn’t getting promoted. 
 

 

Edited by airdrieman
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The lack of defensive cover that @ShineOnYouCrazyDiamondsmentions is a good point. I saw an interview with Fordyce recently where he mentioned that everyone has to be on top of their game to stay in the team but he’s been abysmal for most of the season yet is still playing every week. Watching back the goals, it was him who was marking See for the 4th goal and let him have a clear run at goal. Watson has been our best centre back but even he’s had a couple of nightmare games (yesterday, Peterhead at home). I don’t mind ATS and think he’s largely been fine but I don’t think he actually provides a serious challenge, as he’s not a natural centre back and does anyone expect him to start anyway?

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38 minutes ago, airdrieman said:

What can you even say about the defending at this point? Riley a complete disaster. McCabe’s backwards header lays the equaliser on a plate. Watson pathetic for the penalty and corner. And Lyness and Fordyce as dreadful as always at the corner for the 4th.

A real indictment of McCabe’s coaching, shape and game management that this nonsense is still happening every week. What is going to change things? New centre-halves? A proper coach with autonomy in the dugout and at training? Because this isn’t good enough and it’s a waste of all the talent that is in this team. To potentially not even reach the play-offs with Frizzell, Smith, Gal, Ballantyne, Rae, Telfer, McCabe and Fordyce in that squad is a disgrace and a waste of not only all that talent but the progress made on the park in the last few seasons. That, and then consequently losing all of those players is my biggest fear. Get to the play-offs and McCabe would deserve another crack at it but if we don’t then he has to go. But either way, without either new centre-halves and/or a defensive midfielder or a new coach, that team isn’t getting promoted. 
 

 

I know Riley gets caught wrong side but that's a real soft penalty. No appeals from the Edinburgh players normally tells the story.

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2 hours ago, Kenny_m said:

I know Riley gets caught wrong side but that's a real soft penalty. No appeals from the Edinburgh players normally tells the story.

What about Gabby on sat would you have replaced him, exactly what did he bring to te game, 

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22 minutes ago, Jack Reed said:

What about Gabby on sat would you have replaced him, exactly what did he bring to te game, 

Yeh he was definitely the correct substitution for Jamieson although could argued that his replacement didn't contribute either.

There were some good performances yesterday, Ballantyne was having his best game until injury struck, Telfer, Smith and Gallagher were also great. 

Edited by Kenny_m
Grammar
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7 minutes ago, Kenny_m said:

Yeh he was definitely the correct substitution for Jamieson although could argued that his replacement didn't contribute either.

There were some good performances yesterday, Ballantyne was having his best game until injury struck, Telfer, Smith and Gallagher were also great. 

Telfer definitely playing better now, any word on Ballantyne? 

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23 minutes ago, Jack Reed said:

What about Gabby on sat would you have replaced him, exactly what did he bring to te game, 

McGill did nothing again,  he should have been replaced not by LJ but a midfielder to tighten it up, we were still in the game at that point,  the sub basically played into he hands of the Edinburgh centre backs..

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Looking at the league table the best two teams in the division (Dunfermline and Edinburgh) both have two quality central defenders in both Benedictus and Fontaine. Both of those players I'd bite your hand off for just now.

Both Fordyce and Watson wouldn't get in any of those two starting elevens. Fordyce has regressed so much this season from being our most consistent defender. As other posters have already pointed out priority should be signing a good quality centre half or failing that a defensive midfielder.

I think some of our support have given Watson a pretty easy time of it. During the Falkirk game he got away with the shove on Burrell which would of been a booking and the shove on Alegria which should of been a penalty and a red card. For me at centre back he's always got bomscare moments in him and that will cost us more points. I've heard folk within our support describe him as 'collosal' and a 'Unit' which is laughable. He is much more suited to being a right back.

If we don't address the defensive issues I can see us finishing around 6th/7th with 4-4 draws to the likes of QOS etc. 

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5 minutes ago, David Fernández said:

Looking at the league table the best two teams in the division (Dunfermline and Edinburgh) both have two quality central defenders in both Benedictus and Fontaine. Both of those players I'd bite your hand off for just now.

Both Fordyce and Watson wouldn't get in any of those two starting elevens. Fordyce has regressed so much this season from being our most consistent defender. As other posters have already pointed out priority should be signing a good quality centre half or failing that a defensive midfielder.

I think some of our support have given Watson a pretty easy time of it. During the Falkirk game he got away with the shove on Burrell which would of been a booking and the shove on Alegria which should of been a penalty and a red card. For me at centre back he's always got bomscare moments in him and that will cost us more points. I've heard folk within our support describe him as 'collosal' and a 'Unit' which is laughable. He is much more suited to being a right back.

If we don't address the defensive issues I can see us finishing around 6th/7th with 4-4 draws to the likes of QOS etc. 

As for Fordyce good job he is cousin of the manager , 

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To be honest we don't have much w rong,    therein lies the problem though, it is fixing the wrongs, I think we all agree we need a better quality left b ack, a physical centre half and someone To play in front of Ballantyne on the right side,  McGill not cutting it there,  Deveney although improving was caught making basic errors,   Fordyce in his own interview saying no one is un droppable he appears to be,    

 

we get 3 decent additions to those areas and we make playoffs,  sign ing neat and tidy midfield players is great if you need then, we don't,   Stanway is supposedly t he real deal,  will he get much game time,  debatable and if that is the case why sign him....   

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41 minutes ago, Passionate said:

To be honest we don't have much w rong,    therein lies the problem though, it is fixing the wrongs, I think we all agree we need a better quality left b ack, a physical centre half and someone To play in front of Ballantyne on the right side,  McGill not cutting it there,  Deveney although improving was caught making basic errors,   Fordyce in his own interview saying no one is un droppable he appears to be,    

 

we get 3 decent additions to those areas and we make playoffs,  sign ing neat and tidy midfield players is great if you need then, we don't,   Stanway is supposedly t he real deal,  will he get much game time,  debatable and if that is the case why sign him....   

Totally agree in as much as there isn't that much wrong with the side that can't be fixed fairly easily. looking back at the goals lost on DTV it is clear to me that

the first step is changing the goalie. Some of the goals conceded are Sunday league stuff from him. Fordyce I'm afraid is not winning too many of his one on one battles at the back and this has cost us,  although personally I would rather have him with a new center half rather than keeping Watson. Again from watching the highlights, the lack of height from players like McCabe, Telfer and Frizz are an open invitation to most of the bigger sides at set pieces.

Let's start with Rae in goal this Saturday and see if he can marshall that defence. It must be so frustrating for our forwards to keep producing the goals only for the defence to concede with such total ineptitude.

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1 hour ago, moses1924 said:

I wonder if bringing in an asistant manager would be something to consider, take the presure off Fordyce from that side of things and someone on the bench to feed into McCabe's thinking?

I think it would certainly help. We’re still  waiting on the support structure that was mentioned in the summer, unless it’s all behind the scenes, but an experienced assistant would be a big help.

As others have said, we’re not far away from being a good team. We’re great going forward, play decent football most weeks and have won plenty of games this season. The issues have been the same all season though, even when we’ve been winning games, so if McCabe and Fordyce can’t fix them then something does need to change. The lack of options doesn’t help but it feels like we rarely change our gameplan through subs or tactics mid-game, so having an extra pair of eyes on the touchline could help.

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21 hours ago, David Fernández said:

Looking at the league table the best two teams in the division (Dunfermline and Edinburgh) both have two quality central defenders in both Benedictus and Fontaine. Both of those players I'd bite your hand off for just now.

Both Fordyce and Watson wouldn't get in any of those two starting elevens. Fordyce has regressed so much this season from being our most consistent defender. As other posters have already pointed out priority should be signing a good quality centre half or failing that a defensive midfielder.

I think some of our support have given Watson a pretty easy time of it. During the Falkirk game he got away with the shove on Burrell which would of been a booking and the shove on Alegria which should of been a penalty and a red card. For me at centre back he's always got bomscare moments in him and that will cost us more points. I've heard folk within our support describe him as 'collosal' and a 'Unit' which is laughable. He is much more suited to being a right back.

If we don't address the defensive issues I can see us finishing around 6th/7th with 4-4 draws to the likes of QOS etc. 

Green dotted for content. Can you however, please, please start using HAVE and not of. Or even should've and could've.

I'd be eternally grateful.

14 hours ago, moses1924 said:

I wonder if bringing in an asistant manager would be something to consider, take the presure off Fordyce from that side of things and someone on the bench to feed into McCabe's thinking?

Discussed this with others and believe there is definitely merit in having someone on the bench (or stand) who can see what is happening on the pitch and make, or suggest, the necessary changes. 

We dominated on Monday v Edinburgh for the first 20 minutes until Maybury made some tactical tweaks which brought them back into it. Sure we then contributed massively to our own downfall but also our management duo on the pitch weren't capable of seeing what was going wrong because they're too involved in the match. We had Hutton on the bench who was more intent on winding up and getting involved in scraps with the opposition bench. Some fans may well lap that kind of shit up but it doesn't do the team any good. I can't for the life of me see where our direction is coming from during those 90+ minutes on the field and until we have someone in the dugout capable of seeing and reacting to what is going on we'll continue to have these kind of results. Agnew would have been a good option but alas that ship has now sailed.

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Agreed that having a 'manager' on the sidelines is always going to be beneficial but I think a lot of our woes come down to personnell and the style we play. In most games we are high energy and tempo from the start and this is the part of the game where we usually dominate.

As the game progresses we lose momentum and generally find ourselves on the back foot, relying on the speed of our forwards to keep a high press. Most opposition managers have noticed this of course and so have the fans. That is why none of us relaxed at two up on Saturday. The secret then is to be able to hold on to a lead and that is where we fall down big time in terms of the center of the defence and  having a quality goal keeper.

I would not be averse to more guidance from the sidelines in terms of substitutions and 'breaking the play up', but ultimately Rhys is responsible for the set up.

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Having watched the highlights last night (I originally watched the game on DTV on Monday) it's impossible to tell if the first penalty was a foul or not because of the position of the camera. However for me, the Edinburgh player bought the second one by diving into Watson's leg. It took me 2over two days to watch the highlights because Monday was so painful and maybe we do need to add more cynicism to our game but I don't like to see it. I also hate when players cup their hands round their ears or put their fingers to their lips aimed at opposition fans - it is a clear "f**k you" gesture that should be yellow carded. And no, I still haven't got over losing that game from 2-0 up and cruising...

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