Linlithgow Rose - 2019 onwards

[grinderbrokeyourhearts]

Maybe but I've seen nothing to show me they are anything more than backup.

 

Agree we need to get behind the manager and team and I am. That doesn't mean we don't criticise when they aren't doing it because we've been rebuilding for the best part of a decade.

 

Criticism should provide ammo for players to prove wrong.

 

Htg

 

 

Think that's a tad harsh on the keepers as I don't think they've done much wrong.

 

The squad needs an overhaul, that's not unusual in the meantime we need to have everyone get behind them amd the manager show his credentials and do his best with them.

 

Our time will come again so suck up the not so great times and it makes the good times even sweeter.

 

HTG!

 

[grinderbrokeyourhearts]

Ronald was one of our best against falkirk when we raised our game. In a good side I'd still keep him and he's still a goal threat with pace.

Roddy has earned the chance to come back from injury and we don't have many who can win a game just now. If it wasn't for TC in the last six season we'd have been relegated, yes needs to get fit but nowhere near the cut.

Ronalds not had a good game for months if not pre injury. TC May be better with a more creative midfield. Roddys got a lot to prove, can win a game but more often than not a passenger

[grinderbrokeyourhearts]

Ronald was one of our best against falkirk when we raised our game. In a good side I'd still keep him and he's still a goal threat with pace.

Roddy has earned the chance to come back from injury and we don't have many who can win a game just now. If it wasn't for TC in the last six season we'd have been relegated, yes needs to get fit but nowhere near the cut.

Ronalds not had a good game for months if not pre injury. TC May be better with a more creative midfield. Roddys got a lot to prove, can win a game but more often than not a passenger

[Auld Heid]

Ronalds not had a good game for months if not pre injury. TC May be better with a more creative midfield. Roddys got a lot to prove, can win a game but more often than not a passenger

Roddys become a luxury who spends more time injured than he plays.

A crying shame as a class act when on his game - unfortunately they are becoming further apart.

[GordonS]

So we're having the clearout discussion and it's not even Christmas...

I honestly don't think we're that far off it. If McGowan can step up and organise the defence we could be alright back there. A better keeper would be nice.

We sorely lack presence in midfield, especially since Barbour left. I like Meikle but he's not a long-term option. Ruari is infuriatingly inconsistent these days, he goes missing for long spells and can be very sloppy in possession. Defensively, at times he runs back the way a guy that's late for work and doesn't want to go in runs for a bus - like he's making the effort, but not so much he'll actually catch it. He's our biggest talent but he doesn't look happy.

I have faith that Ronald can get back to his better habits, especially in a winning team. Allum's maybe a better choice in the 9 position than TC, he's physical and can hold the ball up, while TC can be creative between the lines. TC definitely has too many miles on the clock, but for this level he's still a huge threat.

I might be wrong here but if McGowan pulls them together I think we're only short of a keeper and a physical midfielder, plus a bit of consistency, from having a first XI that can win this league next year. We really need better squad players though, because with all respect to honest, hard-working guys like the Smiths, they're not good enough for that level. 

[sponsorsladdie]

So we're having the clearout discussion and it's not even Christmas...
I honestly don't think we're that far off it. If McGowan can step up and organise the defence we could be alright back there. A better keeper would be nice.
We sorely lack presence in midfield, especially since Barbour left. I like Meikle but he's not a long-term option. Ruari is infuriatingly inconsistent these days, he goes missing for long spells and can be very sloppy in possession. Defensively, at times he runs back the way a guy that's late for work and doesn't want to go in runs for a bus - like he's making the effort, but not so much he'll actually catch it. He's our biggest talent but he doesn't look happy.
I have faith that Ronald can get back to his better habits, especially in a winning team. Allum's maybe a better choice in the 9 position than TC, he's physical and can hold the ball up, while TC can be creative between the lines. TC definitely has too many miles on the clock, but for this level he's still a huge threat.
I might be wrong here but if McGowan pulls them together I think we're only short of a keeper and a physical midfielder, plus a bit of consistency, from having a first XI that can win this league next year. We really need better squad players though, because with all respect to honest, hard-working guys like the Smiths, they're not good enough for that level. 

I’d completely disagree. 2 keepers are good for me. McGowan looks good, Thom and Hutchinson along with Gray gives a back 4. But we need cover there. Meikel is short term and I think Ruari looks frustrated as who ever he is pared with struggles to understand their role in the team or are good enough. Need a couple more bodies on there. Disagree with Ronald. Need extra options out wide and another up top.

[surely not!]

TC May be better with a more creative midfield.

And by ‘creative’ you mean ‘will do all the work and deliver balls on a plate for him because he’s either not fit enough, not bothered enough or not clever enough to work hard and be where the team needs him to’

[sponsorsladdie]

And by ‘creative’ you mean ‘will do all the work and deliver balls on a plate for him because he’s either not fit enough, not bothered enough or not clever enough to work hard and be where the team needs him to’

Still on 15 goals by the end of Nov. I agree his work rate is low but he will probably end up on around 30 goals again this seasons hard to take that out a team and have someone hit the ground running to replace the goals

[GordonS]

9 hours ago, sponsorsladdie said:

 

 

I’d completely disagree. 2 keepers are good for me. McGowan looks good, Thom and Hutchinson along with Gray gives a back 4. But we need cover there. Meikel is short term and I think Ruari looks frustrated as who ever he is pared with struggles to understand their role in the team or are good enough. Need a couple more bodies on there. Disagree with Ronald. Need extra options out wide and another up top.

 

 

I think the only things we're disagreeing on is Ronald and forward options.

But we've not been bad going forward. We've got the third highest goals-per-game ratio in the league this season, only Dundonald and Jeanfield are ahead of us on that. The problem, as it has been since the start of last season, is conceding goals. We have the third worst record in the league, conceding at twice the rate of Bo'ness.

Last season we outscored Broxburn by 23 goals - near enough a goal a game. Most weeks we got away with a dodgy defence because we were playing weak teams, but we conceded 3 or more goals 8 times in 38 competitive games. So far this season we've conceded 3 or more goals 6 times in 20 games, including a 6 at Musselburgh and a 5 at Camelon. That's terrible.

IMO that's mostly been about centre half pairings, but also a lack of protection in midfield, especially in front of the full backs and in the channels. The weakness has bled through the team and caused confidence to fall. I think if we can sort out our shit at the back, everything else will improve. Even when we were winning games 5-2 I would have preferred to see us winning 1-0 and 2-0, because we could rarely control games and see out a win against decent opponents. Two season ago I thought there were only 5 players worth keeping, I just don't think we're as bad as that right now.

[Specky]

Wow! Must be a slow news day if one of the resident thick stalkers has had to trawl all the way back to pre season to have a dig....

[Specky]

One one half time.

The only time the rose got the ball down and played we cut thru the star to score.....

[GordonS]

Nitten number 6 is getting a lot of time on the ball, he plays with his head up and is finding good passes. I only got here about 20 minutes into the game, since then Nitten have had the better chances.

[GordonS]

Thank f**k for Tommy Coyne. Utter legend.

[Auld Heid]

Thank f**k for Tommy Coyne. Utter legend.

6 was Adam Nelson who played with the Rose a few years ago - in his prime.

That was a hard watch - a wonder strike from TC with the last kick to win the game was the only highlight.

Two poor teams on show tonight.

[Specky]

What an absolute worldy to win it with last kick of match!

[GordonS]

That's a perfect example of why I don't think we'll be in relegation danger. We were dugshite for long stretches of that and a few of those players shouldn't be wearing the shirt. But Ruari slaloms through the midfield and slips Ronald in to create the chaos for the equaliser; then TC loses his marker and unleashes a dipper over the keeper from out on the right to win it with the last kick of the ball. There's enough talent that we'll score the goals to keep us afloat, but there's a lot of cracks being papered over here.

Adam Nelson... I thought he looked familiar, I presumed I must have seen him play against us for someone else. He could do a job for us right now. 

[Bufty Boots]

7 minutes ago, GordonS said:

That's a perfect example of why I don't think we'll be in relegation danger. We were dugshite for long stretches of that and a few of those players shouldn't be wearing the shirt. But Ruari slaloms through the midfield and slips Ronald in to create the chaos for the equaliser; then TC loses his marker and unleashes a dipper over the keeper from out on the right to win it with the last kick of the ball. There's enough talent that we'll score the goals to keep us afloat, but there's a lot of cracks being papered over here.

Adam Nelson... I thought he looked familiar, I presumed I must have seen him play against us for someone else. He could do a job for us right now. 

Interested to know who you don’t think should be wearing the shirt. We know you have issues with the defence but let’s not sit on the fence. 
Adam is a great guy and probably still can do a job at many places but the last thing we need is signing ex players with a history - I suspect that’s where we lost a manager this season.

[8MileBU]

Adam Nelson... I thought he looked familiar, I presumed I must have seen him play against us for someone else. He could do a job for us right now. 

Yer Coyne’s and yer McLennan’s get the bulk of the praise for the Rose’s successful spell but for me Adam Nelson was your top man back then. The glue that kept it all together. Class player. Also an expert at a ‘good foul’ and knowing when to take one for the team.

[Black Dug]

What a last kick of the ball!
Poor for large spells but when we played through the midfield we looked alright, shame we resorted to lumping it too often. The root cause is we don't have someone in the mould of Nelson who can just stroll around putting his foot on the ball and spray passes about. Someone of that ilk would definitely help Rooster out.
Hutchinson adds a lot of energy when he plays. No idea why he doesn't get more game time.

[lithgierose]

29 minutes ago, Black Dug said:

What a last kick of the ball!
Poor for large spells but when we played through the midfield we looked alright, shame we resorted to lumping it too often. The root cause is we don't have someone in the mould of Nelson who can just stroll around putting his foot on the ball and spray passes about. Someone of that ilk would definitely help Rooster out.
Hutchinson adds a lot of energy when he plays. No idea why he doesn't get more game time.

Big Lee noticed the problem imo. Stopped playing from the back. Then launched it on top of them. Couple of passes then, gggoooaaaalllll