Play Off Final Airdrie Vs Morton

[The Ghost of B A R P]

4 hours ago, Dunning1874 said:

It's certainly not job done as I can't see Airdrie being so toothless going forward again on Friday when they have to chase the game, but playing so badly and still taking a lead into the second leg is great. What a ball that was from McLean.

Assuming Jacobs is out then can we please have a midfield three of McGinn, Lyon and Colville so we never see Blues again. As others have said Airdrie tired awfully in the last 20 minutes there so I hope MacPherson is on the ball with subs on Friday to be ready to exploit that. If we must have a focus on an alleged physical presence then we only need one of Muirhead and Salkeld in the starting XI anyway - Muirhead is the less ineffective option for me - but for the love of god get McGuffie running at their full backs if they tire.

First goal will determine what kind of tie this turns out to be.

You have to think, after last week and the way Airdrie tired tonight, the possibility of extra-time means he’ll keep one of Nesbitt or McGuffie back.

Blues was a passenger tonight, but I won’t be surprised to see him stay in. Same for ‘goal-scoring hero’ Lord Useless.

At least he’ll leave the back four alone... won’t he?

[Colkitto]

Thought we were well in control for the majority of the game. Defence played well as a unit, had a bit of a scare when Airdrie  hit that one just past the post though.

Midfield wasn't at any point over-ran or out fought. Usual lack of composure up front, but fair play to big Robbie getting on the end of that great ball by McLean of all people on the wing.

Airdrie did seem to tire in the last 15 to 20 mins. They also had a few players down with injury, so wonder if this will impact on them for Friday  with little recovery time.

I expect them to come out a bit as they are out of it as it stands. We still have our two most attacking players McGuffie and Nesbitt with fresh legs ready to have a go at their defence if the do.

Not over yet but we have it in our own hands. 

[Jamie_M]

1 hour ago, Colkitto said:

we have it in our own hands. 

Unfortunately, not a position that has served Morton particularly well so far this season.

Disappointing we didn't convert one of our other chances but definitely a bit more relaxed being in this position than after the first Montrose game.

[Guest Axle Grease]

Mon the Airdrie. 

I hate them as a club. Get them up here so we can scud them

[Tri-TON]

I can't be the only one to think Gus migjt9 go 5 at the back to bring Captain Supreme back into the mix? Terrifying thought.

I'd go with the same team but bring Colville on for Muirhead. Lyon will be on for Jacobs of course. I don't see him dropping Blues and even though I think Salkeld is fucking awful, he does at least add some sort of physical presence and a pretend hard man act. Plus an extra body in midfield might let us control the game that wee bit more, especially with one of our defensive midfielders out.

[GiGi]

I guarantee if McPherson tries to sit on the lead instead of actively trying to kill the tie we will f**k that up. Hopefully by starting the cloggers instead of Nesbitt and McGuffie he'll have kept them fresh enough to just go for it now. 

[Jamie_M]

22 minutes ago, Tri-TON said:

I can't be the only one to think Gus migjt9 go 5 at the back to bring Captain Supreme back into the mix? Terrifying thought.

[Fae_the_'briggs]

12 hours ago, madton said:

Lol, wut??

Absolute no chance of a second yellow there.

The 1st booking was probably just about deserved but the Airdrie player's reaction didn't help. He went down holding his leg and screaming as if he'd been bitten by a rottweiler,  as soon as the free kick is given and opposition player booked he's up and running with not a hint of injury. 

[Fae_the_'briggs]

12 hours ago, madton said:

Thought the booing for us when we didn't dare give you the ball back when your player went down (again) was a particular highlight.

We had the ball in your final third, absolute no chance you were getting the ball back when we had it in the first place when the ref stopped play.

Yes,  surprising how fans moan about refereeing decisions yet don't know the basic rules of re-starting games.  Tbf it is a fairly new amendment but it's been in place long enough for people to know the score by now. 

[The Moonster]

That Salkeld lad was dreadful. I thought I'd seen it all with Robert Jones playing for us this season but that lad rivalled him last night. 

[vikingTON]

11 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

That Salkeld lad was dreadful. I thought I'd seen it all with Robert Jones playing for us this season but that lad rivalled him last night. 

As a confirmed Morton jobber he'll be playing for you lot soon enough. 

[The Moonster]

1 minute ago, virginton said:

As a confirmed Morton jobber he'll be playing for you lot soon enough. 

I'm hoping when Duffy is punted out the door at 9am on Friday morning that we won't need to put up with your jobber rejects any more. We are now in the market for young Norwegian jobbers instead. 

[AsimButtHitsASix]

Salkeld's going to Ayr United. Where they will take him to the beach to find out if he can actually trap a bag of sand or not.

[airdrieman]

I think I’m going to be asking for time eternity why Thomson didn’t just let the ball go out of play. Really sloppy goal to lose what with that and nobody following McLean(?) for the short ball from the corner. We were really out on our feet by the end, with more players going off injured and the rest of the team just looking knackered, to the point where I’d have taken the 0-0 and ran with it. We all said it before the game but we badly missed Paton tonight. He brings a balance, calmness and experience to the midfield which allows Turner to play further forward (and thus dictate the play) and which brings out the best in the other players in midfield. I know we’ve gotten away with playing Carrick and O’Reilly in midfield in league games but Murray got that badly wrong tonight. O’Reilly looked completely lost and his touch was shocking. He’s not a centre mid and I wouldn’t expect him to play like one so I do feel sorry for him. But he’s just back from injury  and on top of that he hasn’t played a lot of football, in centre mid or in his natural position, as it is. Bad decision to play him there in such an important game IMO. His strength is running at people out wide - let him do that or have him on the bench if you’re not going to play wingers. Speaking of which, for all their faults, Ritchie and Sabatini are at the very least proper central midfielders. Just play one of them in there! 
 

Really disappointing not to have tested Scott Fox at all, given he’s been out injured all season. IMO in general we’re far too reticent to shoot from range. Just have a dig and get him working - at the very least you might get a corner out of it or the ball might fall our way.
Jack McKay tries hard and puts in a power of work and I do appreciate that to a degree. But, despite his goal last week, I never have any faith that we’re going to score when he’s on the park. I understand why he started tonight but for me his (limited) role should be chucking him on late in games in the hope something might come off (last week) or letting him plug in gaps when players go off or we change shape (late in the game tonight). We’d be much better off starting Roy and playing balls into his and Gallagher’s feet or for them to run onto rather than the hopeless long balls tonight. Actually stretch the Morton defence and, again, get them working. 
 

All that being said, Morton aren’t great shakes either. Cup final on Friday. Whatever happens it’s the last game of the season so just go for it and leave it all out there. 
 

Finally,  it was brilliant being at the game tonight. Nice to see folk again, sing and cheer on the team and, most importantly, chastise the opposition for stealing yards at throw-ins. It goes without saying but it’s an eminently more enjoyable experience than watching the streams. Here’s hoping, whatever league we’re in, we’ll be back for good in one form or another next season. 

[clashcityrocker]

Advantage Morton.

[thediamonddude]

On reflection, whilst it was fantastic being back in the stadium, cheering the players on and seeing fellow Diamonds again, it was a pretty disappointing night. 

I don’t feel we did ourselves justice in terms of the performance, which is a shame as it was anyone’s game really. We are capable of knocking the ball about well, but we’ve also shown we can dig out results when we need to - that just wasn’t there last night.

There was nothing really between the teams first half, but as the second wore on, we evidently tired and I think the injuries really disrupted us - especially when you consider we were already missing Paton, Kerr and Connell.

It’s far from over though and I don’t think the players have anything to fear going into the second leg, as we were hardly battered by Morton.

The key is going to be getting the team right and that will, of course, depend on who is available. It seems like Kerr will be back, which is a boost and means we don’t need to change shape, but Murray’s big challenge is getting the midfield right. I accept people’s views that we were pretty toothless last night, but it was all down to the makeup of the midfield 3 for me - a striker, a winger and one of the best, most creative midfielders outside the Prem, sitting in front of the back 4. Ritchie struggled against Cove last week and Sabbatini hasn’t played much, but they are more natural in those roles - so we need to look to them in my view.

Just such a shame we can’t all be there on Friday though, as it would have been a super atmosphere at Cappielow.

Like I say, wouldn’t feel totally safe yet if I were Morton. In fact, as weird as this sounds, I think I’d rather be 1 down rather than 1 up going into the second leg - will be a tense night!

 

[Jamie_M]

48 minutes ago, airdrieman said:

nobody following McLean(?) for the short ball from the corner.

To be fair, I don't think anyone expected McLean to go and show for the short corner, or to deliver a cross like that.

[madton]

1 hour ago, thediamonddude said:

Like I say, wouldn’t feel totally safe yet if I were Morton. In fact, as weird as this sounds, I think I’d rather be 1 down rather than 1 up going into the second leg - will be a tense night!

 

Is that right aye?? Enjoy your night mate...

[Tri-TON]

As bad as we were, particularly in the forward areas, I was shocked at how guff Airdrie was. If we don't stay up it's a disaster on that factor alone never mind the 10s of others.

[placidcasual]

As bad as we were, particularly in the forward areas, I was shocked at how guff Airdrie was. If we don't stay up it's a disaster on that factor alone never mind the 10s of others.

It's peak banter that Falkirk somehow managed to come 5th in that league.