Francesc Fabregas Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) On Saturday 15 January, Stenhousemuir will welcome Cowndenbeath to Ochilview Park for some red-hot League 2 action. It's a huge game for two sides with differing ambitions - the Warriors are looking to maintain their place in the top four and chip away at the sides above them, while Cowdenbeath are desperately looking to claw back some of the deficit between themselves and the rest of the division. I, for one, can't wait. Stenhousemuir were good against Albion Rovers at the weekend but I'm not sure if it's because of their own guile, craft and effort, or because the Rovers were just shit and brought nothing to the table. Nevertheless, it felt as though a corner has been turned in terms of the side's game management and their ability to hold onto leads and see off the division's lesser sides; I certainly hope this is the case because it's cost us a lot of points this season. The big question going into this match is whether or not to keep the three-at-the-back system that worked well in Coatbridge or deploy a more orthodox back four. Judging by his post-match interview, Stephen Swift only went with the 3-4-2-1 formation to suit the miserable conditions and give us the bodies to deal with the Rovers supposed strengths. It didn't seem like a long-term solution but then again, he's done this in the past (ie, when we went used Adam Corbett at right-back against Stranraer back in August after it had worked to some extent late on at Annan Athletic). The pitch won't be anywhere near as appalling as it was on Saturday so my preference would be to go with a back four and bring Euan O'Reilly back into the starting XI: - Tam Orr - - Euan O'Reilly - Darren Christie - Ross Forbes - - Nat Wedderburn - Mikey Miller - - Ross Lyon - Nicky Jamieson - Sean Crighton - Adam Corbett - - Ryan Marshall - It's probably not the starting XI I'd go for either (as I've said before, I'd prefer to see Corbett and Jamieson partnered at centre-back with Crighton dropping out entirely) but this should do this trick. I do not rate Cowdenbeath at all, especially without the suspended Craig Barr, and I would be very disappointed if we don't take three points from this match. We need to start showing some consistency and putting together a positive series of results so let's keep it going! Edited January 10, 2022 by Francesc Fabregas I made a boob! And I'm sorry! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawro Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 The 15th of November? BBC reporting at its best. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdenbeath Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 1 hour ago, Francesc Fabregas said: On Saturday 15 November, Stenhousemuir will welcome Cowndenbeath to Ochilview Park for some red-hot League 2 action. It's a huge game for two sides with differing ambitions - the Warriors are looking to maintain their place in the top four and chip away at the sides above them, while Cowdenbeath are desperately looking to claw back some of the deficit between themselves and the rest of the division. I, for one, can't wait. Stenhousemuir were good against Albion Rovers at the weekend but I'm not sure if it's because of their own guile, craft and effort, or because the Rovers were just shit and brought nothing to the table. Nevertheless, it felt as though a corner has been turned in terms of the side's game management and their ability to hold onto leads and see off the division's lesser sides; I certainly hope this is the case because it's cost us a lot of points this season. The big question going into this match is whether or not to keep the three-at-the-back system that worked well in Coatbridge or deploy a more orthodox back four. Judging by his post-match interview, Stephen Swift only went with the 3-4-2-1 formation to suit the miserable conditions and give us the bodies to deal with the Rovers supposed strengths. It didn't seem like a long-term solution but then again, he's done this in the past (ie, when we went used Adam Corbett at right-back against Stranraer back in August after it had worked to some extent late on at Annan Athletic). The pitch won't be anywhere near as appalling as it was on Saturday so my preference would be to go with a back four and bring Euan O'Reilly back into the starting XI: - Tam Orr - - Euan O'Reilly - Darren Christie - Ross Forbes - - Nat Wedderburn - Mikey Miller - - Ross Lyon - Nicky Jamieson - Sean Crighton - Adam Corbett - - Ryan Marshall - It's probably not the starting XI I'd go for either (I'd prefer to see Corbett and Jamieson partnered at centre-back with Crighton dropping out entirely) but this should do this trick. I do not rate Cowdenbeath at all, especially without the suspended Craig Barr, and I would be very disappointed if we don't take three points from this match. We need to start showing some consistency and putting together a positive series of results so let's keep it going! Ah well just 11 months to go can’t wait. Hope we have someone in who can score goals by then, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 15th of November was his last kiss I believe probably why it is etched in his memory. I suppose there is a slight conundrum for the manager now going into the weekend, do we stick with the formation that gave us our best 90 minutes of the season or do we go back to a back four to accomodate our best attacking player coming back from suspension? I think there is merit for both and to be brutally honest however we line up we have to taking maximum points from this game and Elgin at home in the following fixture. Cowdenbeath have a pathetic 12 goals in 19 games and are porous at the back so if we drop points on Saturday we can't be blaming it on formations, it will simply be unacceptable if we are going to achieve our goals this season. I would think Mo Ross will have a few more players in for Saturday though they can't continue to roll with the current gang for much longer and expect a turnaround in fortunes. I'll say 4-0 to the home side and Mo Ross to tell us "THIS FITBAW CLUB WILL BE AWRIGHT" in his post match interview again. Shades of Billy Broon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iateallthepies Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 We are playing better than our results have shown so maybe we will get a bit of luck for a change. Barr will be a miss of course, but our problems are at the other end of the field. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesc Fabregas Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 13 minutes ago, Neilly said: I suppose there is a slight conundrum for the manager now going into the weekend, do we stick with the formation that gave us our best 90 minutes of the season or do we go back to a back four to accomodate our best attacking player coming back from suspension? I think there is merit for both and to be brutally honest however we line up we have to taking maximum points from this game and Elgin at home in the following fixture. Cowdenbeath have a pathetic 12 goals in 19 games and are porous at the back so if we drop points on Saturday we can't be blaming it on formations, it will simply be unacceptable if we are going to achieve our goals this season. I would think Mo Ross will have a few more players in for Saturday though they can't continue to roll with the current gang for much longer and expect a turnaround in fortunes. This is probably why it's my preference to go with the back four and get Euan O'Reilly back into the starting XI. It's important to show Cowdenbeath respect (and Christ knows, we've lost so many of these kind of encounters in the past) but I think it's far too cautious to go with the back three again, especially against such a limited side and especially when none of them can carry the ball into the midfield. I think we'd lose something by doing the same thing here as we did at the weekend. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Barr was always a standout in recent years but is there a chance he is regressing now? Does not quite seem the same player this season by all accounts, and was rag dolled in the Central Park fixture, or is that maybe just part of the general malaise at Cowden? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilly Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Francesc Fabregas said: This is probably why it's my preference to go with the back four and get Euan O'Reilly back into the starting XI. It's important to show Cowdenbeath respect (and Christ knows, we've lost so many of these kind of encounters in the past) but I think it's far too cautious to go with the back three again, especially against such a limited side and especially when none of them can carry the ball into the midfield. I think we'd lose something by doing the same thing here as we did at the weekend. I think that's a flawed thinking by many to be honest that because you are playing a back three it is automatically a more cautious formation. It was not cautious on Saturday and had us producing our most dangerous performance of the season. The wing backs were high, Corbett especially played more as a right winger for the most part, we were playing with 5 attackers at points with the two wing backs joining the narrow front three. We would only have 4 attackers generally in our usual 4-2-3-1 formation. Be interesting to see what we go for anyway but I don't think a back three automatically makes us a less attacking team by default if we can play it in the right manner. But on the other hand another Saturday without seeing Euan O'Reilly rinse another sorry full back may be another Saturday too far. Edited January 10, 2022 by Neilly 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdenbeath Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 2 hours ago, Neilly said: 15th of November was his last kiss I believe probably why it is etched in his memory. I suppose there is a slight conundrum for the manager now going into the weekend, do we stick with the formation that gave us our best 90 minutes of the season or do we go back to a back four to accomodate our best attacking player coming back from suspension? I think there is merit for both and to be brutally honest however we line up we have to taking maximum points from this game and Elgin at home in the following fixture. Cowdenbeath have a pathetic 12 goals in 19 games and are porous at the back so if we drop points on Saturday we can't be blaming it on formations, it will simply be unacceptable if we are going to achieve our goals this season. I would think Mo Ross will have a few more players in for Saturday though they can't continue to roll with the current gang for much longer and expect a turnaround in fortunes. I'll say 4-0 to the home side and Mo Ross to tell us "THIS FITBAW CLUB WILL BE AWRIGHT" in his post match interview again. Shades of Billy Broon. Don’t think we would get beat by 4 Kelty and Forfar haven’t done that and their far better than the Warriors. As you say we need more players in. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Pit_Owns Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 3 hours ago, Neilly said: Barr was always a standout in recent years but is there a chance he is regressing now? Does not quite seem the same player this season by all accounts, and was rag dolled in the Central Park fixture, or is that maybe just part of the general malaise at Cowden? I listened to a podcast with Craig Easton after he was sacked and he thought that Barr was trying to do too much and take on too much responsibility and that was effecting his own game. He's certainly not the same player that we same in his first season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Should Nat Wedderburn bring his passport, or is he slow enough to not warrant a check? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimto90 Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Should be beating this Lowland League bound muck but they did sneak a draw last time so not out with the realms of possibility they can sneak one again. I can't see it though. 3-1 Wawas. Orr x2. O'Reilly & Nat to get his first goal for club late on. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big al Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 On 10/01/2022 at 13:34, Neilly said: Barr was always a standout in recent years but is there a chance he is regressing now? Does not quite seem the same player this season by all accounts, and was rag dolled in the Central Park fixture, or is that maybe just part of the general malaise at Cowden? He’s definitely on the downward spiral, unfit and slack. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big al Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 On 10/01/2022 at 19:21, Vimto90 said: Should be beating this Lowland League bound muck but they did sneak a draw last time so not out with the realms of possibility they can sneak one again. I can't see it though. 3-1 Wawas. Orr x2. O'Reilly & Nat to get his first goal for club late on. Ok bud 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big al Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 How’s the big promotion push going? Heard Stenny have thrown the kitchen sink at it this season as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecowden Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Good win today. Small steps as they say. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronaldincoo Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Can we play you every week you utter losers 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silkybeath Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 4 points away this season to the big spending promotion pushing super team. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Brazil Forever Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 On 10/01/2022 at 19:21, Vimto90 said: Should be beating this Lowland League bound muck but they did sneak a draw last time so not out with the realms of possibility they can sneak one again. I can't see it though. 3-1 Wawas. Orr x2. O'Reilly & Nat to get his first goal for club late on. I saw it 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Fashioned Stramash Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Swift has to go, resign immediately. 5-4-1 against absolute dross and a team low in confidence at the bottom of the league. Our formation gave them space at the back and allowed them to come further up the park. Cowden didn't need to do anything. Our play and movement was non-existant. Brown playing left wing back? Is Swift on crack? Swift's substitutions were ridiculous and totally inept. They were chucking in the towel stuff. Crighton is one the worst centre backs I have ever seen at this level, everything he does is usually wrong. His positioning today was atrocious. Christie done two things in that match. Gave the ball away twice that led to Cowdenbeath scoring twice. Great contribution. Marshall in goals is causing issues as it seemed the players were reluctant to pass the ball back to him. Made one save, looked dodgy every time the ball made its way to him. Could he have done more with the first goal? His positioning was suspect. Stenny players play like their is no consequence or retribution. One of the worst games of football I've ever experienced. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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