Goal drought

[Yngwie]

ICT have now played for 7 hours without scoring a goal.  And it's not as if we are faced with keepers making miraculous saves, we just aren't cutting through or making chances like we used to.  It may well be that fatigue is taking its toll in the midst of a long run of weekend and midweek games, and at times like this the decision to release our 2 back-up strikers and not replace either of them seems to have been the wrong one.

 

Anyway, some stats for you.  Since Watkins sealed our victory in Dingwall, we have currently gone 402 minutes (plus however much injury time there was in our last 5 matches, which would get you to 7 hours) without a goal.

 

I've looked back and found that only once have we had a longer drought - the record was set in March 2002 and stands at 426 minutes (again plus any injury time).  That run started with a painful cup QF defeat to Partick and ended with a Tokely equaliser v County.  It's not as if we were short of goalscorers or creativity back then, as we had Wyness, Ritchie, Christie and Robson.

 

So, the upshot is that we need to score in the first 24 minutes v Motherwell to avoid setting an unwanted record.  More importantly, we know that when we score first, we always win!

[Council Juice]

It's going to happen at some point or another. The quicker we get on the score sheet again though the better,

[Ronaldo]

Oh dear and I thought it was only four  

 

I predict  0-3 at Motherwell tomorrow then

[Biggin]

Just points to the need  to get a good striker this summer Billy can't do it all the time he needs a break

Edited March 18, 2014 by Biggin

[dave26]

Billy has looked tired the last few games and should have been rested against Hibs. We are a top six side with only one experienced / proven striker and we should have got a striker in on loan following our victory over Hearts in the semi.

 

Unfortunately I don't think we can risk resting Billy against Motherwell, however I'd keep Watkins on the bench and bring him on for Billy in the second half (like we did against County).

 

I hope we can sneak a 1-0 tomorrow, if not I'd take a 0-0 and a comfortable home win on Saturday.

[+DoofersDad]

Devine and Meekings played so well at the back on Sunday that it would almost be worth sticking Garry Warren up front.  He's certainly found the net well on a few occasions when he's come up for set pieces.

[NoIInTeam]

Billy is having to work too hard as he is isolated and much of his chances are half chances. Lets get back to the counter attacking football which made Doran top of the assists league at one point and gave billy better chances to score.

[closed]

It think we could go 4-4-2 tomorrow =:O

[Ayeseetee]

Ross watkins or doran can run at defender's and could be a temporary backup striker until we sign up another

Hell get billy to teach christie some of his tricks and give him a go!

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

It's like a jigsaw and Messrs Hughes and Latapy I believe have nearly all the pieces. Goals will come but it will take a change in the set up to achieve it. The challenge is balancing that with the defensive stability that we seem to have regained in the last two games.

 

 

 

PS - I would quite happy if we score in the 25th minute and then in the 35th, 55th, 65th and 85th minute :-)

[starchief]

I don't think it's a striker problem.  Mackay just isn't getting the chances.  It's the Vincent role that's lacking.  He's not played well since injury.  I'd like to see Watkins in the hole, with Ross on the right, Doran on the left.  Having an attacking central midfielder to back up anything knocked down by Billy, or feed short balls through is where we are truly lacking.  It's Watkins, Christie or Vincent territory.  I'd prefer to see Marley on from the start, with Ryan coming on later.

[Yngwie]

ICT have now played for 7 hours without scoring a goal.  And it's not as if we are faced with keepers making miraculous saves, we just aren't cutting through or making chances like we used to.  It may well be that fatigue is taking its toll in the midst of a long run of weekend and midweek games, and at times like this the decision to release our 2 back-up strikers and not replace either of them seems to have been the wrong one.

 

Anyway, some stats for you.  Since Watkins sealed our victory in Dingwall, we have currently gone 402 minutes (plus however much injury time there was in our last 5 matches, which would get you to 7 hours) without a goal.

 

I've looked back and found that only once have we had a longer drought - the record was set in March 2002 and stands at 426 minutes (again plus any injury time).  That run started with a painful cup QF defeat to Partick and ended with a Tokely equaliser v County.  It's not as if we were short of goalscorers or creativity back then, as we had Wyness, Ritchie, Christie and Robson.

 

So, the upshot is that we need to score in the first 24 minutes v Motherwell to avoid setting an unwanted record.  More importantly, we know that when we score first, we always win!

 

New record has indeed been set.

 

What's worse is that I've just noticed that we've scored even fewer goals than County. 

[MuirtownJaggy]

When I think back a few months ago about our positive goal difference to where we are now, it's goal drought and defensive leak. Not good.

[caley100]

Sack Latapy, he's been a jinx

[AlexJones]

Far too much tippy tappy stuff. We keep playing ourselves into trouble with hospital passes to men under pressure. Style over substance. Shades of Alex Smith.

 

Central midfielders coming too deep. Forward players too isolated.

 

When we lose possession we sit deep rather than press the opposition into mistakes.

 

Our finishing is awful, our set pieces are awful, our crossing is awful.

 

Players seem sluggish and robotic in possession in contrast to the free flowing, sharpness earlier in the season. (overcoaching perhaps?)

[clacher_holiday2]

Come on now lads, get behind the Boys!

 

Together we achieve!

[KingBeastie]

A lot of players are tired at the moment I think.  Hughes has to use the full squad better.

 

We tried the 4-4-2 to help Billy up front, opposition are now wise to the tactics and know how to nullify the threat.  We need to try something else as the 4-2-3-1 with Billy is no longer working and we seen how the 4-4-2 worked out for us.  I feel the key lies in bringing Nick Ross back in (and possibly also giving Ryan Christie a lot more game time).

Whatever it is I just hope Hughes and Latapy sort it out sooner rather than later.

[+DoofersDad]

A terrible thought has just struck me.  Have we given up scoring goals for Lent?  It doesn't end till April 17th!

[+jagster]

Out of interest what is the longest an spl team has gone without scoring in the league?  Could we be anywhere near that unenviable record. Hope not 

[Ronaldo]

There will be goal fest on Sat for us, PT will wished they'd stayed in Maryhill 

[NoIInTeam]

Out of interest what is the longest an spl team has gone without scoring in the league?  Could we be anywhere near that unenviable record. Hope not

9 games Dunfermline.

[Renegade]

Did Aberdeen not take forever to score one season?  This would've been about 2000ish when they were rooted to the bottom for a long while.  Strange as they had Eoin Jess at that time as well, but they couldn't buy a goal!

[Sneckboy]

Did Aberdeen not take forever to score one season?  This would've been about 2000ish when they were rooted to the bottom for a long while.  Strange as they had Eoin Jess at that time as well, but they couldn't buy a goal!

Just had a look and you’re right, Renegade.

 

Staggering how bad Aberdeen were that season 1999/2000.

They had a 6 game run without scoring in the SPL – the first 6 games of the season!

 

P6 W0 D0 L6 F0 A18 Pts0.

 

This was the season during which they recorded some disasterous scores, including:

 

Aberdeen 0-5 Celtic

Celtic 7-0 Aberdeen

Aberdeen 1-5 Rangers

Aberdeen 0-6 Celtic

Rangers 5-0 Aberdeen

Aberdeen 0-4 Hibernian

Celtic 5-1 Aberdeen

Aberdeen 1-5 Kilmarnock

 

They were hopelessly out their depth and finished bottom but were reprieved by Falkirk being denied promotion on stadium rules.

 

Incredibly, they actually managed to reach both cup finals that season!!...and even qualified for Europe! (where they lost in the preliminary round to a League of Ireland team)

[RiG]

I wonder if they still got 40,000 along to those games?

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

Looks like tomorrow could be a crowd pleaser - we will almost certainly go for all out attack!!! Celtic have set a record for not conceding goals, we do not want the other record.