Jan Vojáček Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 The division's bottom two going head-to-head at Bayview this weekend, in what really is make or break time for both clubs. Between them East Fife and Dumbarton have won just 11 of their 56 games this season. East Fife have three wins in their last 25 (v Cove, Sons and Alloa). Dumbarton have four in their last 23 (v Alloa, Sauchie, EF and Clyde). The two teams have conceded 114 this season, shipping on average more than two a game. East Fife have just one defeat in their last five though, whilst Sons have lost four of their last five matches. Whoever wins this will finish ahead of the other imo. If East Fife draw the gap to us back to three points then I fully expect it to be a real confidence boost to Stevie Crawford's side, and a hammer blow to ourselves. Likewise if we can extend it out to nine points then that's a deficit I cannot see the Fifers making up. I'm praying that Joshua Oyinsan will be fit enough to play some role as we just don't look the same team without him. Likewise I'd bring Paul Paton straight back in (despite his stupid red card at Peterhead) because we were totally bossed in midfield by Queen's Park. Ross MacLean missing another trip to Bayview is a huge blow however, given he has caused EF serious problems in both games at the Rock. I said on our thread during the week that I think I'd like us to go 3-5-2. And I've now convinced myself we need to. Perhaps with something like this. Kieran Wright George Stanger Stephen Bronsky Gregor Buchanan Carlo Pignatiello Stuart Carswell Joe McKee Paul Paton Gregg Wylde Joshua Oyinsan Conner Duthie Will it work? Who knows. Is it the best way of fitting all our better players in a starting lineup? I think so. Are there square pegs in round holes? Not really. Is simply getting rid of LB our best solution to our season-long issues in that position? Probably. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Home win. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Parr Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 1 hour ago, Jan Vojáček said: Whoever wins this will finish ahead of the other imo. If East Fife draw the gap to us back to three points then I fully expect it to be a real confidence boost to Stevie Crawford's side, and a hammer blow to ourselves. Likewise if we can extend it out to nine points then that's a deficit I cannot see the Fifers making up. Guaranteed score draw. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Fifer Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Season defining game for us. An absolute must win at this stage, I think even a draw relegates us, there's no chance we can produce a 6 point swing(7 really given the goal difference) without getting the win here. I can't make it back this weekend but might have time on Saturday afternoon to buy the stream. We definitely look better then we did under DY defensively, but as I said on the Montrose match thread, our central midfield is non-existent so it's really difficult for us to control any match and get forward without just lumping it. I hope Steele starts this one, for me he's our best centre half, not sure why he was dropped at the weekend. I hope Swanson can start this game in some capacity as he played a few nice passes when he came on at the weekend. Healy didn't get many breaks of the ball vs Montrose but a lot of our attacks were down his side first half. I'd maybe switch out Denholm for Swasnson this time around and go something like: Smith Mercer Higgins Steele Murdoch Healy Millar Blair Swanson Connell Wallace 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedrick1 Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Sorry Jan I’ve never seen a sons team effective playing 3 at back never mind with the bomb scares you are suggesting. absolutely crucial we don’t lose this match. More important than winning. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watdeadlyone Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Seriously hope East Fife stay up. At least they play football and don't resort to time wasting/spoiling tactics -1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeezebox-son Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 2 hours ago, watdeadlyone said: Seriously hope East Fife stay up. At least they play football and don't resort to time wasting/spoiling tactics you were the guy who was completely losing the plot next to the stream camera weren't you? Hilarious stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan Vojáček Posted March 10, 2022 Author Share Posted March 10, 2022 3 hours ago, cedrick1 said: Sorry Jan I’ve never seen a sons team effective playing 3 at back never mind with the bomb scares you are suggesting. absolutely crucial we don’t lose this match. More important than winning. It's getting towards the stage where we have to do something drastic to try and keep the goals out. Either that or we just do what Faz did in the second-half at Peterhead and just go balls-out to try and outscore East Fife. 3 hours ago, watdeadlyone said: Seriously hope East Fife stay up. At least they play football and don't resort to time wasting/spoiling tactics If we do stay up then there's a very good chance that it'll be down to the four points we've collected at Links Park this season. Which evidently still stings. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Used to like Montrose but they've a fair number of bumpkins following them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonsanorak Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 I'm travelling through for this and looking forward to it. Hopefully we get right in about it from the start in the same manner as the recent Clyde game. A win and I think we're safe from 10th, a defeat and I think we'll end up there. Pressure is on both teams, but more so EF I think. I expect Paton will come straight back in, probably for McKee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameron2000 Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 Sorry Jan I’ve never seen a sons team effective playing 3 at back never mind with the bomb scares you are suggesting. absolutely crucial we don’t lose this match. More important than winning.Defensive incompetence is usually limited in a back 3 - at this level I guess it’s no surprise some of the best teams are using that formation. Unfortunately though we don’t have a manager capable of implementing it. He switch to a back 3 for the second half at the weekend and it was embarrassing. Just reeked of sheer tactical incompetence. The ‘wing backs’ went so high and narrow that we effectively cut off our own passing lanes to the wing backs from the the wide centre backs, leaving us with no option but to go long and effectively making the formation change completely pointless.3 at the back is a fairly logical option for us personnel-wise but not with Farrell in charge unfortunately. Praying that Oyinsan will be back asap. We really need him and McLean every game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monthefife Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 I think this is only a "relegation decider" if East Fife fail to win the 3 points. Credit where it's due, I think Crawford and his coaching staff have done a decent job of improving our back-line in recent weeks, but we're still sorely and desperately lacking that clinical finish in the final third. Hopefully the young, Hearts loanee Finlay Pollock is fit and can offer something we've been missing. Under the knowledge that we've only been beaten once in the last six matches and that we've very gradually been catching up on them, I suspect Dumbarton may choose to play it safe and play for a draw to keep the gap as it is, which is why I'm predicting yet another goalless draw. Hoping for a good game, nonetheless. Plus it's great to see that the EF community club have donated a whopping 300 tickets to local parents and their children to attend the match tomorrow. Hope they have a great day out! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 We can't play for draws. If we were capable of doing that we'd probably be safe right now. If we set up for a 0-0 East Fife will pish it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Back Paddy Flannery Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 If we play for a draw it’s absolutely ludicrous. Peterhead are within touching distance and we should be going baws oot to avoid that playoff spot. That being said I’m not confident at all about this, I suspect East Fife will be right up for it whilst our bunch of calamitous shitehawks gift a goal early doors and accept the defeat there and then. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Fifer Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 I'm forgetting we've signed Pollock. Never watched him in the cup games but seems to be quite well thought of at Hearts. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeezebox-son Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 The match preview doesn't fill me with confidence at all. Oyinsan still out is a big one really. Is he ever going to get back to fitness? I remember when it was initially mentioned that McGeever would be out for weeks and now look where we are months later... No confidence whatsoever for this one. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the snudge Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 If big Oyinsan is out we're not winning this 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Kelly Isley III Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 Against my better judgement I've signed up for the live stream of this, complete with highly excitable commentary. I suppose it's the tantalising prospect of seeing my team produce ninety-odd minutes of unalloyed competence and winning the game in the process, flying completely in the face of all available evidence. As regards Oynisan, I was told he has a hamstring injury and they usually involve weeks of rest - come back too quickly and you can easily set yourself back. Time for big Edin Lynch to show us what he can do up top. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watdeadlyone Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 On 10/03/2022 at 17:47, squeezebox-son said: you were the guy who was completely losing the plot next to the stream camera weren't you? Hilarious stuff. No me. Not anywhere near the stand 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeezebox-son Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 2 hours ago, watdeadlyone said: No me. Not anywhere near the stand Stop the greetin' then 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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