Linlithgow Rose - 2019 onwards

[Auld Heid]

From a position of parity we've imploded. This wasn't a plucky underdog battling to stay in a game, this was two evenly matched sides. A great opportunity blown.

Unfortunately our 2 central defenders have not had the greatest of games.

After 90 minutes I felt we had a chance as they aren't 3 leagues better than us.

However the first half of extra time we have imploded.

[AlanCamelonfan]

1 minute ago, Auld Heid said:

Unfortunately our 2 central defenders have not had the greatest of games.

After 90 minutes I felt we had a chance as they aren't 3 leagues better than us.

However the first half of extra time we have imploded.
 

At 90 minutes in normal years you would be back down the road with a replay 

[GordonS]

Full time. Eight minutes of madness turned a big night into a bit of a shambles.

[happy]

Unlucky, but, I was wondering if the changes to the back four helped or hindered. And what was the score when the changes were made?

[Auld Heid]

Unlucky, but, I was wondering if the changes to the back four helped or hindered. And what was the score when the changes were made?

Poor defending was our downfall, quite simply if you don't defend well you don't win.

In the wider context, for a team 3 Tiers above ourselves they were no great shakes.

But hey ho, good luck to them.

3 attempts and Forfar still haven't beat us in 90 minutes.

[Casey Jones]

23 minutes ago, FuzzyBear said:

Made up any more stories about your family recently you utter fantasist.

Its just bantur!!

[BonessBWAH_]

[GordonS]

17 hours ago, BonessBWAH_ said:

Rent-free.

[GordonS]

17 hours ago, happy said:

Unlucky, but, I was wondering if the changes to the back four helped or hindered. And what was the score when the changes were made?

IMO Gary Thom isn't a centre half. He doesn't pay enough attention to where he is in relation to his fellow centre-half and the only times he's done well there are when he had someone beside him telling him where to be. He's a very good footballer and a great person to have in your team, but at centre half you're measured by how little you get wrong rather than how much you get right, and he gets it too wrong too often.

Brownlie went for a few wanders long before the roof caved in, which was worrying. A few times he followed the man he was marking much too far up the pitch, leaving Thom exposed.

They could have had more support from the full backs and from midfield. I think it was telling that we looked much more vulnerable after Bembo was replaced by Watt, and it was 1-1 at that point. Nimmo came on after it had gone to 4-1.

But in fairness to the defence, if we'd scored from the chances we had then we'd have won in 90 minutes. We had a sustained period of pressure around 80 minutes, in which we had - and pretty much wasted - four corners from the right, and Ronald could maybe have done better than fire against the keeper when he had a one-on-one.

Overall the game was more evidence to how I've found out matches against part-time league clubs - they have less creativity than us, and that you find at EoS level and can be very predictable and one-dimensional. Technique is deeply unimpressive, especially in midfield. But they carry more threat up front and they keep their levels better over the course of a match. It's not a big gap though and IMO the distance between where Forfar are and 10 places above is much wider than where Forfar are and us. 

[Deanburn Dave]

.........but at centre half you're measured by how little you get wrong rather than how much you get right,

100% agree. The best centrehalf's make the game look easy by keeping it simple and being risk averse. Playing it out from the back against a high pressing team is for MOTD not the lower leagues.

[Auld Heid]

IMO Gary Thom isn't a centre half. He doesn't pay enough attention to where he is in relation to his fellow centre-half and the only times he's done well there are when he had someone beside him telling him where to be. He's a very good footballer and a great person to have in your team, but at centre half you're measured by how little you get wrong rather than how much you get right, and he gets it too wrong too often.
Brownlie went for a few wanders long before the roof caved in, which was worrying. A few times he followed the man he was marking much too far up the pitch, leaving Thom exposed.
They could have had more support from the full backs and from midfield. I think it was telling that we looked much more vulnerable after Bembo was replaced by Watt, and it was 1-1 at that point. Nimmo came on after it had gone to 4-1.
But in fairness to the defence, if we'd scored from the chances we had then we'd have won in 90 minutes. We had a sustained period of pressure around 80 minutes, in which we had - and pretty much wasted - four corners from the right, and Ronald could maybe have done better than fire against the keeper when he had a one-on-one.
Overall the game was more evidence to how I've found out matches against part-time league clubs - they have less creativity than us, and that you find at EoS level and can be very predictable and one-dimensional. Technique is deeply unimpressive, especially in midfield. But they carry more threat up front and they keep their levels better over the course of a match. It's not a big gap though and IMO the distance between where Forfar are and 10 places above is much wider than where Forfar are and us. 

I agree Thom wouldn't be my 1st choice for centre half.

Would rather start with Nimmo and Brownlie and Thom at right back.

Nimmo joined us last January and in the games he played looked the part.

Stevenson hasn't done anything wrong, so my preference for Thom is on past experiences of him at RB.

Kyle Wilson hasn't impressed with his poor workrate, that said I'm convinced he is lost playing wide and needs to be closer to TC.

TC is still a cut above, even playing as our target man. He continues to look at times our only real goal threat.

I felt we looked to be playing 4-3-3 yesterday but with a midfield not helped by either full back or Wilson / Ronald and this resulted in as being to narrow at times, which Forfar exploited.

We ended up victim of our own errors.

[GordonS]

24 minutes ago, Auld Heid said:

TC is still a cut above, even playing as our target man. He continues to look at times our only real goal threat.
 

He's got such great positioning and instincts and timing and touch, we've been ridiculously lucky to have him for a decade. He's not as fit or quick as he was but, as they say, he runs the first 5 yards in his head. 

[8MileBU]

2 hours ago, GordonS said:

Rent-free.

Rent-free indeed.

Maybe reign in the dregs of your own support first before you make yourself look silly due to their remarks.

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by 8MileBU

[FuzzyBear]

1 hour ago, 8MileBU said:

Rent-free indeed.

Maybe reign in the dregs of your own support first before you make yourself look silly due to their remarks.

 

Still seething . 

[grinderbrokeyourhearts]

I can’t really understand the criticism of the centre halves.

the first goal was a run from midfield into the box, second one was really unfortunate off of Cairns right into the striker.

third one was the sub getting a run on a tired Stevenson and the fourth one, well ok you can maybe say that one should have been dealt with.

I like Nimmo but he’s nowhere near the fitness of Thom and Brownlie at the minute. He’s coming back from injury and not playing isn’t helping but I think our back four are pretty good. 

[GordonS]

1 hour ago, grinderbrokeyourhearts said:

I can’t really understand the criticism of the centre halves.

the first goal was a run from midfield into the box, second one was really unfortunate off of Cairns right into the striker.

third one was the sub getting a run on a tired Stevenson and the fourth one, well ok you can maybe say that one should have been dealt with.

I like Nimmo but he’s nowhere near the fitness of Thom and Brownlie at the minute. He’s coming back from injury and not playing isn’t helping but I think our back four are pretty good. 

I've just gone back and watched the goals again. I'm not blaming Thom and Brownlie for all the goals btw, but I would say they didn't play well and I don't have a lot of confidence in that pairing.

Gary Thom loses his man for the first goal, he runs off the back of Gary to the edge of the six yard box and side-foots a gentle cross home without any challenge.

Second goal wasn't unfortunate off Cairns, he inexplicably heads the ball towards goal, where it drops right in front on an incoming Forfar player. I can't imagine what he was trying to do and the fact he has his head in his hands afterwards suggests he doesn't either.

Third goal - someone should have prevented the keeper taking the quick free-kick. Where was the defence after our set-piece though? Watt took a free-kick from the right and Thom and Brownlie were up for it. There were a few more phases on the right and neither of them made their way back. They're heading back as the keeper hits the quick free kick over them, and Stevenson is immediately caught one-on-one. If the centre halves are up then there should be a couple of others on the halfway line. I'm not sure Stevenson was even supposed to be one of them, because he takes part in some of the play on the right after Watt's free kick. All in all it's a dog's dinner.

Fourth goal, Brownlie has it under control and then the striker pushes past him to poke it by Schwake.

On re-watching them I wasn't giving enough credit to Forfar though - for the third goal the keeper shows very quick thinking and it's a really good finish, and for the fourth goal it was a smart bit of opportunism. But all four goals were still cheap. 

[Auld Heid]

I can’t really understand the criticism of the centre halves.
the first goal was a run from midfield into the box, second one was really unfortunate off of Cairns right into the striker.
third one was the sub getting a run on a tired Stevenson and the fourth one, well ok you can maybe say that one should have been dealt with.
I like Nimmo but he’s nowhere near the fitness of Thom and Brownlie at the minute. He’s coming back from injury and not playing isn’t helping but I think our back four are pretty good. 

We don't keep many blank sheets, my starting point for assessing a defence.

On Saturday we conceded minutes after scoring. Then conceded two within a minute.

If your defence is solid that takes a bit of pressure of others. Goals for hasn't been our issue.

[grinderbrokeyourhearts]

We’ll agree to disagree. We’ve got the second best defence in the league behind Jeanfield.

We’ve played a settled side three games on the bounce and I think that’s our best 11.

Gordon watch it again, first goal is a runner from midfield. Second Cairns is unsighted by the player in front of him. Wind definitely plays a part and the third I don’t think we can be too critical when someone who’s been on for 15 mins out paces someone who’s been flat out against their best player for 100.

asking a bit much if you ask me guys. That was a great performance and Covid is the only reason we aren’t crowing about it. I’d have fancied us at home in the replay.

[GordonS]

On 18/03/2020 at 21:06, Deanburn Dave said:

We're all missing the Fitbaw lads but discussing the Rose team for a postponed fixture is a desperate cry for help. Going to be a long wait before we see a ball kicked in anger.

You were right about that long wait.

A year ago tonight that the Rose last played a fixture in front of fans, away at Heriot Watt.

[Black Dug]

You were right about that long wait.
A year ago tonight that the Rose last played a fixture in front of fans, away at Heriot Watt.

It's been a long year...