The Long Ball

[Renegade]

I think I speak for most if not all ICT supporters when I say that next season, these rubbish long ball tactics have to thrown into the Caley Stadium skip. These tactics were the downfall of Brewster, and seemed to be Butcher's tactics as well last Saturday when Tokely got sent off. It was mentioned on here as well a couple of days ago that these could well be Butcher's tactics for next season as well, and if that's true then promotion will be near impossible.

ICT's tactics at home at least should always be keeping the ball on the deck the vast majority of the time, using the width of the midfield to play the ball to the wings. ICT are not now, and have never been a team that benefits from mindless hoofs forward. In fact I would put that as one of the reasons for relegation, with Munro's punts constantly puting the opposition in possession. What does everyone else think of the long ball? Should ICT continue with it, or punt it, so to speak? Discuss.

[martinskye]

Like most fans I'd prefer it if we didn't play the long ball all the time, however Butcher will be judged on our success more than the way we play so he'll play whatever tactics that he believes will give us the best opportunity for success - that could well be by playing long balls.

[+Gringo]

I think we're snookered either way...we haven't got the strikers to support a long ball game and we haven't got the pace of wingers etc to play it on the deck. We have no creative players in the squad either so, unless things happen in the close season, I really think we will struggle to score goals again next season.

[DornochJAGGIE]

Grant munro always plays the long ball, i cant stand it. We normally just lose possession.

[AJS]

Unless we get a target man signed up in the summer we are going to struggle with long ball.

While i absolutely loath it i'm yet to see us really try anything different.

[+CaleyD]

It's too early to be predicting what kind of football we might or might not be aiming to play next season and I don't believe for one second that there's many managers out there who want to play the long ball, but sometimes needs must and a squad just doesn't have the players to be able to play it effectively through the midfield all the time.

It's a catch 22 at the moment (as Gringo points out) and I think we just have to wait and see who comes in to the squad in the summer.

I'd rather see us play the long ball and win than try and play pretty and lose.

[kencar]

Unless we get a target man signed up in the summer we are going to struggle with long ball.

While i absolutely loath it i'm yet to see us really try anything different.

Kenny Deuchar is a free agent. He's a doctor of long ballology :P

Edited May 29, 2009 by kencar

[forresjags]

Subtle difference between long ball and long pass. The problem we have got is there is no width. Eveything is played through the middle be it in the air or on the floor. We have never replaced Barry Wilson when he was in his prime a few seasons ago. We need a wide player just to give us options, mix it up a bit . I believe if we had that option you would get the best out of Barrowman and Rooney.

[Snaarf]

we are going to obviously play long ball now with no Ian Black, Vigurs, Morais or any creativity/composure on the ball in the team anymore

[AJS]

Unless we get a target man signed up in the summer we are going to struggle with long ball.

While i absolutely loath it i'm yet to see us really try anything different.

Kenny Deuchar is a free agent. He's a doctor of long ballology :P

His Long ballology is heading to St Johnstone.

[Guest Mahonio]

I have said this a few times during last season but my personal opinion is that the long ball game (lumping) is just for last 5-10 mins of a cup tie when a couple of goals needed but even then it doesn't work.

By the way i wouldn't mind either a passing game or lumpball game so long as we f***ing won.

[Alex MacLeod]

Dont know how folks can get all worked up about this at the moment. We dont have a team yet let alone an idea of tactics.

In factwe couldn't even put together a decent formation with what we have

Esson

Tokely, Duff, Munro, McGuire, Hastings

Gillespie, Duncan, Imrie

Barrowman, Rooney

Actually, looking at that maybe it would work.

[dead_ball_specialist]

Dont know how folks can get all worked up about this at the moment. We dont have a team yet let alone an idea of tactics.

In factwe couldn't even put together a decent formation with what we have

Esson

Tokely, Duff, Munro, McGuire, Hastings

Gillespie, Duncan, Imrie

Barrowman, Rooney

Actually, looking at that maybe it would work.

The perfect lineup to take us to the second division.

[Guest WynessLegend]

2009/2010 The season of sexy football.

Bring it on.

[CaleyP]

Dont know how folks can get all worked up about this at the moment. We dont have a team yet let alone an idea of tactics.

In factwe couldn't even put together a decent formation with what we have

Esson

Tokely, Duff, Munro, McGuire, Hastings

Gillespie, Duncan, Imrie

Barrowman, Rooney

Actually, looking at that maybe it would work.

The perfect lineup to take us to the second division.

your right, nowhere near strong enough, we really need some luck in the transfer market otherwise we're going to struggle next season. the 1st division isn't no push over. teams like partick will run all over us with a team like that, especially with them wanting to sign vigurs. i fear he might come back to haunt us.

[TheKnowledge]

Dont know how folks can get all worked up about this at the moment. We dont have a team yet let alone an idea of tactics.

In factwe couldn't even put together a decent formation with what we have

Esson

Tokely, Duff, Munro, McGuire, Hastings

Gillespie, Duncan, Imrie

Barrowman, Rooney

Actually, looking at that maybe it would work.

Is this honestly all we've got? I know more players will be signed but, it's still horrible to look at.

[Div1309]

get back to the good old first division days when we passed and played teams off the park.