ICT -V- Falkirk : Matchnight Thread

[SMEE]

I firmly believe had we started with two up front, we would have had the points in the bag. You take a look at formations in the EPL, and the vast majority have abandoned the one up front at home carry on this season. I am sorry, but i firmly believe we should be taking care of the likes of Falkirk at home

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

So - how did we line up tactically and position wise at the start of the second half ?

[davieB]

Our set pieces were a joke until Barry started taking them.

Imrie was hitting them so high and deep the Falkirk defence must've thought he was taking the ****. And then he looked really fecked off when Brewster shouted to Barry to start taking them!

[alimci]

Sounds like going to the Falkirk Stadium might have been less frustrating...

How can we have turned back into crap in four days? Falkirk are playing mince this season and we haven't been able to beat them the last two outings. We couldn't beat Hearts when they were sh*t, and they must have much more confidence now. Doesn't bode well for Saturday

[Alex MacLeod]

I firmly believe had we started with two up front, we would have had the points in the bag. You take a look at formations in the EPL, and the vast majority have abandoned the one up front at home carry on this season. I am sorry, but i firmly believe we should be taking care of the likes of Falkirk at home

We've been crap at home for a long time now. But yes, we should be beating teams at home. Not because we're better than them but because we have the advantage. We know the pitch. We should be using it to our advantage. We're the home team. The crowd should be behind us and intimidating them. The away dressing room should also be painted green because green is supposed to have a subduing effect that takes 15 to 20 minutes to wear of. I learned that on a trip to Riverside stadium Middlesborough

[stevico1]

I firmly believe had we started with two up front, we would have had the points in the bag. You take a look at formations in the EPL, and the vast majority have abandoned the one up front at home carry on this season. I am sorry, but i firmly believe we should be taking care of the likes of Falkirk at home

. The away dressing room should also be painted green because green is supposed to have a subduing effect that takes 15 to 20 minutes to wear of. I learned that on a trip to Riverside stadium Middlesborough

that must be a problem for celtic then

[Alex MacLeod]

I firmly believe had we started with two up front, we would have had the points in the bag. You take a look at formations in the EPL, and the vast majority have abandoned the one up front at home carry on this season. I am sorry, but i firmly believe we should be taking care of the likes of Falkirk at home

. The away dressing room should also be painted green because green is supposed to have a subduing effect that takes 15 to 20 minutes to wear of. I learned that on a trip to Riverside stadium Middlesborough

that must be a problem for celtic then

They dont have a green dressing room. Apparantly sitting surrounder by green walls has some strange effect.

[dead_ball_specialist]

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 ?

There's alot more boring drivel in this thread from the Brewster-haters than there was on the pitch tonight.

[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

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 ?

There's alot more boring drivel in this thread from the Brewster-haters than there was on the pitch tonight.

I am not a Brewster hater, however I do think he got his tactics wrong in the first half and sorry but in the first half it was drivel, changes were made and the second half was an improvement.

[Alex MacLeod]

Careful Stevico. If you criticise anything on the pitch your a Brew hater. If you praise anything on the pitch your a Brew lover. There is no happy medium. If your deemed to be a hater you must never praise. If deemed to be a lover you must never criticise.

[stevico1]

Careful Stevico. If you criticise anything on the pitch your a Brew hater. If you praise anything on the pitch your a Brew lover. There is no happy medium. If your deemed to be a hater you must never praise. If deemed to be a lover you must never criticise.

Alex, yes apparently so,

I will tell it as I see it and that first half was drivel, if as I hope we beat Hearts on Sat with a good performance I will be happy to praise

[CaleyD]

I won't write too much here as most of it will appear in my match report.

Just a couple of quick observations.....

1. Brewster really shouldn't use a dice shaker for setting the midfield formation. Wide players on the wrong sides and a player with the creativity going forward that Vigurs has shown to be being shackled in the middle of the park whilst the best "holding" players are played either side of him when we're playing so deep that our erses are just about in the firth is only going to lead to exactly what we saw in the first half....total confusion and everyone tripping all over everyone else.

2. I would have fancied my chances at a better performance than Hastings these evening....and I can't play worht a chit.

3. A lone striker isn't going to do anything when he's having to come back into his own half to see anything of the ball and when he's dragged back to defend set pieces and corners.

4. The Assistant Manager having to turn to the rest of the dugout to ask if anyone has the time is just too frightening for words.

5. Much improved second half, and it shows just what these lads are capable of when you cut them loose, let them play in their best positions and do what they do best....and that's get their heads down and get stuck in. Rossco went from zero to hero when he was allowed to start making moves down the wing...Hastings, well he didn't get much better, Proctor improved when he didn't have the midfield sitting on his lap, Black started to control the middle of the park and Wilson demonstrated just how much more effective we can be when you have someone playing on their correct side with the ability to ping a ball into the danger zone.

6. I was sitting in the line of Higdons shot for the goal and Esson looked to be totally unsighted and wouldn't have seen a thing until the ball passed him.

7. It was feckin cold.

8. It was feckin wet.

9. I think the players deserved the draw (if not more).

10. I'm convinced now more than ever that it's tactics and formation that are dragging us down.

[Scarlet Pimple]

So Caley D---what manager would you like to see in place who could arrange things to suit your view of things if Brewster was released?

I am genuinely interested--this is not a trick question. Tricky perhaps , but not intended to faze you.

[Kingsmills]

I wasn't at the game but from what I've heard I think that Caley D is pretty well spot on with his observations. The one comfort about last night's set of results is that we're a further point ahead of Hamilton which might just be crucial come the end of the season.

[RiG]

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????

Why have you overlooked the first half? All very well saying we were good in the 2nd 45 minutes but what about the first period where we were meant to have been very poor.

[Guest neksor]

"Change is gonna come"

Change has to come if we are to survive.

A new manager? Obama? He would make sure the good times would come.

neksor

[caley100]

A lots of talking points from last night eh?

Anyway, Proctor is NOT a central defender, Duff should be there ( is it because if he gets 10 first team games he qualifies for a bigger pay deal?) why has Duff been dropped? Proctor is powder puff stuff and canna tackle or win balls in the air.

What happened to Hastings is a concern, misstimed his jumps, lost his man so often, running about in the wrong area, even granty was shounting at him to get out wider.

At least the managment changed it at half time, but starting at home on a 4 5 1 vs a team in our end of the table is criminal, i hope he learns for saturday.

[AJS]

Point was well merited in the 2nd half. The midfield looked ridiculous in the first half, Duncan is meant to be our sitting midfielder but i didn't see him make a tackle at all and Wood had the thankless task of being lone striker. I felt rather sorry for Esson as im sure he thought his defence would have cleared the ball leading up to the goal as it was an incredibly sloppy goal to concede. Higdon was given way too much time to turn and shoot.

In fairness to Brew in the 2nd half he noticed this and made the double change at half time (something i've never seen him do). I was so happy to see Bazza get on as well. Would love to see him start on Saturday. Would like to see Rooney again on Saturday but partnered by Barrowman.

Also anyone else see Djebi-Zadi in the snack bar line at half-time??

[gordyfromsneck]

Also anyone else see Djebi-Zadi in the snack bar line at half-time??

Yeah, he is quite striking.

My old memory may be playing me tricks, but did the Flappy the Falkirk keeper actually swing on the crossbar, a la McLoy, as he watched the ball get put in?

Rooney should be first striker down NFQ, with either of the other two with him.

I thought Imrie did well, but it is still Bazza who can change a game. A half at a time is all he can do. He needs that new contract, as do we.

Tokely is good going forward, but still leaving loads of room, which curiously Bazza has to fill, leaving him more tired for his real job. Considering he used to get pelters for not going back to help, this is a curious affair. I would rest Tokely, get Duff back at centre and put Proc, future Scotland captain remember, at RB.

I accept the line of sight argument for Essons inactiity, but by gosh it looked awfully like ballwatching. The worst I have seen by a keeper in a looong time.

Much to celebrate in the second half, maybe we could have two of them on Saturday!

[forresjags]

Absoluetely garbage. Entertainment value nil. How you expect people to come back week after week to suffer through that is beyond me.

FFS one up front against Falkirk at home and it was literally Wood on his own against the Falkirk back four not a single ICT shirt near him for support.

Vigurs must think wot the **** is going on. Where am I meant to be playing. Started off the deepest of the midfield three, ended up on the right wing before he was hooked at half time.

Wasted night

[rovercaley]

Was'nt able to go to the game last saturday but delighted with the result - I did'nt think Brewster would change the team but I have to say that the 4-5-1 formation just does not work in this league - the midfield were all over the place each one leaving the tackle or passing to someone else

Why vigours was taken off i dont know - he seems to be the only one who can see a run and make a pass - thought Blackie had a much better second half but I was disappointed with Dougie he just did not seem interested. I though Bary was great and when Rooney and Barrowman came on it made a big difference - Rooney just feeds of balls like that in the box and when Barry is on the field he will always deliver first time - maybe not a spectacular goal for the fans but I bet Rooney wont mind. Must say Ross had a very good game = Hasting was terrible - anyway we just have to wait and see what Brewster does on Saturday hopefully he will go out with an attacking formation but somehow I have my doubts

[ICTJackson]

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.

you mean like a dressed up monkey clashing the cymbals and doing backflips

[TSTtiger]

first half was a total joke. dont play 1 up at home ever again please, no matter who were playing.

thought the players looked thorougly nervous through large parts of the game.

hastings had a mare and we didnt win a header until barrowman came on. the subs did the trick for us though and the second half was more encouraging.that said, our best player was the falkirk goalie who gave the worst performance ive seen from any goalie ever.

[tokelyisvictorious]

disappointing first half but that was because key players were not performing ie cowie, duncan and hastings, and not because brew was completely off with his team selection or tactics. I admit i wasn't particualrly happy with the 4-5-1 at the start, but Brew started with the exact same team that beat hibs (so far our best result of the season). IMO wood is not experienced enough yet to play up front on his own, he can't hold the ball for toffee, and thats what he is supposed to be doing as a lone striker. For a big boy, he doesn't offer much of a physical presence.

But credit to brewster for chanigng things at half time, and if that proves anything it should be that Roooooneeeey should start every game he can; he adds pace, finishing and awareness, all areas where wood lacks somewhat. Whether barrowman or imrie or wood partners him should be left for brew to find out, but he is now our joint top scorer despite only starting a couple of games so far.

Also, bring barry on more often. It pains me to see dougie swing pish cross after pish cross into the box. Their keeper was bad, but not that bad. All in all a point won and not two points lost.

BRING ON THE JAMBO's. a 2-0 win for us my prediction.

[roby]

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

Great post Kencar. I agree with everything you have said and was beginning to think i had been at a different game reading some of the other posts.Quite simply Brewster and his backroom team have not got a clue tactically. For any manager who plays one up front at home then takes him back to defend corners it really does defy belief. Correct me if i am wrong but is that not gifting the other team possesion when the ball is cleared,as well as putting no pressure on their defenders. At throw ins there is a complete lack of movement ,surely that could be worked on in training.Overall i believe at home we play with a total lack of belief which i believe is largely due to as you have said previously, players being played out of position. Finally I had to laugh, before Barry came on he was given his instructions by none other than that master tactician Malky! I ask you is it not a sad day when a natural winger ,20 years in the game is told what he is expected to do when he goes on.