Queens v Morton

[DG.Roma]

14 minutes ago, palmy_cammy said:

Doyle and Marshall are our fastest defenders. Makes sense to keep them back to defend against the counter.

I also noticed the lack of stoppage time, very unusual, but then I also commented that there were very few free kicks or offsides.

Doyle is also the most likely Queens player to score from a header though. I'd rather think attack first.

No offsides at all, a sign of two deep defences, or no-one trying to run in behind?

[19QOS19]

Absolutely. Mere seconds in the 1st half and about a minute in the 2nd. In other words enough to make up for about 3 throw-ins. There's never enough time added on. I thought there was a guideline that said it should be 30 seconds for a goal and 30 seconds for each sub. 
A few more observations/frustrations today...
When was the last time Andy Stirling took a shot on goal?
Why did everyone continually play the ball to Stirling and Marshall's feet, slowing down the play rather then letting them run on to it?
Why was Mikey Doyle kept back at corners, especially after winning a good header about midway through the 1st half?
A relief not to lose, but frustrated not to have not won. 2 points at home this week is disappointing.

I thought our players were getting the ball stuck in their feet an awful lot as well and by the time they controlled it Morton were onto them. I actually hate our surface. Dunno what the issue is but it certainly doesn't play as well as it used to and every time I see us on it it seems to happen. We maybe have players who's control is honking but I blame the pitch, especially when it happens so often to Dobbie.

It's handy for a club our size and it makes absolute sense to have it. But I really hate it.

[palmy_cammy]

The pitch looked dry and bobbly today.  When it's like that it looks a total nightmare to play on, with the ball bouncing up and hitting the players on the shin instead of running along the ground, or getting caught under their feet.

Other times though I think the pitch plays really well and looks nice and slick.

I know you are meant to keep them well watered, so perhaps that was the issue today.  I suppose the assumption with a 3G park is that it will be consistent, but I suppose like anything open to the elements there will be some conditions that suit it better than others.

[weeredbook]

44 minutes ago, palmy_cammy said:

The pitch looked dry and bobbly today.  When it's like that it looks a total nightmare to play on, with the ball bouncing up and hitting the players on the shin instead of running along the ground, or getting caught under their feet.

Other times though I think the pitch plays really well and looks nice and slick.

I know you are meant to keep them well watered, so perhaps that was the issue today.  I suppose the assumption with a 3G park is that it will be consistent, but I suppose like anything open to the elements there will be some conditions that suit it better than others.

It's pish .

[Fae_the_'briggs]

The pitch isn't great but as the saying goes,  it's the same for both sides and Morton,  like a lot of our opponents,  seem to pass and control the ball better on it than our players,  so maybe it's more a case of our players struggling to do the basics. 

[QOSQOS]

Re the lack of injury time, if Tuesday’s ref had done same we’d have had a 0-0 and no exciting finish......

[19QOS19]

The pitch isn't great but as the saying goes,  it's the same for both sides and Morton,  like a lot of our opponents,  seem to pass and control the ball better on it than our players,  so maybe it's more a case of our players struggling to do the basics. 

It could be the case but as I've said, Dobbie gets it stuck in feet a lot of the time as well and I think we can both agree he's mastered the basics.

[Rjc-1988]

Have seen us play a lot worse than that and win.After winning at Tannadice two home draws were not really what we were looking for and we still have it all to do especially with Alloa winning.

Some good performances today - Marshall, Wilson, McGuire were excellent but what a transformation in Scott Mercer over past few months.

Another win is required quickly to ease the pressure otherwise we face the prospect of several more nervous cup finals.

Our home form continues to be very unreliable as it has been for past couple of seasons but we certainly created enough chances to have won that game with a bit to spare.

[Paisley Ton]

3 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

I thought we maybe just shaded it, but in the last twenty minutes, it felt like we were as likely to lose it as win it.  

Was anybody else struck by the complete absence of added on time in both halves? Such was the nature of the game, that not much was called for but it's unusual for there to be none, especially in the second half following a couple of substitutions.

Ref had had enough.  Best result at that stage and I can't remember the trainers coming on which demonstrated by the players who were showing an urgency to get a result.

[Monkey Tennis]

On the subject of urgency, I noticed a couple of times in the first half that after our defenders had shepherded the ball out near the corners for a goal kick, they didn't then give the ball to Leighfield, either requiring him to come and get it, or relying on the ball boys stepping in.  It kind of looked a bit like time wasting, but given that it was still 0-0 on each occasion I noticed it, I hope It wasn't.

[19QOS19]

I had to leave around 60 minutes but from what I saw I thought Marshall was the stand-out. Someone has maybe had a word in Mercer's ear recently and said, take a touch and calm down. He isn't hoofing it forward straight away now and is actually showing confidence to try and take a man on. Unless there is an obvious pass I'll never have a go at a player for attempting to do this regardless if they lose the ball or not. I have to admit I'm hoping he's signed for next season. Never ever thought I'd say that. Some of his deliveries in the last two games have been superb as well. Really frustrating no one is capitalising on them.

[palmy_cammy]

Mercer has looked really assured in the last two games, a completely different player to the nervous bombscare of old.

I can’t help but feel having Doyle in beside him is helping. He likes to talk at the best of times, but as a right-back himself (allegedly) Doyle is the perfect man to talk Mercer through the game.

[19QOS19]

On Doyle yapping; also spotted him giving Leighfield praise on numerous occasions over the last few games. Absolutely excellent to have a player dishing out praise like that, especially to a young goalkeeper. I loved Dowie but he was the complete and was forever giving folk pelters.

[The Ghost of B A R P]

We'll take that. Not the most assured performance, our own worst enemy at times, but light years better than last Saturday's crazed bid to get involved in the relegation scramble. We had five minutes after the goal when it looked like another collapse was on the cards, but the players deserve some credit for pulling it round.

The 3-5-2 has delivered two decent away points this week, but I'd bin it for Alloa on Tuesday; Jim McAllister is not a centre-half and the three seems to encourage players not to take responsibility. Hope Johansson isn't fooled into thinking we were 'solid'; we weren't and on another day one of the (many) half chances would have gone in. Kilday and Buchanan (who was miles better than last week) as a pair, please, with Tumilty and Iredale taking turns to get forward. Liking the big goalkeeper.

Surprised by how well Queens fans are taking the draw: thought you were the better and most threatening team for most of the game and was impressed by all of your midfield players. Wilson doesn't look like a player, but is; and Todd should be invited to sample the delights of the Clyde Riviera...

Anybody catch the Falkirk score, btw?

[Mr.Blue]

3 hours ago, 19QOS19 said:

On Doyle yapping; also spotted him giving Leighfield praise on numerous occasions over the last few games. Absolutely excellent to have a player dishing out praise like that, especially to a young goalkeeper. I loved Dowie but he was the complete and was forever giving folk pelters.

Doyle must be a brilliant guy to have in the dressing room and around the club. Yes he has his weaknesses but I was really disappointed when he left us. Happily take him back over any of our current defender's 

[QOSQOS]

8 hours ago, The Ghost of B A R P said:

We'll take that. Not the most assured performance, our own worst enemy at times, but light years better than last Saturday's crazed bid to get involved in the relegation scramble. We had five minutes after the goal when it looked like another collapse was on the cards, but the players deserve some credit for pulling it round.

The 3-5-2 has delivered two decent away points this week, but I'd bin it for Alloa on Tuesday; Jim McAllister is not a centre-half and the three seems to encourage players not to take responsibility. Hope Johansson isn't fooled into thinking we were 'solid'; we weren't and on another day one of the (many) half chances would have gone in. Kilday and Buchanan (who was miles better than last week) as a pair, please, with Tumilty and Iredale taking turns to get forward. Liking the big goalkeeper.

Surprised by how well Queens fans are taking the draw: thought you were the better and most threatening team for most of the game and was impressed by all of your midfield players. Wilson doesn't look like a player, but is; and Todd should be invited to sample the delights of the Clyde Riviera...

Anybody catch the Falkirk score, btw?

After shipping so many late goals in games we could have won during our 7 defeats in a row,  we’ve lowered the bar of expectations. Yes, we had the better chances and arguably deserved more, but that counts for hee-haw in this league. 

Your keeper looked pretty good, he seemed confident, handled it well, and looked to release the ball early.

There’s really very little between the teams.

[Janne Lindberg's Laces]

6 hours ago, Mr.Blue said:

Doyle must be a brilliant guy to have in the dressing room and around the club. Yes he has his weaknesses but I was really disappointed when he left us. Happily take him back over any of our current defender's 

Absolutely this. The fact that Tumilty, who pretty much everyone had written off by October, is now easily our best defender this season says a lot about how we've regressed. Iredale has absolutely gone backwards and the 3 centre halfs are all an accident waiting to happen. Each of them would probably be ok playing alongside Lamie or O'Ware from last season but together it's like petrol and matches.

[Rjc-1988]

One glaring weakness that we have in an attacking sense is our complete inability to get on the end of crosses. We have nobody in a forward sense who is either a natural header of the ball or an instinctive “ghost” who can gamble
and make these great penalty box runs that end in instinctive tap ins. In theory Dykes has the height and physical presence to fit the bill but I can’t remember when he last scored with a header.

Corners are also very fruitless for us. I haven’t made a conscious effort to review stats but I can’t remember us scoring many if any goals from a corner - certainly we don’t look a threat at corners at all.

Contrast that with the Dowie,Durnan, Higgy, Lyle era when there was an air of anticipation when we won a corner and we continually caused mayhem in the opposition box.

We actually tend to score great goals as opposed to scrappy tap ins - they are very pleasing on the eye but we are definitely not capitalising on the full potential that cross balls can offer.

[Nithsdale Wanderer]

13 hours ago, 19QOS19 said:

Really frustrating no one is capitalising on them.

 

9 minutes ago, Rjc-1988 said:

One glaring weakness that we have in an attacking sense is our complete inability to get on the end of crosses. We have nobody in a forward sense who is either a natural header of the ball or an instinctive “ghost” who can gamble
and make these great penalty box runs that end in instinctive tap ins. In theory Dykes has the height and physical presence to fit the bill but I can’t remember when he last scored with a header.

Corners are also very fruitless for us. I haven’t made a conscious effort to review stats but I can’t remember us scoring many if any goals from a corner - certainly we don’t look a threat at corners at all.

Contrast that with the Dowie,Durnan, Higgy, Lyle era when there was an air of anticipation when we won a corner and we continually caused mayhem in the opposition box.

We actually tend to score great goals as opposed to scrappy tap ins - they are very pleasing on the eye but we are definitely not capitalising on the full potential that cross balls can offer.

Totally agree.

Have said repeatedly we lack a  striker with those qualities - neither Dobbie nor Dykes can provide that,

The blame for that lies squarely with Naysmith  as he assembled the squad.

To go the whole season with effectively one striker  - even though that is Dobbie -  is crazy and totally irresponsible.

We had a 'perfect fit' for that role in Lyle  who complemented Dobbie perfectly  but he became yet another quality, experienced player that Naysmith was happy to get rid of.

Who do you think would influence a game more, McGrath or Lyle ?

Whilst on the subject of forward players thank you Livi for taking Dykes off our hands.  Not at all sure what you see in him.

He was his usual self yesterday, knocked off the ball - legally - by a defender in the first few minutes and looked lazy all game.   Once he loses possession he just totally gives up and ambles about as if on the beach,

He likes to think he is a tough player,  well he is in for one big shock at Livi as they are the real deal when it comes to that.

It will take a lot of hard work for him to be moulded into their image.

Not surprisingly I don't think he will make it as he is nowhere near as good as the ' Class of '15  who had mixed fortunes  when they made the step-up.

On a  positive, I thought Doyle and Wilson were very good yesterday.  Wilson is real quality, always wants the ball and distributes it very well too, can go past players and has a  shot on him as well.   Maguire, Mercer and Marshall were not far behind.  

For next season I would want to keep Mercer, Doyle, Marshall and Stirling along with Dobbie.

The most significant change is to get rid of Naysmith.

He has now taken us to the depths of the Division and in his time here has mostly subjected us to negative, unproductive and unattractive football.

There  have been notable exceptions but all too few.

He has made it clear that despite these positive blips his default  approach is for the negative.

Having such an exceptional player as Dobbie at your disposal  for 3 seasons and not capitalising on that is failure in itself.

 

[The Ghost of B A R P]

11 hours ago, Mr.Blue said:

Doyle must be a brilliant guy to have in the dressing room and around the club. Yes he has his weaknesses but I was really disappointed when he left us. Happily take him back over any of our current defender's 

Might take him back as a (squad option) centre-half; no way as right-back... short memories...

Hardly noticed him yesterday, tbh, probably because we did so little in the way of 'attacking'.

Edited to add: there were a few Queens players I'd happily see at Cappielow; Doyle would be pretty far down that list.

Edited again to add: just realised Todd has signed a PCA with Dundee; will do well for them in this division, I'd have thought.