Alloa vs Airdrie

[Father Barrys Sign (Top Half)]

I'd have expected new goalkeeper to start too, but going by the managers comments in the programme not so sure now.

 

[Glenmavis Diamond]

On 03/03/2022 at 14:50, dextermorgan said:

The midfield is OK in my book. Twenty one shots last week and one goal to show for it would suggest the forward line is needing to step up. I think we have been too reliant on the midfielders like Easton to chip in with the goals when our strikers are not doing the business on a regular basis.

You're saying that like all 21 shots came from the strikers when a last number of them came from other areas of the park. Agree though that we do need our strikers to start scoring consistently. Hoping McGill starts as for me, he's our best striker. 

 

[dextermorgan]

14 minutes ago, Glenmavis Diamond said:

You're saying that like all 21 shots came from the strikers when a last number of them came from other areas of the park. Agree though that we do need our strikers to start scoring consistently. Hoping McGill starts as for me, he's our best striker. 

 

I suppose I was trying to get over the fact that we normally make excuses for our strikers for 'not getting the service'. That is clearly not the case these days as typified by Gallagher's atrocious header from six yards out. Agreed that midfielders can miss chances too, as we seen on Saturday, but we have had too many games in the past week or so where we have not benefitted from the number of chances created, especially up front.

[printer]

1 hour ago, Father Barrys Sign (Top Half) said:

I'd have expected new goalkeeper to start too, but going by the managers comments in the programme not so sure now.

 

Waspie makes a good point about Hutton not coming to take the ball when we were under pressure late on against Cove.

As he also says, Hutton is a decent keeper, but his stature certainly counts against him - I feel he could have done better with a few of the goals we have lost recently if he had another several inches of reach.

Manager's decision of course and will be interesting to see which way he goes.

[GoalForAirdrie]

4 hours ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Commentary is very good, up there with Dumbarton's for me. Unfortunately the main commentator, Kieran?, I could be making that up was missing last week. 

All you can ask for in a commentary team is that they aren’t too biased and over excited! I can remember Alloa’s being extremely fair and calling it right down the middle. 

[CoveRangers1922]

1 minute ago, GoalForAirdrie said:

All you can ask for in a commentary team is that they aren’t too biased and over excited! I can remember Alloa’s being extremely fair and calling it right down the middle. 

Exactly and the main commentator clearly does a fair bit of research and/or is a huge fan of Scottish lower league football. Normally spot on with opposition player analysis.

[Kevchenko]

Think it will be difficult for Rice to change the lineup after last week’s performance, particularly before the sending off. 
 

If Henderson does start on the bench I hope he comes on alongside Sammon and not in place of him though. 
 

Before last week I was treating Cove, Airdrie and Queens Park games as free hits, but if the team perform to the level of last week we will have a chance today, albeit against a good Airdrie side. 

[Alloamad]

I’d be happy if he has the same team out as started last week. Henderson coming on later for Boyd instead of Armour, he gave us absolutely nothing. Fine day in the county for football. It’ll be tough though, I have been impressed with Airdrie this season. However, I fancy us for all three points today. Just need to keep 11 players on the park [emoji1696]

[Vegetableman]

It was a tough ask for Ben Armour to make a difference after Robbo's red 

Henderson as an impact sub likely

In brian we trust .

[Alloamad]

Didn’t expect a hat trick from Armour but he came on with fresh legs and his work rate wasn’t there for me. Maybe not fit but I was looking for more.
If we can carry last weeks level of effort and the players continue playing without fear we will win today.

[Kenny_m]

An attacking side for Airdrie today, looks like a 4-1-4-1 come 4-3-3 although it's a mystery to me as to why Agnew is out there.

[Waspie]

10 minutes ago, Alloamad said:

Didn’t expect a hat trick from Armour but he came on with fresh legs and his work rate wasn’t there for me. Maybe not fit but I was looking for more.
 

I'd agree with that. It was always going to be a thankless task for Armour but even if he didn't manage to hold much up, we really needed him to challenge for any ball that came his way and charge around pressurising the Cove defenders for 10 minutes. I didn't see anything from him at all, we'd have been better off leaving Sammon on and he was knackered after a great shift. Thought it was interesting on signing McIver that the manager name checked Sammon, Boyd and Henderson but not Armour. Perhaps reading too much into that, but think that if Armour does get another shot he is going to have to really take it. 

Mon the Wasps. 

[Diamond Oracle]

£18 for what must be the worst stream I’ve ever watched

[Alloamad]

Hopefully Rice changes it half time. That back four has been ropey all season, disappointed it changed from last week. I’d be surprised to see Church back out, sold that first too easily. We aren’t out this game but need to be pressing a bit more up the park. Hendo off for Sammon[emoji848]

[Alloamad]

Half correct, Boyd off for Sammon. C’mon ye Wasps [emoji219]

[printer]

That second half was brutal. 

[Waspie]

Bit disappointing today and a drop off from last week. That said, there wasn't all that much in the game and in terms of chances it was pretty even. Had we taken a chance or two it would have been different. Airdrie more clinical and more settled and comfortable in their shape though and that was enough, good win for them. 

Hard not to bring Henderson straight back in given his record and threat but think it actually made our attack less effective. Change of shape at half time was bold but backfired and we were more disjointed the longer it went on. We've now had Taggart at LCB, RCB and LB in last two games. He is a brilliant RB or RWB. Kevin Cawley and Adam King aren't. We were worse after the McIver change too, shape was gone entirely. Understand the manager is still assessing his team and that will take time, but there are some simple solutions to a few of these things. Basically, pick a formation that suits what you have and play the players in the positions where they can be most effective. So many changes through one game also rather worrying, but hopefully again that won't be a long term feature. On the positives, Cammy looked good after coming on. 

Missed opportunity to some extent but Airdrie are a  very well drilled side with decent creative players. Just need to hope the manager has learned a bit more about his players and how he should be deploying them. 

[Alloamad]

Only real positive today was the other results going in our favour. At least the manager is willing to change things in a positive manner to try and get after the game and he’s had a look at some more players.
I’d like to see the penalty claim for handball again when it was one nil though.
Onwards and upwards [emoji3595]

[Magic Hat]

We played okay today but the better team won.

Henderson was played far too deep. 

Church has been better in recent weeks but he really struggled today and was deservedly hooked at half time. 

First two games have been tough for Brian Rice and does not get any easier next week.

If we could pick up a point against QP and then beat Peterhead the week after, that would be a decent return. 

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by Magic Hat

[Kevchenko]

10 minutes ago, Waspie said:

Bit disappointing today and a drop off from last week. That said, there wasn't all that much in the game and in terms of chances it was pretty even. Had we taken a chance or two it would have been different. Airdrie more clinical and more settled and comfortable in their shape though and that was enough, good win for them. 

Hard not to bring Henderson straight back in given his record and threat but think it actually made our attack less effective. Change of shape at half time was bold but backfired and we were more disjointed the longer it went on. We've now had Taggart at LCB, RCB and LB in last two games. He is a brilliant RB or RWB. Kevin Cawley and Adam King aren't. We were worse after the McIver change too, shape was gone entirely. Understand the manager is still assessing his team and that will take time, but there are some simple solutions to a few of these things. Basically, pick a formation that suits what you have and play the players in the positions where they can be most effective. So many changes through one game also rather worrying, but hopefully again that won't be a long term feature. On the positives, Cammy looked good after coming on. 

Missed opportunity to some extent but Airdrie are a  very well drilled side with decent creative players. Just need to hope the manager has learned a bit more about his players and how he should be deploying them. 

Fair summary, in a game of few chances Airdrie took theirs and we didn’t. 
 

Disappointed that we didn’t set up the same as last week, Airdrie played really narrow and I think the wing backs would have had a field day today. 
 

Felt for Sammon being dropped after last week and we missed his physical presence in the first half. Fair play to Rice for changing things early and having a go at getting something from the game, but I agree we became pretty disjointed. Not really sure where either Kev or Scougall were actually playing in the 2nd half. Agree that Cammy did well when he came on and his ball through for Henderson who then blasted the square ball was absolute class. That would have been a tap in for Sammon and I felt at 1-0 if we equalised we would have been confident of going on and winning it. 
 

Too many not at the level of last week unfortunately - Church, King, Cawley, Scougall, Boyd and Henderson were all below par today. Church has to do better at the first goal and I didn’t think Morrison covered himself in glory at either goal, although he did make a couple of good saves late on. 
 

Couple of flashes from MacIver, he looks pacey and more competive in the air than Henderson so will be interesting to see how he progresses.