Raith v Dunfermline. Dunfermline v Raith

[basher brash]

I think we would have been in trouble last night if Dunfermline had a decent finisher they missed a good few chances so hopefully come Saturday they will  come to regret it. I thought it was another below par performance from us but maybe our intention was to keep it tight and  at least get a draw and if lucky enough sneak a win still very tight going into Saturday but hopefully the Rovers can do it

[Raith_Raver]

1 hour ago, baillieinleeds said:

How. We were pumped 0-4 on our much vaunted Astroturf. We haven’t been at the races in the last 3 games. Dunfermline dominated us last night. I do t think we’ll be dominating anyone on our pitch on Saturday. We couldn’t pass a parcel for much that game last night. 

Ask Levein

[Raithie]

1 hour ago, baillieinleeds said:

How. We were pumped 0-4 on our much vaunted Astroturf. 

We're also about to play the team we pumped 5-1 on same said pitch...

[da_no_1]

In a weird way I'm glad the tie is level. If we were 1 or 2 up we'd probably try & defend that lead which would be a terrible move as we don't know how to.

At least now, we have to have some form of attacking intent. Rovers play good stuff but their current central defensive options are, shall we say, average and last night we snuffed out their much-vaunted midfield so if we can create chances like last night I think we can still do enough to win the game.

Still don't really care though. No fans so doesn't count.

[baillieinleeds]

34 minutes ago, Raith_Raver said:

Ask Levein

Why would I ask 4 6 0 about any footballing advice.

[Raith_Raver]

1 hour ago, baillieinleeds said:

How. We were pumped 0-4 on our much vaunted Astroturf. We haven’t been at the races in the last 3 games. Dunfermline dominated us last night. I do t think we’ll be dominating anyone on our pitch on Saturday. We couldn’t pass a parcel for much that game last night. 

Really? Did you watch the game?

Despite Dunfermline having more chances we actually had more possession.

[Raith_Raver]

3 minutes ago, baillieinleeds said:

Why would I ask 4 6 0 about any footballing advice.

Because you challenged what I reported him as saying, duh.

Edited May 5, 2021 by Raith_Raver

[CALDERON]

Delighted to still be in the tie, and even more so that its a draw.

Dunfermline should be out of sight, and I would be raging if I was a Pars fan after that.  

That said, it's far from over.  

Dunfermlines tactics were spot on in the first half, really pressed us high.  However, when you put in a horror show of a performance in front of a million cameras on national TV on Friday night trying to play a certain way, and your manager tells the national press in his press conference that we are going to continue playing "our football", then it certainly helps I guess.  Really, those chances should have seen the game put to bed.  A passing team who fall short with their passes is really not going to work.

2nd half we were obviously better, we went a bit more direct as the game began to stretch.  Really, Gullan has to do much, much better there - he had a poor night. 

That said, Dunfermline had by far the better chances and really should be at least a couple of goals up.

All to play for on Saturday, but anything other than a massive improvement will see the season fizzle out come full time. 

[Michael W]

2 minutes ago, CALDERON said:

Delighted to still be in the tie, and even more so that its a draw.

Dunfermline should be out of sight, and I would be raging if I was a Pars fan after that.  

That said, it's far from over.  

Dunfermlines tactics were spot on in the first half, really pressed us high.  However, when you put in a horror show of a performance in front of a million cameras on national TV on Friday night trying to play a certain way, and your manager tells the national press in his press conference that we are going to continue playing "our football", then it certainly helps I guess.  Really, those chances should have seen the game put to bed.  A passing team who fall short with their passes is really not going to work.

2nd half we were obviously better, we went a bit more direct as the game began to stretch.  Really, Gullan has to do much, much better there - he had a poor night. 

That said, Dunfermline had by far the better chances and really should be at least a couple of goals up.

All to play for on Saturday, but anything other than a massive improvement will see the season fizzle out come full time. 

Probably fair to say also that the reason we were better in the second is that Dunfermline didn't press us as much. It's difficult to press a team like that the whole game because the energy doesn't last forever and so we got a bit more time. Still didn't do enough with what we did get, right enough, but we were very fortunate not to concede. 

We need to play better on Saturday. I wonder if McGlynn might start Ugwu or Duku instead to switch things up as the more direct balls unsurprisingly came right back at us. 

[Andriy_Parmolenko]

Decent performance, will rue missed chances.

Even in the draw at Starks Raith were significantly better than us for the majority of the game. Unless Raith scuff all their chances like we did yesterday I’d say it’s pretty much curtains for us.

[Ro Sham Bo]

1 minute ago, Michael W said:

Probably fair to say also that the reason we were better in the second is that Dunfermline didn't press us as much. It's difficult to press a team like that the whole game because the energy doesn't last forever and so we got a bit more time. Still didn't do enough with what we did get, right enough, but we were very fortunate not to concede. 

We need to play better on Saturday. I wonder if McGlynn might start Ugwu or Duku instead to switch things up as the more direct balls unsurprisingly came right back at us. 

McGlynn said exactly that in his post match interview. Good to hear that Matthews should hopefully be fine for Saturday also.

[embow]

49 minutes ago, Raith_Raver said:

Really? Did you watch the game?

Despite Dunfermline having more chances we actually had more possession.

Any amount of possession is meaningless unless you do something positive with it, such as scoring a goal or, even maybe, two. Likewise having chances. Don't take them, then suffer any consequences that come thereafter.

[Girth]

Did I miss anything!?

Pars looked the better team?

[baillieinleeds]

2 hours ago, Raith_Raver said:

Because you challenged what I reported him as saying, duh.

Levein is an utter irrelevance in Scottish Football, only the media care what he says. Most fans think he’s a fud. 

[R.R.FC]

Happy with the result but, without being too negative, the performance was a bit of a worry ahead of the second leg. Dunfermline unlucky not to win. Although we did improve slightly in the second half.

For all the stick Crawford has rightly taken, he got it spot on last night. He looked ridiculously out his depth at Starks, regularly changing shape and personnel with no idea how to counteract what we were doing so he is due some credit for finding the answer last night.

I’d imagine both teams will approach Saturday in the same way. Dunfermline pressed well at the right times and won the ball back in good areas high up the park and looked a threat every time on the break. I don’t see any change to their approach and they’ll be hoping with a bit more cutting edge they will get the goals they deserved last night.

For us, we will play exactly the same way as we always do. I think we’ll go with the same 11 but I suppose there will be an argument about a more physical presence up top to bypass the high press. Our home performances have been pretty good (Hearts games aside) but it would be naive to think just because we are at home we will win. Given both sides will have the same set ups and approach to the game, if we allow the game to follow the same pattern as last night with us only dominating possession in the areas Dunfermline are happy for us to have it and being ponderous and sloppy on the ball  allowing them to counter, we will lose.

However, being on our pitch should allow us to move the ball much quicker and slicker than last night which is a must if we are to win. The laboured possession played into Dunfermline’s hands and allowed them to implement their game plan. 

All to play for in the second leg, if we move the ball much better than last night  to find the gaps when Dunfermline press (which we are capable of doing) then I’d fancy our chances. Huge McGlynn fan but I hope he was just trying to put a positive spin in the media by calling it an even game last night and behind closed doors he recognises and has identified the areas we must improve.

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by R.R.FC

[roverthemoon]

14 hours ago, embow said:

Gaffer post match seemed to think Davo did ok (along with Bene and Jamie Mac).

I'm still glad Davo was on the park given our options if he wasn't available. This two legged tie is tighter than a G string.......

...............on a guitar

Noticed that he singled him out. On reflection I was probably a bit harsh. We did emerge with a clean sheet from a ground where we conceded 4 last time we were there. 
 

 

[Ro Sham Bo]

I wonder when we'll get the result of Davo's appeal. For all that he's more than capable of losing us the match on Saturday, if the suspension stands then we've absolutely no chance of going through.

[Jilted John]

It’ll be interesting to see how Dunfermline approach Saturdays game. They pressed us last night but we didn’t commit men forward which kind of helped them. I think with Saturday being at Starks, you’ll see a much more open style of play from us. Assuming we haven’t picked up any knocks to key players, I think we will run over the top of the Pars in the middle of the park.

I’d like to see Armstrong in for Kennedy. I can’t remember the last time Kai had a good game for us. Armstrong on the other hand has done very well this season.

[HoBNob]

3 hours ago, Raith_Raver said:

Really? Did you watch the game?

Despite Dunfermline having more chances we actually had more possession.

Because we were quite content for your defence to have the ball, possession as a stand alone stat doesn't show how a games played out, at all. 

[Stoo61]

Aye passing about at the back for a few minutes and then punting it over to us doesn't count.