Cove v Diamonds - 25 September

[AirdrieOnTop]

Stream back up after 30 minutes rediculas that it even went down

 

[cb_diamond]

Play negative games, win negative prizes.

Same old Murrayball.

[CoveRangers1922]

Morgyn Neill with his first Cove goal grabs 3 points right at the death in what was a poor spectacle of a game.

2nd half saw Cove create more chances and hit the bar twice with headers from Milne and Neill. Mitch really should have taken his chance but Currie made a commendable save. During the midpoint of the second half I thought we looked likely to score but failed to do so.

Big 3 points, and nice to record our 3rd clean sheet in 4, but the performance is worrying. Midfield today was essentially 3 defensive midfielders and Masson who looks a shadow of his self currently. Midfield look completely incapable of supporting any attacks and quite happy to slow everything down and play far too deep. No width as Blair was on the bench.

Thought Vigurs was useless today and Fyvie not much better. Neill won everything in the air and was not ran at which showed him in very good light.

Need far more intensity and spark going forward.

 

Expected much more from Airdrie, who clearly had an off day / got their tactics a bit wrong. Gal ran the channels well and was a handful but Salim, Frizzell and even Easton weren't quite at it. 

Edited September 25, 2021 by CoveRangers1922

[Chapelhall chap]

Maybe I should wish the actual game  had stopped for me around the 60th minute and my first visit to Balmoral was in the end disappointing. Cove were the only side going for  a win in the last 10 minutes. This might well be down to the wind having a driving on effect in the 2nd half, or maybe it was that our attacking/creative players rarely featured in breaking down a good back four. I think Cove probably deserved it because the Currie save and hitting the bar shows that they were more active. They are a good side although I think they were better last season but clearly are still a top four team . I could blame our guys for not stopping Logan's cross but we had survived a few earlier scares. It could well be that missing Fordyce in defence might well have had an effect. I also wonder why Murray again   played no subs till that goal and it maybe shows the dearth on our bench with so many absentees.   Our back 4 was good and a couple of penalty box sclaffs might have been better used but I can't recall McKenzie having a save. It is a tight league and obviously I expected a draw but not seeing a game out again?

As to our trip it was all going swimmingly until we got mixed up as to what industrial estate it was, so a tour and a few questions got us back to the right retail park in enough time. A few locals were sending us to Pittodrie but even I knew where it was! A neat ground but standing at ground level is maybe not the best viewing . Had a smashing Fish supper in Stonehaven so it was a good trip home.  

[Chapelhall chap]

Don't usually do this when we lose but that Referee today was abysmal for both sides. Hardly a bad tackle but lots of yellow cards! 

 

[diamondman]

Underwhelming yesterday.

[airdrieman]

19 hours ago, Chapelhall chap said:

Don't usually do this when we lose but that Referee today was abysmal for both sides. Hardly a bad tackle but lots of yellow cards! 

 

 

19 hours ago, Chapelhall chap said:

Maybe I should wish the actual game  had stopped for me around the 60th minute and my first visit to Balmoral was in the end disappointing. Cove were the only side going for  a win in the last 10 minutes. This might well be down to the wind having a driving on effect in the 2nd half, or maybe it was that our attacking/creative players rarely featured in breaking down a good back four. I think Cove probably deserved it because the Currie save and hitting the bar shows that they were more active. They are a good side although I think they were better last season but clearly are still a top four team . I could blame our guys for not stopping Logan's cross but we had survived a few earlier scares. It could well be that missing Fordyce in defence might well have had an effect. I also wonder why Murray again   played no subs till that goal and it maybe shows the dearth on our bench with so many absentees.   Our back 4 was good and a couple of penalty box sclaffs might have been better used but I can't recall McKenzie having a save. It is a tight league and obviously I expected a draw but not seeing a game out again?

As to our trip it was all going swimmingly until we got mixed up as to what industrial estate it was, so a tour and a few questions got us back to the right retail park in enough time. A few locals were sending us to Pittodrie but even I knew where it was! A neat ground but standing at ground level is maybe not the best viewing . Had a smashing Fish supper in Stonehaven so it was a good trip home.  

Agreed on the ref. The game was very stop-start and bitty and the referee didn't help in that regard. It was a bit of a nothing game really. Neither side created much of anything. I don't think anyone would have grumbled had it been 0-0 but by virtue of actually having a couple of chances, Cove can probably say they deserved it. That being said, the game was there to be won. 

McCabe was a huge miss yesterday. We badly needed somebody to drive us forward with a bit of impetus, creativity and an actual plan. That was probably Easton's poorest game for us. He was always trying to make something happen so credit to him for that but nothing was coming off for him against a well drilled Cove side. Agnew and Frizzell were quiet too. Frizzell is much better through the middle than out on the left where he seems to have been the last couple of games. And Gal, Smith and Salim all couldn't get into the game at all and unfortunately you're just never going to win if you're 5/6 attacking players are having a bad day. One thing I really liked about Kyle Turner was that he was always willing to have a dig at goal. We're still far too reticent to do that. There were times yesterday when probably all of our attacking players could have at least had a shot at goal. Just have a dig FS! You might get a corner, the ball might fall to one of our other players or you might even score! Dreadful to not even have one shot on target in a game that was there for the taking. It's not as if Cove completely shut us down or over-ran or overwhelmed us. I thought people were a bit harsh on Gal and Salim's partnership last week but after yesterday I'm not convinced by it. For me we've been more effective this season playing one upfront with the wide forwards supporting the striker so I'd like to see Murray reverting to that or trying something different upfront. Speaking of which with Watson moving into the centre of defence, we basically had no outball or service coming from out wide. We scored two goals in two games (three if you count Scott McGill's) from crosses last week and it's clearly something both Gallagher and Salim thrive from. But yesterday I don't think we put a cross into the box once. I still think a proper wide player would be a particularly useful addition for us, even if only to come off the bench as, as @Passionate says, we're clearly lacking in that regard. 

I thought our defence did well considering it was another makeshift defence and our captain and biggest organiser Fordyce was out. That's another late goal conceded/point dropped however. I completely understand the effects Covid has had on the squad, their fitness and our ability to put a full and fit team out. But at what point does it stop being down to that and it's down to poor game management instead? 

A win next week will give us 14 points from the first quarter. You're probably looking to get at least 15 points from every quarter if you want to make the play-offs but it's not a disaster, especially given the inconsistency of almost every other team in the league. That extra point (or more) is easily reachable in the next quarter, but then again, that's maybe easier said than done for an Ian Murray AIrdrie team! Need to win next week now and need to get our full-strength team out ASAP. Don't think we've managed to do that once this season which is remarkable. 

Enjoyed the company on the bus, the fish supper in Stonehaven and the day out despite the football's best attempts to ruin it. Hopefully a better trip to Falkirk beckons in a few weeks. 

[Chapelhall chap]

My days of bus travel are gone if only so I get my own wide ranging music ( and my passengers) and chat for away trips,  but glad Airdrieman still enjoyed your day non football . I also think that a front two has meant pushing Frizzell out wide where he does not have the pace/drive and we lose his other skills . Given the lack of players yesterday then it's understandable but we need some pace out left. I watched Hartley's interview and he also said it was way more scrappy than either team offered, but they kept attacking. Still to see any highlights just to be sure.

[realmadrid]

I took in this game to complete the 42. 

If Cove were to be promoted again what level of improvements would be done to get the ground to Championship level?

 

[CoveRangers1922]

29 minutes ago, realmadrid said:

I took in this game to complete the 42. 

If Cove were to be promoted again what level of improvements would be done to get the ground to Championship level?

 

Interested to hear your thoughts on the game and Cove's team / performance. Unfortunately wasn't the most entertaining match.

IF we were to get promoted, I don't believe any improvements or additional seating would be mandatory but certainly there is already discussion on extending the main stand, improving drainage around the perimeter of the pitch and improving the floodlights.

[CoveRangers1922]

On 25/09/2021 at 20:58, Chapelhall chap said:

Maybe I should wish the actual game  had stopped for me around the 60th minute and my first visit to Balmoral was in the end disappointing. Cove were the only side going for  a win in the last 10 minutes. This might well be down to the wind having a driving on effect in the 2nd half, or maybe it was that our attacking/creative players rarely featured in breaking down a good back four. I think Cove probably deserved it because the Currie save and hitting the bar shows that they were more active. They are a good side although I think they were better last season but clearly are still a top four team . I could blame our guys for not stopping Logan's cross but we had survived a few earlier scares. It could well be that missing Fordyce in defence might well have had an effect. I also wonder why Murray again   played no subs till that goal and it maybe shows the dearth on our bench with so many absentees.   Our back 4 was good and a couple of penalty box sclaffs might have been better used but I can't recall McKenzie having a save. It is a tight league and obviously I expected a draw but not seeing a game out again?

As to our trip it was all going swimmingly until we got mixed up as to what industrial estate it was, so a tour and a few questions got us back to the right retail park in enough time. A few locals were sending us to Pittodrie but even I knew where it was! A neat ground but standing at ground level is maybe not the best viewing . Had a smashing Fish supper in Stonehaven so it was a good trip home.  

After our flurry of chances prior to the hour mark I thought a goalless draw was on the cards.

I agree that we were a better team last season than what we have shown in the opening dozen games in all competitions. For me it's because our midfield is too deep, defensive and not "box to box" enough. No one wants to really make space by committing their man. I doubt we'll address that before the window closes and it will dictate our style of our play.

Vigurs or Fyvie but not both, in fact Fyvie not Vigurs. Latter is only playing due to his reputation. The boy Finn Robertson on loan or Scully should start instead of him. Again DCM's though.

We missed Blair Yule's energy and drive hugely.

Airdrie clearly missing the game changing Kyle Turner as would any L1 or Championship side for that matter. I like Ian Murray's signings this summer. McCabe, Easton, Salim, Smith, Watson, Gabby McGill and even  Frizzell. For me that's 7 good signings that should be capable of driving Airdrie to a playoff spot minimum.

Sure a few experienced heads have gone out in Carrick and Crighton but they've been replaced well. McCann is potentially the only position that hasn't been filled with a equally good replacement.

League is so tight, can't see any team pulling away early or doing a Partick in the latter stages.

Edited September 27, 2021 by CoveRangers1922

[realmadrid]

1 minute ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Interested to hear your thoughts on the game and Cove's team / performance. Unfortunately wasn't the most entertaining match.

IF we were to get promoted, I don't believe any improvements or additional seating would be mandatory but certainly there is already discussion on extending the main stand, improving drainage around the perimeter of the pitch and improving the floodlights.

I thought it was a match in which both teams cancelled each other out. Cove hitting the bar twice perhaps showed where the game was going but i honestly thought id gone to 0-0 so i was glad of a goal at the end.

Shay Logan looks like he has dropped to that level and did not look any better than anyone else on the pitch.

I did wonder if the main stand was built with expansion in mind. 

I guess more modular units such as the 3 on the other side could be slotted in. The views from the small seated one opposite the main stand were good and it was a mixed zone on Saturday.

[CoveRangers1922]

11 minutes ago, realmadrid said:

I thought it was a match in which both teams cancelled each other out. Cove hitting the bar twice perhaps showed where the game was going but i honestly thought id gone to 0-0 so i was glad of a goal at the end.

Shay Logan looks like he has dropped to that level and did not look any better than anyone else on the pitch.

I did wonder if the main stand was built with expansion in mind. 

I guess more modular units such as the 3 on the other side could be slotted in. The views from the small seated one opposite the main stand were good and it was a mixed zone on Saturday.

Shay isn't as attacking a right back as I had hoped for but he's been very consistent, doesn't make any errors and generally just does his job. For me he's been our best summer signing which doesn't say much for the other 6! Ola hasn't played yet.

I've only seen us perform to our ability once in 12 games this season and that was in the PS cup against ICT where we strolled them 3-1. Their goal was a last second pen. 

We're lacking speed and creativity in the middle and true wingers. I expect we'll be hard to beat this season going forward but not necessarily pleasing to watch like last season.

Opposite the main is generally where I stand; decent view and I like your mixing with the away support.

[realmadrid]

47 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Shay isn't as attacking a right back as I had hoped for but he's been very consistent, doesn't make any errors and generally just does his job. For me he's been our best summer signing which doesn't say much for the other 6! Ola hasn't played yet.

I've only seen us perform to our ability once in 12 games this season and that was in the PS cup against ICT where we strolled them 3-1. Their goal was a last second pen. 

We're lacking speed and creativity in the middle and true wingers. I expect we'll be hard to beat this season going forward but not necessarily pleasing to watch like last season.

Opposite the main is generally where I stand; decent view and I like your mixing with the away support.

What gets me is how quiet the likes of Logan are. Just shout for the ball when you are in space, he waved his hands a few times but unless the other players are looking for the switch they wont see him.

I was in the fortunate position to be at a lot of games last season and even at Premiership level some players don't say a thing, yet others at closed doors games talked their way through the match. 

Maybe he stood out as he was the player I knew the most about but a lot of his passes were side wise which was driving some of the locals mad. 

 

[Chapelhall chap]

If only Logan had done a sideways pass I would have left happy! Watched the DTV highlights today and much like Cove22 the edge was with Cove in 2nd half. We might well have signed good players but too many were just too flat on Saturday. I suspect Fordyce might have reacted better to put Neill off but it's a wee bit grasping at straws. I agree largely about Vigurs but that switch of play did open up the move for Logan. Clearly L1 is so tight and the final first quarter against Clyde will tell me a lot. On the seated area I had thought it had to be booked as such so stayed at ground level.