ICT -V- Falkirk : Matchnight Thread

[Pele_Is_God]

Beat hearts on saturday and thats 7 out of 9, not too disappointed with a draw tonight. If we start the game on saturday with two up front then we will give ourselves a chance.

[SMEE]

Also sounds as though Falkirk had a mega-dodgy goalie. Should have pressured him more.

Yes....and we managed to scramble one goal past that self same ropy keeper. Against a team that hasnt won in its last 6 SPL matches.

[Harry Chibber]

Lets face it - Esson was the saviour at Hibs - Brew UNFORTUNATELY got lucky

What a statement.... so you wanted us to lose ya mupped??

Have to admit though I'm not impressed with 1 upfront at home, especially when crowds have been so low and we played 2 upfront against Falkirk away!!!!

Seems Brew is always trying to be too clever for his own good... this was a perfect oppertunity for us to get on a winning streak with a side full of confidence after a great performance at the weekend and I think Brew inhibited the team by not playing a more attacking formation (not even attacking, a standard 4-4-2 would have probably done)

obviously he saw the error of his ways at half time... which is encouraging but he NEEDS to figure out his best 11!!

[MissICT]

No bad result the night!

exiting game!

i was shouting my head of!

at least one point is better than no points!

IT WAS SOOOO COLD!!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Well, Coco the Clown starts with 1 up front at home, and here we are, dropping 2 precious points in what has to be viewed as a winable game. How much longer do we need to endure this tactical ineptness?

Wonder what the Rose Tinted Spectacles crew have to say about this latest failure?

DOH - give Brew a break - his tactics won us the game at Hibs - He has kept us in the SPL - He has blooded the youngsters and is working on a reduced budget - he was a great player and he can become a great manager - let him pick the team and he will eventually get it right - he needs more time - He is right to persist playing Cowie, Imrie and Bazza on their wrong foot - that tactic is clearly working - Proctor is a Scotland central defender in the making - Black needs to be shackled - The more that I chop and change the three strikers the more I get out of them.

:thumb04: :018:

Lets face it - Esson was the saviour at Hibs - Brew UNFORTUNATELY got lucky

What a statement.... so you wanted us to lose ya mupped?? ;)

Have to admit though I'm not impressed with 1 upfront at home, especially when crowds have been so low and we played 2 upfront against Falkirk away!!!!

Seems Brew is always trying to be too clever for his own good... this was a perfect oppertunity for us to get on a winning streak with a side full of confidence after a great performance at the weekend and I think Brew inhibited the team by not playing a more attacking formation (not even attacking, a standard 4-4-2 would have probably done)

obviously he saw the error of his ways at half time... which is encouraging but he NEEDS to figure out his best 11!!

What the **** is a mupped ?

A winning streak - TWO !!!

How long does it take to establish a best 11 away from home and at home - bet even you could do that ya moped.

[tm4tj]

Disappointing first half much brighter second half. At least Brew realised that the first half formation/team was poor and changed it, with Rooney and Barrowman looking lively in the second half. Barry Wilson should also be starting in my opinion, he offers us more width and looks dangerous when he takes on defenders, pity about the late chance that came his way. Hastings was guff by the way.

[hislopsoffsideagain]

If you had offered me a draw with 15 minutes left, I would have bitten your hand off.

We were absolutely awful, and we somehow got away with it because we were playing a Falkirk side who for some inexplicable reason didn't go for the jugular, and because they had a goalkeeper who was an absolute joke.

We lined up exactly the same way as against Hibs, as Brew clearly expected that Falkirk, despite their reputation for playing a disciplined, organized possession game, would instead set out in the ridiculously cavalier way that Mixu's boys did. Therefore we were treated to a first half of Falkirk keeping the ball for ages, and us occasionally getting it and promptly hoofing it away. As usual Imrie and Cowie were on the wrong sides, and for the love of goodness, why play 4-5-1 at home if the midfield won't go within 20 yards of the lone striker?

The Falkirk goal was just calamitous. First they got a 2 on 1 against Tokely out wide, then no-one shut out the cross, then Lovell beat Hastings in the air (Richard, mate, you had an absolute shocker tonight), then no-one even tries to close down Higdon for the shot, then Esson for some reason doesn't attempt to save it. It was so completely and utterly preventable.

We were then treated to the comedy of Brew attempting a tactical change in the middle of a match. Most coaches would wait for an injury or something, call 3 or 4 players to the sideline and explain what to do. Brew instead kept yelling incomprehensibly at Vigurs who, understandably, couldn't really believe that Brew wanted him to play wide right, with Cowie wide left, and Imrie up front, mainly because it was an absolutely stupid idea. In all the confusion, Proctor then ushered Higdon through on goal, but somehow he sliced the shot miles wide.

The best you can say about the first half is that we were only one down at half time. Brew at least chucked on Rooney and Barrowman, though Wood hadn't had the chance to break sweat and Vigurs was being played out of position and just looked lost. And, god forbid, our wide players were on their natural sides! We made it a shade more difficult in the second half, but our equalizer was probably the first opportunity we got. Their keeper completely flapped at a ball in the six yard box under pressure, and it bobbled around before Rooney headed it in from about half a yard. It might well be the worst goal ever scored. So why Rooney felt the need to leap into the crowd and get a pointless yellow is beyond me. Falkirk had one great chance to win it, so did Barry Wilson, and that was about it.

Not sure it was really worth haring back from work in Dornoch and skipping my dinner for, frankly. At times it looked like it was Munro and Rossco against the whole Falkirk team, as everyone else was a waste of time. Rooney made a difference of the bench with his running. Hastings, as mentioned, couldn't put a foot right, and Imrie also goes in the "turkey" category for his performance tonight.

Brew, my friend, you got away with it tonight. Will you get away with it on Saturday if Hearts show anything remotely resembling ability?

[Harry Chibber]

Well, Coco the Clown starts with 1 up front at home, and here we are, dropping 2 precious points in what has to be viewed as a winable game. How much longer do we need to endure this tactical ineptness?

Wonder what the Rose Tinted Spectacles crew have to say about this latest failure?

DOH - give Brew a break - his tactics won us the game at Hibs - He has kept us in the SPL - He has blooded the youngsters and is working on a reduced budget - he was a great player and he can become a great manager - let him pick the team and he will eventually get it right - he needs more time - He is right to persist playing Cowie, Imrie and Bazza on their wrong foot - that tactic is clearly working - Proctor is a Scotland central defender in the making - Black needs to be shackled - The more that I chop and change the three strikers the more I get out of them.

:thumb04: :018:

Lets face it - Esson was the saviour at Hibs - Brew UNFORTUNATELY got lucky

What a statement.... so you wanted us to lose ya mupped?? ;)

Have to admit though I'm not impressed with 1 upfront at home, especially when crowds have been so low and we played 2 upfront against Falkirk away!!!!

Seems Brew is always trying to be too clever for his own good... this was a perfect oppertunity for us to get on a winning streak with a side full of confidence after a great performance at the weekend and I think Brew inhibited the team by not playing a more attacking formation (not even attacking, a standard 4-4-2 would have probably done)

obviously he saw the error of his ways at half time... which is encouraging but he NEEDS to figure out his best 11!!

What the **** is a mupped ?

A winning streak - TWO !!!

How long does it take to establish a best 11 away from home and at home - bet even you could do that ya moped.

:015: :D

*muppet

na not defending him, he should have had his best 11 sorted before he bought the players to fill the positions

[SMEE]

Brew, my friend, you got away with it tonight. Will you get away with it on Saturday if Hearts show anything remotely resembling ability?

I fear he wont somehow

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

We lined up exactly the same way as against HibS Therefore we were treated to a first half of Falkirk keeping the ball for ages, and us occasionally getting it and promptly hoofing it away. As usual Imrie and Cowie were on the wrong sides, and for the love of goodness, why play 4-5-1 at home if the midfield won't go within 20 yards of the lone striker?

The Falkirk goal was just calamitous. First they got a 2 on 1 against Tokely out wide, then no-one shut out the cross, then Lovell beat Hastings in the air (Richard, mate, you had an absolute shocker tonight), then no-one even tries to close down Higdon for the shot, then Esson for some reason doesn't attempt to save it. It was so completely and utterly preventable.

We were then treated to the comedy of Brew attempting a tactical change in the middle of a match. Most coaches would wait for an injury or something, call 3 or 4 players to the sideline and explain what to do. Brew instead kept yelling incomprehensibly at Vigurs who, understandably, couldn't really believe that Brew wanted him to play wide right, with Cowie wide left, and Imrie up front, mainly because it was an absolutely stupid idea. In all the confusion, Proctor then ushered Higdon through on goal, but somehow he sliced the shot miles wide.

The best you can say about the first half is that we were only one down at half time. Brew at least chucked on Rooney and Barrowman, though Wood hadn't had the chance to break sweat and Vigurs was being played out of position and just looked lost. And, god forbid, our wide players were on their natural sides! We made it a shade more difficult in the second half, but our equalizer was probably the first opportunity we got. Their keeper completely flapped at a ball in the six yard box under pressure, and it bobbled around before Rooney headed it in from about half a yard. It might well be the worst goal ever scored. So why Rooney felt the need to leap into the crowd and get a pointless yellow is beyond me. Falkirk had one great chance to win it, so did Barry Wilson, and that was about it.

Not sure it was really worth haring back from work in Dornoch and skipping my dinner for, frankly. At times it looked like it was Munro and Rossco against the whole Falkirk team, as everyone else was a waste of time. Rooney made a difference of the bench with his running. Hastings, as mentioned, couldn't put a foot right, and Imrie also goes in the "turkey" category for his performance tonight.

Brew, my friend, you got away with it tonight. Will you get away with it on Saturday if Hearts show anything remotely resembling ability?

YA JUST CONFIRMED ALL AM FEARS !!

[Scotty]

why Rooney felt the need to leap into the crowd and get a pointless yellow is beyond me.

Can you confirm (for the stats) ..... none of the online sites reported a booking for him (SKY, P&J, BBC, Sportbox, Sporting Life etc)

[tm4tj]

Yes he was booked for his over zealous celebrations over the wall in the North Stand.

[kencar]

Thank you very much flappy the Falkirk goalie your ineptitude got us a point

I think it's fair to say we were lucky tonight but I'll try and be positive and look at it as a point gained.

For the first 30 minutes the players didn't have a clue what they were meant to be doing! The 4-5-1 formation didn't work. Wood was left high and dry with no support. We had the usual nonsense of Cowie on the left & Imrie on the right. Vigurs was the holding midfielder (!!) with Duncan & Black either side. Every time Black pushed forward Brewster was shouting at him to drop back. Complete shambles. We did switch to 4-4-2 for the last 15 minutes with Imrie moving up front.

The double switch at half-time did have an impact but considering we were so rubbish in the first half it would be hard not to improve. & Wilson looked lively when he came on but we only knicked the point thanks to another dodgy Falkirk keeper.

Not many get pass marks tonight. Tokely was probably our most creative player!! Black came onto a bit of a game in the second half. Rooney hustled, bustled & scrapped and Wilson whipped in a few decent balls. The rest ranged from average to woeful. Hastings & Proctor were especially dodgy tonight.

All in all much a great relief not to lose but that was more down to luck than anything I'm afraid. Must do better on Saturday

[stevico1]

why Rooney felt the need to leap into the crowd and get a pointless yellow is beyond me.

Can you confirm (for the stats) ..... none of the online sites reported a booking for him (SKY, P&J, BBC, Sportbox, Sporting Life etc)

I think it was barrowman that got booked for jumping into the crowd when Rooney scored

[hislopsoffsideagain]

I don't know about anybody else, but watching us is just so painful and frustrating for me right now. We go through periods in every game (a long one tonight) where we can't put two passes together, and we're about as organised as a bowl of alphabet soup. And (or so it seems) it really is not hard from 7 or 8 rows back to see what the problems are. So why can't the bloke who's getting paid for it (and his assistant, the last living member of Homo Erectus) sort these things out, instead of standing there with his arms folded looking like he's dreaming of his holidays?

I can't help feeling that if you zoomed into Brewster's brain, it would be like the bits in the Simpsons when you see what Homer is thinking.

[Grabe]

Waz very surprized to see Hastings appear in the 2ns half. Must admit

that must b one of the worst performances ive seen from an ICT player.

I waz expecting McBain 2b filling left back position after the break!!! I

will be amazed if he is picked for Hearts game.

[stevico1]

First half was terrible, subs made a difference, thought Wilson was excellent when he came on, direct, delivered good balls, in my mind he is worth a start

[davieB]

We were shocking in the first half, and lucky to go in just the one down. Hastings had a mare, so did Proctor. So did the rest, but those two stood out for their truly woeful performances.

At least he changed it in the second half, and we were much better....I'd have left if we hadn't been mind!!

Rooney is by far our best striker, so why Brew is keeping him on the bench is baffling. As for Barrowman....

That was a game I really thought we'd get the three points from, but as so often happens this season, we're incapable of putting two decent performances (let alone results) together.

The only stand outs for me were Rooney and Tokely. The rest were poor. A totally forgettable game I'm afraid.

[hislopsoffsideagain]

I'm going to stand by Granty here. I thought he was doing the job of three players, given how bad Proc and Hastings were. He dealt with Higdon pretty well, compared to Proctor who just bounced off him again...and again...and again

[dead_ball_specialist]

I felt we merited 3 points tonight, Falkirk were clinging on in the second half. We were virtually camped in their box for long spells but didn't get any breaks of the ball, the goal was perhaps fortunate but completely deserved.

The substitutions turned the game in our favour, Rooney and Barrowman pressed hard, Barry Wilson was the best player on the pitch by a country mile. In the second half we really got stuck in, Falkirk floundered when we started pressing them. When we started charging, tackling hard, pushing men up the park etc we dominated the game. Why don't we play like this ALL THE TIME at home????

I'm suprised at the hysterical negativity on this thread, tonights performance was encouraging. If we play the same way on saturday (as we started the second half) then we have a great chance.

One downer, Hastings was awful. He looked a nervous wreck, his confidence is shot. He needs some time on the bench. McBain should start at left back on saturday.

Edited November 12, 2008 by dead_ball_specialist

[SMEE]

I'm suprised at the hysterical negativity on this thread, tonights performance was encouraging.

Can you enlighten me as to the positives, where we manage to scramble ONE goal, against a keeper who was there for the taking, against a team who hasnt won in its last 6 SPL games. Oh...and we were at home, starting with one up front.

A positive would have been building on Saturdays performance, or at least showing the same appetite for the game

[stevico1]

I'm suprised at the hysterical negativity on this thread, tonights performance was encouraging.

Can you enlighten me as to the positives, where we manage to scramble ONE goal, against a keeper who was there for the taking, against a team who hasnt won in its last 6 SPL games. Oh...and we were at home, starting with one up front.

A positive would have been building on Saturdays performance, or at least showing the same appetite for the game

Smee I think in the second half they did show some appetite for the game, it was like the players got a lift from the changes, 2 upfront and being positive,

There was one time in the first half and they were taking a corner and there wasnt 1 ICT player in the Falkirk half, just not good enough at home. It was apparent to me in the second half that the players are happier when we are having a go at home. However I wonder if we hadnt gone in one down at half time whether the changes would have been made and the same drivel would have carried on in the second half

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

A Hope and a Concern ?

Brew reverts to what many of this forum have been advocating fer months - and it succeeds ?!!

Would that be a sign of good management ?

Is it not worringly going that way ?

[Alex MacLeod]

Also sounds as though Falkirk had a mega-dodgy goalie. Should have pressured him more.

Yes....and we managed to scramble one goal past that self same ropy keeper. Against a team that hasnt won in its last 6 SPL matches.

Cant comment on the game cos I wasn't there. Only had open mic on radio. I do, however, think your being a bit unfair on Falkirk though SMEE. They maybe haven't won their last six but neither have thay lost in three of them. This season Falkirk have had pretty much a similar record to us and based on that alone a draw was probably the most likely outcome.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I'm suprised at the hysterical negativity on this thread, tonights performance was encouraging.

Can you enlighten me as to the positives, where we manage to scramble ONE goal, against a keeper who was there for the taking, against a team who hasnt won in its last 6 SPL games. Oh...and we were at home, starting with one up front.

A positive would have been building on Saturdays performance, or at least showing the same appetite for the game

Smee I think in the second half they did show some appetite for the game, it was like the players got a lift from the changes, 2 upfront and being positive,

There was one time in the first half and they were taking a corner and there wasnt 1 ICT player in the Falkirk half, just not good enough at home. It was apparent to me in the second half that the players are happier when we are having a go at home. However I wonder if we hadnt gone in one down at half time whether the changes would have been made and the same drivel would have carried on in the second half

There were two corners at Easter Road when we had all 11 players in the 18 yard box !! If we hadnt scored would the same drivel have carried on ?