ICT -V- Morton : matchday thread

[alternative maryhill]

We'll be going into the Highland derby in second unless County win by 11 in midweek. Great to hear that Duncan has added defence-splitting passes to his repetoire...

[tm4tj]

That was about as poor a performance as we have given all season. Absolutely hapless. The sooner Foran is back the better. We were clueless and Terry Butcher must shoulder the blame for that. I am pleased that Nick Ross scored, but without wanting to be over harsh, he contributed nothing else and the goal was a tap in after great work on the left by Duncan and Rooney. I was embarrassed for Ross, or maybe I should have been embarrassed for Butcher as it was him who selected the side and formation. This was too important a game to throw the youngster into and he was clearly struggling to understand where or what he was supposed to be doing. Anyway enough of the bashing, it was not his fault. We won but thats about it, a great chance to enhance the goal difference blown away on a chilly afternoons stiff breeze. MoM............maybe Golly, but Duncan was once again fabulous. More difficult to select a clear winner this week as there were so many failures, much easier to select them in reverse order.

However, only three points behind a crumbling Dundee, now that is a bonus.

[kencar]

Dreadful game. Dreadful performance but 3 valuable points.

Some p**h poor displays from our side with Munro & Proctor vying for least valuablr player. Some of their passing was woeful.

Not sure how Eric got MoTM as Golabeck was head and shoulders above everyone else.

A game to be forgotten

Edited March 13, 2010 by kencar

[Renegade]

A good 3 points, but in truth that performance was shocking. Esson had little to do, Golabek played well and Rooney's main good moment was setting up the goal. Hayes was hot and cold. Of the rest, pretty poor to be honest. Besides Ross's goal he was rather ineffective, Tokely hasn't a clue at centre-half and how Odhiambo got MOTM, let alone stayed on the park for as long as he did is unbelievable - he was pretty bad throughout. Why was Eagle and Stratford on? Why wasn't Sanchez on from the start or on early in the second half? Why was every opportunity wasted as a long ball? Seriously, that was nothing but a punt-fest today. Truly shocking, but a wins a win.

[strathyjags]

I was embarrassed for Ross, or maybe I should have been embarrassed for Butcher as it was him who selected the side and formation. This was too important a game to throw the youngster into and he was clearly struggling to understand where or what he was supposed to be doing..

if nick ross cant understand whats he,s supposed to be doing playing against a team like morton,he has no chnace for the future,if we get promoted,or playing against better teams

[Joe DiMaggio]

Poor poor performance today, looked nothing at all like the team of recent weeks. A win is a win though and we would take 1-0 but we were lucky to win that game today. Attacks were few and far between.

Dont want to be harsh on Ross but Butcher's team selection was awful today. Ross did nothing today and seemed lost and if we play like that next week we will lose. Sanchez should have started this game especially with Foran out as we were creating nothing, also to put on Eagle instead of Sanchez was a strange one. Sanchez has to start next week.

The main problem today was the suspension to Foran, we looked a diff team without him today and the hard work up front was left to Rooney which left us lightweight up front. Even though Rooney played well and battled hard he was winning the ball out wide, doing the hard work then playing it into the box where we were lacking Rooney's presence then!! He cant do it by himself and today showed what a miss Foran really is.

On a good point though I thought Gollabeck had a fantastic game and was my motm.

Edited March 13, 2010 by Joe DiMaggio

[givmeaccccc]

We will be mauled next week if we put out such a lightweight side as today. Odhiambo nice first touch but ridiculously easy to knock off the ball. Ross never kicked a ball all game apart from the tap in. As has already been said we badly missed Foran.

Duncan man of the match.

[davieB]

That was painful to watch. It's a good job Morton were so pish as a better team would've got a result off us today.

Bit worried going into next week without Foran as we seemed to be clueless without him. Still, Golly was immense!

[Fanoffooty]

Yup i have to agree with previous posts , todays game was dire :)

Eric MOM ! theyre having a laugh

och well 3 points is 3 points

Must do better next week

I'm pleased Nick scored though a good confidence booster for the lad :) :) :D

[gordyfromsneck]

Dont be too hard on Ross, he had neither the physical prescent nor the experience to deal with a very attentive MOrton side. I had no idea how the goial was going to come, but a goalies error was what was required. They all count.

Foran was badly missed. No-one up front played well. A nd County will be a lot less forgiving than Morton who had one shot on goal. Esson could have had a nap roday. My MOM was Duncan who was a powerhouse in midfield and if his trademark missed pass was evident, then he certainly wasn't the only one. Hayes seemed to be lost, as did Rooney. Eric needs to beef up, some good touches, but still expected too much time on the ball. Golly was fairly solid.

As we say win ugly, but win.

Pleased for County, for the distraction, but disappointed Raith won, as we could do with a similar effect at Dens. QOS look to be heading out of the race. All good.

[RiG]

The only good thing to take from todays game was that we got three points.

Do we know how to take throw ins by the way?

[Fanoffooty]

The only good thing to take from todays game was that we got three points.

Do we know how to take throw ins by the way?

Aye & what is that announcer like :)

[Renegade]

I seem to recollect Butcher saying recently that he likes "ugly football", well he got what he wanted cause that performance was rotten. No doubt he'll be saying in the week to the press what an amazing result it was and how Odhiambo is a revelation and the greatest player he's ever seen!

[tm4tj]

In fairness gordy, Nobody is actually having a go at Ross, the problem was Butcher today. He should never ever have been thrown in at the deep end. I do think Ross can be a decent player for us in months to come, but for christ sake, he was fed to the lions today. Todays team stank of last seasons relegation day offerings.

Bully warmed up, Sanchez was too late getting on, whilst Proctor continued to give the ball away at every opportunity. Eric has had better days, although some of his twists and turns were a joy.

Aye rig, throw ins are not our strong point.............when God was handing out throwins, we were obviously at the wrong end of the queue.

[Pele_Is_God]

Who cares if it was ugly, we won and 11 games unbeaten is excellent.

[old caley girl]

dire dire game but 3 points closer to the league and thats about it.

[sneckfan]

Does anyone know if Bulvitus being out is tactical or is he carrying a knock (noticed he was wearing a knee support when he was warming up)? I'm really worried if we play with Tokely in the middle next week and Proctor at right back Ross County will hammer us. It's worrying that we don't really have any cover at the back.

[izzy]

In fairness gordy, Nobody is actually having a go at Ross, the problem was Butcher today. He should never ever have been thrown in at the deep end. I do think Ross can be a decent player for us in months to come, but for christ sake, he was fed to the lions today. Todays team stank of last seasons relegation day offerings.

Bully warmed up, Sanchez was too late getting on, whilst Proctor continued to give the ball away at every opportunity. Eric has had better days, although some of his twists and turns were a joy.

Aye rig, throw ins are not our strong point.............when God was handing out throwins, we were obviously at the wrong end of the queue.

Sanchez ? I dont think so, not at the game I was at .

[tm4tj]

oops, sorry, you are right, I wanted Dani sooo much, but all I got was Stratford....well is he not a Dani as well.

[Johnboy]

Taking into account the conditions, and the fact that Morton packed the midfield to play for a draw, an ugly win is a decent result.

Exactly, D_B_S

This was a very decent result today.

Morton came here looking for a draw and made life pretty difficult for us. I can't believe some of the critical comments I have read on this thread - we won the game ffs.

Did anyone else notice we were playing into the teeth of a gale all through the first half, which by the time the second half kicked off, had magically vanished.

[Kingsmills]

Winning ugly, the mark of champions.

[tokelyisvictorious]

3 points won today, and sets us up nicely for the derby.

Although we were poor, i'm in no doubt that was one of Morton's best performances of the season. They seemed well-organised, everyone knew what they had to do and how to do it.

MoM - Duncan or Cox, both showed real bite in midfield, and even though they are two defensive midfielder's, they were excellent going forward.

Ross played well enough, but didn't get forward enough. He was running alongside Golly for most of the game.

Got to get Bully back in. Roscoe played well today, but Proctor at right-back is a worry, and would play much better out wide right instead of young Ross (too early for a derby).

[Renegade]

I made a comment at the game and I stand by it still, that had Morton been able to create chances, then they'd be quite a good team. Some nice passing at times, unlike ICT's pump it up the park nonsense.

[Guest]

As said before we played messy and ugly football today but we won and at this stage in the season I will take that over a draw with some of the best ever football seen. I also realised today that it's back, the love of the game, the yearning for the next matchday to arrive, the pride in my team. Even if we don't complete the comeback and win the league this team have shown me to be totally wrong in my assessment of them early in the season and that makes me happy.

[Alex MacLeod]

Eleven league games without defeat. Another win. Three above County. Three below Dundee. I wasn't there today but I suspected that without Foran it was going to be difficult. Especially as Morton were going to do there utmost not to concede. As to Nick Ross I think he must have something to be given a contract and to have started today. Butcher see's something in the lad. Maybe, just maybe, his performance was more to do with first start nerves than anything else. I live in hope anyway.