Kelty Hearts @ Savage Stadium

[big cherly]

A bit alarming and bells ringing a little for me after that performance. I can put a 0-2 result as a one off (it happens for all teams through a season). 
The performance today however is not the first or second time this season where we have been flat and ‘not up for it’. Hate saying it but today was worse than what I’d see from Duncan Donuts games. I feel we would not have lost today with his tactics. 

It’s a game I’d hoped we would have secured our place in this division (3) for next season. Not to be, so we have three games to achieve that aim. Last Saturday at this time I was sure we would; today I’m less certain. I still believe it’s within the team however we cannot put in any more performances like today IMO or it will be a perilous few weeks for us all. 

I don’t want to criticise any player or the management for today’s performance or result. Collectively and to a man they are all responsible. As others have said here, we are a full time team and (on paper) be fitter, better prepared and have our tactics fully in place (and adaptable). 

If nothing more let’s look to the AS era with a more demanding standard. Can’t afford to put today of as (another) a bad day at the office, we need to learn fast and stop the complacency that affects our game. 
 

Fingers crossed for the remaining matches! 
bc

Edited Saturday at 06:39 PM by big cherly

[LisleRightPeg]

Absolutely embarrassing performance today. No desire, no passion, no leadership and no urgency. The substitutions were bizarre I felt. The less said about the goals we conceded the better. 3 cup finals left. 

[CaleyCanary]

I’d like to say it was a disappointing result but it’s worse than that, it’s a shockingly bad result against a poor Kelty team in decline in a game that meant so much to save our season with time and games running out.

After reading the comments from those that were there about the poor performance, and seemingly lack of drive and ambition, I find it quite staggering (and quite puzzling) following the great result against Cove last week.

We really ought to be sitting above both Kelty and Montrose in the league table tonight  

[Ronaldo]

1 hour ago, RednBlackComeback said:

We could’ve subbed Billy and pushed Bray up front instead. Anything to try something different because it was so clearly not working today! 

I think we should play Bray centre forward for all the remaining games and in my opinion he should have been there today.

[buckett]

Was planning a trip to Inverness for this one - so glad I listened to the voice in the back of my head telling me NO!

[LisleRightPeg]

2 hours ago, bishbashbosh said:

Crab football,  side to side. Had a shot that hit post on half time. Apart from that never tested their keeper. No focal point up front as billy was playing defensive mid field most of the game. Felt sorry for the young keeper. As the guy ran to goal for their first, the keeper set himself up outside the left post, giving Kelty 7 eighths of the goal to slot home with ease. Think the post match interview tonight will be ... disappointed, frustrated,  really frustrated, really disappointed. That was our worst display this year. Big duncs football was far better than that today. A few chaps from stornoway behind me, possibly to see bray, saying what a fecking waste of money watching this rubbish. Ah well onwards to next week, was planning an away day, don't think I will bother now.

I’m not denying Syzmon could have possibly done better for either goal but Danny and Remi gave him very little protection. Let’s not be focusing on a 17 year old who stepped up to the plate when called upon. Every time our back 4 comes up against pace we struggle. 

[bishbashbosh]

Arbroath 4 stenhousemuir 0.

Smokies champions, 11 pts clear of Cove, 3 games remain.

Do they do what we did at Ayr a few seasons ago when we went back to premier in style putting 6 past them after we were confirmed champs mid week. 

Or do they put in a weakened team to see how the squad players perform, giving the 1st team a break after WORKING and partying all week.

Important, as they are away to Annan next week while we are at stenhousemuir.

Interesting. Well done to them the best team in league 1 this season.

[bishbashbosh]

5 minutes ago, LisleRightPeg said:

I’m not denying Syzmon could have possibly done better for either goal but Danny and Remi gave him very little protection. Let’s not be focusing on a 17 year old who stepped up to the plate when called upon. Every time our back 4 comes up against pace we struggle. 

I didn't mean to focus on him, said I was sorry for him. Wouldn't dream of being critical of the young guy, he came on and did his best. 

I was right behind him at the first goal and relayed his position. Guys behind me, to the right of me and in front of me were shouting " what are you fecking doing " I kept stum.

By the way nothing Savage could do for the 2nd, the guy got goal side of him as last man, and had just been booked minutes earlier. Couldn't catch him, couldn't take one for the team.

[forresjags]

That's the disappointing thing, is our inability to change  the way we do things. We continually passed the ball around never really believing we would score, but just kept doing it anyway.

Maybe sometimes we need to believe it's not going to be our day and settle for the point, which at this stage is better than none. But today we left ourselves totally exposed at the back, searching for a goal that was never going to come.

That said it was just awful.

 

[STFU]

4 hours ago, Howdenender said:

And if “Kells” is the answer god only knows what the question is!

I'm not even going to try and defend today's performance, but that comment is uncalled for.

We were wrong end of the table before administration and if not for the 15pt deduction Kell would have us fighting it out at the top of the table.

If the question is where would we be without him the answer is likely battling it out with Dumbarton for the auto relegation spot.

[Robert]

That was a poor performance but we’ve been inconsistent recently, particularly at home.

We've three games to secure 8th (or better) and two of those are away. We’ve the second best points per game record away from home in the league so if we can maintain that we will be fine.

For being thrown in at the deep end, Rebillas did well on the whole, but should have been given more protection.

Other than hitting the post and an effort by Bray, both in the first half, I don’t recall us troubling Kelty. Musa made two good saves in the first half, so it could have been worse.

A bad day, but it’s still in our own hands.

Time to focus on next week.

[buckett]

22 minutes ago, Robert said:

That was a poor performance but we’ve been inconsistent recently, particularly at home.

As a result of pretty poor performances in the last 2 home games I decided to give the 3-hour drive to Inverness a miss this time around. I'm sure I wasn't the only one, and no doubt some will avoid the next home game on the strength of what they witnessed today.

This is why it is so important for a struggling team like ours to really up their game in front of the home crowd. The income generated from a healthy gate is our bread-and-butter, and consistent entertaining football and some home wins will surely boost attendances in subsequent matches.

Kells has got his work cut out!

 

[Howdenender]

1 hour ago, STFU said:

I'm not even going to try and defend today's performance, but that comment is uncalled for.

We were wrong end of the table before administration and if not for the 15pt deduction Kell would have us fighting it out at the top of the table.

If the question is where would we be without him the answer is likely battling it out with Dumbarton for the auto relegation spot.

In such an undeniably poor league such as this almost anyone should have a full time setup “fighting it out at the top of the table”. This is just the latest in what has been a succession of shockingly poor home performances, and I would argue that we should have left the relegation threat behind us weeks ago. There was little evidence of any game plan or structure on show today, and hearing his after match interview, in which he said we should maybe try to get more crosses into the box, and inject more pace into the play - well!!

[STFU]

If my counting is correct...

Ferguson averaged 1.2 points per game for 10 games.

Kell is averaging about 1.7 points per game.

That's around 40% improvement

We've had some poor performances but so do all teams and the poor performances over the first 10 games this season were when the damage was done.

I'm as frustrated as the next person that we've not yet secured our league one status but I don't see how anyone can come to the conclusion that Kellacher was not the answer to the situation we were/are in.

[CELTIC1CALEY3]

I was not there but from a psychological point of view did we assume after a superb performance against Cove; relief that Savage was appointed preferred bidder; players being showcased in the Eastgate entre; Kelty reeling from a 6-0 home defeat and manager resignation - that this was an easy game?

[bishbashbosh]

4 hours ago, STFU said:

If my counting is correct...

Ferguson averaged 1.2 points per game for 10 games.

Kell is averaging about 1.7 points per game.

That's around 40% improvement

We've had some poor performances but so do all teams and the poor performances over the first 10 games this season were when the damage was done.

I'm as frustrated as the next person that we've not yet secured our league one status but I don't see how anyone can come to the conclusion that Kellacher was not the answer to the situation we were/are in.

Apples and oranges. We shouldn’t care who is the better/worse manager, we need to focus on the now. Or AS will get his wish early when he said we hope to be out of this league by next year. The way we played yesterday we might be out of it this year.

i have quoted Lee Trevino before, “ I never think about yesterday, can’t do anything about it”.

If you are going to persist with comparisons you have to compare like for like. 
ferguson 10 games Kellacher 23,  if my counting is correct, more than twice the games of Ferguson. 
 

can’t deny kellacher has done well but as said above we should have made our season safe over the last few games.

watching yesterday was like watching a Ferguson team at its worst. Slow in possession letting kelty get 10 behind the ball. Playing sideways and backwards trying to break them down and then getting hit on the fast break, twice. 
I get admin, no cash, can’t sign players over 20 but yesterday was the same team that put 3 past cove last week.

[bishbashbosh]

10 hours ago, forresjags said:

That's the disappointing thing, is our inability to change  the way we do things. We continually passed the ball around never really believing we would score, but just kept doing it anyway.

Maybe sometimes we need to believe it's not going to be our day and settle for the point, which at this stage is better than none. But today we left ourselves totally exposed at the back, searching for a goal that was never going to come.

That said it was just awful.

 

I was thinking that yesterday, our ability to change things. Kellachers substitutions were like for like, playing the same way.

how many times over the years have you seen on TV watching Scottish, English football a team a goal down with a few minutes left on the clock put a centre half up front to be a nuisance and cause a bit of havoc in a comfortable defence. 

billy looked out of sorts yesterday trotting around the middle of the park. An injury, illness, bug or even the trotts themselves?

We have a very young bench and few/none who can influence a game.

with a few minutes remaining could we have taken billy off and replaced him with the loan boy Ewan from RC, a centre half. Decide who is tallest between him, Devine and savage and put that person up front and put crosses into the box for him to try and create a bit of havoc. Might have got a lucky break and scored.

we definitely did not look like scoring the way we were playing. Worth a go?

 

[bishbashbosh]

 

[STFU]

1 hour ago, bishbashbosh said:

Apples and oranges. We shouldn’t care who is the better/worse manager, we need to focus on the now. Or AS will get his wish early when he said we hope to be out of this league by next year. The way we played yesterday we might be out of it this year.

i have quoted Lee Trevino before, “ I never think about yesterday, can’t do anything about it”.

If you are going to persist with comparisons you have to compare like for like. 
ferguson 10 games Kellacher 23,  if my counting is correct, more than twice the games of Ferguson. 
 

can’t deny kellacher has done well but as said above we should have made our season safe over the last few games.

watching yesterday was like watching a Ferguson team at its worst. Slow in possession letting kelty get 10 behind the ball. Playing sideways and backwards trying to break them down and then getting hit on the fast break, twice. 
I get admin, no cash, can’t sign players over 20 but yesterday was the same team that put 3 past cove last week.

The point if my last couple of posts was to say that the facts show Kell has done a great job and the suggestion to the contrary was uncalled for.

You then have 3 paragraphs saying the facts don't show how well Kell is doing and the 10 games from before he took over mean nothing and you then immediately follow it with a comment saying people can't deny how well he is doing.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Confused

[big cherly]

15 minutes ago, STFU said:

The point if my last couple of posts was to say that the facts show Kell has done a great job and the suggestion to the contrary was uncalled for.

You then have 3 paragraphs saying the facts don't show how well Kell is doing and the 10 games from before he took over mean nothing and you then immediately follow it with a comment saying people can't deny how well he is doing.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Confused

If nothing more let’s look to the AS era with a more demanding standard.

[Yngwie]

Any info on Dibaga’s injury? If he’s not back next week we’ll need to try for an emergency loan again.

[tm4tj]

Hamstring. Needs assessed.

Kells talking to press/P&J

Speaking about Dibaga’s injury, boss Kellacher added afterwards: “Musa has pulled his hamstring – there is no way he could have carried on. “We had to put young Szymon in goals and it was a big ask for the kid. “We will see what the physio says about Musa.”

[Yngwie]

When you see Szymon’s reaction to the first goal, it’s the realisation that the goalposts weren’t where he thought they were. He’s young, he’ll learn. It’s very rare to see a first team keeper under 21, let alone 16/17.

Edited Sunday at 10:42 AM by Yngwie

[Howdenender]

1 hour ago, STFU said:

The point if my last couple of posts was to say that the facts show Kell has done a great job and the suggestion to the contrary was uncalled for.

You then have 3 paragraphs saying the facts don't show how well Kell is doing and the 10 games from before he took over mean nothing and you then immediately follow it with a comment saying people can't deny how well he is doing.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Confused

I often find myself in agreement with you, but in this case to say the facts show that Kell has done a great job is surely stretching it a little? The recent facts are that Kelty Hearts, who have no money, Montrose, who have no money, and Annan, similarly penniless, have all left Inverness with three points in their pockets! Despite these somewhat desperate performances we may still avoid a relegation playoff, due in large part to the poor standards of others.

[Starscape]

1 hour ago, big cherly said:

If nothing more let’s look to the AS era with a more demanding standard.

Yeah, although, we've a threadbare inexperienced squad. With a fuller squad, we were second bottom before the 15 points. Without the penalty, we would be easily in the promotion playoffs. We've been pushing for goals but not managing to score. People have been saying we should be more cautious. They tried but we just don't have enough players to just tinker. Mckay can't score and there is no other strikers. We could try centre backs and wingers. Probably will need to but that's not a real solution. Personally, I feel we should just go back to previous. Yes, we couldn't score but as long as we create chances, we still have a route to 3 points. Playing possession with barely any players is not something ICT can do.

The whole squad, including management, have accumulated more points than we should have expected. Let's stick with what we have been doing. It's part of the game to criticise after a bad show. We've still got a better than evens chance of getting out of this. At the end of the season, let's see get any rightful seething out and then appreciate that finishing one above the play-offs is success after being fined the equivalent of 5 wins.