Excellent Preview from your Alternative Maryhill, as he asks some searching questions ahead of today's game at Firhill. If you enjoyed this one, give him a greenie and you can read his report after the game as well.

With Scotty away use this for the Matchday Topic, unless some kind mod has time to create a real one.

10 hours ago, Yngwie said:

Perhaps that was because all our previous games were against lower league sides.

Partick's group was weaker than ours though and the results weren't stunning.

13 hours ago, 12th Man said:

First defeat of the season feels like a bigger blow than it should. That's only due to them playing so well prior. 

Hopefully they'll dust themselves down and be all ready to go for Tuesday night.

Its early days.

 

10 hours ago, Yngwie said:

Perhaps that was because all our previous games were against lower league sides.

I've seen us play against Arbroath a couple of times in the League Cup away from home and make heavy weather of it. I've also seen us struggle in the cup against Dunfermline and forced a replay to keep us in the match, Chris Smith saved our bacon in both games.

Regarding Saturdays result it's early days. 

 

As has been said before, defo a bit of a reality check.  

Was clear we had most of the possession, but our flair players were stifled and none of the 'big names' had a great game, very much like our previous 'toughest-so-far' opponents-Dutd.

Polly had a shocker, and let it play on him, as the game went on he was less inclined to chase down the ball after he gave it away.

Tansy was playing deeper and deeper as the game went on, and although his vision and intent was spot-on, his final ball was far from clinical.

McNaughton reads the game so well, is always in the right place at the right time, and is so calm under pressure; just a shame his distribution is a bit harem-skarem.  if he can work on this, and have others in the defence drop back to take the ball from him once he invariably wins it, that will help.

Stand-out moment in the first half for me was Mulraney giving the ball away at the edge of their box and tracking back, at fair pelt, all the way to the edge of our box to win the ball back in a strong challenge. I liked the desire to atone for his mistake.

Was encouraging that our possession came from good quality, forward minded (on the whole) passing football.  It was definitely frustrating as the second half wore on that we clearly were running out of ideas and therfore couldn't keep the pace up and the attacks stalled, allowing Partick to regain their shape.  Also encouraging to see Richie go 'all-out' and throw on the extra forward, he cant be accused of throwing in the towel.

**EDIT** Loved Drapes 'impact' when he came off the bench 

All-in all, not a great result, but my opinion of this league campaign has changed so many times already, i'm not going to lose much sleep over it.  I think a 9th/10th place finish is possible, but i also think a 3rd/4th is possible! and i dont foresee a massive points gap between the two come the end of the season.  We all knew it was going to be tough.  

What will help is a strong, convincing win over the wee team next Saturday.  Drapes starts in place of Mulraney, Fisher and Boden both start up top, drop Polly in favour of the more physical Vigurs...with the pace of Mulraney coming off the bench...

COME ON THE CALEY JAGS!!!!!

Edited August 7, 20169 yr by ictfcsince94
ADDITION

...................and an honest and accurate assessment from Richie post match. Refreshing to not hear how the boys done well . All in all, as Mantis has alluded to, I left the game frustrated that we could not hurt a team who were no world beaters themselves. Perhaps I should attend more often than once in a blue moon

 

 

Wouldn't mind having player ratings up on the thread from someone who was at the game, sounds like most of the players had off days?

Polworth was poor again? he was pretty poor last twice i've seen him, prefer Draper to start.

Anyway tough game on tuesday, Alloa are on a roll the noo, we need to get sorted out before next saturday for sure. 

Surprised to hear Foran claim that Boden had a good game. My own view and that of everyone I spoke to post-match was that he was very poor. I don't think he has the work rate to play as the lone striker. 

23 minutes ago, Renegade said:

Surprised to hear Foran claim that Boden had a good game. My own view and that of everyone I spoke to post-match was that he was very poor. I don't think he has the work rate to play as the lone striker. 

I thought he worked hard most of time but we need to get him some service. I dont think he is suited to what he is being asked to do? Draper should have been on much earlier yesterday imho 

Disappointing result, but not totally unexpected against our bogey team.

Sounds like we weren't at the races but I wouldn't get too worried at this stage. Next weeks derby is now all the more important with both teams having lost on the weekend, two defeats in a row would not be the start Ritchie wanted! 

Should we be worried that there was no Meekings in the squad? I know he's had an injury recently but I fear there will be teams out there who can guarantee him first team football, which we can't at the moment! It baffles me that no one has came in with an offer for him in the last few years (at least not to my knowledge). 

5 hours ago, ictfcsince94 said:

Polly had a shocker, and let it play on him, as the game went on he was less inclined to chase down the ball after he gave it away.

What will help is a strong, convincing win over the wee team next Saturday.  Drapes starts in place of Mulraney, Fisher and Boden both start up top, drop Polly in favour of the more physical Vigurs...with the pace of Mulraney coming off the bench...

Funny how we all see the game a bit differently. I actually thought Polworth was among our better players, at least in terms of showing a bit of fight getting forward. I agree that he's not a deep-lying midfielder - I'd have Draper in there ahead of him every time - but personally I'd like to see the less-industrious Vigurs dropping to the bench and Polworth playing in behind Boden, unless Foran thinks that Aaron Doran could do that job. Not sure that Boden and Fisher would work together up front - I think there would be serious lack of mobility and movement up there, but could be wrong.   

57 minutes ago, lightwelter said:

Disappointing result, but not totally unexpected against our bogey team.

Sounds like we weren't at the races but I wouldn't get too worried at this stage. Next weeks derby is now all the more important with both teams having lost on the weekend, two defeats in a row would not be the start Ritchie wanted! 

Should we be worried that there was no Meekings in the squad? I know he's had an injury recently but I fear there will be teams out there who can guarantee him first team football, which we can't at the moment! It baffles me that no one has came in with an offer for him in the last few years (at least not to my knowledge). 

Meekings was left out as not fully fit yet according to Foran. Both he and Esson should make squad next week 

17 hours ago, TopSix said:

What does this have to do with Partick v ICTFC? 

The matchday thread is for comment on all the games in the current round of matches.  It's just that folk usually don't comment on other games.  

The game at Ibrox does have some relevance though.  What with Partick beating us yesterday and Celtic winning today, it means The Rangers are still just the 3rd team in Glasgow.

1 hour ago, alternative maryhill said:

Funny how we all see the game a bit differently. I actually thought Polworth was among our better players, at least in terms of showing a bit of fight getting forward. I agree that he's not a deep-lying midfielder - I'd have Draper in there ahead of him every time - but personally I'd like to see the less-industrious Vigurs dropping to the bench and Polworth playing in behind Boden, unless Foran thinks that Aaron Doran could do that job. Not sure that Boden and Fisher would work together up front - I think there would be serious lack of mobility and movement up there, but could be wrong.   

What he said. Drop Vigurs to the bench against County and start Drapes. Give Mulraney another go (see if the wide open spaces of TCS lets him play) and if Mcintyre has his card marked sub him at HT.

I think Richie dropped a hint that Doran could play a part on Tues.

Edited August 7, 20169 yr by TheMantis

2 hours ago, Renegade said:

Surprised to hear Foran claim that Boden had a good game. My own view and that of everyone I spoke to post-match was that he was very poor. I don't think he has the work rate to play as the lone striker. 

I didn't think Boden was bad yesterday - looked strong holding the ball up and he won quite a lot of high balls. But somehow I don't see him chipping in with 15-20 goals. Scored a few against the wee teams but never even got a share in the 5 at EEP. Reminds me a bit of Graham Bayne.

22 hours ago, CableGuy said:

**** poor, flew in the face of everything they've done pre season. Pitiful performance and no desire to win, worryingly reminiscent of last season. Wake up caley, before were out of another cup and firmly rooted to the bottom of the league 

FFS, one game into the season and this is posted. Unbelievable.

Just one point off top 6.  We can still do it.  Believe.

Highlights on the BBC website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/scotland/37003365?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

1 hour ago, Huisdean said:

FFS, one game into the season and this is posted. Unbelievable.

With all due respect, you have no idea how positive I am as a fan and how much I have been singing the teams praises of late. I have been to enough pre season games to see how the team have changed and played and confidently seen this fixture as either being a comfortable win, or a well fought loss.... But I seen neither! I am very optimistic of the season ahead and of Richie and the team, but that performance against partick simply wasnt good enough. If we'd played out of our skins and been beaten I'd have happily conceded that loss, but it was poor given how well I know we can do and how well we've done. Yes it's early days yet, of course it is.... But we cannot allow ourselves to pick and choose the games we perform well in, as before we know it's games like this that could be the difference between top and bottom 6 later in the season.  I know we can do better, it's simply the frustration of knowing full well that the team are better than that. I will still be there in Alloa on Tues and taking pride of place against County on Sat.... But I want to see more conviction and the heart I KNOW my team are more than capable of showing 

Edited August 7, 20169 yr by CableGuy

Thoughts from yesterday's game, more strikers required. 

Alternative Maryhill was our scribe for this game and his report is now published. 

6 hours ago, alternative maryhill said:

Funny how we all see the game a bit differently. I actually thought Polworth was among our better players, at least in terms of showing a bit of fight getting forward. I agree that he's not a deep-lying midfielder - I'd have Draper in there ahead of him every time - but personally I'd like to see the less-industrious Vigurs dropping to the bench and Polworth playing in behind Boden, unless Foran thinks that Aaron Doran could do that job. Not sure that Boden and Fisher would work together up front - I think there would be serious lack of mobility and movement up there, but could be wrong.   

One of the many joys of football! Thought vigurs had a stinker too, just opting for his more physical presence against the dirty ones