Ayr vs Raith Rovers

[TxRover]

12 minutes ago, AYRSHIRE_ANGUS said:

I think your artificial pitch is the best I've seen by far in Scotland and would be quite happy for that surface to be laid at Somerset. Admittedly I'm basing that only on TV highlights of your games so far but you wouldn't know the surface was artificial without being told.

Aye, but it’s also one of the newest, which feeds into my fears on plastic pitches. The biggest (and most common) problem with them is delaying replacement. The temptation to play “just one more” season on a plastic pitch seems overwhelmingly tempting to a BoD, as the money involved is large, and seems to occur too often. With eight to ten years being the most commonly accepted “ideal” lifespan range, the £ signs flash in their eyes as delaying  a year or two seems a good choice...which often results in damage to the underlying drainage field...which can then compromise the next laid surface (and which also needs replacement every 20-30 years, and likely also was never budgeted for properly).

The pitch at Stark’s seems quite good, but will it remain good throughout its lifespan, and will it be replaced when needed, or will the inevitable temptation to pinch pence come back to bite us?

On the match and teams, having seen all but Alloa now, it seems possible a solid mid-table finish for the Rovers is well within reach, with Ayr, Dundee and us being the first step down from the top three...which I would have snapped your arm off for before the season!

[AYRSHIRE_ANGUS]

I'm surprised by that, didn't realise the pitch needed to be replaced quite so frequently. 

[Hank Scorpio]

Shaughan and Paco are both correct in what they are saying. We are struggling to change the way a game is going because we start the game with our most attacking line up, with little scope to make a positive change. Lars Lokotsch has been mostly disappointing and Ugwu hasn’t played a single minute, which means when it isn’t quite working for Duku we are at a bit of a loss to gain an advantage by changing personnel.

I do think that if Vaughan can get fit that gives us the ability to change our shape in the wide positions and up front, and will also promote a bit of competition for places. It’s not that we’re playing badly, quite the opposite actually, but more that if we don’t make the breakthrough in the first 60, we look unlikely to do so. Still plenty to be positive about, and we are clearly going in the right direction.

[Broken Algorithms]

It's worth remembering Gozie got 15 goals in a team who got relegated last season. Ideally, he'll get game time moving forward.

Lokotsch looks like he's more of the type of player who will drop deep to help others which comes at the expense of the team. It's almost similar to Declan McManus in the season we got relegation: the peahearted shitebags in midfield like Thompson didn't do their jobs so he'd drop deep to try to win the ball leaving us with no outlet. Different story this time with Lokotsch who might be better served to leave that to a midfield that can create plenty on their day. 

[renton]

14 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Shaughan and Paco are both correct in what they are saying. We are struggling to change the way a game is going because we start the game with our most attacking line up, with little scope to make a positive change. Lars Lokotsch has been mostly disappointing and Ugwu hasn’t played a single minute, which means when it isn’t quite working for Duku we are at a bit of a loss to gain an advantage by changing personnel.

I do think that if Vaughan can get fit that gives us the ability to change our shape in the wide positions and up front, and will also promote a bit of competition for places. It’s not that we’re playing badly, quite the opposite actually, but more that if we don’t make the breakthrough in the first 60, we look unlikely to do so. Still plenty to be positive about, and we are clearly going in the right direction.

Yeah, I agree with this - I do think there is some scope to shift things about more than we do, but in tight games McGlynn/Smith have chosen to be more cautious: changing players within the same system.

For example, we do have personnel fit to move from a 4-2-3-1 to something more like a 4-3-3 if we chose to put Spencer in there, flatten the midfield out and put Lokotcsh (I actually thought he did well last night) and Ugwu on in a more "direct" attacking 3. Last year we often played with at least two players in a 3 that you'd traditionally think of as centre forwards so maybe something we could do if we needed to.

But it is a case of trying to get Vaughan fit, we all know what he'd add replacing one of Tait, Armstrong or Ross in behind Duku. 

January transfer window is going to be interesting. Most teams will be skint. Will there be funds to strengthen once Lokotsch goes back? 

[CALDERON]

We could do with Grant Anderson

 

[CALDERON]

1 hour ago, TxRover said:

Aye, but it’s also one of the newest, which feeds into my fears on plastic pitches. The biggest (and most common) problem with them is delaying replacement. The temptation to play “just one more” season on a plastic pitch seems overwhelmingly tempting to a BoD, as the money involved is large, and seems to occur too often. With eight to ten years being the most commonly accepted “ideal” lifespan range, the £ signs flash in their eyes as delaying  a year or two seems a good choice...which often results in damage to the underlying drainage field...which can then compromise the next laid surface (and which also needs replacement every 20-30 years, and likely also was never budgeted for properly).

The pitch at Stark’s seems quite good, but will it remain good throughout its lifespan, and will it be replaced when needed, or will the inevitable temptation to pinch pence come back to bite us?

On the match and teams, having seen all but Alloa now, it seems possible a solid mid-table finish for the Rovers is well within reach, with Ayr, Dundee and us being the first step down from the top three...which I would have snapped your arm off for before the season!

The pitch at Starks is watered constantly pre game and half time. Haven't seen any other team do that. 

[basher brash]

Personally would love to see someone else play up front with Manny ! I thought also Musonda strolled the game last night and  would have him before Dava any day of the week

[TxRover]

On 12/12/2020 at 10:21, CALDERON said:

The pitch at Starks is watered constantly pre game and half time. Haven't seen any other team do that. 

Let’s see in a few years...I hope we properly keep it up, but if the money gets tight...

Edited December 15, 2020 by TxRover

[Rovers1992/1993]

Put a fit Tom Walsh, Paddy Reading and returning Cammy Smith into tonight's team, and I suspect we'll finish above the Lang Toun Galacticos come the end of the season. 

I think a fit Lewis Vaughan( whenever that may be) and a fit Gozie Ugwu might have something to say about that tbh.

[ThePrattStreetPrat]

7 hours ago, Rovers1992/1993 said:

I think a fit Lewis Vaughan( whenever that may be) and a fit Gozie Ugwu might have something to say about that tbh.

If there is a fully fit Vaughan again for a decent amount of time

[itzdrk]

2 hours ago, ThePrattStreetPrat said:

If there is a fully fit Vaughan again for a decent amount of time

He'll do smashing on loan at Alloa this year. 

[Wardy]

9 hours ago, itzdrk said:

He'll do smashing on loan at Alloa this year. 

Insulting the intelligence of John McGlynn!!!