matchday thread FC Astra Giurgiu -V- Inverness CT

[PerfICT]

No LB and no strikers are probs we knew we would have since Jan and no solutions found. This could be a disappointing season ahead.

 

[Sneckboy]

And thus the dream ended..     did ok, conditions were incredible, hope they recover for sundays game.

Well done guys.

....Sunday's game?

[Biggin]

A Good result in isolation but really disappointed that it took Hughes until 80 mins to make subs.  and again the obvious we don't have any strike force all very well having possession but you need to do something with it. If we don't get a good striker I can see a long hard season ahead

[lightlamp2]

West ham are through after penalties. What could have been... 

 

Dreadful attendance by the Astra fans at that match. Did anyone see the empty seats that were there? Hardly a cheer at Full time as well. Totally undeserved

Edited July 23, 2015 by Scotty
removed gypsy comment. uncalled for

[Johnny Melavo]

Thought the Astra manager was an absolute clown too, with his designer jeans and massive plastic orange watch. He had the fecking nerve to insult our players throughout making diving gestures towards them every time a foul was awarded. Oh the irony. He even makes Derek Adams look classy.

haha Sumudica is awesome. One of the funniest characters I've ever seen in football.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9qx9B-z-Qo

 

 

He can't change, he's just like that.

 

 

West ham are through after penalties. What could have been... 

 

Dreadful attendance by the Astra fans at that match. Did anyone see the empty seats that were there? Hardly a cheer at Full time as well. Totally undeserved

 

 

 

About Astra attendance, Astra is a team with almost no fans.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Scotty
edited as the comment was out of context after removal of gypsy comment in earlier post

[lightwelter]

Absolutely gutted not to be playing West Ham, but it was always going to extremely difficult for us with the players we've lost and the fact that the squad was so small at the start of pre-season. Every single player we lost had the potential to make things happen, and in Ofere we had someone who could get on the end of things. We need to try and get those type of players in if our system is going to be successful. Doran and Christie will be pivotal this season as they are probably our two most creative players in the final third, along with Tansey from a deeper position. We should manage our expectations this season with what is a bit of a transition phase in terms of the squad, I'll be happy with top-six and another cup run. 

 

 

 

 

[cif73]

No LB and no strikers are probs we knew we would have since Jan and no solutions found. This could be a disappointing season ahead.

 

This makes tonight's result all the more frustrating. We have a small support but how can Scotland's 3rd team last year be so bereft of goal poaching talent when we knew we needed cover/replacement for months. Ofere was never likely to stay. He was bound to be used to better wages elsewhere and view us as a stop-gap. And yet we are again chasing our tail with no adequate striking contingency. On the back of a wonderful, heroic season, we are ironically weaker in forward areas than we've been for many years. 

[Row S]

Feel like we blew that one. We were the better team over the two legs, but its a bit worrying as we seem completely toothless up front. And to often the final ball was poor. Oh well...

Says it all for me too. We need a winger to get through/round defences and a striker. Our defence did well esp Warren and Devine.

[Row S]

Where were the match officials from? With no match programme we never found out but you would swear they were from an Eastern European country with the decisions made.

[Sir C the 3rd]

Why we lost was nothing to do with the referee. We're out because we could barely create a chance over 2 games. Frustrating.

I think most of us when we seen the draw were thinking that they were a pretty good team. As it turns out they were  rubbish and it just feels like a missed opportunity to play a premiership team in a competitive match.

[caley100]

And thus the dream ended..     did ok, conditions were incredible, hope they recover for sundays game.

Well done guys.

....Sunday's game?

Errrr..  feck knows where that came from, Saturday...

[Broonerz]

I thought our tactics were spot on, given heat etc, just paid the penalty for having little quality in final third. 

Given our resources, to be able to compete in Europe is amazing, but would love an out and out striker, as that would definitely help.

[Scotty]

Where were the match officials from? With no match programme we never found out but you would swear they were from an Eastern European country with the decisions made.

Ref was from Kazakhstan, not sure if the others were from there too. Some pretty dodgy decisions, or inconsistent ones at least with many fouls by them being worse than the ones he booked our players for ... and a very good shout for a penalty when Ryan was sandwiched n the box by two defenders.

Having said that, I agree, its our failure to find the net in 180 minutes of football against a pretty poor side that was our downfall, not the refereeing. 

[Kingsmills]

Agree, in the cold light of day, we had the better of play and the bulk of possession against a side we ought to have beaten over two legs but were unable, despite all the possession, we were unable to put the ball in their net even once.

Ofere aside, we have been shouting out for an experienced striker ever since Billy left. Lopez and Roberts may have potential but both are far from the finished article.

If we are going to have any realistic hope of repeating last season's success, we need to bring in an experienced goal scorer from somewhere. A left back would be a bit handy too....

[Row S]

I agree we didn't lose the tie due to match officials but it always seems that former Eastern Block reps give more favour to their former comrades. That's just one of the trials of European football. We should learn from that for the next time. This week has given us the thirst for more trips like it.

[fifecaley1]

Just wanted to say a massive thank you! This was my first time to a European match and I loved it,  from the partying outside old city, best bus 5 and the atmosphere at the ground! 

Thank you for organising the buses - never had a police escort before! And a massive shout out to everyone who was bus 5!

Well done caley ! Love from Birmingham haha :) xx

[Yngwie]

Our European adventure is over. 

Hang on a minute - we qualified for Europe through two different tournaments, so shouldn't we get another bite at the cherry?! In fact Celtic always seem to get two cracks at it even if they only qualify by one method, where's the justice!

[Renegade]

That's me home. What we learnt - 

• We badly need a striker who's a good finisher.  
• Does Lopez want to be here?
• Despite the bite up-front, we've still got the basis of a pretty good team there.  Should be top six again and certainly no chance of 'doing a Motherwell'.
• That was the best game I've seen Nat Wedderburn have yet.  Granted, he tired as it went on, but there's a player in there.  Think he'll come good.
•  Bucharest is a lovely city.

Edited July 24, 2015 by Renegade

[davie]

I think Lopez is being given a rough deal here. Ok he has tired in games (I tired just watching in Giurgiu) but to imply a lack of effort is off the mark. his final pass is out because he's getting to know the people around him and he needs to get fitter. Both of these things will improve with time and that's precisely what we didn't have. Lopez is full of praise for the style and quality of the team he's landed with and seems genuinely excited at being here - at least that's what he's told me. I agree with rene about the shape of the team, it looks good for this year and when we gel the goals will come.  We need a striker and one of sufficient quality and experience to fit into the team instantly and hit the ground at speed (or at least we did for the Astra games) but they cost amounts of money that we just don't have. Bucharest was quite brilliant, I would have liked more of that but there's always next year and the year after that etc. What a week!

[Ritchie Sacramento]

I think Lopez is being given a rough deal here. Ok he has tired in games (I tired just watching in Giurgiu) but to imply a lack of effort is off the mark. his final pass is out because he's getting to know the people around him and he needs to get fitter. Both of these things will improve with time and that's precisely what we didn't have. Lopez is full of praise for the style and quality of the team he's landed with and seems genuinely excited at being here - at least that's what he's told me. I agree with rene about the shape of the team, it looks good for this year and when we gel the goals will come.  We need a striker and one of sufficient quality and experience to fit into the team instantly and hit the ground at speed (or at least we did for the Astra games) but they cost amounts of money that we just don't have. Bucharest was quite brilliant, I would have liked more of that but there's always next year and the year after that etc. What a week!

Agree with the majority of that. To be fair it's not the 1st time our new attackers have been given a rough deal on here. I remember a certain Andrew Shinnie being dismissed as not good enough on this forum after only a few games a few short years ago.

Lopez needs to be given a chance, not instantly dismissed as 'rubbish etc.

[davieB]

I actually like the look of Lopez. He seems to have a good touch, and puts himself about a bit. Not too sure he's an out and out striker but with someone playing off him I think he could turn out to be an excellent signing. Not his fault at all, but I think he was too isolated in both games against Astra. The support around him just wasn't there. Hopefully that'll improve when the season gets going.

[Highlandbadger]

Just wanted to say a massive thank you! This was my first time to a European match and I loved it,  from the partying outside old city, best bus 5 and the atmosphere at the ground! 

Thank you for organising the buses - never had a police escort before! And a massive shout out to everyone who was bus 5!

Well done caley ! Love from Birmingham haha :) xx

bus 5.........we fought the carpet in the toilet and won  You had to be there!!

[Renegade]

Find it hard to believe that by the looks of things, we've prioritised another goalkeeper (that we arguably didn't need) over a striker who can finish.

Lopez's attitude summed it up for me in the second half where Williams got into the side of the box and drove a low cross in.  You'd think most strikers would be desparate to get onto it and tap it home, but Lopez showed no drive at all, keeping at the leisurely one pace he'd shown all game.  That's not a 'lack of fitness', that's laziness.  That moment has met with a lot of derision from the fans around me and rightly so.  He wouldn't have scored if the game was still going on.

Also, we need to move Doran back onto the right.  He's not a left winger and never will be.  No left foot (hence why he pirouettes every time he gets the ball) and his long range shooting isn't that good either.  Get him back onto the right where Butcher had him and driving crosses in on his stronger foot.

[givmeaccccc]

Worth noting the commitment of Liam Polworth who less than 24 hours after the kick off in Europe turned out for an ICT team who played Inverness City last night in a pre season friendly. Liam shows a genuine professional attitude and I sincerley hope that he gets his chance this season. 

Don't know if anyone else from our first team squad played but my spy tells me that Liam was sheer class and head and shoulders above everyone else on the park. Well done Liam.

 

[Harry Chibber]

Why we lost was nothing to do with the referee. We're out because we could barely create a chance over 2 games. Frustrating.

I think most of us when we seen the draw were thinking that they were a pretty good team. As it turns out they were  rubbish and it just feels like a missed opportunity to play a premiership team in a competitive match.

Astra looked average because we made them look that way by building possession and letting them do the chasing. 

If we had gone more direct we would have been opened up with the pace they had upfront and looked like every other naive Scottish team that has bowed out in Europe.  This team were beatable but not mugs - they put out Lyon last year over 2 legs and drew with Celtic.  If Christie's shot isn't tipped over the bar or Doran takes a few more seconds before snatching at his effort then that was the perfect European away performance.

I saw more positives for this season in that game considering we have lost 4/5 first team regulars and bought completely untested replacements.  Not to mention the injuries of Vincent, Roberts & Tremarco who would have all made an impact. 

Saying that, it was frustrating to watch the lack of pace up top.  If we had someone running in behind their defence it would have opened up more space for the likes of Doran, Christie and Williams.  Some of the abuse for Lopez is unwarranted given that is only his second competitive game for the club and he is clearly lacking fitness but we definitely need someone that can stretch a defence and when Foran came on Lopez looked much more comfortable dropping in to deeper positions. Foran could hardly move when he came on and probably why Hughes waited until 80 mins for the sub but it was clear the lack of options up top. The club need to look to get someone else in sharpish but if we can pick up a decent finisher then we are definitely on the right track for next year.     

Wedderburn looks to be pick of the bunch from the new signings and on that performance Draper is going to have to compete to get his position back. 

Special mention for Gary Warren who was outstanding and easily our MotM

Gutted to not get the next round but that was an unbelievable trip and would have taken some beating anyway.  Bucharest was bouncing on the Wednesday and Thursday before the game!  No reason we can't get back in the competition next year with a couple of decent recruits, as a couple of boys said to me out there, European football suits us. 

Still unbeaten away in European competition ... onwards and upwards