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That was really weird. And frustrating. For a 2-2 there weren't too many chances of note, and a lot of the game was one side controlling possession whilst their opponents sat off and waited to try and nab the ball and start a counter attack.

It's the worst we've defended since the Binos game, losing two avoidable goals. The first was unfortunate for Buchanan, but Nditi had time and space to drive in his cross. The second was absolutely God awful. It looked like the sort of goal we lost approximately 48 times last season. Danny Baker Christmas VHS level stuff.

That being said, our response both times was positive. Gregg Wylde's goal was a bit bizarre - but I'll give him credit and say it was perfectly placed. David Wilson's was superb. Levelling instantly was vital, but we did it in real style. It was a gorgeous flowing move to carve Forfar right open, the cross from McKee was a beauty and Wilson timed his run perfectly to arrive in the six yard box and stick it away.

Hopefully, like the 6-0 game, this is a bit of a one off though. Right from the start we looked a bit sloppy defensively, and were a bit scrappy in the final third. We were actually fortunate not to lose the game with some crazy defensive moments late on although, despite them, Brett really hasn't had a save to make all match.

I feel like we maybe underestimated Forfar a wee bit with confidence high after last week though. It was a bit casual at times. And that's something you can't really do in a league like this.

The red card obviously changed the game though. I thought it was perhaps a wee bit harsh, but Kyle Hutton is experienced enough to know that a shirt tug on a player charging forward when you're on a booking isn't a great idea. As soon as it was produced I thought we'd need to get our noses in front quickly, and we ended up falling behind instead. Sake.

Faz spoke post-match about us having to play a style that wasn't really ours. And I think you could see that. We had plenty of the ball, but never quite looked fully comfortable when it came to that vital decision in the final third.

All that being said, it could prove a good point. And last season we'd have lost that game. In fact I spent a decent chunk of the match convinced that we would lose.

There were also a fair few decent performances. As has already been touched on, I thought Joe McKee bossed things in the second-half - and had a good first-half. Kalvin Orsi is continuing to look a big threat, and he and Aron Lynas always work well together. Both Ally Love and Ryan Wallace looked good when they came on too, and I'd like to see both start next week to get some more minutes in the legs.

I thought Ryan Blair was probably our best player though. He barely wasted a pass, he did his defensive duties well, he was always looking for the ball - and he played some really clever passes to create wee openings.

As for Forfar? Well they're obviously going to be our bogey team this season. But I don't think they're in any real danger of finishing bottom.

They have a decent squad (and a big squad, which is always useful), there aren't too many better goalkeepers than Marc McCallum in part-time football, Roberto Nditi has always impressed me and a big meat head like Andy Munro is a handy asset in this league. In fact, defensively they barely put a foot wrong today.

In midfield Craig Slater is quality and, with a wee bit more than big Matty Aitken (who frustrated the life out of me today by flicking between looking like a real handful, and then a clumsy, easily bullied big lump) up top I think they could even mount a charge to the playoffs now they have a good manager at the helm. Especially with everyone taking points off each other.

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Interesting differing opinions Jan . 
I thought Forfar least impressive of all teams I’ve seen. We allow teams possession and make them look good but for me not Forfar .

in addition I find Blair very frustrating I that in last few games including today he plays the lazy passes putting us in trouble. That said I thought he had a great second half with some great through balls. 

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13 minutes ago, cedrick1 said:

Interesting differing opinions Jan . 
I thought Forfar least impressive of all teams I’ve seen. We allow teams possession and make them look good but for me not Forfar .

in addition I find Blair very frustrating I that in last few games including today he plays the lazy passes putting us in trouble. That said I thought he had a great second half with some great through balls. 

Game of opinions and all that!

I thought, for a team bottom of the league with 10 men, Forfar defended and managed the game really well. They basically played us at our own game - even before the red card - grabbing a goal, defending properly and looking dangerous on the break. They played a full half with 10 men and, aside from the goal and Love hitting the post, Marc McCallum really hasn't been in any bother at all. They weren't as easy on the eye as Stranraer (who I thought played some really nice stuff) but they were better in both boxes. Even if we gave them a massive helping hand in our own.

Ryan Blair's absolutely my kind of player. I know he had a knock in the lead up to the Annan game and was a bit scrappier than normal against them and then the following week against Stranraer, but I think he's been absolutely vital for us this season. He'll take risks to keep the ball and does get caught in possession at least once or twice a week, but I love how disciplined he is positionally and his eye for a pass is superb imo.

He can be frustrating as hell at times, of that there's no doubt, but there are things he does that make me realise why Swansea took a punt on him a few years ago. There was a high ball launched  his way in the first-half and, without any effort at all, he pinged it down first time out to Martin McNiff in space with the perfect weight on it. I absolutely love things like that. I just wish we'd put him back on inswinging corners. We got a lot of joy from them earlier in the season, and his whipped left footed crosses are glorious.

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I feel like it's one that got away today. We definitely seem to struggle when trying to get a lead against ten men this season. We managed to do it in Coatbridge in August but we didn't manage it today when Forfar took up camp for large parts of the final half hour. I don't blame Forfar for doing so, it was up to us to break them down and we didn't. We've got to where we are by playing on the counter but it would be nice to have a plan b for situations like today.

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15 minutes ago, microdave said:

I feel like it's one that got away today. We definitely seem to struggle when trying to get a lead against ten men this season. We managed to do it in Coatbridge in August but we didn't manage it today when Forfar took up camp for large parts of the final half hour. I don't blame Forfar for doing so, it was up to us to break them down and we didn't. We've got to where we are by playing on the counter but it would be nice to have a plan b for situations like today.

Although I thought Forfar earned their point I feel that had we replaced McLean with Wallace earlier we may have squeezed the win.

McLean works best with the ball and space in front of him and that was never going to happen with 21 players in the Forfar half for most of the second half.

Wallace is very good at taking possession and laying off with his back to goal in tight situations, and he also has the striker's instinct to blast away from 20 yards and under, something we are often too reluctant to do.

If today showed anything there is no one-size-fits-all team or tactics.

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Felt we deserved the point today, although Aitken, Docherty and Munro for me were poor again, the latter’s penchant for launching a long ball straight out of play before turning and apologising frustrates me.

A harsh sending off for Hutton but as someone else said he should know better than to pull someone back while on a booking.

Flanagan looks to be getting better the more match fitness he gets and it was his work that got us the second, albeit thanks to some poor defending.

Things look to be turning round under McKinnon slowly but surely, the effort from the team is night and day compared to a few weeks ago. If that was Irvine in charge we would have lost that.

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2 hours ago, cedrick1 said:


I thought Forfar least impressive of all teams I’ve seen. 

I could say the same for Dumbarton in the 2 meetings so far this season. Bang average. Stirling would've diddied us with a man advantage.

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4 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

That was really weird. And frustrating. For a 2-2 there weren't too many chances of note, and a lot of the game was one side controlling possession whilst their opponents sat off and waited to try and nab the ball and start a counter attack.

It's the worst we've defended since the Binos game, losing two avoidable goals. The first was unfortunate for Buchanan, but Nditi had time and space to drive in his cross. The second was absolutely God awful. It looked like the sort of goal we lost approximately 48 times last season. Danny Baker Christmas VHS level stuff.

That being said, our response both times was positive. Gregg Wylde's goal was a bit bizarre - but I'll give him credit and say it was perfectly placed. David Wilson's was superb. Levelling instantly was vital, but we did it in real style. It was a gorgeous flowing move to carve Forfar right open, the cross from McKee was a beauty and Wilson timed his run perfectly to arrive in the six yard box and stick it away.

Hopefully, like the 6-0 game, this is a bit of a one off though. Right from the start we looked a bit sloppy defensively, and were a bit scrappy in the final third. We were actually fortunate not to lose the game with some crazy defensive moments late on although, despite them, Brett really hasn't had a save to make all match.

I feel like we maybe underestimated Forfar a wee bit with confidence high after last week though. It was a bit casual at times. And that's something you can't really do in a league like this.

The red card obviously changed the game though. I thought it was perhaps a wee bit harsh, but Kyle Hutton is experienced enough to know that a shirt tug on a player charging forward when you're on a booking isn't a great idea. As soon as it was produced I thought we'd need to get our noses in front quickly, and we ended up falling behind instead. Sake.

Faz spoke post-match about us having to play a style that wasn't really ours. And I think you could see that. We had plenty of the ball, but never quite looked fully comfortable when it came to that vital decision in the final third.

All that being said, it could prove a good point. And last season we'd have lost that game. In fact I spent a decent chunk of the match convinced that we would lose.

There were also a fair few decent performances. As has already been touched on, I thought Joe McKee bossed things in the second-half - and had a good first-half. Kalvin Orsi is continuing to look a big threat, and he and Aron Lynas always work well together. Both Ally Love and Ryan Wallace looked good when they came on too, and I'd like to see both start next week to get some more minutes in the legs.

I thought Ryan Blair was probably our best player though. He barely wasted a pass, he did his defensive duties well, he was always looking for the ball - and he played some really clever passes to create wee openings.

As for Forfar? Well they're obviously going to be our bogey team this season. But I don't think they're in any real danger of finishing bottom.

They have a decent squad (and a big squad, which is always useful), there aren't too many better goalkeepers than Marc McCallum in part-time football, Roberto Nditi has always impressed me and a big meat head like Andy Munro is a handy asset in this league. In fact, defensively they barely put a foot wrong today.

In midfield Craig Slater is quality and, with a wee bit more than big Matty Aitken (who frustrated the life out of me today by flicking between looking like a real handful, and then a clumsy, easily bullied big lump) up top I think they could even mount a charge to the playoffs now they have a good manager at the helm. Especially with everyone taking points off each other.

Ryan Blair has been poor for a few weeks now, some of his passes & decision making today were crap.

Heartwarming to read that you give Greg Wylde a tad of credit though, where I was sitting I thought his 'bizarre goal' was a lovely, placed shot from the edge of the box finding the bottom corner of the onion bag, giving the keeper no chance.

3 vital goals in 4 games now from stand-in Greggy, is quite impressive.

 

 

 

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9 hours ago, TheClosingArguement said:

I could say the same for Dumbarton in the 2 meetings so far this season. Bang average. Stirling would've diddied us with a man advantage.

Having also seen the two drawn matches I would agree with your assessment of us.  As for what Stirling would or wouldn't have done, that's pure speculation.

Forfar were an improvement yesterday on the earlier game, and I thought Slater and Nditi made a big difference.  But both of us are in the bottom division for a reason.

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9 hours ago, Silverton End said:

Ryan Blair has been poor for a few weeks now, some of his passes & decision making today were crap.

Heartwarming to read that you give Greg Wylde a tad of credit though, where I was sitting I thought his 'bizarre goal' was a lovely, placed shot from the edge of the box finding the bottom corner of the onion bag, giving the keeper no chance.

3 vital goals in 4 games now from stand-in Greggy, is quite impressive.

He was poor against Annan and Stranraer I thought. But given it was touch and go whether he played at Annan because of injury that probably explain it. I thought yesterday he looked like the one who was prepared to play a risky pass to cut Forfar open. And it almost worked a few times. Quite a few players were content to just keep possession ticking over, but was trying to thread the needle a wee bit.

Speaking of thread the needle, that's exactly how Wylde's goal looked. It was so delicately struck I didn't think it had a chance of getting beyond all the legs and McCallum without getting a touch but - as you say - it was perfectly in the bottom corner. I watched it back a few times to check it hadn't got a deflection or something on the way through, but nope. He just caressed it into the corner. I'm looking forward to seeing it on the GoPro.

Edit: I should also say. A month or so ago Wylde and D.Wilson couldn't buy a game. Wylde's now scored three in four, Wilson was superb last week and scored a vital goal yesterday. Fair play to them. Maybe we have more strength in depth than was feared - although yesterday I felt like we looked like a team missing their best midfielder and their top scorer.

Edited by Jan Vojáček
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1 hour ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

Having also seen the two drawn matches I would agree with your assessment of us.  As for what Stirling would or wouldn't have done, that's pure speculation.

Forfar were an improvement yesterday on the earlier game, and I thought Slater and Nditi made a big difference.  But both of us are in the bottom division for a reason.

I’m not going to lie, I thought Forfar looked like an absolute gang yesterday. Even before the sending off.

Kyle Hutton, Stefan McCluskey, a 34 year Mark Docherty and Tam Brindley plying his trade as a left wing back is proper West of Scotland division 4 stuff. 

I’m mortified we didn’t beat that with a man advantage!

edited to add - and that big daft dumplin up top, jesus wept. That big puddin would be lucky to get a start for the accies. 

Edited by Bring Back Paddy Flannery
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4 minutes ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

I’m not going to lie, I thought Forfar looked like an absolute gang yesterday. Even before the sending off.

Kyle Hutton, Stefan McCluskey, a 34 year Mark Docherty and Tam Brindley plying his trade as a left wing back is proper West of Scotland division 4 stuff. 

I’m mortified we didn’t beat that with a man advantage!

They weren't great, but neither were they a gang.  In the first half they moved the ball well and cut us open a couple of times, ie the first goal, and had they added a second from that frantic melee at the near post we'd have been struggling.

We are in a good position right now, and that's great but we remain a work in progress without a recognised strike force so every point and every goal is a good one, but we won't win every week.

As for Hutton and Co, well maybe Clyde fans might have an opinion next week on McNiff and Love ?  Such is lower league fitba.

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2 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

 

Edit: I should also say. A month or so ago Wylde and D.Wilson couldn't buy a game. Wylde's now scored three in four, Wilson was superb last week and scored a vital goal yesterday. Fair play to them. Maybe we have more strength in depth than was feared - although yesterday I felt like we looked like a team missing their best midfielder and their top scorer.

Wylde has impressed me in the last 2 home games and Wilson was someone I thought we'd maybe consider trying to move in January just as he'd barely played. However, I thought yesterday he done a really good job of trying to go forward and running beyond the striker. Obviously I'd rather have Gray playing but it's not as bad as I thought it might have been without him. 

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Thought Sons played some nice stuff yesterday but didn’t threaten nearly enough. Orsi’s confidence looks sky high at the moment - with good reason - and some of the passing and movement between Lynas, McKee and Orsi was terrific. A good few balls into the box at the end of it too but no cutting edge to put them away.

Some Olympic-standard shilly-shallying from the Loons, especially the keeper who gave an absolute masterclass, but hey, we’d all have done it. 

Special mention to the two Forfar subs  during the first half who swaggered  up the exit to the pie stall thinking it was the tunnel and came out again trying to look like they’d meant to do it. 

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10 hours ago, TullyBascombe said:

Thought Sons played some nice stuff yesterday but didn’t threaten nearly enough. Orsi’s confidence looks sky high at the moment - with good reason - and some of the passing and movement between Lynas, McKee and Orsi was terrific. A good few balls into the box at the end of it too but no cutting edge to put them away.

Some Olympic-standard shilly-shallying from the Loons, especially the keeper who gave an absolute masterclass, but hey, we’d all have done it. 

Special mention to the two Forfar subs  during the first half who swaggered  up the exit to the pie stall thinking it was the tunnel and came out again trying to look like they’d meant to do it. 

Utterly hate shitfesting in a game, particularly at this level.

Unfortunately since our keepers arrival it has become just embarrassing.

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