Ayr United v Alloa Athletic

[BukyOHare]

14 minutes ago, Honest_Man#1 said:

This page of the thread is a perfect example of showing how frustrating/difficult it must be being employed in football. Several fans delighted with the interview, then someone with a completely contrasting view criticising it. It’s impossible to win with a football fan base.

I'm not criticising it, just passing an opinion. And agree it must be very difficult or else we'd all be doing it.....

Those in football, and I dont miss our own club here, don't truly give a flying fox about the supporters or what they think, fact. The majority in the game have more faces than the town hall clock, fact.

Theyll then sit and discuss ad nauseam, the merits of an average home gate of around 900 fans over our last 2 home games and drip feed sob stories into the public domain about a poor short term cash flow. And then ultimately bemoan it affecting our January transfer budget, we've all seen this film before.

 

 

Edited December 14, 2019 by BukyOHare

[UpInTheAyr]

A few times today Houston & Harvie found themselves clean through in the box and you could see them hesitate for a second looking for a pass when the best option was to shoot themselves.One of the most encouraging things for today was how many different kinds of goal scoring opportunities the  team created, even if they weren't able to finish them. Even Kelly was getting himself positioned at the 18 yard line, which we haven't seen for a while.

Edited December 14, 2019 by UpInTheAyr

[wuffster]

[Lochwood]

Big improvement in last couple of games and again in terrible conditions, Harvie , Docherty, and Forrest back to more like themselves, and young Doohan with the late save like the Bell Muirhead partnership, story I know I harp on but Moore no lack of effort  but there’s better at the club, hopefully a confidence booster for next week.

[D'Jaffo]

Apologies to Muirhead. At the time I thought he had put the ball back into the box for Buchanan’s chance at the death.

[Iain]

From the highlights that looks a strong performance. 2 going on 5. As well Doohan made that save though!

[Trogdor]

Much better performance yesterday. It should have been more comfortable and we almost conspired to let them score at the end. What a travesty that would have been. 

 

[Guest]

Although it's not been pretty to watch over the past few games prior to yesterday, I think we need to appreciate that we had some really tough games and we were missing McCowan (who's arguably been our best player this season) and also Bell (who steadies things at the back and starts off many of our moves), over and above this Kerr himself was missing from the playing staff so again another huge miss and basically left us without any creativity.

Unlike some, I'm quite happy with taking four points from six this week and a quick glance at the league table tells you that we must be doing something right (or at least better than most others), Yes, we have a tough run coming up but nothing can be taken for granted in this league and the bottom line is that we're back to 3rd in the league and just behind 2nd.

There's no doubt we'll lose and draw lots more games this season but I think we need to all try and get behind Kerr and the team as they're all doing their best...........

[Jazzar]

Thought we were very good yesterday and especially considering the atrocious weather. Playing the ball on the ground in such conditions is the right tactic but you have to be capable of doing that in the first place - meaning players must find space and have sufficient speed to make space and become available. With Forrest and McCowan on the pitch we usually had that 'out' option. Our passing was crisp and accurate for the most part and I was pleased ( plus cold and wet ffs).

In general, we've not been that bad in recent weeks and especially when factoring in a small squad with some key players injured, suspended or carrying knocks. We now need to avoid silly bookings and then strengthen in January.  Easier said than done but what else is there?  Well done to the Doc yesterday - good to see the captain setting an example by doing things he's perhaps not a natural at. And two headers from him would have been a bloody good long odds bet   

[Trogdor]

1 hour ago, WATTOO said:

Although it's not been pretty to watch over the past few games prior to yesterday, I think we need to appreciate that we had some really tough games and we were missing McCowan (who's arguably been our best player this season) and also Bell (who steadies things at the back and starts off many of our moves), over and above this Kerr himself was missing from the playing staff so again another huge miss and basically left us without any creativity.

Unlike some, I'm quite happy with taking four points from six this week and a quick glance at the league table tells you that we must be doing something right (or at least better than most others), Yes, we have a tough run coming up but nothing can be taken for granted in this league and the bottom line is that we're back to 3rd in the league and just behind 2nd.

There's no doubt we'll lose and draw lots more games this season but I think we need to all try and get behind Kerr and the team as they're all doing their best...........

Agree with most of your post but Bell is never as important player to us as McCowan.

Every one of our centre halves have limitations. Yesterday, Muirhead looked solid whereas Bell managed to play a couple of horrible short hospital passes to Houston and then almost cost us a goal at the end by passing the ball to the Alloa striker with only Doohan's big toe keeping it out. Next week Bell could look great and Muirhead or Roscoe a bomb scare. Every one of our centre halves has their moments and I wouldn't say any of them settle the defence. 

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, Trogdor said:

Agree with most of your post but Bell is never as important player to us as McCowan.

Every one of our centre halves have limitations. Yesterday, Muirhead looked solid whereas Bell managed to play a couple of horrible short hospital passes to Houston and then almost cost us a goal at the end by passing the ball to the Alloa striker with only Doohan's big toe keeping it out. Next week Bell could look great and Muirhead or Roscoe a bomb scare. Every one of our centre halves has their moments and I wouldn't say any of them settle the defence. 

That's the way we play though, we actively encourage our defenders to play short passes in our own box and while it can annoy, enrage, infuriate and give us all heart attacks at times, it does mean that we get our slick passing further up the field when it all comes off. Unfortunately when it doesn't come off we will quite often concede goals due to individual errors.

I really don't think there's any way to avoid this, people keep talking about Rose, however he also caused a few goals last season as did Robbie and of course Doc and Kelly have both cost us goals in recent weeks by doing the exact same thing.

I honestly think it's just part and parcel of playing this way and if we want to keep enjoying the forward stuff then we need to accept that we WILL give away daft looking goals at the back. Every side who plays this way does it, whether it be John Stones at City or Pique at Barca but I'd rather that than playing the long ball drudgery stuff and watching 0-0, 0-1 and 1-0 type matches every week.........

[Trogdor]

3 hours ago, WATTOO said:

That's the way we play though, we actively encourage our defenders to play short passes in our own box and while it can annoy, enrage, infuriate and give us all heart attacks at times, it does mean that we get our slick passing further up the field when it all comes off. Unfortunately when it doesn't come off we will quite often concede goals due to individual errors.

I really don't think there's any way to avoid this, people keep talking about Rose, however he also caused a few goals last season as did Robbie and of course Doc and Kelly have both cost us goals in recent weeks by doing the exact same thing.

I honestly think it's just part and parcel of playing this way and if we want to keep enjoying the forward stuff then we need to accept that we WILL give away daft looking goals at the back. Every side who plays this way does it, whether it be John Stones at City or Pique at Barca but I'd rather that than playing the long ball drudgery stuff and watching 0-0, 0-1 and 1-0 type matches every week.........

Point well made. It could be a consequence of the way we play. I still think there is a time to hit the ball the way you are facing ala Martyn Campbell. I also prefer to have one centre back who can use his feet and one who hits it the way he is facing.

I also think if you have a big centre forward its rude not to hit the long ball. It can also be very effective if you have someone who can bring the ball down. I can also understand why it frustrates people when we shell the long ball to Moffat, Forrest or Moore. As none of them are a big centre forward.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Trogdor said:

Point well made. It could be a consequence of the way we play. I still think there is a time to hit the ball the way you are facing ala Martyn Campbell. I also prefer to have one centre back who can use his feet and one who hits it the way he is facing.

I also think if you have a big centre forward its rude not to hit the long ball. It can also be very effective if you have someone who can bring the ball down. I can also understand why it frustrates people when we shell the long ball to Moffat, Forrest or Moore. As none of them are a big centre forward.

Yes, I'd also agree with all that. I've actually quite liked the look of McKenzie from the little I've seen of him. He seems to have good control and a bit of presence about him so he might actually give us an alternative if we need it later in the season or if Moore and Doolan choose to move on in January.