The Manager and the team this season - an objective view.

[Super_Ally 0]

The getting upset at the everyone back at corners issue baffles me as if its only Smith and McCoist who do this.

[Frankie 8,149]

Not to mention I can't remember the last time we conceded a goal from a corner. It does frustrate me but it's clearly an effective tactic.

[Davie P 4]

Not to mention I can't remember the last time we conceded a goal from a corner. It does frustrate me but it's clearly an effective tactic.

 

Agreed, but how many opportunities could have been created at the other end, had we kept a striker up front instead of defending a corner?

[Frankie 8,149]

Agreed, but how many opportunities could have been created at the other end, had we kept a striker up front instead of defending a corner?

 

Opposition corners are ostensibly defensive set-pieces so while the opportunity to counter should be maximised upon initial clearance, the main objective isn't to concede. We're achieving that objective which deserves to be recognised.

[chilledbear 16]

Brechin last October.

 

It's more the fact how Ally is a WS clone, now I can understand why, after all he was with Walter for so long.

 

I am advocating that we need some freshness in the Management team.

[Frankie 8,149]

As I wrote consistently during Walter's reign, he was certainly a percentages manager - i.e. his teams played with a solid outlook, on their strengths and delivered very much a system capable of getting a result anywhere.

 

Was this glamorous or exciting to watch? No, not always for sure, but I enjoyed watching the likes of Davie Weir as much as any attacking player and appreciated the nuances involved in taking a Scottish team to the brink of a European victory. It's not always about 5-0 wins.

 

In saying that, we all want to be entertained and it is frustrating to see us play one up front away to teams like Forfar. I do think there's a more happy medium to be had in that sense but I also understand the pressures associated with failure at Rangers. And failure isn't necessarily not being Celtic or winning the SPL but not winning every match which is completely unreasonable.

 

Generally speaking I think many fans (myself included) under-estimate what's involved in all this. I share the doubt in which Ally (and even Walter) were regarded by fans and agree that perhaps others could do a better job. Perhaps someone like Butcher or McCall are affordable alternatives but for how long would they stick to their style of football before they too realised that sometimes because the fans demand 100% success rates, the best way to achieve that is hedging your bets.

[chilledbear 16]

If Ally will not try different tactics/formations now, there will be no chance when we progress up the Leagues.

 

In fact we all know nothing will change under Ally, same old with dwindling crowds.

[Frankie 8,149]

If Ally will not try different tactics/formations now, there will be no chance when we progress up the Leagues.

 

In fact we all know nothing will change under Ally, same old with dwindling crowds.

 

Most teams play the same formations - either 4-4-2 or some slightly different version of 4-5-1. A change of manager won't alter that fact - even if the actual style may improve.

 

FWIW, I think we can do better than Ally but I'd also say the chance to replace him and allow someone else to build their team ahead of a stern test in Division One has gone. As such, I'd much rather back the existing guy and his players as much as possible. And, dwindling crowds or not, results are showing they're doing well enough.

[BrahimHemdani 1]

Opposition corners are ostensibly defensive set-pieces so while the opportunity to counter should be maximised upon initial clearance, the main objective isn't to concede. We're achieving that objective which deserves to be recognised.

 

I don't think that proves anything really. Just because I might have a burglar alarm on my house and I don't get robbed doesn't prove that if I didn't have an alarm I WOULD get robbed.

 

Furthermore, the more players you have back in the box, the more players the opposition will send up. This happens numerous times when you see opponents starting with 4 or 5 outside the box and realising they have no one to mark, then send more players into the box.

 

The box can also get too crowded with "defenders". It is arguable that part of the reason that Simonsen had to pull of that fantastic save was that Mohnsi and Daly went for the same header so the attempted clearance went across the box rather than out.

 

I also think it is arguable that someone with the speed of Aird would be better out the way; he did not react as quickly as Simonsen and "jumped" with one leg on the ground, he was not going to save the ricochet on the line, but he might have been in a position to take a possible clearance and run or hold the ball up long enough for the midfielders to get out of the box.

[Frankie 8,149]

I don't think that proves anything really. Just because I might have a burglar alarm on my house and I don't get robbed doesn't prove that if I didn't have an alarm I WOULD get robbed.

 

Furthermore, the more players you have back in the box, the more players the opposition will send up. This happens numerous times when you see opponents starting with 4 or 5 outside the box and realising they have no one to mark, then send more players into the box.

 

The box can also get too crowded with "defenders". It is arguable that part of the reason that Simonsen had to pull of that fantastic save was that Mohnsi and Daly went for the same header so the attempted clearance went across the box rather than out.

 

I also think it is arguable that someone with the speed of Aird would be better out the way; he did not react as quickly as Simonsen and "jumped" with one leg on the ground, he was not going to save the ricochet on the line, but he might have been in a position to take a possible clearance and run or hold the ball up long enough for the midfielders to get out of the box.

 

Let's keep it simple.

 

Do we concede goals from corners? No, so the existing tactic works and has proven to be worthwhile. Could we change it? Yes but that takes us back to the percentages point I made above. That's a gamble and clearly McCoist (under the tutorship of Walter Smith) doesn't like too many risks.