It was a great performance on Saturday but it was still a draw,we have had great performances before with this 4231 formation against Dunfermline and again against Partick where we won both games.

Oakley came back in and scored but in actuality we only replaced one goalscorer with another as White had scored 3 in his previous 4 games.

Oakley and White represent 47% of our goals so surely it would be a good idea to have both players on the park at the same time.

We played a 442 for first three league games which meant Polworth on right side where he is least effective imo.However as I rate him as creative player in the middle of the park.

So maybe it would be worth looking at a 352 keeping Polworth in the middle and having Rooney who has scored 3 league goals as RWB an Calder who has recently chipped in with 1 goal as LWB

4 players White ,Oakley ,Rooney and Calder starting the game makes sense to me as these 4 players have contributed 11 out of the 15 goals which we have scored in the league so far.

If we continue with one striker we reduce our goals tally by 27% if White is on the bench, and by 20% if Oakley is on the bench so therefore surely it makes sense when we need a win, to have 2 players who have contributed to nearly half of our goal tally on their own, to play both players as a front two.

 As someone once said the definition of insanity is to keep on doing the same thing and expect different results, 4231 formation in the last 7 games have got us draws ,maybe a small tweak to a 352 would get us the win we all crave.

Also this would mean that McCart would come as part of a back 3 with Brad and Coll ,leaving Rooney and Calder to play as wing backs and they can fall back when defenfing to create a five back line. Oakley and White up top Polworth in the middle with the other two slots coming from Walsh Doran Chalmers and Welsh who incidently havent scored a league goal in open play between them so far this season.My choice to start would be Chalmers and Doran with Polworth.

So a lineup for Partick as follows

Ridgers

McKay Donaldson McCart

Rooney Doran Polworth Chalmers Calder

Oakley White 

May just get us the win we all want.

Roll on Saturday

 

 

Edited November 6, 20187 yr by Gregor

The back 4 has looked greater than the sum of its parts every time I've seen it. We've got the second best defensive record in the league so the last thing I'd want to do is start messing around back there. 

It's pretty clear that the 4-2-3-1 is working well against proactive teams, and that we haven't found a system that can break down any team that chooses to sit in - this makes me worry a little about the cup tie to be honest. 

We started the last Alloa game in a  lopsided 4-3-3 (with Walsh staying right up and Doran dropping deep without the ball) and changed it after less than half an hour because the midfield was getting passed through. In that system, as with the 4-4-2, Polly was completely lost as an attacking threat. 

Basically, I don't think there's a system that can compensate for our lack of decent creative players and goalscorers and Robbo knows that. He'll continue to try different combinations in forward areas in the hope that something gels - we still haven't seen MacKay, Austin or Oakley in a run of games this season. 

11 hours ago, Caley Stan said:

The back 4 has looked greater than the sum of its parts every time I've seen it. We've got the second best defensive record in the league so the last thing I'd want to do is start messing around back there.

Basically, I don't think there's a system that can compensate for our lack of decent creative players and goalscorers and Robbo knows that. He'll continue to try different combinations in forward areas in the hope that something gels - we still haven't seen MacKay, Austin or Oakley in a run of games this season. 

Agree with you regarding the defence overall  but it is the away form that is exceptional only losing 1 goal away from home.However if you take the home games we have conceded 9 goals  and in 3 games conceded 2 goals  each game. This means we have to score 3 to win those games at home we did so in one of those games scoring 3 v Partick Thistle. It really does make it harder for us to win 3 points at home when we have to score 3 to do so. Yes we have had games where we didnt score at home against Ayr Utd but when you look at where they are in the league ,was that such a bad result. Probably the one where we should have done better was against Queens but the worst one was against Alloa who we should be beating at home but we did score 2 that day but also conceded 2 to only give us the draw. If we can sort out the silly defensive errors at home then we would be further up the table no doubt about it. It isnt the lack of goals thats cost us points but not having a good defensive record at home. I think that having McCart as an extra defender with 3 at the back also allowing  Rooney and Calder to come back as we defend  would give us more cover.

Where I cant agree with you is regarding decent midfielders or goalscorers as  Polworth has had 4 assists, also White and Oakley are in the top ten goalscorers in the league. My suggetion of playing 352 would enhance the defensive cover with McCart, continue to allow Polworth to play in the middle and have two decent goalscorers on the pitch at the same time.

 

Edited November 7, 20187 yr by Gregor

Not a criticism of White or Oakley (or any other player) but being in the top ten of something with only 10 teams isn't an indicator of anything!  That would be like saying Falkirk are having a great season as they are top 10 in the league!

28 minutes ago, CaleyD said:

Not a criticism of White or Oakley (or any other player) but being in the top ten of something with only 10 teams isn't an indicator of anything!  That would be like saying Falkirk are having a great season as they are top 10 in the league!

? Well not exactly as there is chances of 13 outfield  players from each team playing each week in the Championship. So for White to have only 5 players scorng more goals out of 130 and Oakley only to have 9 players scoring more than him is not too shabby.

My point is that 2 forwards have contributed to 47% of our total league goals and infact they have contributed 54% of league goals scored in open play.

White 31% and Oakley 23% respectively.

Its surely not an insane idea to have them on the pitch at the same time.

Only 5 players have scored  league goals for us in open play White,Oakley,Rooney,Polworth and Calder so getting as much playing time as we can for them wouldnt be a bad idea surely.

Edited November 7, 20187 yr by Gregor

I wasn't passing any comment on the merits, or otherwise, of them playing together....or even on their own....or as part of any other combination.

Edited November 7, 20187 yr by CaleyD
Typo

We have only had 3, 2-2 draws 2, 1-1 draws and 4, 0-0 draws so not sure where the silly defensive errors you pertain to are coming from. It is pure lack of goals that are causing us not to win matches. I wouldn't muck about with the defence they have only conceded 10 goals this season. Give Oakley a chance at a run of games with the team from Saturday see what happens. The 4 0-0 draws only needed one goal to win same with the 1-1 draws so we don't need to be going and scoring 3 to win games. 

3 hours ago, MorayJaggie said:

We have only had 3, 2-2 draws 2, 1-1 draws and 4, 0-0 draws so not sure where the silly defensive errors you pertain to are coming from. It is pure lack of goals that are causing us not to win matches. I wouldn't muck about with the defence they have only conceded 10 goals this season. Give Oakley a chance at a run of games with the team from Saturday see what happens. The 4 0-0 draws only needed one goal to win same with the 1-1 draws so we don't need to be going and scoring 3 to win games. 

Just because we have a defensive error does not mean that the team has scored against us, and we have made quite a few. I do think Brad Mckay makes a few too many mistakes for a centre back. I think we are just a bit fortunate that a lot of times the team that we're playing has not capitalised on the mistake that we've made. I do agree with the lack of goals though, we could really do with more contributions from the team overall. For example none of our centre backs have scored from our set pieces, it would be interesting to see how many set pieces we score compared to the other teams and how many goalscorers other teams have in comparison to us.

Games played - 12

Goals against - 10 - 2nd lowest in League

Goals for - 15 - 6th lowest in League

Overall position 5th in League

Clearly its scoring that is the issue, we need to keep the back line as it is and stay solid but improve creativity and hopefully the goals will come. With only 3 wins in 12 games (25%) we are lucky that everyone else keeps dropping points but reality is we are now 10 points behind Ayr at the top and we need to pick up more points. While its great being unbeaten in 12, we would be just as well off by winning only 5 and losing the other 7 at which point there would be outcry that Robbo wasn't improving anything.

We need to find a solution that works otherwise we could go through the season and are in danger of being a team of invincibles that may not even make the playoffs!!!

13 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

 

We need to find a solution that works otherwise we could go through the season and are in danger of being a team of invincibles that may not even make the playoffs!!!

Totally agree with you in regards the above statement and thats exactly why I made my original suggestion of changing formation to 352.

We havent tried this system ,so how do we know it wont work until we try it.

 

1 hour ago, Gregor said:

Totally agree with you in regards the above statement and thats exactly why I made my original suggestion of changing formation to 352.

We havent tried this system ,so how do we know it wont work until we try it.

 

I suppose the way things are if it brings three points why not. All we would lose is a point but potentially gain 2.

Strongly disagree, our stats for defence speak for themselves - why change from an effective 4 at the back to a system of 3 which hardly any domestic players are familiar with. We have seen it with Aberdeen in cup finals, Scotland recently that a team with improving performances fall off the cliff.

Efforts need to be made to alter the wide players and those up front. We need to try keep the central midfield settled to help work and protect the back 4 where possible. Its about alternating players, positions and combinations along with tactics to try get something or a partnership to click.

Edited November 8, 20187 yr by bdu98196
Spellinz

Daft as it sounds but maybe a loss on Saturday would not be such a bad thing(would happily settle for a win tho).

Maybe give us the chance to kick start our season again.

Stats for defence dont stack up overall tho thats my point.

In the away games we have have only conceded 1 goal and 4 clean sheets which is a fantastic performance , we have scored 5 goals and achieved 9 points from a potential 15 which is 60% achieved of away points. If we continued this form away from home all season it would be an excellent performance.

Now here is the rub we have scored 10 goals at home which is double the goals scored away but we have conceded 9 goals which is 9 times as many goals conceded at home than away.

Home form has always been accepted as where a championship challenge can be built on but as I pointed out in 4 of our games at home we have conceded 2 goals meaning we have to score 3 to win, we managed 1 win out of these 4 games, but we are certainly making it more difficult to achieve the 3 points by having to score 3 goals to win the game. We have achieved 9 points from a potential 21 which is only 43% points achieved compared to 60% away.

So its not just as easy as saying a lack of goals thats costing us, there are other factors which I have indicated. We have failed to score in two games and that has led to  blame being laid at lack of goals ,one of these games was against league leaders. However we have conceded 2 goals each game 4 times , in these 4  games we have managed to salvage 3 draws and a victory ,therefore I think blaming lack of goals has covered up what in reality is the real reason for costing us points at home. Our home defensive record has to improve if we want to have any chance of challenging for the title.

I stand by my suggestion of 352  as worthy of being tried,  by introducing McCart as extra defensive cover ,having  Oakley and White up top together for more opportunities of scoring to achieve the win we have craved for so long.

 

 

Edited November 8, 20187 yr by Gregor

16 minutes ago, forresjags said:

Daft as it sounds but maybe a loss on Saturday would not be such a bad thing(would happily settle for a win tho).

Maybe give us the chance to kick start our season again.

I think my suggestion of formation change is better than what you have just said ?

3 hours ago, forresjags said:

Daft as it sounds but maybe a loss on Saturday would not be such a bad thing(would happily settle for a win tho).

Maybe give us the chance to kick start our season again.

That does sound daft ? A win is what we definitely need ?

I think that forresjags is saying that we don't want another draw. Of course a win would be the desired outcome but a defeat would end the never ending sequence of draws.

43 minutes ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

I think that forresjags is saying that we don't want another draw. Of course a win would be the desired outcome but a defeat would end the never ending sequence of draws.

??? 

yeah no sh#t sherlock

Edited November 8, 20187 yr by Gregor

2 hours ago, Gregor said:

??? 

yeah no sh#t sherlock