Ayr Away

 

Matchday two will see us head to Somerset Park Ayr for a tough game against the Honest Men. It's a standard 3:00pm kick-off and both clubs will be looking for better results after drawing blanks in the opening day fixtures when Ayr went down 3-1 at Morton and we lost 2-1 at the Caledonian Stadium to Queens Park. Like us, Ayr have brought in five new faces for this campaign and lost some familiar faces. Notable outs are the Championship's top scorer Dipo Akinyemi who has gone to York City and long time servant Michael Moffat who spent eleven years over two spells at Somerset Park scoring 77 goals in 263 appearances. 

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Match /Ticket/Bus Info (£20)

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Ayr United have advised that there will be no cash gates in operation and tickets must be purchased online. ICT supporters can purchase tickets HERE (West Stand only)

Adult – £22

Concession – £15 (Over 65s and Students)

Juvenile – £15 (13-17-years-old)

Child – £6 (Under 13s)

Venue - H2H v Ayr United

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	24	10	11	3	39	26	+13
Away	25	12	6	7	47	31	+16
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	49	22	17	10	86	57	+29

Last seasons Competitive Meetings: Ayr finished 2nd last season, we finished 6th.

1 - 2 (H)

2 - 1 (A)

2 - 2 (H)

1 - 0 (A)

Two away wins last season but the final game ended our interest in promotion:

The final game of the regular season would decide who went into the play-offs and who ended their league campaign now. It couldn't be tighter across the Championship on Winner Takes All Weekend.

David Carson was a surprise omission from the starting XI after his Cup suspension with Wallace Duffy retaining his place at right back. Billy Mckay was hoping to be a record breaker as he searched for his 101st goal for the Caley Jags. Only a win would be good enough for Inverness who could finish third or sixth, depending on results elsewhere. A win would end speculation and put Inverness in the play-offs. As it turned out we ended the season in sixth place and Ayr, Queen's Park and Partick Thistle will battle it out in the play-offs for a Premiership place alongside Champions Dundee.

Ayr United never read the script properly and deservedly took the plaudits in a 2-1 win at the Caledonian Stadium. A first half goal from Josh Mullin who looked close to being offside and Nathan Shaw in a crowded box with ten minutes left looked to be enough for the Honest Men. However Mark McKenzie ensured it would be Ayr's night with an 88th minute strike to shatter our hopes after such a strong finish to the season. Alas we fell at the last hurdle and now have a month to wait for a Scottish Cup Final appearance.

SATURDAY 12th AUGUST 3:00pm

Airdrie v Partick

   Ayr United v Inverness CT

Dundee Utd v Dunfermline

 Queen's Pk v Arbroath FC

     Raith v  Morton

Team News

Inverness CT will be without Roddy MacGregor and Lewis Nicolson for the first few months with knee injuries. Sean Welsh has a groin injury and will miss out again. Adam Brooks missed the Queens Park game whilst Danny Devine remained on the bench after injury. New sensation Keith Bray has a bright future ahead of him and will be difficult to keep out of the starting XI given his performances off the bench recently and Billy Mckay will be eager to add to his record breaking exploits at Inverness. We have frailties in defence and errors are costing us big time at the moment so we'll have to see if Billy Dodds will address those issues as rumours abound on new recruits.

 

Ayr United have done some shrewd business in the summer, Aiden McGeady and Jamie Murphy signing on, but have also lost some quality; Akinyemi, Moffat, Mullin and keeper McAdams departing. McAllister and Murdoch both took knocks at Cappielow but are hopeful making the squad.

Here's Lee Bullen with the Billy Dodds script after the game at Morton:-

 

Ins & Outs @ Ayr

In: Jamie Murphy, forward (St Johnstone); George Stanger, defender (Alloa Athletic); Olly Pendlebury, midfielder (Aldershot Town); Francis Amartey, forward (Aldershot Town); Robbie Mutch, goalkeeper (Edinburgh).

Loan in: Elicha Ahui, defender (Lincoln City).

Out: Dipo Akinyemi, forward (York City, undisclosed); Daire O'Connor, midfielder (Glentoran); Josh Mullin, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Jordan Houston, defender (Queen of the South); Michael Hewitt, midfielder (Hamilton Academical); James Dolan, midfielder (Stranraer); Kinlay Bilham, defender (Stenhousemuir); Michael Moffat, forward (Glenafton Athletic, loan to permanent); Jayden Mitchell-Lawson, midfielder; Chris Maguire, forward; Aidan McAdams, goalkeeper; Alex Jeanes, defender and David Bangala has also left the club, he had been on loan at Cove Rangers.

Loan ended: Alex Kirk, defender (Arsenal); Reece McAlear, midfielder (Tranmere Rovers).

Loan out: Lyall Holding, defender (Glenafton Athletic).

Ayr United team in 3-1 defeat at Cappielow:

Albinson

 

McAllister (Ahui 45)   Musonda   McGinty   Reading

 

Amartey (Rose 70)   Dempsey   Murdoch (Pendelbury 40)   Murphy

 

McKenzie (Ashford 81)   Bryden (McGeady 70)

 

Subs not used: Mutch; Smith, Ecrepont, Tomlinson.

Watched the highlights. Slack marking at the Ayr goal cost us.

It would appear that we have young, promising players who are lacking in leadership on and off the park. Welsh is going to play in spells so we needed to sign an old head but that type of personality would not fit in with our higher echelons. I am absolutely fuming at Robertson being AWOL again - at a time of crisis - and Dodds losing his own plot and an undoubted upcoming statement about his frustration over the players. And wait for the Alamo cry for the Diamonds. Will he be lucky again and a close win give him more breathing space. I gave him support last season but I hope that our season stays as it is as it will be the only way to get rid of this blight. And I wish that somebody would pose a press question as to why Robbo is allowed to be a part time tink and probably knows more about their system than ours.

 

 

Once again it looks like we created and missed the bulk of the chances.

Sparse highlights don't really give any indication of how either team played tbh.

Slackness cost us again, I'm concerned that this habit is going to be hard to kick. 

Players need to find the way to win as any confidence that may be lurking will soon be completely gone.

We lost our best defender and didn’t replace him. It’s inevitable that the defence is weaker than it was last season. And a year before that, we lost Broadfoot and replaced with relative inexperience.

Oh to have a commanding central defender and leader on the pitch, in the vein of Mann or Dods.

Notwithstanding our concerns with the CEO, Sporting Director, Manager and coaches, I’ve been considering how we could turn things round on the park if there was the appetite to change our approach.

We have some decent players at Championship level but are not getting the best out of them.

Despite our defensive frailties which have cost us in several games already, we’ve stuck with four at the back despite wanting our full backs to get forward. That’s leaving us short of numbers at the back whenever we (frequently) lose possession.

Davidson and Harper are both capable going forward, so to tighten things up I suggest we go 3 5 2 with two wing backs in the 5.

We’d need Duffy or Ram back to be able to do it, and it also gives us the added benefit of 3 in central midfield where we have been getting outnumbered.

The only downside I can see is how we fit Shaw in, given he’s been our best performer in several of the games but his pace with Mckay in the front 2 could work well.

Looking at the line ups in today’s top flight matches, 5 teams have gone with 3 at the back, with only Celtic starting with 4.

Any other thoughts?

20 hours ago, Robert said:

Notwithstanding our concerns with the CEO, Sporting Director, Manager and coaches, I’ve been considering how we could turn things round on the park if there was the appetite to change our approach.

We have some decent players at Championship level but are not getting the best out of them.

Despite our defensive frailties which have cost us in several games already, we’ve stuck with four at the back despite wanting our full backs to get forward. That’s leaving us short of numbers at the back whenever we (frequently) lose possession.

Davidson and Harper are both capable going forward, so to tighten things up I suggest we go 3 5 2 with two wing backs in the 5.

We’d need Duffy or Ram back to be able to do it, and it also gives us the added benefit of 3 in central midfield where we have been getting outnumbered.

The only downside I can see is how we fit Shaw in, given he’s been our best performer in several of the games but his pace with Mckay in the front 2 could work well.

Looking at the line ups in today’s top flight matches, 5 teams have gone with 3 at the back, with only Celtic starting with 4.

Any other thoughts?

We could do with another experienced central defender and another proven goal scorer; the missing ingredients.

Can’t put ‘em in at one end and can’t keep ‘em out at the other - not a great combination. 

On 8/12/2023 at 9:44 PM, Robert said:

He’s got a groin injury (from Tm4tj’s excellent preview). 

Aha...I missed that

I guess he picked that up in the Dumbarton game...oh well someone HAS to step up and command the centre.

 

 

On 8/12/2023 at 5:02 PM, Yngwie said:

No, it’s absolutely not the role of a scout to decide what we need. He should get told what we need and then needs to find someone to fit the bill.

Took a while but just occurred to me. When does he scout for players if not in a Saturday?  Can't see us affording any players on display at Victoria Park.  

1 hour ago, robbylad said:

Took a while but just occurred to me. When does he scout for players if not in a Saturday?  Can't see us affording any players on display at Victoria Park.  

He hopefully is negotiating a good fee for Shaw plus a couple of the surplus Coonty players before the transfer deadline. 
Shaw gets to play at the level his ability deserves and we get a couple of 34+ seasoned veterans to ‘strengthen’ our team.

Why do you think robbo’s been up in Dingwall. He’s been working hard on vital relationship with Sir Roy on what players he would like at Dingwall.

As we desperately need the money, clearly this was robbo’s instruction from his employers!

bc

Edited September 1, 20232 yr by big cherly

I thought Dodds had the final say on transfers or is my recollection wrong?

One of the reasons given for retaining Robbo was access his amazing scouting network.  Only now realising that they may have meant radio network and "Off the Ball"!

15 hours ago, Robert said:

I thought Dodds had the final say on transfers or is my recollection wrong?

That is likely  the case. The point I was trying to  make is, if he isn't scouting for players on a Saturday, when most games are played, when does he do it?

Considering our latest signing, probably on YouTube when he's got nothing better to do.