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hislopsoffsideagain

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Posts posted by hislopsoffsideagain

  1. I imagine that, if a poll was held now over whether Hughes should be sacked or not, the results would be rather different from when this thread was started.  There is certainly a bit more sympathy for Mahonio's opinion now!

  2. I think anybody who attended last night's match will now be pretty certain that we are heading for disaster unless there is a change in style or a change in manager.

     

    I'm going to be sniggering all day at the thought that Yogi believes our players need "educated".  He could do with learning from two people who sat close to me last night - firstly, a girl of 9 or 10 who said loudly within the first 10 minutes that "there's much too much passing!" - and secondly, my partner (who has barely watched any football in her life), who turned to me at half-time and said - "why do they keep trying to go down the middle?  There's never any space."

     

    I thought it was hilarious that the pitch was watered at half-time - was that to make our 'slick passing game' even slicker?!

     

    This style of play isn't even enjoyable to watch - it is so slow that it becomes mind-numbingly boring.  There were several times where we counter-attacked - only for the play to be slowed down, the ball passed back to the halfway line, knocked around a few times, then possession lost.

     

    I don't think we had an attempt on goal from inside the Motherwell box last night.  That's pretty damning.

     

    It was hard for us to chase a goal, given that Hughes appeared to have told Vincent, Christie, Watkins and Mckay to play in pretty much the same position, so that they just got in each other's way.  But hey, maybe that's because they need "educated".

  3. For those who are interested, this is what the table would look like  where ICT if the season started on 4 December, when Yogi was appointed.

     

    1. Celtic 49 (18 games)

    2. Aberdeen 36 (17 games)

    3. Motherwell 32 (16 games)

    4. Dundee Utd 31 (18 games)

    5. St Johnstone 24 (18 games)

    6. Kilmarnock 24 (18 games)

    7. ICT 21 (18 games)

    8. Ross County 20 (19 games)

    9. Hibernian 18 (18 games)

    10. Partick 17 (18 games)

    11. St. Mirren 13 (19 games)

    12. Hearts 12 (17 games)

    • Agree 1
  4. hislopsoffsideagain, I hope you have the necessary badges and experience to manage an SPL team. If you have, did you apply in November? If you have, why was Yogi chosen ahead of you?

    Secondly, I'm certainly not a friend of Willie Collum, but he's not to blame for this Red Card. While Shinnie may have a point, 49 out of 50 refs opt for red in this situation.

    Thirdly, I agree with those who say that Billy Mckay needs a rest. The alternatives: A false 9, as we say in Germany, played by Christie, Foran (if fit) or even Tansey, or give Adam Evans a chance.

     

    Of course, as I imagine you have guessed, I don't have any coaching badges or experience of managing an SPL team.  I didn't realize this was a prerequisite for having an opinion.  I imagine you don't have either of these things either, so why are you allowed to give us your views?

     

    Frankly, if a complete moron like me can spot all these problems quite easily, then it doesn't reflect very well on the management team that they can't.

     

    I was trying to think of any team which had been successful with so many central midfielders playing at once.  I guess Spain would be one.  Unfortunately, they have Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Busquets and Iniesta.  We have "guid honest laddies".

     

    Can anyone think of another team who have played with four central midfielders at the same time and been consistently successful?  If not, then clearly we are lucky to have such a visionary in charge...

  5. Ditch the 4-2-3-1 formation again, even though it works and the players are most comfortable with it, in favour of a 4-4-1-1 system?

     

    CHECK.

     

    Two central midfielders playing out of position on the wing, with no wide players picked whatsoever?

     

    CHECK.

     

    Telling the players at half time to sit in and invite pressure, even though we were massively on top in the latter stages of the first half?

     

    CHECK.

     

    Not changing things around in the slightest even when St. Mirren changed their system?

     

    CHECK.

     

    Bringing off our centre-forward and replacing him with a winger, who looked like he had never played centre forward in his life?

     

    CHECK.

     

    Firing off a load of pathetic clichés in the post-match interview?

     

    (Probably - I haven't heard it yet, but it seems like a safe assumption).

     

    The thing is that I thought the players did the best they could today, even though they were held back by dreadful tactics.  Vincent must be regretting signing that contract, when Hibs would have paid him more and played him in a position he's comfortable with.  It's no secret that St. Mirren's right-back, Naismith, likes to bomb on at pace, but Yogi clearly hadn't scouted St. Mirren at all and so Vincent got left for dead again and again by an overlapping full-back who was so much faster than him.  Our midfielders did their best to get on the ball in the first half, even though all four of them kept trying to occupy exactly the same areas of the pitch.

     

    Add in a useless referee - and they don't come more useless than Willie Collum - and you have a side who were a bit lucky not to lose to a St. Mirren team who were

    possibly the weakest I've seen us play against all season.  They were dreadful, even when we were down to 10 men. 

     

    Not happy.  Not happy at all.

     

    We have a decent squad of players, you know.  Their attitude is superb, and they can play a bit too.  But they're being held back by a manager who doesn't know what he is doing.

    • Agree 5
  6. His team selections and tactics disappoint me hugely.  

     

    He clearly doesn't do his homework on his opponents at all - when Aberdeen were 4-0 up at half-time against us, it was because he hadn't considered how to deal with Pawlett playing through the middle.  Playing 4-4-2 against Celtic and Dundee United was clearly a disaster waiting to happen.  He failed to restore Gary Warren to the team last night despite the fact that neither Meekings nor Devine would win an aerial battle with John Sutton.  And Vincent on the wing?!  

     

    He has ditched a 4-2-3-1 formation that worked, and which our squad is set up for, in favour of first 4-4-2 and now a 4-1-4-1 which leaves Mckay isolated and bereft of support, and makes us absolutely brutal to watch. We have gone from being a side who scored goals, conceded few and which played good football to a side that can't pass, can't defend and can't score.

     

    Yogi was given a winning formula by Butcher.  Why on earth has he tried changing it?  The only explanation I can think of is that his ego dictated that he had to make changes, so it was 'his team' and not Butcher's.

     

    Let's face it, he won't last beyond the end of next season.  My concern is that we keep him on for several months after it is clear that he's not the answer - a la Brewster - and we end up relegated as a result.

    • Agree 1
  7. The defence picks itself, in Warren's absence - Brill, Raven, Devine, Meekings and Shinnie.

     

    Mckay up front obviously.

     

    I think there's a good chance that Vincent was rested last night because he will start on Sunday, which is fine by me.  In my opinion we've been best this season when Vincent has been playing between midfield and attack.  He has such a great engine, and a terrific knack for being in the right place to pick up loose balls.  He is capable of providing quick support for Mckay or of becoming an extra midfield player as is needed.  If we play Foran in that position, he doesn't cover enough ground and it probably becomes a 4-4-2, which leaves us a man short in the centre of the pitch.

     

    Assuming he's fit, Doran is a certain starter.  I always feel he is more effective in combination with Raven on the right, but playing Watkins gives us more height and an alternative option for Brill and the defenders to aim at if they need to go long.  Therefore I'd have Doran on the left, Watkins on the right, and Nick Ross unfortunately misses out because I think there's too big a chance that the game will pass him by.

     

    That leaves space for two central midfielders, and Foran, Draper and Tansey to choose from (if you think Polworth should be anywhere near the lineup then you need your head examined).  Foran simply has to play, not least because of the leadership he provides. He also offers an aerial presence in an attacking and defensive sense.  I tend towards Draper's physical presence rather than Tansey's passing ability...as long as there is a plan in place to stop Pawlett getting behind our midfield with the ball at his feet.

     

    So, in conclusion:

     

    Brill

    Raven

    Devine

    Meekings

    Shinnie

    Draper

    Foran

    Watkins

    Vincent

    Doran

    Mckay

     

    Subs: Esson, Tremarco, Tansey, Williams, Ross

    • Agree 1
  8. It's a long time since I've been so frustrated after a match.  Two points dropped without question.  Incredibly Gary Locke told the BBC afterwards that "a draw was a fair result", even though we led 23-12 on shots, 14-3 on corners and 58-42 on possession.

     

    It's also a long time since I felt the need to give a referee a piece of my mind at the final whistle.  If nothing else, Craig Thomson's decision to add on only a minute at the end was so dodgy that, to be honest, my first thought was "this is crooked".  Hearts' time wasting in the second period was the worst I have seen since we had the misfortune to see Hamilton Accies up here.  Jamie MacDonald took about a minute over every single goal kick.  And as for that moment when Jamie Hamill picked up the ball and threw it away when Brill was about to take a free kick in the second half, well, it is impossible not to book a player for that..  Meanwhile, he let Paul McCallum commit five fouls before bothering to book him, allowed him to delay a free kick by booting the ball 20 yards away, and let him off with about half a dozen other pushes and shoves.

     

    That said, despite the referee, and the incredible negativity of a Hearts side who parked the bus even though a point is no good to them, we created so many good chances I lost count.  We hit the woodwork four times in the first half.  MacDonald made some excellent saves.  Warren and Draper both should have done better with headers from corners.  By the last 20 minutes you could see the players were getting afraid to shoot, given they'd spurned so many opportunities between them.

     

    That's only 9 points from 9 league games under Yogi, and only 2 points from 5 home matches.  That said, it's hard to know what else he could have done - the team could hardly have created more today.  My only beef was his decision to throw on Foran, change to 4-4-2, and go more direct.  We were far more effective with the extra midfielder and I'd have preferred to see Danny Williams or Nick Ross on as the game got stretched.

     

    Given there's 10 points between us and Aberdeen, I reckon second place has gone, even with our games in hand.  I'm increasingly concerned by how Hibs are steadily closing the gap on us in the top six race.

  9. Here's my thoughts, for what they're worth.

     

    At the back, we need to go with the strongest defence we have - which is, unquestionably, Raven, Warren, Meekings and Shinnie.  Warren and Meekings are better players than Devine, and an established partnership too.  Frankly, Shinnie is better than Tremarco at everything.

     

    Draper must play in centre mid.  We badly miss his physical presence, all the more so when Foran is out.  I'd much rather have Tansey than Polworth, again because he is a better player.  Polworth might yet come good, but when he plays poorly (such as in Perth or in Kilmarnock), we are drastically weakened in an important area of the pitch.  If Vincent is fit, then slot him back into his role between midfield and attack, where his workrate and engine have proven to be far more effective for us this season than Nick Ross' attempts to impersonate Andrew Shinnie.

     

    On the right, I tend towards Doran rather than Watkins, simply because the Doran-Raven partnership works so well and Doran is never as good when on the left.  The downside is, as RiG pointed out, Watkins offers us an effective diagonal because he's good in the air.  Maybe we could use Marley on the left, but I don't recall him playing there before and a cup semi final doesn't seem like the best place to experiment.  So maybe Ross on the left, where he will cut inside and open up space for Shinnie to attack?  But if we went with Williams' pace, then I wouldn't be particularly upset.

     

    And up front, Mckay, of course.  Who else?

     

    So, in conclusion, it should be: Brill, Raven, Warren, Meekings, Shinnie, Draper, Tansey, Doran, Vincent, Ross, Mckay.  Subs: Esson, Devine, Tremarco, Watkins, Williams

    • Agree 7
  10. I had to watch this on telly, which didn't make it any less stressful!  It could have gone either way, and we must be grateful that Graham and Erskine both hit the post when they should have scored, while Warren got away with that last man tackle on GMS that would have given them a penalty.

     

    We'll be so much stronger when we have the midfield trio of Draper, Foran and Vincent back.  I shouted "f****** hell, Polworth!" at the TV so often that I lost count - I wonder if I should put the slogan on a t-shirt.  His positioning and defensive work were actually far better than I expected...but he gave the ball away so many times that it nearly made me cry.  Shinnie alongside him did an excellent job filling in, but I'd rather have him at left back where Tremarco doesn't fill me with confidence at all.  In my opinion, he dived for the penalty, and I wouldn't be in the least surprised to see him get a ban as a result. 

     

    As stated by some already, Nick Ross is out of form just now.  Neither of the penalties he had scored recently had gone in without the keeper getting at least a hand on it, so I wasn't in the least bit surprised that Ciernziak denied him.  Ross would probably have offered more on the wing, where Williams had a very quiet game again. 

     

    I did think our central defenders did well and the back four looked better as a unit with Raven in the side.  McKay was terrific - again - I fear someone will take a punt on him during the transfer window.  Doran was busy as ever, but the lack of movement off the ball from anyone other than McKay means that he seldom has the chance to play a killer pass.

     

    This result stops the rot, I guess.  But I can't see us going to Pittodrie and getting a result, given our weakness in midfield at the moment.

  11. Just to remind folk, the average Celtic first team player earns £20k/week.  The average ICT first team player earns less than a twentieth of that.  Some people have some rather unreasonable expectations.

     

    As Aberdeen showed in the first half last week, we are hugely vulnerable whenever the opposing midfield gets behind ours.  Today, Williams and Draper were concentrating more on defending than attacking, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well they did.  The flip side of course is that we offer less going forward, but we were still in the match right till the end, we tested Forster from distance a few times, and frankly Draper should have done massively better with his late opportunity.

     

    I was impressed by our instance on trying to pass out of defence, rather than hoof ball up the pitch; it was good to see Nick Ross coming very deep on occasion to try and get on the ball.  I remain a champion of Doran, who continues to work hard and look for the ball.  When he gives it away, it's usually because there isn't a pass on, not because he is sloppy.  The only player I had a particular beef with today was Watkins, who only got behind the full back once, but on the other hand his defensive work was general excellent. 

     

    Aside from Commons, Celtic's forwards were quiet, which is a testament to how well the defence played.  There was one major lapse - and, unfortunately, it cost us a goal.

     

    There's a lot more to be encouraged than discouraged about.  I'd be inclined to pick the same team for the derby.

    • Agree 5
  12. Thought there wasn't much between the sides in the first half, but we were clinical and Hearts' defending was catastrophic.

     

    After the break it was one way traffic, and could have been a cricket score.  The Hearts players looked knackered after their midweek game, and badly missed Wilson in defence.

     

    No-one should ever let McKay take a penalty ever again!  But until he messed up that one on one with the keeper I thought he had been sensational.

     

    Doran and Ross really stood out for me - both were energetic and keen to get on the ball.  Doran in particular buzzed all over the park.  A brilliant performance.

     

    Was it handball by Hamill?  I have no idea.  The referee had a dreadful game in general - Draper in particular was being pulled up for everything.

     

    By the Kilmarnock game we'll have been top of the league for six weeks!!!!

     

    We've never had it as good as this, have we?

    • Agree 1
  13. Sluggish first half, I thought, but after we scored we were absolutely rampant.  It looked like Doran had been told at half-time to come in off the wing more and it worked a treat, opening an enormous lane for Raven to run in to time and again.  In the last half hour we looked like we could score at will.  Plenty of impressive performances today - I think in particular I should acknowledge Foran, not always a favourite of mine last season, who was magnificent in midfield.

     

    Penalty or no penalty?  Tough one that.  It definitely hit Van Zanten's arm, but at point blank range.  The ref certainly thought about it before he gave it.

     

    My main concern is that, while the pace and drive we have going forward always makes us dangerous on the break, we don't quite appear to have anyone who can play the killer pass in the way Andrew Shinnie could, and I worry we will struggle hugely in games when we go behind. 

  14. What an absolute sickener that was.

     

    I don't think there is much to complain about in terms of the performance and effort levels - we created more than enough chances in the second half and we paid for our profligacy.  If we'd decided to settle for the draw we'd probably have got it, but we pushed for the winner and got our fingers burned.  It's a shame, but these things happen sometimes.  Part of the problem is that we lack decent attacking options off the bench (no, Shane Sutherland is not a decent attacking option) and we don't have anyone who can come on and change the game when the attacking players are tired.

     

    I thought Graeme Shinnie and Josh Meekings were immense today.

     

    I know we lost the match, but I'm staggered that barely 200 people stayed behind for the lap of honour.  We're third in the SPL, for goodness sake.  That was our first home defeat to someone other than Celtic or Motherwell.  The players deserved a damn sight better and I felt hugely sorry for them.  Someone like Jones or Doran, yet to agree a new contract, must be wondering whether they shouldn't go somewhere where the fans would give them more credit.

     

    Some idiots in the main stand even booed at the final whistle.  These guys need their heads examined, frankly.

     

    Next Sunday is not going to be very relaxing.

    • Agree 3
  15. How many of the youngsters we've released over the years have gone on to become SPL players and prove the decision to release them was incorrect?

     

    Vigurs is the only one I can think of - and at the time I was told his problem was attitude rather than ability.

     

    Given the small number of youth team players who go on to make the step up, and that we seem to let go most of the under 20 side every May, I do wonder sometimes if we keep on a lot of these young lads just so we can field a team in the under 20s league, rather than because of any expectation that they'll make the step up to the first team.  I bet several SPL sides are in the same boat.

  16. You could justify charging £20+ for a ticket for every game if they were all as good as this one.  It really did have everything - goals, missed penalties, red cards, a late winner.  If there's been a more exciting SPL game than this during the 2012/13 season, I'll be surprised.  I needed to go home and have a rest after that!

     

    Our early goal opened things up completely.  Amusingly, it only came about because we @rsed up a free kick on the edge of the box, but when the ball was dinked back in, Meekings had wandered in at the far side, and his square ball was turned in by McKay from about a yard out. 

     

    Motherwell had a shout for a pen when Ojamaa went round the keeper and slid on his knees theatrically (there's a theme here), while Foran hit the outside of the near post from an acute angle.  Andy Shinnie steered a left footed shot into the bottom corner to double our advantage though, and then took advantage of the worst attempt to play offside I've ever seen (thanks, Keith Lasley!) to race clear on the break down the right, and his centre gave McKay another tap in.

     

    It's a marker of how dangerous Motherwell are that I don't think anyone felt comfortable even at 3-0...though we could, and should, have been further ahead when Doran went clear, but he dithered in front of the keeper and the chance was lost.  Then McFadden fired a lovely long range effort into the bottom corner to reduce the deficit, and at half-time the visitors were well on top.

     

    Higdon nearly bundled in a goal at the back post just seconds after the break, but soon got his goal, converting a penalty after Ojamaa went down incredibly easily (there's a theme here) under pressure from Hogg in the box.  Within a minute the Estonian had got himself booked for diving after going down on the edge of the box, and Willie Collum evened things up by giving us a spot kick after Nick Ross was given a nudge in the back...only for McKay's uncharacteristically poor penalty to be saved by Randolph.  Our heads dropped a bit, and it was no surprise that McFadden levelled after beating our offside trap, smacking a shot in off the post.  McKay had another chance for his hat-trick but was denied in a one-on-one, while Nicky Law blazed over a golden chance at the other end.

     

    At that point, you'd have bet your mortgage on Motherwell winning - until Ojamaa picked up a daft second yellow for a late challenge on Andy Shinnie.  The momentum turned again, as we went for the winner and the visitors stuck everyone but Higdon behind the ball.  I didn't think we were going to nick it, but a speculative effort from Meekings was only parried by Randolph straight to McKay, who buried it to spark a bit of pandemonium.  And, this time, we hung on.

     

    Pleased to see Graeme Shinnie get MOTM today, as he kept Humphrey very quiet.  Good performances all round, really, and I'd be loathe even to criticize the defence despite the loss of three goals.  And, if I'm being honest, it was a joy to see James McFadden in the mood as well, even against us!

     

    As for Willie Gollum...sorry, Collum and his standside assistant - good god.  Horrendous, the pair of them.

     

    Two games left, and the Europa League place is still in our hands...

    • Agree 8
  17. An eloquent statement from the chairman, summing up the argument in favour of voting 'yes'.  That said, I thought St. Mirren's statement was a good presentation of the argument for 'no'.

     

    I'm no fan of 12-12-18, and for what it's worth I think we simply need to add in a second relegation place or a relegation/promotion playoff from the SPL to the current setup; given the obvious misgivings a lot of clubs and fans have about introducing the new setup in time for August, I think the sensible solution is to implement the things everyone seems to agree on - financial redistribution, one governing body, getting rid of 11-1 - right now, and then spend the summer debating the rest of it.

     

    That said, Kenny Cameron has so far proved to be a very able chairman and I have full trust in him.  Therefore, if he says that voting 'yes' is the way forward, I'll stand behind him.

     

    To be honest, I don't think the size of the top division is the reason Scottish football is on it's knees.  I think it's because fans are charged ridiculous amounts for a mediocre product - for example, £26 for a ticket for a televised home game against St. Johnstone on a cold Friday night.  And they wonder why supporters aren't coming to games...

  18. St Johnstone certainly have the knack for how to stop us playing - in all three matches against them this season we've looked a bit untidy and struggled to put much together.

     

    St J looked far more comfortable on the ball but didn't create all that much - on the other hand, Andy Shinnie, Doran and Draper passed up excellent chances even though we didn't play well.

     

    I'm not sure about this fad Butcher has for playing Draper wide - we miss his energy and running in the centre of the park.  Foran and Jones aren't nearly as mobile and St Johnstone's midfield ran them ragged a bit.

     

    On the bright side, I thought Meekings was absolutely terrific tonight.  Devine had a rocky first half, but was excellent in the second.

     

    I think we can look back on that as a point gained which at least hinders St Johnstone's chances of catching us a bit.  Hopefully Hearts do us a favour tomorrow by taking points off County.

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