East Fife vs Alloa

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

Saturdays game is a pretty big deal for Alloa. We've had a poor points return in our last 2 home games. Saturday might dictate whether we push on up on the table or spend the next stage of the season looking over our shoulder.

I thought Stevie Crawford did a reasonably good job last season at Dunfermline. East Fife come into the game off a really bad Cup result, but we could see the dreaded new manager bounce. You'd imagine their players will be up for this.

New Bayview is a ground we don't have a great record at- 1 win in the last 8 there, and haven't won there in the last 5 visits.

Andy Graham will come in for the suspended Mendy Id imagine, but not too many other enforced changes. Our midfield is loaded with quality but has lacked a bit of cohesion in the last 2 league games. Hopefully the big win last week and the Cup draw has given the team a lift to iron out the creases a bit.

[KierenAAFC]

Nothing but a win will do. I couldn't remember too many good results at East Fife away but that stat is pretty damning. I'm happy that Andy will keep his place, everything seems better when Andy is on the park! I wonder if he'll move Taggart in to centre half with him and shuffle Robertson, Church, Sena, etc between the left and right back slots. Personally, I'd prefer Howie to slot in alongside Andy at centre half and keep Taggart on the right. When Taggs doesn't play well going forward, neither do Alloa. Important we keep him there.

Edited December 2, 2021 by KierenAAFC

[Vegetableman]

What's up with durnan ?

[Kevchenko]

Said in our thread this is the first of 2 must wins for us. 
 

What’s the script with Durnan? Was assuming he was maybe just getting a rest last weekend as he’s played practically every minute up until now. 
 

Thought Andy did well last week, albeit he wasn’t really up against much, but he is a step ahead in the way he can read a game - it helps make up a bit for the lack of pace. Having said that, I wouldn’t have been at all surprised if BF had put Howie in beside Durnan this week! If Durnan is out I hope it’s Andy and Howie in there and keep Taggs at right back. 
 

First trip for me to Bayview so looking forward to it (could be first person ever looking forward to a trip to Methil!). 

[jpm]

Durnan is suspended having already picked up 6 league bookings.

[printer]

FFS. Not again.

[Redwedge77]

We have the absolute worst disciplinary record in Scotland. The Manager should be fixing this. Not this manager though.

[RolandPie]

Some how we manage to do better when we have 11 players on the field - I wonder why....

[Alloamad]

Well, at least Falkirk are getting the mother of all pumpings. Was maybe harsh for the second booking but Ferguson needs to sort out the indiscipline now. It all stems from him

[Alloa 68]

Appalling disciplinary record,appalling result.If we can't win games like these we'll be stuck around the bottom half of the league.Do us a favour Mike,show ferguson the door.He's been given enough time now to sort things out,it's not going to happen though.There's time for someone else to come in and improve things,give the job to big Andy,a proper leader.

[fatdoug1938]

Happy with a point in the end. First half was pretty much all Alloa but our shape and workrate was excellent but just lacked the quality going forward. Would like to see the Alloa goal again, looked a soft goal to lose and wondered if Smith could have come out and claimed it. 

Sending off made a difference for sure but he could have no complaints with either yellow. Got a little bit of luck with the equaliser and then pushed for the winner but not to be. Positive signs but worry that lack of real quality will be our downfall.

[Vegetableman]

That was bloody awful 

it ain't workin barry and you know it 

something needs to change and quick

another Howie sending off how many is that now ? top of the indiscipline league

is as far as we will go at this rate ,

 

A draw 

Against very average opposition

we are insipid and seem to have no idea's how to break down anyone 

losing interest here anyone else ?

 

Edit ,  the Flawkirk score cheered me up a bit 

 

Edited December 4, 2021 by Vegetableman

[fifer67]

Had two glorious chances in the end to win the game but no composure in front of goal we set up very cautious with one striker until we fell behind. Alloa had a lot of the ball but only managed to pass the ball around their back 4 with very little penetration. I was actually surprised at how poor Alloa were considering their player budget.Another poor goal to give away losing the second ball and letting Henderson in behind us. Then came the change in the game bringing on Connell and Semple. They were prepared to drive at the Alloa defence and they looked very uncomfortable with that ,resulting in numerous fouls around the box and a sending off. Lots of effort but as previous poster says lack of quality very evident hopefully Crawford can keep us in touch with the pack till January and work some miracles in the transfer window.

[Life on Marrs?]

25 minutes ago, fifer67 said:

Had two glorious chances in the end to win the game but no composure in front of goal we set up very cautious with one striker until we fell behind. Alloa had a lot of the ball but only managed to pass the ball around their back 4 with very little penetration. I was actually surprised at how poor Alloa were considering their player budget.Another poor goal to give away losing the second ball and letting Henderson in behind us. Then came the change in the game bringing on Connell and Semple. They were prepared to drive at the Alloa defence and they looked very uncomfortable with that ,resulting in numerous fouls around the box and a sending off. Lots of effort but as previous poster says lack of quality very evident hopefully Crawford can keep us in touch with the pack till January and work some miracles in the transfer window.

Pretty much agree with all of this, you must've been at the same game as me!

[Kevchenko]

Really negative performance today especially in what was an awful 1st half. 
 

Our midfield was completely bypassed for much of the game - not deep enough to give an out ball to Andy or Howie, and not high enough to support Henderson up top. 
 

There wasn’t really a decent performance out there individually either today, but of an off game from Taggs, King was anonymous as usual and Cawley was wasted out wide. 
 

Utterly pointless from Ferguson leaving substitutions until the last couple minutes and it was bad enough going with one up top last week, never mind against the team sitting bottom of the league. 
 

We are a cracking team to watch on the counter, but if the opposition don’t come at us and just sit in, we have zero creativity in the middle of the park to unlock a defence. I’ve sung O’Donnell’s praises several times before, but I feel that team is crying out for someone like him who can actually beat a man in the middle of the park. He should have started the cup game and for me he has to get given a run of games. 
 

Obviously only had live view of Howie’s bookings but contrary to others, I thought both bookings were incredible soft. 2nd one maybe was a yellow, but it looked for the first that he had already slipped and the East Fife forward then ran in to him. Capped off what was another generally poor performance from the ref. 
 

Feel after today that’s any slim hope that was left of winning the league truly gone, and on today’s showing, I think promotion playoffs are out of the question as well (despite how congested the middle of the league is). Unfortunately, I think relegation playoffs aren’t out of the question now. 

[Taylstheref]

1 hour ago, Alloa 68 said:

Appalling disciplinary record,appalling result.If we can't win games like these we'll be stuck around the bottom half of the league.Do us a favour Mike,show ferguson the door.He's been given enough time now to sort things out,it's not going to happen though.There's time for someone else to come in and improve things,give the job to big Andy,a proper leader.

Unfortunately having read the interview with Mr Mulraney in The Sun Bazza won't be going anywhere. He's doing a fantastic job and has brought in a whole new squad(no shit Sherlock!). Most of them are lowland league quality!

[Vegetableman]

12 minutes ago, McCulloch No.5 said:

Most of them are lowland league quality!

When you say that about the players you are letting the manager of the hook 

we have players who should be doing better , this is down to tactics   ,system,  and the management .

 

[Taylstheref]

26 minutes ago, Vegetableman said:

When you say that about the players you are letting the manager of the hook 

we have players who should be doing better , this is down to tactics   ,system,  and the management .

 

The manager signed them! He ain't off the hook. Trust me the vast majority of the first few shambolic months are down to him.

[Another The Other Chairman]

A good point for us as it keeps us in touch. As importantly the first half showed a bit of discipline in defence albeit nothing much up front. Then in the second half after losing a goal and changing the formation we showed a bit of threat up front although some of that was due to Alloa going down to ten men.  A wee glimmer of hope there.

I will probably regret this but given a run of games and used properly I think Semple could offer something. Newton did a lot of good work but had to go when the format changed.

[LeodhasXD]