Dumbarton vs Airdrie

[Jan Vojáček]

49 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said:

I won't intrude on your justified grief about the Sons, and will add that both of you were very good commentators-fair/objective/wee bit of humour/ and great knowledge of L1 football and archives. I don't know if I misheard one one of you saying "That's Ramsbottom ball , it's some weight"  late on but it made me giggle a bit. On the Diamonds I feel you got us right and we did produce a few good bits of football -our run had been bad as we played 2 teams that were better set up, and without Turner we were always going to toil at Balmoor. Callum Gallagher has been in and out, and we lacked any creative midfield-often 3 centre backs plus the back 4! Robert is a clever glider as you say and he has scored three really good goals but he lacks the toughness to take on the big hairy defenders in L1.  There is a bit of a media story around him but he is a bit of an enigma being so inexperienced. Thanks also for your remarks on Brian Prunty and the kit-any time we have used our horrible yellow third strip I feel like vomiting! ( Mean no offence to your own wonderful outfits)  I watched a wee clip today and Forbes was just a bit petulant and should have known better: you can't just kick out when the play has stopped.  Best wishes

Thanks very much for your nice comments. I've no idea if either of us said that - but once of us quite probably did. I was absolutely knackered and have no idea what I was saying half the time!

44 minutes ago, Chapelhall chap said:

The right back was a solid looking guy but of that squad I can't think of many. The young guy Wilson scored a good goal at Airdrie but does he edge out our "strikers" -probably not. Forbes and Carslaw of 6 years ago but not now. To be honest I can't comment on the loan players I have not seen, unlike Regan Tumilty last season who was really good.  

Funnily enough I was thinking of Sam Wardrop. I reckon he'd thrive in the sort of very high-tempo Muzz looks like he wants to play. He's frighteningly fit. I can't quite understand how he's managed as much football as he has since we returned.

[airdrieman]

On 02/04/2021 at 00:42, Jan Vojáček said:

On Airdrie, well I was disappointed when they took Thomas Robert off. He definitely drifts in and out of games, but the way he glides across the pitch with the ball when he fancies it is quite beautiful to watch. He was pretty much the only enjoyable aspect of the game. I guess their biggest frustration will be that he doesn't use the outrageous talent he clearly has to grab a match by the scruff of the neck. That aside they didn't look like a team on such a woeful run. They played with a bit of confidence and every so often knocked the ball about at a really good tempo. Much like Robert though that was kind of patchy, and they looked content to drop to our level for spells.

I hope their form improves though. Ian Murray and Bryan Prunty on the touchline is the stuff of dreams. My all time favourite Sons manager with quite probably my all-time favourite Sons player. Between that and their beautiful kit I might just pretend I'm a Diamonds fan from now on 

You and I both. On a night when we weren't creating anything, he was one of our few players who may have been able to conjure up a goal out of nothing. Thankfully it didn't matter in the end. You can see how skilful and talented he is when he's on the ball. But he's very raw and I think people forget the 18 or so games he's played for Airdrie this season are literally the only games of senior football he's ever played in his career so far. He's a bit 'highlight-reelsy' at the moment but some of those highlights are just delightful to watch. His goals against Forfar and Cove Rangers and his assist in our 5-0 home win against Clyde are genuinely stunning bits of football you don't see at this level. I know he won't be long for Scottish League 1 but get him in a team with better coaches and better players, and I think he'll become a mighty fine player at a decent level. I hope he continues to get first-team football wherever he ends up as that's probably what he needs the most at the moment (a loan spell back at Airdrie would be just grand). 

Murray's time at Airdrie will be over sooner rather than later by the looks of things. On the other hand, Bryan Prunty is the sort of guy I think everyone would like to have at the club forever. Loves the club, knows what it means to wear the diamond and he's a brilliant professional, role-model and ambassador for the club. If there's a job he could be doing, he should be doing it. I feel a bit sorry for him this season though. He joined our staff as a sports therapist and, at least according to his Lower League Ramblings interview with Danny Denholm, that's primarily what he's interested in rather than coaching or management. So he's only really ended-up as a 'first team coach' out of default after Colin Cameron was let go and not replaced (ostensibly for cost-cutting reasons). I don't know what means in practice - whether or not he's still just performing his old role but with a promoted title or whether he's now actually helping to 'coach' the team as well. Either way, I hope he doesn't fall on his sword for something that isn't his fault. 

23 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

I'd bite your hand clean off to have Muzz back in our dugout. I'd absolutely love to see Calum Gallagher back at the Rock as well - even if he's going through a barren spell in front of goal at the moment.

Out of interest, and sort of reversing the question, which Sons players do you think would get in the Airdrie squad/starting 11 - if any?

As others have mentioned, Sam Wardrop immediately springs to mind. I'm not sure if he'd have got into our side ahead of Kyle MacDonald at the start of the season but he'd certainly be a better option there than Jack McKay (a 'striker') or Scott Walker, who may turn out to be a good player, but who's only made 2 starts for the first team in his career so far. I thought he showed up fairly well on Thursday though so hopefully he'll continue to develop. Other than him though, I'd struggle to put any forward. Jaime Wilson or Adam Frizzell (at least with his pedigree) might be better options off the bench than the likes of J. McKay, Craig Thomson or Ewan O'Reilly, but there's probably not much in it.