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Motherwell

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ICT

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:008: :008: :008: 5 goals conceded in 2 matches is not good enough. As kencar said, we always concede late goals. After Tokely voleyed in a good goal, caley just laid back a bit and were punished. Shaky defence work I must say. CC really needs to sort out the squad and find out what is the best starting team and who plays best in different positions.  I know it is very early days yet but if Caley keep these type of results up, we are in for a long season..  We need to get 3 points next week at St Mirren as it will provide a morale boost and a platform to build on but as I said the squad needs to be sorted out. Hopefully CC will have signed at least 1 new defender by that stage. Caley did play well today up unitll Motherwell scored, a lot better than last week. CC can taek some positives from the game.

ICT desperately need to win next week against St.Mirren or it could be a very tough season.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!  :008:

So frustrating, listened to the game on the radio and we certainly didnt deserve to lose it!

Was rather puzzled by our starting midfield line-up as i think we have stronger players wide left than Mcbain but was delighted that CC managed to lift the troops after last weeks dissappointing result, sounded like Tokers had a stormer.

By all accounts St Mirren ran rangers pretty close today so next week is gonna be a tough game, hopefully we'll maintain an attacking away approach and lady luck is on our side!

Well, just got back from the match and my thoughts are.

We were done by the ref.  Never a penalty in a million years.  He had a shocking match but he can't be blamed for everything.  How roscoe was named MOM by BBC Scotland I'll never know.  He was all over the place, out of position constantly and although he had a better game, there were times we were caught by Motherwell because he was out of position.  We were very lucky to go into half time with a 0-0 scoreline, Motherwell missed a sitter.  Good goal from Rosscoe, though we couldn't really see it from our position (Far left of the main stand), good equalizer from them, and the least said about the pen the better.

Marius took a while to get into the game, and he had a few bad touches.  Just missing some match fitness, as soon as he gets that he should be a good addition, a bit lazy.  Wyness had a good game, but started to tire.  But our main problem?

Our defence was all over the place, and it is clear that we miss Dods and his organistation.  Our defenders can do the job, but without someone to actually organise the defence, we are going to lose goals.  The amount to time Well got in behind was ridiculous.  We need that defender badly.

Sickening to lose that late goal, but that's football.  We were 100x better this week then last week.

Think the radio comment about Tokely differed to your opinion as they called it getting up and down the wing as opposed to being out of position. In fact he was so out of position he scored our goal. :029:

If getting up and down the wing is being over on the left hand side of defence when Motherwell are attacking down the right (where he should be) then yeah he did a good job.  But by far not the best player on the park.  He was making some good runs, some good crosses but we were struggling at the back when he couldn't get back.

Also just back. Not too disappointed. The midfield were a vast improvement on last week - Duncan fought hard and covered the defence well and even made a few effective runs forward in possession (!). Black used the ball well as usual and made space intelligently. Cowie was the standout for me, if only for his workrate - covered when he needed to but also frequently got up to support the strikers. The most frustrating thing was that we resorted to punting the ball forward for periods throughout the match, bypassing the midfield - we looked the better team by far when we played the ball on the deck. Some lovely touches by Niculae, laying the ball off, pulling it back across goal. One concern is that he looks like going down a bit easily when challenged, but that might just be that he's not used to the physicality of the SPL yet. Dennis seemed to be inspired for a while during the first half but faded in the second. Caff looked a bit shaky early on but seemed to improve in the second. Like EWS, can't see why Tokely made MOM - worked hard but made quite a few wrong decisions going forward and Granty & Caff had to cover the right back slot too often. 

In summary, same team deserves a chance next week, but CC should be prepared to make changes earlier - Niculae looked knackered by the hour and Deano should have been given longer, and I'd also like to see what Zander Sutherkand could do against a tiring opposition.

radio comms seemed to think our defense was well orginised, springing the offside trap well, but i wasnt there and bow to your knowledge

p1sh result

Anyone able to shed any light on the "exchange of differences" between Duncan and Munro?

Anyone able to shed any light on the "exchange of differences" between Duncan and Munro?

Duncan was attempting to talk his way into the book (which he eventually did), and was absolutly livid at the referee.  Munro was pulling him away, cue a wee push from Duncan and a wee argument between the two.  Munro was pulling Duncan away from the referee.

Having just seen the penalty again, still not 100% convinced, but it looks like it.  Player went down in stages however.

Gutted to lose the three points today- to be fair Motherwell would have been gutted if it had finished 0-1. McGhee gave us some credit and I think he would have settled for a draw which was probably fair.

I wasn't impressed by the pen but Mr Naelifts next to me thought it was the right decision.

I was asked on the way out 'When did we ever win a game under Alan Freeland?'

I replied 'Hearts in the Cup' then I was asked 'What about League games?' but I drew a blank there.

Freeland managed to annoy both sets of fans with some bizarre decisions and was booed off by the Well support at half time.

I thought Tokers had a decent game but I would give MoM to (yes, he got his name chanted today!) Russeldinho.

I was impressed by Cowie today and after wanting Royston dropped last week I thought he more than made up for it today.

Marius- looks promising once we get used to his style and he gets match fit. Looked knackered 20 mins before he was eventually subbed. Definitely one who can put himself about.

Denzil- really dopey looking today at times but a couple of brilliant flashes of the old legend. Looked pretty slow when asked to do the Bayne job and chase the long balls.

Minimac- wasn't on long enough to make an impression but seems to have shrunk since last week. Mr Naelifts says he cannnae run and I thought he was the mascot :015:

Caff- a bit hesitant. Didn't inspire me with confidence.

Blackie- kept control despite the Well players and fans trying to wind him up.

Bayners- Maybe could have got half an hour as Denzil didn't look too interested.

Granty- solid as ever, would like to see the pen again as I thought he got a touch and the guy went down like a roll of linoleum.

****- just punted as usual but a few meaty challenges. Got forward a bit too, especially in the first half.

Mikey- very solid, no chance with the goals.

Without being a classic it was a decent game played on a greasy surface and gave both sets of fans plenty to shout and bawl at. I don't think we're finishing bottom on this display but we'd better start creating a bit more.

Marius took a while to get into the game, and he had a few bad touches.  Just missing some match fitness, as soon as he gets that he should be a good addition, a bit lazy.

Have to disagree with that comment, he only gave the ball away a couple of times, and won most of his headers had few sharp passes and more importantly looked a real threat from set pieces. Think he got a bit frustrated with McBain and Wyness for not laying him up a couple of times> Think he'd do well with Dean-o up front.

I think the team is really crying out for a proper leader to get a bit more cohesion in defence and to stop the lapses that cost the goals. The problem isnt that caff is a far worse a footballer than dods, I think we just miss his shouts and organisation.

All in all thought we played good football for most of the match, especially Duncan (!) and Cowie, wasn't at last weeks game but thsi sounds far better.

I disagree too. I thought he really got stuck in, and even his bad touches were better than Rory's good ones (or anybody else for that matter).

What a mess

Granty throwing away the captains arm band?

Granty having almost a set to with Duncan?

Why did Granty enter the field by himself miles before anyone else had for the start of the second half?

What was said at half time that made us play so poorly?

Why does Caff look scared every time he goes for a header?

Tokely telling our fans to be quiet after he scored and cupping his hands round his ears when we were chanting his name?

Why play 2 forwards upfront that look more comfortable outside the box?

When did Black turn into a poor Barry back pass Ferguson?

Am I reading too much into this?

all in all a very disappointing game/performance we looked excellent in the first half and we looked sooo disjointed in the second half.  We need a leader/centre half at the back and if Granty ain't up to the job then we need to get someone in that will!!

Much better than last week, though it was sickening to lose it the way we did. The Pen....if it'd been ours, I'd have been raging if it wasn't given. As soon as Munro went to ground the decision was inevitable. Fair pen in my opinion.

Have to agree with the comments on Tokely. Time and again they exploited the holes he was leaving in defence. At one point he was over on the left for a few minutes, nefore ambling back into position.

Duncan was furious with Hastings for their equaliser....couldn't really see what happened, but presumably it was for allowing them time to get the cross in.

Marius looked good, he won nearly every flick on, and had some good touches. My MOM would be Duncan.....if it weren't for Cowie, I thought he was excellent, and his delivery into the box is superb.

I'm not sure about up front....Dennis did ok, but I'd like to see McDonald and Marius start. McDonald would be ideal for Niculaes wee flick ons.

Something seemed to be going on out there today with Munro. Why did he sling the armband? There certainly seemed to be words exchanged between players at several points in the game.

Much better this week, but we really need something from next weeks game now.

I am surprised that only a couple of people have mentioned Munro throwing away the captain's armband!!! Is this not disrespectful?? I know the players seemed to be arguing a lot out there, but take it Munro and get on with the game. You are the captain, was no-one listening to him?

Anyway, the game. Niculae was ok, the only thing is match practise and he will be great for us. Thought Duncan and Cowie were good and Caff made some late important challenges. Miserable weather today so didn't expect a lot of football to be played. Not relegation yet, but we need 3 pts next week.

Feckin good post Hairy which I will expand on another thread. I feckin agree wiv ya.  :crazy07:

FRASER  :021: :021: :022: Another good performance. Has his faults which is OK fer a young keeper and he reminds me more and more of Brown at his earlier stage. Great shot stopper, great on 1:1 situations, better kicker and distributor than Brown but feck me does he stay on his line and is suspect at crosses and corners. Does not shout enuff at his defenders but they were too feckin busy shouting at each other today.

TOKELY   :021: :021: :021: :022: :018: I will give him MOM and he had his best game in ages but he looked as if he was a feckin law to himself today. He went forward with too much abandon as if he was trying to prove that he is better playing his usual game instead of being shackled in a defensive one. I thought his "digs" after scoring were not aimed at the supporters but the fellow players and manager.

HASTINGS  :021: :021: :024: Spent most of the match bitching with Caff and Granty. Lost his concentration quite a few times in the second half.

GRANTY  :021: :021: :021: :018:  If that is what the captaincy does to him then take it feckin off him. Tried to lay down the law and just appeared to get crap back from Duncan and Tokely in particular. Not sure what happened to the arm band but he made no attempt to retrieve it.

CAFF  :020: :sillywave:  Sorry but is a HUGE weak link. Simply needs to go or we are in BIG trouble.

COWIE  :021: :021: :021: Liked what I saw - a grafter but with a fair degree of skill. Totally fluffed the goal chance.

BLACK  :021: :021: :022: Looks like a feckin choirboy in comparison with his peers today. But he flits in and out of the game instead of trying to run it.

DUNCAN  :021: :021: :022: :018: Runner up fer MOM but is he MR feckin Angry or what ? Another player who appeared to be trying to prove a point but putting himself first. How he never got a red card for continually abusing Freeland beats me.

McBAIN  :021: :021: :024: Probably the fittest player in the SPL but what exactly does he do?

NICULAE  :symbol_question: Will discuss him elsewhere.

WYNESS  :021: :021: :021: Thought he had an excellent 45 - did a **** of a lot of running and moving into space. And yet another who looked totally cheesed off at being hooked.

Despite all of that it was not a bad performance and we were unlucky not to share the spoils. But why did our shape go completely when we scored ?

Short throw ins and some evident training ground moves from dead ball situations. But can Bayne and Niculae play together - I think NOT.

I saw Granty fiddling with the armband for some time before he discarded it.  I think it was causing him some problems, either ripped or kept on slipping down / falling off.

Wyness and running in the same sentence..............steady

He does have a point to prove and even Denzil looked angry today.  :crazy07:

:010:

He does have a point to prove and even Denzil looked angry today.  :crazy07:

Have to say apart from his shuffle into the box I wasn't overly impressed with him today

TOKELY   :021: :021: :021: :022: :018: I will give him MOM and he had his best game in ages but he looked as if he was a feckin law to himself today. He went forward with too much abandon as if he was trying to prove that he is better playing his usual game instead of being shackled in a defensive one. I thought his "digs" after scoring were not aimed at the supporters but the fellow players and manager.

HASTINGS  :021: :021: :024: Spent most of the match bitching with Caff and Granty. Lost his concentration quite a few times in the second half.

GRANTY  :021: :021: :021: :018:  If that is what the captaincy does to him then take it feckin off him. Tried to lay down the law and just appeared to get crap back from Duncan and Tokely in particular. Not sure what happened to the arm band but he made no attempt to retrieve it.

CAFF  :020: :sillywave:  Sorry but is a HUGE weak link. Simply needs to go or we are in BIG trouble.

Very harsh on Caff. If anything, I thought he was fine, and made more than a few covering tackles for other defenders who'd gone missing.

It's obvious we're missing Dods organising skills, but to lay all the blame on Caff is ridiculous.

Totally disagree about Roscoe. He was the same last week, playing everywhere but where he should be.....the right side of defence!! Hastings seems out of sorts completely, and Duncan was giving him an absolute mouthfull when they equalised. Munro seems to be handling the captaincy less well than expected, and he was stupid to slide in for that tackle which gave them the penalty.

The WHOLE defence needs organising, that's Munro's job. It's not happening just yet, hopefully it'll click. They're all good defenders, so there shouldn't be this problem.

But to lay the blame on the 'new guy', when the other three aren't doing their jobs correctly is unfair.

We can't have a centre half that can't head a ball and Caff bottled it on a few occasions today and his positioning leading up to the penalty decision was the problem.  If I was pointing a finger it would be at the the centre of defence and although Munro had a poor game by his standards he seemed to be doing all the work in the middle and that probably lead to his frustration. 

I don't see how you can have a go at IHE for blaming the new guy when we total your posts re McAllister over the last week.