Baird - 23 starts, 1 on as sub. 3 goals

Oakley - 8 starts, 13 on as sub. 3 goals.

Why does Robbo persevere with Baird? He is absolute mince. The ball boys have more influence on the game than him!!

Time for Oakley to be given a run of starts. 

Thoughts?

Edited December 26, 20177 yr by Guest

11 hours ago, The Long Man said:

Looking at his bio, he was very promising when Falkirk signed him. It didn’t work out for him there, but the type of player who is young and keen enough to be worth a second chance - it has worked for us before.

I would agree-with our sort of limited budget, we aren't realistically be able to afford a proven striker. We need to take a chance, either on a striker stepping up from a lower level (like Iain Stewart), a young player who hasn't broken through at a bigger club (like Dennis Wyness) or a striker who has been left without a club by suffering long term injury problems (like Craig Dargo).

All these routes have worked for us in the past & Nathan Austin seems like a decent prospect. He has age on his side & hopefully Robbo & the small, tight knit set up we have might get the best out of him 

The Mantis.... sits on the sidelines as the preying Mantis then pounces and comes out with a cracker to have us rolling in the aisles.

You are awful...but I like you..

Why is East Fife so bad in your estimation?

Some of the best and most  flowing games, filled with honest endeavour and quite a lot of skill, were viewed by the younger Pimple at Bayview Park many years ago. Once, when my dad was visiting us in Methil from Inverness and we went down the road to Bayview to watch East Fife he later remarked to someone "he (SP)was shouting..........."

"Bu Dad" I said. "What's the point of going to a game if you can't shout, gotta love it." 

Baird starting again. What a surprise!!!!

On 27/12/2017 at 4:39 PM, caley100 said:

What ever happened to Zak Elbouzedi ????

Gone to Elgin on loan for a month aparrently 

 

I think Oakley might take off soon.

 

After today's game at brechin definitely Oakley he was more powerful skillful and packet and got two goals. He needs to start he gives the midfield options.

Surely now Oakley will be given as much of a chance for a starting place as Baird has had. His goals per game ratio is far better than Bairds.

Time up for Jimmy Krankie (John Baird). Oakley to start v Livi please!!

Think today's result answer's this Topic ! Can someone tell me why Doran is on the bench every week and not playing ? It has been said he is on 1 of the highest wages but we dont play him yet no big hurry to off load him like Raven & OFW

14 minutes ago, Caman said:

Time up for Jimmy Krankie (John Baird). Oakley to start v Livi please!!

I agree that Oakley should start. I don't, however, agree with the insult to Baird. Not his fault he is short of stature. He works hard and is committed but has never been a prolific goalscorer at any time in his career. He nevertheless remains a useful player to have in the squad.

He, G Oakley, certainly saved us today and deserves a starting place. He said he was desperate to prove himself and has shown the potential is there for him to be part of  the answer to our lack of finishing.

Answer to Polo chick's question may be a fitness matter he didn't look 100% last time he was on.

15 minutes ago, Polo Chick said:

Think today's result answer's this Topic ! Can someone tell me why Doran is on the bench every week and not playing ? It has been said he is on 1 of the highest wages but we dont play him yet no big hurry to off load him like Raven & OFW

I would be in no hurry to offload him either. He potentially our most talented and influential player should he regain full fitness.

Oakley has looked for me far stronger and composed since about end of November, he looks determined to make his name and its showed through today. I think Baird is a real trier and I feel really sorry for him, and wish he could convert even half of the chances he's had but he just never looks confident fast or strong enough to break through defences and any open chances he's had in my opinion he's blown them by panicking. Oakley looks to be the first choice and it'll be interesting to see how Austin fits into all this. Still think Baird could be an integral player for us but not upfront sadly 

Edited December 30, 20177 yr by CableGuy

Baird subbed again - no surprise! Oakley scores again - also no surprise! 

I have a slightly unusual idea but hear me out - could Baird be re-born as a central midfielder?  When Butcher was the manager, as Foran slowed down, he moved him from being a winger/striker to being more of a ball winning midfielder.  Could we do something similar with Baird albeit with a more creative role?

Now I know some people won't hear a good word said about him, but he is fairly mobile, a decent passer of the ball and links up well with his teammates.  It's more going forward he's lacking.  Would he be better utisiled in the centre of the park?  I think he could be.

1 minute ago, Renegade said:

I have a slightly unusual idea but hear me out - could Baird be re-born as a central midfielder?  When Butcher was the manager, as Foran slowed down, he moved him from being a winger/striker to being more of a ball winning midfielder.  Could we do something similar with Baird albeit with a more creative role?

Now I know some people won't hear a good word said about him, but he is fairly mobile, a decent passer of the ball and links up well with his teammates.  It's more going forward he's lacking.  Would he be better utisiled in the centre of the park?  I think he could be.

He worked his socks off yesterday. Id like to see him tried elsewhere in the team. 

Thought they worked well together. Baird was playing wide right, Doran wide left and Oakley as the target man, holding it up and laying it wide. Would be happy if they started with that on Tues. Jake to replace either wide man when they tire.

No I've thought that before but was afraid of banishment if I'd said it. Sit him behind bell Austin or Oakley and let him be a link between midfield and the strikers I think he would be great.

2 hours ago, old caley girl said:

He worked his socks off yesterday. Id like to see him tried elsewhere in the team. 

There is no doubt about his work rate and commitment. Sadly, there is equally little doubt that he is not a natural goal scorer.

I think that there is considerable merit in giving him a chance in midfield and someone else the opportunity up front.

I thought Baird tried hard but looked mince yesterday as a winger.  In the middle of the park though where he's central in the action and he may become more useful.

Ask yourself who would you rather defend against? Baird or Oakley.

My response would be Baird every time.

Oakley would be a total nightmare to defend against.

Great physicality, powerful strong running, good work rate, a total nuisance for any defender.

Oakley is better in the air, brings others into play well, chases + harasses defenders pressurising them.

Ok, George can sometimes be a little naive in his positional sense, most notably when we don't have the ball but he is definitely developing.

I like Baird too, I just do not see him playing as a lone striker and being able to grab u s the necessary and vital goals.

Possibly play him in behind a striker, but that would require a change of formation to a system which I feel does not best suit the rest of our players currently.

Unsure if he can be a wide attacking player either, we most definitely have better in those areas, Jake, Aaron, Conor Bell can do a job there too and young Daniel MacKay is a hard running direct lad who deserves a few more chances to build experience.

If we were to go two up top, my current preference would be Oakley + Austin, and if it was 1 up top and one in behind, my current preference would be Bell in behind Oakley.

Those two formation tweaks would however require us to go with just two central midfielders, which we are not strong enough defensively with, hence Robbo playing with 3  in the middle. That middle 3 gave us the platform for which we became far more solid and we went on the unbeaten run and our relative improvement in results from the earlier weeks o f the season when the two central midfielders weren't capable enough to provide u s the necessary balance.

 The system / formation should suit the players, always, rather than players being shoe horned into tactics that are unsuitable in order to fit a particular player into a side. That can cause much disharmony IMHO.

 

 

Edited January 8, 20187 yr by A Sofa In San Tropez
Typo

Unfortunately the gambles or bad decisions of the summer transfer window are still haunting us - the club decided not to offer a decent contract to Fisher coupled with his mismanagement last season leaving us with nobody upfront. We went for Baird, Oakley, Susan & Bell - whether these were all Robbo choices or not its unclear. The constant switching & trying different partnerships is desperation to try get a pair of strikers who can complement and score goals - unfortunately after 20 plus games and averaging marginally over a goal a game its clear none of this is working.

While we are so limited in quality of players and in budget to bring in better we can just expect more of the same for the rest of the season. Ideally we should ship out Baird, Susan gone and look to develop Oakely, Bell & Austin with another player on loan perhaps but we cant afford to offload Baird, hence he will stay and we will struggle on til the summer.

7 minutes ago, bdu98196 said:

Unfortunately the gambles or bad decisions of the summer transfer window are still haunting us - the club decided not to offer a decent contract to Fisher 

I don’t think that’s fair comment. We were not in a position to match the wages on offer to him from elsewhere and even if we did, he would probably not have chosen to drop a level when he could stay in the Premier.

(As an aside he has no goals from 17 appearances at Well, whose manager has said he is looking for new strikers.....)

Now here is an idea McFadden has left queen of the South. A proven goal scorer and a front target man. He says he is open to offers.