HawkeyeTheGnu

39 minutes ago, wynthank15 said:

Hawkeye, the purpose of playing it along the back where you have 4 defenders is if the opposition are going to press ie push up 4 players then there has to be a spare midfield player or forward, I would accept that players cannot always find the spare player if the opposition press as a unit but the concept is sound, you just need players good enough to execute it, just look at the way the english premiership teams play each week. You are always limited by the player's ability. The other advantage is that while you have the ball the opposition can't hurt you. If you do find the spare man in midfield you now have a man advantage in that area from where you can build an attack especially if your wing backs get forward and we had two very decent wing backs. It was the correct way to play and takes a thinking mind set to do it. The shame is that this style was thrown overboard by RF and now we don't have the players of sufficient ability to execute it. I have watched ICT since the Patterson years and our home match against Astra was the best I have seen from an ICT team and that was without Watkins and Shinnie.

The problem is that, while we were playing it along the back, there was often little or no movement in front of the defence, which led them to keep passing along the back 4. All it needed was a misplaced pass, a heavy touch, or an interception of a telegraphed pass, and the opposition were through on goal. While the opposition can't hurt you if you've got the ball, they can if you give it to them cheaply.

The key is moving the ball at pace. We didn't. Everything was so ponderous at times, that the opposition had time to regroup and reorganise in front of us, removing any space. 

7 minutes ago, PumpFake said:

Good to see the West Stand looking majestic as usual.

Let's regularly fill the other three first, before worrying about that, eh. 

On 26/09/2017 at 9:16 PM, wynthank15 said:

DD I think you have selective memory, after the initial teething problems with our new style in the early games under JH I rarely recall us giving the ball away in the back four and due to our style of play which you refer to as keeping possession it required the entire opposition to defend their patch thereby preventing breakaway goals against us. A strikers first priority is to hit the target and yes, most go for the corners and can and do miss but a well drilled shot which is saved or hits a defender or woodwork can still offer opportunities to those following up. Further, shots which are mistimed, toe poked or deflected will more often than not end up in the net, even those with a lack of pace, a brilliant exponent of the toe poke in mid stride was willie pettigrew, keepers could never set themselves for the shot because there was no back lift. Fact is, most goals are scored inside the penalty spot and unless you can get the ball into that area frequently enough you are not going to score enough goals.

Under Hughes, we routinely allowed ourselves to be pressed in our own defensive third, resulting in either a hoof up the park which conceded possession, or a mistake next to our goal that created a chance, and often a goal. That's when we weren't passing the ball back to our keeper on his weak foot. 

14 hours ago, wynthank15 said:

Lawrence as a fellow BOG resident you answered your own question. JH's team kept possession because without the ball the opposition can't hurt you. That's how he managed to get results with a huge injury list in his last season. RF had no idea and ditched the fundamentals which JH had instilled in the squad. The players may have overdone it at times but the basics were sound.

Some of our support may be understanding this now

We were terrible in his last season at times. Winning 4 out of 5 after the split put a gloss on the season that was probably undeserved over the piece. 

While retaining possession makes it harder for the opposition to score as they don't have the ball, our implementation was often flawed. In attack we were so ponderous that the opposition were able to constantly reorganise behind the ball. In defence, opponents pressed us in our defensive third and waited for the inevitable mistake. 

2 hours ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

I only watched the highlights but look at the different post reactions to our goal and their three goals.

That was just weird. The reaction to equalising was muted - like the consolation goal in a 8-1 thrashing! There was more reaction after the offside goal. 

Defending for all three was appalling - too much space given to the opposition. 

13 hours ago, caleyboy said:

we WERE an established top flight club until our chairman at the time thought he knew better than yogi and effectively sacked him.

Hughes chucked it after we didn't let him talk to Dundee Utd. From that point on, he was working his ticket. 

Not saying there isn't any blame attached to the board, but it isn't all their fault. 

To lay all of that at the door of Ridgers is harsh. Going by the highlights, we just can't defend. He certainly could have done better with a couple of the goals, but the defence give him little help. 

Our ability to conced goals when we've got the ball in the opposition penalty box is breathtaking. 

2 hours ago, Yngwie said:

whilst I'm pretty sure Elsdon should have done better to stop the second

Do you mean where he arced his run back away from both the ball and Aberdeen player, or when he fell on his backside and tried (and failed) to rugby tackle the player with the ball?

We should probably melt him down for glue, but I doubt that would stick to anything either!

4 minutes ago, Potandbrush said:

This season already looks like if we make play off that's a bonus.

Do you mean the playoff at the top or the bottom?

No doubt our Chairman will put together a press conference to keep us fans fully up to date as a matter of urgency. 

21 minutes ago, RiG said:

Allegedly we can now add fabricating players asking for transfers to the sorry list. 

If this is true, the entire board needs to go right now. 

43 minutes ago, Roy Mackenzie said:

http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/Caley-Thistle-chairman-Willie-Finlayson-pledges-to-end-the-silent-treatment-15062017.htm

 

Talks about communication with the fans.

This is from 15th June, so a bit of an epic fail, really. 

6 hours ago, Jaggernaut said:

We just need a marquee signing now and everything will be forgiven!!!! I wonder who it will be?

Marquee signing? Our board would probably buy a tent. 

4 minutes ago, staggy4life said:

Close. 75k initial fee with add ons if we make Top 6 or a cup final.

If this is true, our board should resign now. 

7 minutes ago, Council Juice said:

Ross Draper joining Ross County subject to passing a medical. Reports state an undisclosed 6 figure fee was agreed after the player handed in a transfer request.

Given our track record, the "undisclosed six-figure fee" will be £1,000.00

Hopefully that will mean some money to strengthen the squad, but I'm not holding my breath. 

Disappointing doesn't even begin to to describe it. Of all the places for him to end up - not Aberdeen, but that doesn't make it any better. 

Looks like it's time to face up to a period of painful mediocrity.

2 minutes ago, scottishhighlands said:

so whats happen to the twitter updates for todays game none so far  

 

 

Hard to type with rapped knuckles, I guess

2 hours ago, TtotheOtotheM said:

Id argue Draper could be the difference between going up straight away or not, he's a Rolls Royce of a player who, in my opinion, doesn't get the plaudits he deserves. He was every bit as good as Shinnie, Watkins and Tansey in our cup winning season. 

Sh! We're trying to hold on to him. Don't go bigging him up!

6 minutes ago, ICTPAISLEY said:

So Hibs, Spartans, Stranraer, Stirling have all had colt teams in the past and no one bats an eyelid. What is the difference here? Is it just a hatred towards the OF? I don't get it. 

Did the colt teams play in the senior leagues?

The problem is that this looks very much like something to benefit two particular teams.

If open to all teams, I have no issue. Also, if the Old Firm were to leave to play elsewhere, and were made to take their colt teams with them, again I'd have no issue. 

3 hours ago, ICTPAISLEY said:

It's not a disaster in Germany or Spain, I think the youth teams coming up against lower league players is a better opposition.  You seen that when they were all put out pretty much straight away in the challenge cup. If there was a reserve league where age wasn't a restriction it might be better but I don't agree the development league at the moment works well enough. 

 I am open to new ideas, personally I think with this new idea will come a lowland league east/west split which they have been crying out for. This is what I want to see mostly. Once this split is created the couple hundred juniors could eventually be stuck on to the bottom of the pyramid without much issues. 

There's nothing wrong with new ideas, or trying something different. On paper, the ability for teams to field a B team in the lower leagues may have some merit. The problem is that is being done to benefit two clubs, not the country as a whole. That's why this version of the idea is pants. 

Yup, couldn't agree more. 

Another sop to the Ugly Sisters - and if they ever get their wish to play in England, this means they can keep a presence in Scotland and try and hoover up trophies and European spots. 

As said above, all the people who run Scottish football are interested in is two clubs, and they don't even try to hide the fact that they are bending over backwards to facilitate them. The sooner we can get rid of the deadwood that is Reagan and Doncaster the better. 

11 minutes ago, ictchris said:

Saw someone on Twitter post that we have interviewed Terry Butcher, Danny Lennon and Colin Calderwood.

At least it's not Jimmy Calderwood

6 hours ago, starchief said:

Billy Davies, the man that got little Preston to the play-offs final, got Derby promoted to the Premiership against all predictions and got a basket-case of Notts Forest to the play-offs? I'd be happy with that, although there's no chance of him coming up here.

Davies has left a few jobs under a cloud, and gave an interview on Sportsound earlier season that was a bit cringey - he didn't come over very well. I'm assuming there's a reason he hasn't been in work for a while. 

10 hours ago, jingsmonty said:

I think Faddy may be a possibility, but, again - straight from the dressing room! However, maybe not an issue as at least he has some experience as assistant & he didn't come from our dressing room.

I would be open to Faddy getting the job, hope it would be as player/manager though..

Not quite. He was on the Motherwell coaching staff last season as well as playing - in fact, I've just checked and he was assistant manager. 

An unfortunate end to his time with the club, but the only sensible outcome.

The board now has an important decision to make.