IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER

Sounds like a hump back bridge and a derelict castle to me.

Are we actually keeping an eye on the other SFL teams - and if so who and how ? I thought that we played into Airdrie's strengths other than going at their weaknesses - and they must have been apparent to many who attended the game. Apart from the big centre half they had no aerial cover at the back - so what do we do and where do we play Foran. Their keeper was small and unsure on crosses - so did we test him ? did we pester him at corners ? Their full backs were woeful defensively - so di we use our wide players to their best ? I could go on !!!

I think that it is more about taking a deep breath and taking everything into perspective. Butcher was dragged in to all of this at the end of the Jan 09 transfer window and had to manage a team built by incompetent others. He has probably had limited funding again this season and he aint been helped by the apparent loss of form of Foran and the injuries to Imrie and Eric. He has brought in players and quite rightly has given them the first chance - but now is the time to restock and rethink. I always thought that this would be a struggle and I think that a few are still harbouring the anger and disappointment of the Brewster debacle - it is Brewster and the muppets who took us down - not Butcher. We do not have the god send to simply go back up - we have to fight for it and I feel that the passion is sadly lacking in some quarters - again that is for the manager to sort out. But we have lost only one of 10 competetive games this season - sadly the worst possible home defeat of the lot - but who wanted it most on the day. We are in the semi of the Alba Cup and just off the pace in the league. We have had five clean sheets and only conceded 8 goals in 10 games - we have played 4 of our 6 league games away from home - the Tinks have played 4 of their 6 at home - we have also played Dundee, Dumfermline and the Tinks. It all goes down to the old story - creating and scoring goals and our home form. Raith and the Tinks will have their bad patch so I would rather have them just ahead than Dundee or Dunfermline. We are the favourites and teams like Airdrie will always raise their game against us - we have to get a mean streak and start killing those teams early doors. We have got our problems and thay are plain to see - now is the time for Butcher to stand up and be counted - he has no more excuses from here on in. Lets hope he is up to it - I think that he is.

Sounds a bit like a late night encounter in the Greig Street Toilets.

Feck me - not bad going fer an old git - ya will be in yer feckin pit fer days. :cdn-flag: :thumb04: It is days like Airdrie that make you think twic about travelling. It can be soul destroying to watch an ICT team lacking in passion, skill and committment. It looked like men against boys on Saturday and the result should have mirrored that. It was also like watching a game down the park on a Sunday morning. We have just witnessed the worst midfield performance that I can remember. I was all set to travel to Fir Park but I am having second thoughts. I think that I need - nae the club needs - a press release from Butcher giving his take on Saturday and his plans for Tuesday. Without it I aint travellin 400 miles.

Eagle doesn't really have the pace to go past someone whereas Hayes does. We should create a hybrid of the two as I think Eagle has a better cross on him. Agree - appoint a Mad Scientist and make an International winger called Frankie Stein.

I am NOT losing faith but I am beginning to question some of the tactics and the selections - I am waiting to see whether he will change them - that is the crux of the matter.

For once your rationale actually brings some sense but the system is too radical a change. Unfortunately it is too early to make mass changes but a few of the players are - or should be - in Last Chance Saloon. I would have hoped that Butcher may use the Well Cup Tie to have a look: At Motherwell I would go: ESSON TOKELY MUNRO BULVITIS GOLLY DUNCAN or McBain PROCTOR COX HAYES ROONEY SANCHEZ / BARROWMAN (45 mins each) I do feel that Eagle and Stratford should face the chop and Foran should be rested - then we look at how these fare aginst SPL opposition. Then against Plastic Whistle we consider the same but may have to take Foran and Sanchez back but on a "warning".

I am not advocating hoofing Butcher - that would be totally disastrous - He is trying to apply the coaching manual and also appears to be trying to create a team and a system to play football. All very admirable ideals but he doesnt have the players to do it, we dont have the time to do it, and the SFL in a season where we are looking to bounce back to the SPL - it just wont work. If he is a true manager he will see this and he does not have to tinker much with the system - he changes the players and he adapts slightly to accomodate their strengths (e.g Rosscoe). He has to admit that some of his signings will not make the grade and he reverts to some of the old gaurd - that will also mean that he may have to cut some of his bonds and trusts as well (Foran should be bollicked and warned).He doesnt have to throw out the coaching manual but he tries it in a blend with the rough, ready and direct. Lets face it - the defence doesnt need much work - the midfield is in serious need of re-fashioning - we have forwards but they need to play with each other. It could be that Foran and Sanchez are "above" this standard whereas Rooney, Barrowman and Eric fit the bill. We also need (somehow) to instill a desire to play for the shirt. Butcher is somewhat in a no lose position. If he tinkers and it doesnt work he can go back to square one or refashion. He still has Imrie and Eric to come back as well. This might upset a few but Butcher was accepted by the muppets as their "get out of jail card". They relied on his charm and charisma to get them out of jail. Without him the would RIGHTLY have been hung, drawn and quartered. They are now intent on taking a back seat but they vowed to get us back up in one season and have put all their eggs in one basket. Well some have fallen out already and they could end up with all the eggs on their faces and the basket carrying their tails out of TCS. Butcher can do some of his punditry but he has to put the National Team on a back burner - and he has to stop putting some of the National Team ploys into ICT - it is a wee bit different. Tel will probably either fashion a success at the National level or will move into management as Burley's side kick. As long as he doesnt jettison us on the way.

In the long run we have yet again put our faith in the Muppets !!

I wish City all the best but they have reached where they are without the majority of the big signings which I think says volumes. Barry is a great signing, the wee Dutchman and Ireland are as good a combatative midfield as you can get - it may get interesting when they are all fit and ready fer selection - then that is when money may talk and City may drop.

It wasnt utter rubbish - we have the best defence in the league (thank feck) - Bulvitis had a mare but he will get over it - as I allude to on another thread we have a very weak midfield - and we need experience, graft and intimidation to get out of the SFL. Butcher is sticking too much to the Coaching Manual and playing the flair boys instead of the journeymen who will get us back up. Cox will improve with the likes of Duncan beside him. Sanchez may just be too much of a luxury fer the SFL.

But last week Foran and Sanchez were brilliant.......... So I heard but evidently wasnt there - how were they played last week. Today Foran was hit with everything and Sanchez was practically up beside him. Have to say that when Sanchez dropped he had no midfielders busting agut to get to him. He also played very much to the right in the first half. It was like boot it to Foran to flick it on fer Sanchez. :thumb01n:

I have just seen the Dumbfarmlife and Coatbridge United games so I would appreciate some discourse on this but: This has to be one of the quitest and most lightweight midfields I have ever seen - it is supposed to be the feckin engine room - the most important cog in the machine - WHAT THE FECK. There appears to be feck all communication - Stratford and Cox are as close as holding feckin hands at times and they appear to be on the back foot most of the times - they DO NOT influence or try to boss the game. Put Duncan in with Cox as he played with Blackie. Put another experienced player (Proctor) in there and give Hayes the free role - and feckin feed him. Cut out the hoof - play Foran on the last man and Sanchez in the hole - or play Rooney and Foran away from home. Why are we not using Munro's long throw - at least as an option - I reckon that it could have wreaked havoc at Airdrie. Why are we always leaving two to go fer throws and feck the pretty patterns at the corners. BASICALLY we are trying to play football and stick to the coaching manual - well that doesnt wrk in the SFL - ya have to get stuck in, dominate, pressure and kick ass. Put feckin Rosscoe and Munro on the keeper NOT feckin Sanchez. Lets feckin kick ass instead of kiss ass.

Have to say that I was impressedd by the stadium - easy parking, got away easily and home fer 8 - undoubtedly becos of the paltry crowd of under a 1000 - and 200 of them were us !! Great wee bar under the main stand - isnt it great when ya can sit down in comfort, watch the games on the telly, sup the last drops at 2.55, walk twenty yards an pay yerselves in !! But what a waste of a great stadium and what a dire home support. SMILEYMOMETER: ESSON :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: MOM as he basically won us a point. No chance with the goal - showed his usual energy and urgency - marshalled the defence - and a match saving penalty save. ROSSCOE :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: It is evident that TB has put a leash on Rosscoe and I dont think that it is a good thing - he certainly appeared reluctant to go too far forward today but there again we dont have a midfielder to cover - he looked safer and more energetic when Proctor came on. GOLLY :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: Really sufferred with having Eagle in front of him. He also had a very pacy wee winger to deal with. But he looks fit enuff and is deffo a more reliable option than Jimmy but has his recovery mode. BULVITIS :thumb04: :thumb04: Bad day at the office - at fault fer the goal - not sure if it was him or Granty at the penalty. He looked competent 80% of the time but looked rather unsure and suspect fer the other 20% GRANTY :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: Best of the outfield players. Showed urgency throughout and even forayed forward - and even down the wing in the second half. EAGLE :thumb01n: :019: Is too lightweight and looked totally lost at times today - needs hoofing quickly. STRATFORD As above - he offered zilch. His distribution is dire and he positioned himself mainly in no mans land and didnt play in a defensive midfield holding position. COX :thumb04: :thumb04: Suffered as the midfield quartet was ineffectual but when he did get pace appeared to always want to play it square instead of looking for the front men. HAYES :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: Does he have pace off the mark or what - but was played far too deep and had to track back too much. Would love to see him wide, twenty yards from goals and taking on the full back. A bit fortunate with the finish through the keepers legs but he did try. FORAN :thumb04: Is this the same player as last year. I know that he got little support and little supply but he was lackadaisical from the off and he appeared to go in to third gear in the second half. He really needs a goal. Still he did make the goal with ten seconds of the most effort he put in during the game. If he put as much effort into hassling as he did whingeing things may have been different. SANCHEZ Like Foran did not get the supply or the support but is also a lightweight who tries to be a bit too fancy at times. PROCTOR :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: Surely must at least replace Eagle although I would love to see him in the holding midfield position. ROONEY :thumb04: :thumb04: :thumb04: Possibly should have been on from the start - IMHO he changed the pattern as he was all movement, all bustle and all effort. BARROWMAN Lets just say that he didnt have time to impress !! The ref was sound enuff but the linesman in front of us was gash - fortunately giving as many weird decisions to us as them. TACTICS - Really disappointed as the order of the day appeared to be to hit Foran in the air as often as possible despite the fact that we had two wide men. That was easily snuffed out by Airdrie. There was little support at all from the midfield apart from Hayes. We are not going to win anything with the lightweight, inexperienced four who started today. And what the feck is it all about only ever having two going for throw ins - why didnt we use the long throw in from Munro more often and why the feck have we only Sanchez in the six yard box fer corners - and allowing the four big men to try and do fancy stuff 12 yards out. BOTTOM LINE is that we won an undeserved point today and we need to get some experience and tackiling into the middle - and the only people I could hear shouting today were at the back - the midfield were playing in a feckin library. Bring back Proctor and Duncan or McBain in the middle.

Exactly - he is a wee tozzer.

Listen you cant fool me - most of you cant stand me - it is just that the Coatbridge United ersehole has amused peeple too much - he has to be ersehole of the year hasnt he ? I thought Jimmy had a good day at Dumbfarmlife - what the feck happened - did he take on the advice of Renegade ?

So what are "Airdrie Utd" doing in the First Division then? They are there on false premises - They are the biggest "plastic" outfit in the league - they are a feckin joke - I know some of their old fans who are sound and would cringe at the feckin glue sniffing moron on here who doesnt realise that he is a saddo and making a total - sorry further than total - feckin ersehole of himself. Lets wait for his next words of wisdoms - probably bout sheep or the travelling support :)

Tell me more :) Was it in the Greig Street Toilets ?

Wow - I see that you have got yer feckin giro, had a wheech of Buckfast, pickpocketed and sniffed some glue. Shagging some fluffy sheep is an age old tradition and can be carried out in solitude and privacy. Still that is the biggest wind up that an unemployed, thick weegie ersehole could come up with. Give us all a laff and gies some more Highland jokes. :)

Feck me - I missed you Grenade - You remind me so much of the mentally ill of Lancashire :)

I went cos Terry wanted to keep me out of the lights fer a while - He was getting concerned about my warning levels. The only ball control that I exercised was during my morning stroll across the Nudist Beach on the Masapolomas Dunes. Well with all the partying I had to find a way of keeping my pecker up. Will show you and yer missus the snaps tomorrow.

The Mountie left to escape the warth of Caley 100 - great TB quote in the P&J: Butcher is heartened by their progress, but will not alter his team needlessly. He added: ?You don?t want to make too many changes as the players are still learning about each other. ?Playing in the First Division is new to everyone here, even the players that played at this level before. ?The squad has changed dramatically from last year and they will gradually get better. We have a good group that is really gelling well and growing together, we are delighted with it so far, but we know the best is yet to come.? He is beginning to act and sound more like me every day. :)

I take it that it will be a case of same again from the Spittle Morton game ?? Good news is that Airdrie are missing their big names - Richard Nixon, Archie Gemill and Chris Waddell - Suspect that Polly Paratt will avoid playing against a team who dumped him.

Nope - I was based in Playa Del Ingles - but I did make a couple of personal appearances in Puerto Rico - I have a boat there which does dolphin trips - I have a guy called Scottio El Gair as a captain.