Are we watching the opposition ?

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Are we actually keeping an eye on the other SFL teams - and if so who and how ?

I thought that we played into Airdrie's strengths other than going at their weaknesses - and they must have been apparent to many who attended the game. Apart from the big centre half they had no aerial cover at the back - so what do we do and where do we play Foran. Their keeper was small and unsure on crosses - so did we test him ? did we pester him at corners ? Their full backs were woeful defensively - so di we use our wide players to their best ?

I could go on !!!

[CaleyMad]

Are we actually keeping an eye on the other SFL teams - and if so who and how ?

I keep an eye on the Dundee score... (for obvious reason)

Qos score (for Qos mates)

I highly doubt county will finish above us in the league so i dont bother that much about there score but its always nice (or not nice) to know.

_____________________________________________

Apart from the big centre half they had no aerial cover at the back - so what do we do and where do we play Foran

I wasnt there so i never seen him. How about putting Lee Cox as Central Forward... he is a sorta biggest guy. Foran on the right of him... would that work?

_____________________________________________

I could go on !!!

Please continue...

[stevico1]

Are we actually keeping an eye on the other SFL teams - and if so who and how ?

I keep an eye on the Dundee score... (for obvious reason)

Qos score (for Qos mates)

I highly doubt county will finish above us in the league so i dont bother that much about there score but its always nice (or not nice) to know.

_____________________________________________

Apart from the big centre half they had no aerial cover at the back - so what do we do and where do we play Foran

I wasnt there so i never seen him. How about putting Lee Cox as Central Forward... he is a sorta biggest guy. Foran on the right of him... would that work?

_____________________________________________

I could go on !!!

Please continue...

I think IHE meant are we looking at teams to see their strengths and weaknesses before we play them, rather than looking out for their results

[Johnboy]

I think IHE meant are we looking at teams to see their strengths and weaknesses before we play them, rather than looking out for their results

Yes, of course that's what he meant... It's a very fair point and once again calls into question the fact that our manager is trying to do two feckin jobs at once.

If you think back to the County game, it was pretty obvious that one management team had done their homework, and the other hadn't.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Johnboy

[Alex MacLeod]

To say that Butcher having two jobs has stopped him learning about teams in this league is nonsense. How do you propose he get info on his competitors when they are playing thier games at the same time as our management are directing ICT.

County have inside info on a lot of our players.

I hope that he has, however, learned from all the other teams by the end of the first set of fixtures.

[Georgeios]

can we not send out our unfit/Reserves players out on Reccys this atleast would also mean we are getting our moneys worth..

Big Dooog and Obi wan were up at the tinks this weekend i wouldnt be supised if they werent on a mission.....

Edited September 21, 2009 by georgeios

[Kingsmills]

I'm not sure that players, particularly young and inexperienced ones, are the best people to send on such scouting missions.

[Johnboy]

I just wonder how much time TB spent studying videos of matches, and compiling dossiers for George Burley on Scotland's world cup qualifying opponents.

Some of that time might have been better spent trying to get more info on our SFL opponents.

As IHE said at the top of the thread we took on Airdrie playing to their strengths, rather than trying to exploit their weaknesses.

[Georgeios]

wouldnt it be a great idea to check out there fans sites, lets face it, they could just read our's and know our week links, so from that point of view, I beleve that some posters on here are Caley employees on subversive missions.......

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

wouldnt it be a great idea to check out there fans sites, lets face it, they could just read our's and know our week links, so from that point of view, I beleve that some posters on here are Caley employees on subversive missions.......

If I was the manager I would be looking through here - it is the fans feedback - he may decide it is bull of course and that is his entitlement. I hope that TB would be only too able to give a rationale if pushed.

I am not wholly criticising Butcher here but it would be worth the expense to send one of the coaches - or even Grassa -to watch other games - especially in the 2-3 week period that we play them. Terry caught sight of a lot of the SPL action due to the National position - He probably still does but I felt that it was glaringly obvious that we hadnt done our homewrk on Airdrie.

[ICTFCkev]

I am not wholly criticising Butcher here but it would be worth the expense to send one of the coaches - or even Grassa -to watch other games.

They should employ moi as a scout, I'd happily do it for them, and I don't demand too high a wage.

[collectiveaction]

We definitely DO have the opposition watched. Was this a serious question?

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

We definitely DO have the opposition watched. Was this a serious question?

Of course it was a serious question ? It just didnt look like it in regrad to our tactics at Airdrie ? So = pray tell - who spied on Airdrie ?

[Onward and Upward]

Prior to our demolition at tge Derby, George Adams was watching us for a good few games. He got it spot on, whoever was meant to be watching County definitely did not. Just another area that we need to tighten up in! :angel06:

[tm4tj]

I believe we saw some photographs of County games in the Sunday Post.

Sound.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I heard that two - apparently Grassa's report was to watch for the tall, lanky guy up front called Broon and the wee guy in midfield called Wullie.

[collectiveaction]

We definitely DO have the opposition watched. Was this a serious question?

Of course it was a serious question ? It just didnt look like it in regrad to our tactics at Airdrie ? So = pray tell - who spied on Airdrie ?

All opposition teams are looked at and a report is given to Terry Butcher on personnel, tactics, players who are likely to pose problems, corner routines, free kick routines, formation etc, etc. The problem is formations, form of players etc are changeable and the opposition can be a different proposition when they actually play I.C.T.

I'm not in a position to say who compiled the report relating to Airdrie as there are at least two individuals at the club who have been asked to do that particular job.

Other clubs are regularly viewed in action to assess players who may be on I.C.T's radar in terms of being transfer targets.

But hey, I'm not saying the reports are good, bad or indifferent.

All S.P.L and 1st Division clubs will have a look at the opposition in the weeks leading up to a game. Sometimes though, results boil down to having enough players on the day playing to form and that old football cliche "the rub of the green."

As a punter myself who watches I.C.T regularly there are many games at which I'm thinking: Why didn't we play with a sweeper to counteract their fast as fech forward? or Why aren't we matching up to the obvious strength in the middle of their midfield?

We probably all do it and outcomes of games would, no doubt , turn out differently if the tactics in our minds were employed. Ten different people given the task of picking a line-up, employing tactics and delivering motivational team talks would result in countless variables. I reckon we'd all agree on one thing though. Lionel - Goodbye!

Edited September 23, 2009 by collectiveaction

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Good post - thanks for that - I would have been mortified if you hadnt said what you said - I agree that things can go awry on the day but whoever studied Airdrie should be feckin shot.

[Alex MacLeod]

Prior to our demolition at tge Derby, George Adams was watching us for a good few games. He got it spot on, whoever was meant to be watching County definitely did not. Just another area that we need to tighten up in!

Who is George Adams ----Derek's brother by any chance?

If thats a little faux pax and you actually meant Derek then he must be the most super human ever to walk the earth. He could go and watch us for a good few games and still get back to his own team for their games......................................and we all kick off at the same time.

[Yngwie]

Who is George Adams ----Derek's brother by any chance?

It's his dad, and his boss - County's Director of Football.

[Alex MacLeod]

Who is George Adams ----Derek's brother by any chance?

It's his dad, and his boss - County's Director of Football.

Ah! I see. Not having any interest in the hierarchy of the camp across the bridge I'd never have known that. Nothing like keeping it in the family though I suppose.

[Georgeios]

thats the county way :(

[thewire]

Nothing like keeping it in the family though I suppose.

I'd say it seems to be working given that County are currently top of the league.

[Georgeios]

I dont think its got anything to do with the fact they are banging there brothers/Fathers, wife and the likes, I think they have peeked to soon, it wont take long for other teams to suss what thay are doing and counter it, which is an on topic comment as that im sure is what teams will be doing with Rough County...

[Alex MacLeod]

Nothing like keeping it in the family though I suppose.

I'd say it seems to be working given that County are currently top of the league.

A bottle of malt say's you won't be there on the last game of the season