Weekend Hacker

Touching you, touchin me............

Now that we have retained the services of one Liam Polworth, I am quote relieved.  Had we lost him and Oakley I think this may have caused us a real issue.  I make no apology for groaning at a slack pass by Mr Polworth as I do for any other player but perhaps those who have been singling him out for an endless torrent of abuse could now see we need to cut the players some slack - and I include White and Austin in there too. Historically, the 12th man (or woman/ gender neutral etc) has made a difference to any club so might be n idea if we use our powers for good.  Starting tomorrow versus The Jags (the other ones).

Must confess, I thought George had improved this season and was coming on to a game/ pairing.  But from his point of view, he wants to play at a "higher level" and I get that and also the need to realise some cash as his contract up at the end of the season.  But an undisclosed fee suggests we get a fiver and a bag of washers for him and with the window well and truly shut we are thin up top if anyone sustains an injury IMHO.  Young Daniel showed some promise but seems to have been somewhat overwhelmed the last couple of times he has come on, suggesting that whilst he has the ability, there is a question over maturity?  However, we perhaps need to take the view that if you are good enough, you are old enough and crack on - just without the comparisons to Beckham, Scholes etc maybe....

Any way up, he's off all the best and all that guff but let's get behind what we have and see if we can't be there come the play offs?  Three important ones - Partick the morn, Gadgies and then an away day at The Pars and 3 wins would be lovely thank you.

Great goal from Polly, Mr McCart what a brain fart and a vicious deflection on their free kick?  Highlights looked encouraging

Love the forum when we win.  Sounds like a great game, was resigned to following on Twatter but looking forward to Partick and a nice 4th round tie in Dingewall now

6 minutes ago, Scarlet Pimple said:

What was the County score?

Can’t believe we still refer to investments. These are donations as an investment usually means a return plus interest!  These are donations and I am under the impression that the Muirfield boys have injected a decent wedge thus far.  I like Robbo, he is honest about what we have and given time I think he will do well. He is committed so let’s crack on.  Great performance today, amazing how different everyone’s demeanour is on here and leaving the ground. 

Mmmmm.  Father and Polly’s grandparents in North Stand today. Cynic would say we’re they there to watch his last game?  Think he took a nasty impact to the wrist and then a knock on the heel so sub was probably wise. Flashes of good play from him but at times a tad frustrating again.  As the topic says.....enigma. 

Wholeheartedly agree. White was a different man today, good goal.  Chalmers was MOM, McHattie I thought a great performance. A bit of heart today, hard fought and well deserved. 

12 hours ago, Robert said:

Saw on line he is in talks with a club. 

We have brought this on ourselves. Fans near me are on his back for everything and miss the vision he has.

Not sure if it is a pre contract or whether they want him now.

Either way, we will be poorer without him but I wish him well. His goal and celebration in Dingwall when we won 3-0 springs to mind.

I really hope the fans support our local youngsters as they break through. Otherwise the lure of other clubs will overshadow us.

A number on here go on about his vision and movement but unless you sit and watch one plaster all game I’m not sure about the validity of issuing those kind of statements. Yes, a huge amount of assists.  But also a lot of missed, slack passes.  And yes, you can argue that he plays the right ball and it is the teammate who has not anticipated the pass.  But you could argue that a good player has the understanding of the squad about him too.  I think Liam has reached a point in his career, like we all do, where a change would do him good and I hope he kicks on from there in all seriousness. But I don’t agree we’ve brought it on ourselves.  I think the club need to consider a crowdfunding angle if finances are as bad as rumours say they are.  2000 maybe chipping in £50 for use in the club may free up some cash for wages?

And yes, absolutely we should get behind the locals, youngsters or anyone and I think the time is coming where they should be blooded for experience but also to get the crowds buzzing again. 

3 points today would be a start......must go and get my seat!

Valid points all and whilst I agree, what impact do we think this “acceptance” of our position will have on attendances?   As we all know, reduced attendance is lower revenue and it goes from there.  Or would improved product, in terms of football,/ entertainment and excitement perhaps bring the crowds back or at least sustain numbers where they are I wonder?

On 1/6/2019 at 3:27 PM, Agent N said:

Also thought Walsh was good today and could go on to be a major player for us in the future. At times Polworth seemed to be up for the challenge then  loose interest and was needlessly booked for kicking the ball away.  

Brad Mckay was exploiting space down the right hand side of the pitch until we scored then went deep into our own half allowing QoS space to attack

We were unlucky on a couple of accasions hitting the woodwork but seemed to have no idea regarding changing things to try to create chances.  

Maybe its time for fresh ideas and a  clear out of backroom staff, too many explayers taking a living from ICT with no end product.

Also should we consider ditching the development/youth teams,  there is not much coming through and the money coild be spent on a striker. Only Polworth in the current line up has come through and and any decent players have to be sold for little or no money.

We had a mass clear out on youth post Butcher/ Yogi I think but to say we have nothing coming through seems counter productive with respect.  Macgregor on the bench has had game time, Daniel Mackay too.  Ryan Fyffe promising center back biding his time, I think Harper is also a product of the youth development.  We need to watch we don't throw the proverbial baby out with the bath water here.

I must confess yesterday left me almost as gutted as losing in Dinge  Wall.  I genuinely (naively?) believe that our players have shown themselves to be as good as any other in the league on occasion. Problem is we aren’t doing that with consistency and like many I just think tactically we are crying out for a change.  We seem so pedestrian in attack with no real urgency to get forward and in behind and most of our goals have come from a quick passing movement not the laborious slow build up we seem to favour.  I can’t remember a game where we have had a series of balls played in front for someone to run on to, our strikers seem to have the ball played mainly when they are facing away from goal - fine if they are then laying of to someone on a burst but this isn’t happening.  Other results went our way Friday/ Saturday but we didn’t capitalise and it is now going to take a big effort for the players to step up every week or we are mid table at best.  Big game v Ayr, obvs, and a “must win” again.  In terms of a squad, we must get behind the boys and support but they also have to do their bit; but that must include the coaches/ Robbo giving them the right shape and tactics.  

On 12/25/2018 at 2:15 PM, WYNESS101 said:

With Calder, Zak gone and OFW heading out the door this Jan. Surely that has freed up some money for at least two players.

With Tremarco being out we have being left short on the bench for defenders. Maybe a new defender? Have we got any young defenders at the club who could step up as it seems to be only midfield players and Daniel making the first team.

Ryan Fyffe who would be central defence, Cameron Harper at LB I think.  Tough for young defenders due to the physical challenge to break through but they probably have that extra yard of pace....

All the best to all for 19.  Slainte mhath

Oooft.  Not sure if this is positive or not.  He could be good but very streaky and the last thing we need right now is more inconsistent forwards.

5 hours ago, Sir C the 3rd said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30592297 

The same Brian Graham. The guy is an absolute tool and should have got 2 reds on Saturday. One for the initial elbow and the 2nd for punching Rooney.

I’ve heard from a fairly reliable source that he did actually get 2 reds though haven’t seen any confirmation yet.  But yes, an absolute walloper

46 minutes ago, Jack Waddington said:

Rooney returned the punch (like anyone would do, you can't shrug off a punch to the jaw), but in all honesty, I can see why punches were flying. Everyone was worked up because of the shambolic refereeing of Andy Dallas, but hell, it definitely added some electricity to the game .

Hopefully we have a decent ref who can actually see fouls in the return derby in March.

But we need a team that can actually score, we're 100% the more dominant team in possession, cos literally any time I saw us on the ball, the County players were climbing on top of who ever was on possession, just to get the ball. But as stated earlier in this thread, possession does not win games. One thing that does need to be worked on in training, is heading, each and every single corner or cross that was put in (at the away section of the dump) was put in the exact same place above the bar, even though we got the ball first, we need to work on target practice for it.

Seriously though, we really need to get a grip, I really can't see this club surviving in the Championship for much longer, our attendances are pure dire compared to previous second tier seasons, and the amount of away fans coming north, we don't even need to open their stand, as there is almost literally a minibus full of them, which certainly does not help ticket sales. If we want to get the chance of Premiership football again, we need to start working the players to score goals and hold a lead. Constant draws don't win promotion spots.

Aye, the video is on the Staggies page and I’m still confused on Rooney.  Was it across the far side after the initial incident?  Spoke to someone who reckons he nutted someone but footage inconclusive. Graham attempted to nut Rooney in Dingwall last time......

12 hours ago, caley100 said:

If you read my post i said his final ball lacked composure....       too often he slung a ball straight into fox's hands, or when he should have turned inside his man and invited a tackle which could have resulted in a pen!

Draper did his job very well, which perhaps you didn't notice but Polworth was very quiet today.

I don’t feel he lacked composure in any facet of his play tbf but there we are.  I agree Polly was quiet but not convinced that was down to him being controlled by Draper.  It’s like yesterday though, boys round me moaning for Jordan to be hooked after he scored so as I said everyone sees differently.  

42 minutes ago, caley100 said:

Really pissed off with that result!  I thought we were the better team, County robbed us big style, but no matter how good we are it's scoring goals that win games.

This is unfortunatley the story if our season with missed chances caused by poor finishing and an alarming knack of shooting ourselves in the foot on a regular basis.

Draper today had Polly in his pocket, Doran failed to ignite our attack and only Walsh looked creative but his final ball was quite often lacking composure.

White managed to get us level but was guilty ( again) of poor ball control and missing a couple of chances that he should have put away.

Next week is a crunch game and if we have any desire of reaching the top 4 we will need to win, a draw is fecking useless.

Walsh lacked composure? He was stand out for me and IMHO he terrorised their defence.  I thought Draper was poor.  But hey, that’s football, we all see things differently.  Fact remains we dominated and came away defeated.  If we could recreate the atmosphere from today at home, wouldn’t it be tremendous

7 minutes ago, MuirtownJaggy said:

The aim of football is to score at least one or more goals than your opponents!!!!! It is the final part ( scoring) that has been and continues to be our issue. Lots of effort and enthusiasm from defence to midfield will not win games........ scoring ...... regardless of how, creates results

Can’t disagree.  Possession and heart very encouraging, but get the ball in the net.  Graham is a dirty bar steward,his intent was clear from the minute the ball was played but tbf to Dallas had the red out immediately so no real need to get a man sent off.  But nice to see a scrap at a derby too..... Great atmosphere, great game just a ***** result.  

Great to get a win under the belts.  Magnificent if we could give the gadgies a right pumping next week

22 hours ago, hislopsoffsideagain said:

The article you speak of is here: https://nareystoepoker.blogspot.com/2018/12/in-defence-of-liam-polworth.html

 

And you appear to have done your best to misrepresent it.

Anyone reading this can tell that the link to Iniesta is quite obviously tongue-in-cheek. I was comparing how elsewhere skilful players are lauded for what they do, whereas in Polworth's case his good bits (his assist for Walsh's goal, his incredible assists record last season, even that nutmeg of Billy King by his own corner flag) rarely get any praise whereas every mistake he makes comes under the spotlight.

And the 'neanderthal' description was not used as a reference to the MOTM award (though the people sitting around me were not booing the award because it was 'bizarre', because they were making abusive comments about Polworth at the time too). It was a reference at the end of the article to those who abused his family earlier in the year, who slag him off every week regardless of what he does, who are making him a scapegoat for the team's - and the club's - ongoing struggles. And there are too many of them at home games. Frankly, anyone who thinks that booing their own player will actually improve his performance is not very bright.

As for 'just desserts', I'm not sure what that even means?

 

Put Polworth in a team with a centre-forward who shows any intelligence whatsoever in his off-the-ball movement (we certainly don't have one in our squad currently) and watch him fly. I'm fed up of seeing him driving into the final third with the ball and looking for a killer pass to play, only for his teammates to be tightly marked and either making the same runs they have done all game or just not running at all. And when he is either tackled or tries to force a pass that isn't on it's him who gets the blame every time instead of his attackers.

I've not really made any attempt to do so but if you feel I have then fair enough.  I get that the comparison was tongue in cheek, believe me.  However, my inference of the neanderthal comment was due to the fact that it was not clear - to me - that you were referring to those responsible for the abhorrent chants earlier this season.  For the main, Polly does get stick which may or may not be down to body language and you are quite correct - sometimes I think that he plays the right ball but those around him are not on the same wavelength.  It must be hugely frustrating for him to have to face this at times.  However, at times his performances are perhaps frustrating and as a fee paying fan I'm afraid everyone is entitled to an opinion - I often debate with those around me around Trafford vs Chalmers, White vs Austin etc etc and people see things differently. For me Polly goes between outstanding when he is on to frustrating when he is not and on that basis we will be at odds.  Just deserts was again from my inference that the article seemed to suggest that ICT fans should be careful what they wish for.  Again, my interpretation perhaps...

7 hours ago, Scarlet Pimple said:

From your name "Polly appreciation"  we are in no doubt that you like him but what other players and/or moves can you suggest that JR could play or  make to get this team focused and non-dormant. Please say something positive  as if talking to J R and enough of the banal negativity. --ALL.

Narey's Toepoker recently compared Polly to Iniesta in a blog and referred to those who booed the MOM Saturday as neanderthal (I maintain the boos were for the bizzare nomination, not the recipient) so it shows what a polarising player he is.  Suggestion was that Polly would go and we - presumably the neanderthals to whom he refers - would get our just desserts.

It's all I got......

Wow