bdu98196

Lack of fight and too often 2nd to the ball, got criticised for suggesting this before but I don't see us having a team of battlers and fighters out there where those around us do and being regular struggles at that end of the table know how to scrape and fight to stay up. It may have been a clean sheet but we were lucky and Partick despite having chances were poor in front of goal - we are not getting better at defending and instead of bringing in average players we need an experienced defensive minded coach to assist. The tactics are dross and predictable. Long hopeless balls, a keeper who can't pass and has awful distribution. We play strikers who can't compete in the air or have the physical attributes to hold up the ball or give an out when under pressure. Our wingers don't run the line or press on, the play or cut inside too often and for mulraney with his pace he can drop back to pick up the ball to run at defenders no point him standing off the defender and expecting to win high balls. On this display we are on an express route to relegation, maybe sickness was a reason but seems we always have an excuse but never a solution. Can try dress this game up with positives but reality is we were dross all over the park and 2nd best side by a margin and that's without even considering the lack of entertainment.

Surely thats counter productive. Boycott games means less fans through the door for gate reciepts and less interest from sponsors so less prize money to the clubs, meanwhile people stay at home watching the game on TV or in the pub - hence paying Sky subscriptions. All that not attending does is give less cash to the clubs, killing more and having more going to the wall with broadcasters such as Sky paying less in rights or even walking away which although would give no media coverage and perhaps increase gates it will also reduce club garunteed annual revenue. If people are not happy with the kick off times, they need to contact the club and the SFA to discuss like adults and have the concerns brought up directly with the TV companies for discussion, unfortunately the Scottish game is small fish and limited appeal therefore to get the best deals we have to accept that KO times will be built around the English games. Inconvinent - yes, frustrating - yes - necessary - sadly yes. We will talk about it every few months especially when we play the OF but its positives outweigh the negatives to the clubs.

Regardless of how many of our fans go, remembering we only took 2500 to a cup semi when we were flying - only taking a few hundred to this game might make little odds. Being the early kick off, on TV, and most import for Celtic fans - not being against 'The Rangers' the turn out of home fans will likely be hit hard too - wouldnt be surprised for a crowd around the 20-25k mark at most which given the spilt gate (after expenses & costs) there might not be much of a windfall at all.

It was Murray who was keeping Anier out of the DUtd team last season, an up and coming prospect I think and exactly the type of player I think we should be looking at. However given our position he may want to wait and see if we stay up before committing to anything. For once a genuinely exciting signing if it comes off.

Couilabaly (sp) leaving Killie could be beneficial to all the other clubs around the bottom half as he was their main creator and scorer although this may increase the rumours of Storey going there that have been circulating?

Fon Williams Raven, Mckay, Warren, Tremarco Tansey, Draper Polworth, Anier, Doran Doumb Altthough my preference if fit I'd have King on the left wing with Doran central and Fisher up front - Anier and Doumb on the bench alongside Cole & Vigurs

Other than being defensively poor all season with no signs of improvement - no reason at all Sadly we are deluding ourselves if we think Celtic would have wanted to avoid us, this Celtic team is flying and even on off days can beat everyone in the league with ease, I'm sure they would have wanted to avoid away trips which had long journeys such as visiting us or even having to play Rangers or Aberdeen but at Parkhead against the bottom team in league I think they'd be pretty happy.

After a 3wk break to come back with more injured players than we had going into it, is a very worrying statistic. Either we were trying to harden the boys up playing on concrete or there is something more worrying happening.

Guaranteed tv game so extra cash plus it's a 50-50 gate split so let's hope that the fans come out for it. Sadly on current form and displays it's probably going to be very one sided but hopefully we still have enough guys in our team who remember what it's like to beat celtic and up their game with the lure of progressing in the cup.

Nobody is suggesting marquee signings or increased debts, I'm aware some of the senior players have new deals so we have little budget left however we have youngsters who don't get a chance like Sutherland and seem to consistently sign players all of a similar level to what we have. Would rather see us bring in one or two of proven quality and give youth a chance (such as names listed previously who I'm sure would have fitted into our budget). Looking at Dunfermline & St Mirren, I have no illusions where we will most likely end up heading if we go down and the fan numbers will likely drop further - the Inverness population doesn't want or have interest in a football team at the top level so it will only get worse (but that's another thread). We need to have a team right now that gets us 10th, where other teams around us have been there and done the relegation battle they have players who show the bottle for it and perhaps the quality too (Moult, Couliabliy) but I'm not sure we do.

Signing of a player this season who has proven goal scoring history at a decent level, even Championship would have done - there are guys down there like Dobbie, Clark (who were free in the summer), Loy, Andreu (both on loan) or at least a player that would come in and show fight and determination to help drag us up the table - sadly I don't see any of our forward players having these attributes. Perhaps there may be further additions before the window closes but even if not and we stay up then I will still question the signing policy and level of recruitment recently especially in forward and creative areas. Its almost laughable how we sit at the bottom of the league making mediocre signings yet the majority seem happy and RF or the management can do no wrong, yet in previous windows or seasons much lesser actions would get slated. Too many blinded and naively sitting thinking we are too good to go down - we're not and there's little happening around the club that suggests otherwise.

Couldnt hold down a regular starting place at a relegation bound DUtd last season and other than a short run of games for Motherwell some few years ago has somewhat faltered. Not overwhelmed, think we have missed out on better options who have gone elsewhere.

Rory Loy off to St Midden

One factor that might count against us turning it around outwith the manager and tactics is the player mentality. For years we have been top 6, safe and good cup runs where as those around us like Hamilton, killie, Partick, Dundee and motherwell have all fitted with play offs and that end of the table - their players and clubs know what it is to scrap to survive - do we and can our players step up into that mindset?

I've wondered this too, when our style of play changed last year to be more defensive Storey increasing cut a lone figure upfront which although he has some pace couldnt win and hold up the ball or create chances himself from our poor build up play - if I can recall much of his success was when Christie was still on loan making things happen. This season we are probably even worse in terms of creativity, I question whether his attributes would actually yield much at all, perhaps played off a stronger player likey Doumb it may work but thats not how Foran likes to line up with 1 up front. What we need is a Higdon/Ofere type player who can bully and create his own changes and provide an outlet from the defence, maybe even Sammon might have worked. This is unless we start to change our style of play and get more from King, Doran & Mulraney to create chances for a striker.

Tansey & Ofere - both players who scored important goals on our run, but he picked the team and tactics regardless of the players to get us to a final and win it - however its still evident from some on here he will never be given any credit for anything achieved.

Without knowing the clubs signing or wage budget and whether therew is actually anything left to imporve the squad with real quality, I do wonder regarding these types of signings. Players coming from such a level should be brought in with the premise that they are part of the development squad on short 6 month or 12 month deals with the aim that if they step up they become part of the first team and are rewarded approriately. However what we have seen recently are players like Wedderburn, Horner, R.Williams, Boden etc come in on decent deals when we would be just as good letting some youngsters try step up. What we need to be doing is investing what we little we have on established and proven quality to fix our dire situation not a quantity of gambles unless we are conceeding that top flight status is no longer our focus and we are looking to build a lower cost squad for the Championship.

Glad to see someone else finally asking the same question. Since his arrival or latapy leaving we are no longer an attacking team, last season I put that down to injuries and less quality but now even with wingers and more potential creativity it's still the same. Ironically we play defensive yet can't defend so perhaps our solid backing was down to butcher and Hughes as ex defenders being able to coach that skill effectively.

After Partick is too late by then we could getting cut adrift and heads down being knocked out of the cup by a lower league team. We have a window with no games and transfer opportunity coming up, it needs to be used. Back him or sack him. Bring in a decent and experienced assistant or advisor to sort the tactics and formation including the defence and provide cash for players if not prepare for relegation. We need more than just a striker, the way we play wouldn't help if we had even Griffiths as we just don't create enough and that's due to the position players are used or the tactics. Some on here seem to be happy to accept the levels of signing but I disagree players like Cole, Boden, horner, vigurs just aren't good enough - that's before we consider those just not stepping up or off form. There are none who have come in that have come close to Williams, storey or Vincent and fall way below Watkins or Christie etc. While I accept we had lost quality players and would be a weaker team you'd expect that at least one incoming player might be near the exiting quality plus none seem to have improved whether that's because they aren't good enough, don't care of are just coached poorly it's hard to tell.

I don't get this attitude on here that Foran can do no wrong, his lack of experience is showing as is his stubborn nature not to change things even when the team struggling - 1 up front isn't working and hasn't been for weeks and we aren't creative enough in front of the back 6. The 3 behind the striker aren't doing enough - we have pace in mulraney and most creativity from king, Doran or polly yet these guys are either benched or played out of position. Questions have to be asked about the support Foran gets from those in the rest of the management team and whether Rice is the right man to help Foran develop. Some on here want to blame the board, blame Hughes or blame the fans for not being supportive enough but after this many games we aren't seeing an improvement or anything that suggests a formula for success. Many on here wanted foran to get the job, but his lack of experience is telling. If we don't recruit in Jan which given our lack of fans or budget is unlikely then we won't stay up. Come back after the break and loose to Elgin which is feasible and it's going to be a long hard negative slog til the end of the season. Add to that the impending loss of tansey and meekings it's weaker we will become. The board need to act but it's in either replacing foran or improving the network around him by bringing in an experienced coach to help him with tactics and most importantly organising the defence. Sacking the board is a ludicrous call.

Calum Morris joined dunfermline

We lost to Motherwell because we were poor and created little much like so many games this season, possession and tepid play in the middle or the park or hoofing long balls from back to front when chasing the game dont provide winning positions. Those that reside in the camp where its just bad luck need to look at last season and the DUtd situation where they lost games by the odd goal, were deemed to play well and were unlucky - they went down and we will too. As a critic of Vigurs, I can say its nothing to do with his former club or even his attitude when at the club first time, its his attitude now - there appears a lack of fight or creativity from him, often loosing possession and failing to track back or even attempt tackles. His set piece delivery is not to the required level of quality or consistency like at times against Motherwell - we can make excuses about the weather or anything else but if Foran persevers with him we need more. Thats not removing blame from elsewhere either. Criticism of players, tactics or managment seem to be unacceptable on here now, however last season it was all fair game so long as it was directed at Hughes or Dani Lopez (who), although I see Hughes still blamed in this thread for leaving and the club having to appoint Richie. Perhaps some are not willing yet to accept that we have moved to a weaker position as a club through the changes made and there maybe isnt the capability to turn this around crowds are still not improving and we certainly dont have the cash to buy our way out of trouble.

As the most experienced member of the coaching staff we have every right to question his input or if enough support is given to the rookie manager.

Cup winning team and most successful ever season Warren, Meekings, Tremarco, raven, draper, tansey, polly, doran Last years team, as above plus Vigurs, ofw, fisher so based on the nucleus of the team being still here and what we have achieved did the last manager over achieve with crap players or is the new manager under achieving with good players. We have recruited poorly with players and other than King & mckay I really don't think the rest are near good enough. We persist with the same formation, line up and tactics it's predictable for the fans so no wonder other teams and managers are sussing us out. When Rice came in last season we became a tepid, toothless team who focused on possession and lack creativity, this season we are the same, is the job too big for Richie and his lack of experience or is he being let down by those and round him especially Rice?

You make a point but fail to consider the home team is OF, therefore as 50k of them will be local then nobody really cares about travelling fans, if it was the other way round then I'm sure it would be considered, additionally none of the organisations listed are known for being able to forward plan so would much rather leave it til 2 hours before kick off and act surprised about the conditions.