cif73

Decide to google "Stephen Finnie referee" to see what today's ref was about. One of the top hits was a Pie & Bovril thread headed "Stephen Finnie - Worst Referee in Scotland?" ... an entertaining and illuminating read. Had I read it beforehand, nothing at today's game would have been a surprise.

We had a few really decent chances to equalise at 0-1 and extended periods of pressure against a top 4 team. Games against St J are always tight but the red card completely and utterly killed the game after Foran had already gone much more attack-minded with substitutions in an attempt to get something from the game. He should have played Polworth from the start. The ref certainly seemed to hail from Perth which didn't help in what had been a tight game pre-sending off. 

Was difficult enough against 12 before Cole got sent off. 

We need to try to re-sign Miles Storey ... I really feel he's been what we've been missing in defence ... What a goal-line clearance that was ... Sensational!

30 minutes ago, Renegade said:

Where in the world is Fisher?  Aside from Mckay, he's our best striker by miles.  This ostracisation by the manager has to end now.  It could have huge consequences both in terms of whether the club stays us and whether he'll still be in-charge next season.

A tweet this week from Alex Fisher about taking part in community walking football with a bunch of older fellas. It included a fairly loaded comment about good to game time. Must be a bust-up. However I'd sooner have Anier support Mckay. Fisher had plenty chances in the team earlier in the season and could summon up 2 goals. Tremarco from defence was way more prolific!

In other news ... hope St Johnstone throw the book at Foster and Swanson. Pathetic. 

How bad was Brad McKay ... and how good was McNaughton.

Short career, nearer the end than the beginning. Chance of much higher pay. Not from the area so no particular heart strings pulling ... who wouldn't make the move in his shoes or in any walk of life for that matter?

If we had turned on Shinnie when he had signed a "pre-contract", might we have still won the Cup? I really hope the fans "do a Graeme Shinnie" and cheer him on for the rest of his time with us because he has made vital contributions/goals right up to this point (latest being the goal v County) ... and hopefully he has future contributions yet to make ... that could be the difference between us staying up and going down. 

Quite apart from just giving respect to our players (which we should obviously do), Tansey has wore our colours with distinction on many occasions including our very best times ... so we should cheer him on until the end just as though he was continuing with us beyond this season ... and so, when the dust has settled at the end of the season and we remain an SPL club, we can then thank him for his valued contribution and wish him well for the future ... (apart from he's playing us!)

Unlucky with 1st half bar but rode our luck in the 1st 45. Fairly resolute with 5 in defence but no width without wingers. Vigurs should be commended for the effort that hit the bar but he should have been substituted much earlier. Brilliant start to 2nd half with goal that should / could have easily been added to. My goodness, how often does a team rue missed chances to extend a lead? Late equaliser almost made it feel like defeat. Over the whole game, a draw was probably fair ... but gutting because so close to a win that would have pushed us so much closer to Well/County.

What's best for the club must take priority but I did prefer the Cabrini designs ... and the convenience of being able to buy at the retail park.

Chopping and changing design and/or supplier every season must be a handy (but no doubt needed) little money-spinner for the club every year.

Great last 5 mins with our goal and goals for Aberdeen and Killie helping keep County and 'Well in the mix!

If the Accies bring their cup form to the league, we should be absolutely fine!

3 hours ago, forresjags said:

Would at this moment snap your hand off if you offered me 11th place. Anything better would be fantastic.

I'm no happy clapper but there's a lot of football yet to be played. I was gutted with the results elsewhere this week but, that said, all the teams below Killie are still in the mix ... and even Killie might be brought back in if Motherwell beat them on Saturday.

Going forward, the team's biggest challenge is positive mental attitude. 

They need to dust themselves down from last night and move on.

As others have said, there are no more Celtic games and, on our day, we can beat anyone else ...  

If the team can cut out the defensive/goalie bloopers and show a bit of graft, speed, finishing going forward, we can certainly make 10th.

RF has some big selection decisions to make ... including whether to drop Warren/re-introduce McCart? re-introduce Mulraney (who looked so good against Rangers)? ... and find out if anyone in the club still has Jim Calder's mobile number. 

16 minutes ago, forresjags said:

Polworth good.

Raven did OK .

Cant see much more positives than that.

Polworth had good moments including that lovely volley and some forward runs but I was disappointed to see him make absolutely no effort to track back a few times when he lost possession in forward areas. He just seemed to spit the dummy/lose heart/give up way too easily.

46 minutes ago, cif73 said:

Is it a world record for a team TAKING the kick-off to concede within 12 seconds?

Au contraire ... these defensive mis-haps seem to be as common as muck ... close but no cigar 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/18/what-is-the-fastest-goal-scored-by-a-football-team-not-kicking-off

Is it a world record for a team TAKING the kick-off to concede within 12 seconds?

How bad is OFW at free kicks ... in fact how bad is OFW.

On 25/02/2017 at 3:19 PM, bishbashbosh said:

not expecting  any of the above from cole, he is too light weight for that, and block-buster tackling  he is a decent player going forward  but when you get into a position to cross the ball, at this level, you have got to do better than trundle it along the ground.

Cole wasted possession on a number of occasions. He has had better performances no question ... but I'm still very happy.

Wish I'd ignored the filthy night and travelled through now! What a moment from wee Billy!

We need to practice penalties!!!

Naive challenge from Laing ... after the ball had gone ... wasn't even a good cross. 

On the goalie front, are we able to recall Mackay from Elgin? If Esson is injured, there's surely a case. Don't know what has happened to OFW. Never great at dead balls or commanding his area but at the start of the season, he still had some excellent games. But now .... there's just too much at stake in the league to be relying solely on him without guaranteed fit back-up.

2 hours ago, Gringo said:

East Kilbride only lost 2-0 to Celtic a couple of seasons or so ago. Just saying like.

True story. Well said.

Given Celtic's recent cup performances, Albion Rovers could give us a bit of a doing ... ICT doing no better than Thistle in 1985. Sad times.