Bairns v East Fife

[smuggfifer]

Well we certainly took out of that game exactly what we deserved. Falkirk don't concede many so when you get crystal clears early on, you must take them.
Not sure if over the 90mins we actually won a single header in midfield , but I'll stand corrected if we did.
2 poor teams slogging it out until the 72 minute, then it was all over.
Can't take much out of that I'm afraid, other than a few questions answered.

[Wee Sandy]

6 minutes ago, Wee Sandy said:

Was surprised to see BOTH Gomis and Longridge being substituted!!

Were they injured?

Longridge did well with us back in the day

[Guest]

Well we certainly took out of that game exactly what we deserved. Falkirk don't concede many so when you get crystal clears early on, you must take them.
Not sure if over the 90mins we actually won a single header in midfield , but I'll stand corrected if we did.
2 poor teams slogging it out until the 72 minute, then it was all over.
Can't take much out of that I'm afraid, other than a few questions answered.

How many times do the losing fans say “2 poor teams”. 3 games against us no goals. Dixon looked right scared of Morrison.

[gav-ffc]

Subs worked a treat.

Gary Miller is the player that Paul Paton thinks he is what a boy.

McManus ran the second half and Paul Dixon yet again excellent.

Despite then goal Doyle is still not for me can barely control the ball and always works himself into a rush. 

[wee_bairn]

2 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

 

How many times do the losing fans say “2 poor teams”. 3 games against us no goals. Dixon looked right scared of Morrison.

 

Was just about to comment on that post. Dixon was one of the better players on the park tonight, my man of the match. In comparison, Morrison was a complete diddy with pace whose final ball tonight was horrific. 

Edited February 18, 2020 by wee_bairn

[smuggfifer]

How many times do the losing fans say “2 poor teams”. 3 games against us no goals. Dixon looked right scared of Morrison.

Up to the 72nd minute , I doubt few would argue tbh.

[wee_bairn]

1 minute ago, smuggfifer said:

4 minutes ago, Back Post Misses said:

How many times do the losing fans say “2 poor teams”. 3 games against us no goals. Dixon looked right scared of Morrison.

Up to the 72nd minute , I doubt few would argue tbh.

I’d argue from the start of the second half we looked a better side. We had created a few chances leading up to the goal with Longridge’s effort especially being unlucky.

[roman_bairn]

Hopefully now that the hoodoo of being unable to beat other clubs in the top four is off our backs, we will see us pull in the extra points that should differentiate us from the rest of the division over the next few weeks.
M and M doing an excellent job imo....

[roman_bairn]

Was just about to comment on that post. Dixon was one of the better players on the park tonight, my man of the match. In comparison, Morrison was a complete diddy with pace whose final ball tonight was horrific. 

Agree Dixon was our man of the match tonight. I thought Murdoch for East Fife was outstanding first half.
I don’t know what it is about this team that we only really start to perform at home second half.
If we saw the same effort for 90 minutes we would cruise this league....

[Shadwell Dog]

Huffed and puffed a bit for my liking with the final product again being our Achilles heel till the 72nd minute . Second half was only one team in it but we really should be putting these teams away earlier. Dixon was my motm. Thought he was excellent.

[Rocco]

Sammon was dreadful but it was a good assist for McManus’ goal. Thought Dixon was superb tonight. He really is turning into one of the standout performers for me

[Russ]

Second half was so much better. More urgency in our play and we were taking the game to them. We were helped by East Fife being a complete fucking gang and being no attacking threat whatsoever in that second half.

Paul Dixon was my MoM today great assist for Doyle’s goal and he was a constant threat down the left. Certainly had that Hearts jobber in his back pocket. Whilst BSLM wasn’t great he still won more headers in 10 minutes than Sammons done all season.

[King Kebab]

 

You had one chance the whole game in 9 minutes. Nothing else.

That’s kind of what I was saying!!!

And I’m sure you meant 90???

 

How many times do the losing fans say “2 poor teams”. 3 games against us no goals. Dixon looked right scared of Morrison.

Your mob couldn’t score in two of those games either remember???

[Bigbrbairn]

Agree Dixon was our man of the match tonight. I thought Murdoch for East Fife was outstanding first half.
I don’t know what it is about this team that we only really start to perform at home second half.
If we saw the same effort for 90 minutes we would cruise this league....

How much of a difference to the RM tenure. If we were 0-0 with 18 minutes to go it was usually a draw at best

[Shadwell Dog]

Still no idea why we signed da vita.  Still cant get a game even ahead of telfer whose crap.

[Disco Duck]

How lacking in ambition were EF?  No desire, happy to play for 0-0.  
 

Longridge really poor and deserved to be subbed, as opposed to Gomis who I was surprised was taken off.  Connolly really the only one doing anything 1st half, but collectively much better second.

[Big Fifer]

Not entirely sure where to start with that. Honestly one of the poorest performances from a Fife team I've seen in a long long time.

 

First half Falkirk had 3 or 4 very good chances. Don't think the Falkirk fans in the South/Main could really appreciate how poor the finishing was from them. Gomis one was a sitter, and we were very lucky Higgins didn't smash in an own goal after Brett saved from a 1 on 1. Our first half performance set the tone for the rest of the game, unable to do the complete footballing basics. Every touch was heavy, every pass was short or straight to a Falkirk players feet. Falkirk seemed to have an extra man in midfield the entirety of the first half, usually Gomis either free to get the ball or driving on with nobody marking him. Every forward pass we made was poor, and when we tried to play it out from the back (which normally we can actually do!) three passes in it was at a Falkirk players feet the edge of the box, or when we tried to go long the clearance was scuffed and didn't make it past the half way line.

 

Second half was much the same, until the 60 minute mark when Falkirk realised we couldn't clear it so just started feeding it out wide and pinging it in the box. It didn't matter that they weren't winning many headers because our clearances landed straight to their players feet on the edge of the box more often than not - cue, first goal. The second goal, whilst making no difference at all to the result, was a shambles. The linesman stood there for ages with his flag up for the sub, we stopped and Falkirk fired the free kick in. Goal. Absolute gamma-male behaviour from the linesman keeping quiet, but I'm sure there's a rule in there (other than the age auld 'play tae ra whistle" that'll prove I'm wrong). As I said, it didn't matter. Falkirk were pretty crap but were very very comfortable winners because we were just so poor everywhere across the park. Normally when you're beaten by a full time side you want it to be because they just look much better but in my opinion that was pretty much entirely our own doing.

 

McManus is far too good for this level, if you're not up he's definitely away. I'll give pass marks to Dowds and Brett, abdy else gets a 3/10.

 

Anyway, Falkirk games aren't where our season will be defined. If we want a play off spot we have to win our next two. Hopefully Darren has the boys working with the ball all night on Thursday, passing and first touch moves until their feet bleed.

 

TL;DR - I'm a freezing seething mess and we were crap.

 

 

[Shabba]

I would say that’s a fair assessment @BigFifer there was no ambition shown from East Fife. Falkirk were pretty poor but on another night could’ve scored 4 or 5. Does Murdoch never play centre midfield anymore? He used to be a really good for us and still looked decent tonight

[Bairney The Dinosaur]

That was a rather good performance.

[Its not only a game]

Not entirely sure where to start with that. Honestly one of the poorest performances from a Fife team I've seen in a long long time.
 
First half Falkirk had 3 or 4 very good chances. Don't think the Falkirk fans in the South/Main could really appreciate how poor the finishing was from them. Gomis one was a sitter, and we were very lucky Higgins didn't smash in an own goal after Brett saved from a 1 on 1. Our first half performance set the tone for the rest of the game, unable to do the complete footballing basics. Every touch was heavy, every pass was short or straight to a Falkirk players feet. Falkirk seemed to have an extra man in midfield the entirety of the first half, usually Gomis either free to get the ball or driving on with nobody marking him. Every forward pass we made was poor, and when we tried to play it out from the back (which normally we can actually do!) three passes in it was at a Falkirk players feet the edge of the box, or when we tried to go long the clearance was scuffed and didn't make it past the half way line.
 
Second half was much the same, until the 60 minute mark when Falkirk realised we couldn't clear it so just started feeding it out wide and pinging it in the box. It didn't matter that they weren't winning many headers because our clearances landed straight to their players feet on the edge of the box more often than not - cue, first goal. The second goal, whilst making no difference at all to the result, was a shambles. The linesman stood there for ages with his flag up for the sub, we stopped and Falkirk fired the free kick in. Goal. Absolute gamma-male behaviour from the linesman keeping quiet, but I'm sure there's a rule in there (other than the age auld 'play tae ra whistle" that'll prove I'm wrong). As I said, it didn't matter. Falkirk were pretty crap but were very very comfortable winners because we were just so poor everywhere across the park. Normally when you're beaten by a full time side you want it to be because they just look much better but in my opinion that was pretty much entirely our own doing.
 
McManus is far too good for this level, if you're not up he's definitely away. I'll give pass marks to Dowds and Brett, abdy else gets a 3/10.
 
Anyway, Falkirk games aren't where our season will be defined. If we want a play off spot we have to win our next two. Hopefully Darren has the boys working with the ball all night on Thursday, passing and first touch moves until their feet bleed.
 
TL;DR - I'm a freezing seething mess and we were crap.
 
 

Falkirk deserved the win- we were very poor(think Raith can win the league and If Falkirk play Montrose next would fancy the latter to get something from the game)

I get we are a P/T team and we cant play the same team for 3 games in a week.

What did the manger learn

1) We did not start with our best 11- the team lacked mobility and width

2) Cant play Smith and Wallace together- they are too similar and both lack pace- hopefully the latter get a rest- painfully slow again tonight

3) Midfield is not working. EF fans will say who would you drop- no idea- but we keep getting dominated in midfield- quality of balls to the front 2 is woeful- something needs to change.

Dust ourselves down and go again.