Stirling Albion -vs- Stenhousemuir (Saturday 13 August 2022)

[#GSC]

3 hours ago, TheVoiceofReason said:

The whole team needs to defend properly from front to back.

We don't do that.  As you and I both said above the main problem is the midfield which is regularly posted missing.

That puts pressure on the defence.

I think McLean and McGregor/McGeachie make a decent central pairing.  McLean seems to be a steadying influence on McGregor who can be a bit rash at times shall we say. Cummins can play alongside McLean at a push.  Should McLean suffer another injury we're basically goosed.

We lack a decent left back.  I haven't seen enough of Clark to know if he is the answer.  Sadly he appears to be the only option.

We play Cummins instead of McGeachie at right back.  That's just stupid and asking for trouble.

We used to have wide players who would track back and help the full backs.  We let them go and replaced them with slower players who dont work nearly as hard as their predecessors 

With no holding midfielders the defence just boots the ball up the park.  That gives away possession needlessly

Left to themselves with some played out of position the defence is not very good

With decent protection they're ok

I do worry that DY has had 20 odd games to fix the problem and it's still there

I’d say the defence are defending, one goal from the four in the league could be blamed slightly in the defence, the first goal last week at Dumbarton,Cummins should’ve shut down the man and not let the cross over, Blaire should’ve definitely saved it, McLean should’ve marked the scorer. The other three well we agree the midfield can’t defend 
I think you’re bonkers if you think McLean and Mcgeachie are a good centre half pairing. McGregor rash, in what way?  because he gives and goes for everything ? McLean and McGregor is the better pairing by a country mile, if McLeans out McGregor and Cummins aren’t too bad, but if you lose McGregor , McLean and Cummins doesn’t work . 
Cummins at right back so far has scored and got 2 assists , I don’t think he’s playing too bad, he wants the ball, mcgeachie doesn’t show enough, hence the reason the ball gets launched or passed to the left. 
Clark isn’t the answer at left back, I thought after the Alloa game he might have been if he would just cross the ball when forward instead of playing it to Debholm all the time, but that’s been his best game.

I think the best bet would be to play a back three of McGregor,McLean and Cummins, that way the midfield can have an extra man . As it is the now , the way they set up is almost 4,2,4 as the wingers are always up in line with the forwards. 
Last thing , I think young josh deserves to start, gives everything , obviously because he’s looking to impress , but he’s quick and had it to go by players 

[#GSC]

3 hours ago, TheVoiceofReason said:

Left to themselves with some played out of position the defence is not very good

With decent protection they're ok

I think they’re better than ok, this almost same defence were one of the best in the league 2 seasons ago, we only didn’t win games because we didn’t have goal scorers, just like last season, if you don’t score you don’t win, simple, and the defence can only hold out so long with teams battering them all game with no help from the rest. 
As for launching it, when that and passing it back to the keeper is the only option then that’s what you do, the midfield don’t show for the ball and if they do it comes right back to the defence 

[TheWestStand]

away win.

[TheVoiceofReason]

17 hours ago, #GSC said:

I’d say the defence are defending, one goal from the four in the league could be blamed slightly in the defence, the first goal last week at Dumbarton,Cummins should’ve shut down the man and not let the cross over, Blaire should’ve definitely saved it, McLean should’ve marked the scorer. The other three well we agree the midfield can’t defend 
I think you’re bonkers if you think McLean and Mcgeachie are a good centre half pairing. McGregor rash, in what way?  because he gives and goes for everything ? McLean and McGregor is the better pairing by a country mile, if McLeans out McGregor and Cummins aren’t too bad, but if you lose McGregor , McLean and Cummins doesn’t work . 
Cummins at right back so far has scored and got 2 assists , I don’t think he’s playing too bad, he wants the ball, mcgeachie doesn’t show enough, hence the reason the ball gets launched or passed to the left. 
Clark isn’t the answer at left back, I thought after the Alloa game he might have been if he would just cross the ball when forward instead of playing it to Debholm all the time, but that’s been his best game.

I think the best bet would be to play a back three of McGregor,McLean and Cummins, that way the midfield can have an extra man . As it is the now , the way they set up is almost 4,2,4 as the wingers are always up in line with the forwards. 
Last thing , I think young josh deserves to start, gives everything , obviously because he’s looking to impress , but he’s quick and had it to go by players 

Well it's all about opinions I guess.  Agree re young cooper.  He's got a bit of dig about him and deserves more regular game time.

Good to be having a discussion about football for a change though

[AlbionMan]

On 09/08/2022 at 14:32, #GSC said:

I think they’re better than ok, this almost same defence were one of the best in the league 2 seasons ago, we only didn’t win games because we didn’t have goal scorers, just like last season, if you don’t score you don’t win, simple, and the defence can only hold out so long with teams battering them all game with no help from the rest. 
As for launching it, when that and passing it back to the keeper is the only option then that’s what you do, the midfield don’t show for the ball and if they do it comes right back to the defence 

I'm not sure that it's the midfield solely to blame. A lack of pace in the back line makes them sit deeper to counter a ball over the top, this makes midfield sit deeper to reduce the space between the lines, as a result the forwards either have to drop back to collect the ball where they are too far from goal to be dangerous or stay up front and wait for 'the lump up the park'. The way we play makes it easy for the opposition to press our deep lying side and not let us forward.

Still it's early season and we might find a system to suit our players. individually they're good enough to do well enough in this league but yet again the team is less than the sum of their parts. With the exception of jersey 23 none of the close season arrivals have shown to be an upgrade on those who were replaced.

[BinoBalls]

Stenhousemuir are somehow 7/4 to win this and I can’t understand that. I know Stenny haven’t been fantastic in their 2 previous league games but if they put in a half-decent performance they have a very good chance of beating us. We’re shaky at the back and flaccid up front. Our record in the league over the past 10 months is dreadful. Away win. 

[Red Watch]

I see that the Stenny fans are to be occupying the East Stand, apparently to avoid the like of the pie-throwing incidents when the two sides met last season.

Does anyone know if we have now permanently excluded the so-called casuals who infested the Morrisons end of the West stand?  They were not at all in evidence at the Elgin game and I understand that they had been ejected at the Peterhead game for vaping and using foul and abusive language to the stewards.

I see that there is a video clip on YouTube showing these idiots with lit flares on Forthside Way on their way to the Aberdeen game.  They set the undergrowth alight with the result that the fire brigade had to be called to extinguish the fire.

These troublemakers haven't even got the courage to show their faces on the videos they post under the ridiculous name of the 1945 Crew.  They are bad news for the club. 

 

[rhliston]

3 hours ago, Red Watch said:

I see that the Stenny fans are to be occupying the East Stand, apparently to avoid the like of the pie-throwing incidents when the two sides met last season.

Does anyone know if we have now permanently excluded the so-called casuals who infested the Morrisons end of the West stand?  They were not at all in evidence at the Elgin game and I understand that they had been ejected at the Peterhead game for vaping and using foul and abusive language to the stewards.

I see that there is a video clip on YouTube showing these idiots with lit flares on Forthside Way on their way to the Aberdeen game.  They set the undergrowth alight with the result that the fire brigade had to be called to extinguish the fire.

These troublemakers haven't even got the courage to show their faces on the videos they post under the ridiculous name of the 1945 Crew.  They are bad news for the club. 

 

Bit surprised they are opening the East Stand to house the Stenny fans. Given the numbers that usually turn up would have thought the Monument end of the West Stand would have been more than adequate for them. 

Regarding the 1945 crew, they have had a few chances but it seems that they want to misbehave. They have got to get it into their heads, their is a fine line they cannot cross and if they do they will be punished. Would rather see them at games but if they continue to misbehave then maybe its time to take action. 

Lets hope if they appear on Saturday that they screw the nut, if not they now what to expect. 

[BinoBalls]

Sad thing is there’s probably a fair portion of them that are decent young guys — the future of the club’s support. But as always there’s a few bampots in the group who don’t respect boundaries and it brings the whole group down. 

[Dumb yatt]

Stennie fans housed in east stand with sun in their eyes. Then should miss the horrors as they unfold on field. Remember SF 30. Or apply liberal amounts of pie grease to your fizzog.

[BB_Bino]

Would love to get back to the days where we could open that Stand every week again. Always feels like more of an occasion when the Away stand is open with a good number of people in it. Part of the reason I want to get back to League 1.

[Moonglum25]

Higgins sent off after 4 minutes FFS.

[amidst-tundra]

1 minute ago, Moonglum25 said:

Higgins sent off after 4 minutes FFS.

Kinda glad I didn't travel down for this, it's my closest away day but the wheels seem to have fallen comprehensively off early this week.

[Crazy Days]

 

Stats from BBC at start of second half - looks like a circus at this time. At least he has used subs at half time.

Possession    Home 48%   Away 52%

Shots      Home 12  Away 4

Shots on Target    Home 5 Away 1

Corners    Home 8    Away 0

Fouls    Home 12    Away 4

[StewartyMac]

On 08/08/2022 at 13:58, Neilly said:

Stirling are evidently not a good side with our best players on the park we should have too much for them. 

Oh, Neilly...

[WC Boggs]

3 points will do me.

[Moonglum25]

When the league fixtures were announced I think most of us anticipated that we would be sitting on a minimum of 6 points at this stage.  Only a misfiring Albion Rovers team have prevented us from being on 0 or 1 point.  The next two league games will not be easy so we could really be looking at a rerun of last season.

Higgins getting sent off so soon did not make it easy for the manager but you continually look at his mid-field selection and wonder if he knows who to play there.  On paper we have a talented squad but they are evidently misfiring. I cannot recall the last time we had a team under pressure for any extended period of time. 

We look like an accident happening every time we try to play it out from the back.  If that was the style he wanted to introduce why have Jamieson and Crighton in the squad when it is evident that neither are comfortable with this system.

Is he now looking at O'Reilly as a luxury or does he not fit into Swift's perceived system?  If there is one player in our team who is likely to unlock a defense it is him but so far has only started once in the 3 league matches. 

The doubts that were there at the start of last season unfortunately are now returning.

[BinoBalls]

Well. That did NOT go the way I was expecting. 1-0 up before half the games in the country had even kicked off. Then The Warriors down to 10 men after 4 minutes for a last man challenge (it looked debatable to me).
 

From point on, with the pitch side temperature hotter than Arianna Grande and a man light, Stenhousemuir were massively up against it.  They effectively had 9 and a half men because Ross Forbes was blowing out of his arse and looking like he wanted to be at home with a cool beer and his feet in the paddling pool from 10 minutes onwards. 
 

Stenny keeper made a couple of good stops and one exceptional save again from Dale Carrick. Thought we might regret not increasing our lead but then soon after half time Robert Thomson got on the end of his own hold up play to bang in a 2nd. Effectively game over at that point and we knocked the ball about and made the exhausted Warriors run about in the heat. Fortunately they’d taken Forbes off at half time before he collapsed. 
 

Carrick got sent clear and rifled a third high into the net to seal the win. 3-0 was about right in the end. Just one of those days for Stenny — the sending off early on such a scorching day when already trailing left them fucked right from the start. Thought the left back Callum Yeats looked a cut above every other player on the park, surprised he’s playing at this level. 
 

Looking forward to having our regular left back Clark in place next week. Ross McGeachie is either a centre half or a right full back — never a left wing back. 
 

Anyway, 3 goals and 3 points. I’ll take that. 

[Nigel Blackwell]

Not the day to play almost the entire match with 10 men, so the result was not unexpected in the circumstances.

But still Swift’s decisions are baffling. Taking Adam Brown off and keeping Forbes on the park was absolute madness. Actually starting with Forbes was odd to begin with.

He also can’t spot a decent keeper. Brennan made one really good save but I bet if you asked him he made 3 or 4 worldies as he flew through the air. He was at fault at the 2nd and for the entire match was rooted to his line. Apart from one occasion when he flew through the air like Superman to punch (as opposed catch) a cross. A keeper who likes to make spectacular saves but can’t do the basics.

So, can’t really say too much about the performance. Stirling were nervous until they got the 2nd and we may well have taken the points if we’d kept 11 men on the park, but pressure is building a little on Swift. No doubt. He need a win and a performance.

[Francesc Fabregas]

Fair play to Daniel Higgins - I now have an answer to the question: "what's the worst individual performance from a Stenhousemuir player you've ever seen?" His three minutes on the pitch really had to be seen to be believed. In the second minute, he failed to get tight to Dale Carrick and allowed him to turn and crash a shot into the roof of the net; 60 seconds later and he got on the wrong side of Robert Thomson, dragged him to the ground, and got himself sent off. Higgins was absolutely atrocious today and left us with an enormous task ahead. Chasing the ball around in that kind of heat a man down must have been soul destroying.

I don't think Stirling Albion are a particularly good team - their forwards aside, they seemed slow and ponderous and lacked ideas - but that was a bit of a gentle pumping, all in. Conor Brennan made a number of tremendous blocks that kept us in the match and, briefly, I thought we were going to come back into it when we created a couple of decent openings after the interval. But Thomson's goal, stabbed home after some rotten defending shortly after our missed chances, more or less killed it off. I left after Carrick charged through some mimsy tackling to get his side's third.

I'm sure Stephen Swift will say the match was ultimately decided by the red card but I think his team selection and his substitutions didn't help. I was surprised to see Higgins starting - someone suggested it's because he's better at passing the ball out from the back - but what's the point when everyone knows he's not really up for being get shoved around by Carrick and Thomson? Why break up the axis of Sean Crighton and Nicky Jamieson? Why leave Ross Forbes on the pitch, a player who can barely move in a moderate climate, on a scorching afternoon and withdraw Adam Brown, one of the few players in the team who can actually carry the ball? Why start with Euan O'Reilly on the bench? There are some decisions I just can't get my head around. Today was another example of the management team overthinking things.

It was a hard shift today, all in, and some players deserve praise - Brennan, despite looking a little iffy at cross balls, was solid; Callum Yeats did his best to get things going from left-back; and Matty Yates was a real livewire in attack, even if it didn't always come off for him. I didn't think Crighton or Jamieson played well and the latter could have done a lot better for the second and third goals, while Craig Bryson didn't impose himself on the game despite a couple of neat touches here and there.

Three games in and we've seen two mediocre performances and a bit of a bleaching. I've got a bad feeling about the upcoming fixture with Dumbarton and it feels like we're at the same stage we were 12 months ago, where the manager struggling to figure out his best XI and preferred system and his team playing poorly. He needs to find a solution quickly because we're not really seeing value for money here.

Edited August 13, 2022 by Francesc Fabregas