Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard

[Frankie 8,186]

 

It comes as no susprise to that our dip has occurred with a similar dip in form for Tav. His distribution in recent weeks has been very poor - and such failing is compounded when he gives the ball away in a forward position thus leaving our CB's exposed as you highlight.

 

There was an interview Neil McCann did earlier in the season with Wallace & Tav and not only did he suggest to them both there was a danger with our FB's pushing on so adventurously he actually highlighted footage showing them both in the opposition box at the same time - something both of them actually denied in the interview they were guilty of !

 

Tav has been very poor of late and the lack of a credible replacement (Clearly the manager has no faith in Aird) is a genuine concern. On the left, I think Wallace offers a more consistent level of performance but as much as he has a fantastic engine, the actual quality he offers is also low - most of his crossing is aimless and poor.

 

Generally I think we'd benefit from having Wallace sit a bit deeper and that would free up more space for McKay and Holt in particular. It would also allow Halliday to perhaps step forward confidently and feature more often in his favoured inside left position.

[Frankie 8,186]

PS: Article now published:

 

http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/news-category/match-analysis/548-hard-work-beats-talent-when-talent-doesn-t-work-hard

 

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

The wing-play, the 'under-lap' from Wallace, the long diagonals were the things I noticed. think the issues you mention are down to the individual. I think the tactics are OK, were trying to play the right way, do the right things IMO. I certainly thought we tried different things. The execution let us down.

 

The poor defence is a consequence of our attacking play, although a better centre-half pairing would deal with it better! A David Weir would struggle. We need more a David Luiz or Thiago Silva type player rather than a tough, old-fashioned centre-back.

The poor defence is a consequence of us having a dreadful defence. I said to you before that we couldn't dream of ever playing that system in Europe or probably even against Celtic. It turns out that it can't even cope in the second tier in Scotland. Defence is just as important as attack and we are no use at either.

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

Alot in there to agree with Frankie particularly this part :

 

I think Kiernan' date=' Ball and Wilson are all good enough but because Tav and Wallace are so far up the park and Halliday is also so attack-minded that leaves our central defenders isolated to quick and/or direct counters, including long balls. Usually they can deal with them easily enough but, like it or not on Saturday, the wind was an issue in that sense whilst too many individual errors also cause us problems. Sometimes we need an extra body in there - whether it's Tav or Wallace sitting back for a period

 

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It comes as no susprise to that our dip has occurred with a similar dip in form for Tav. His distribution in recent weeks has been very poor - and such failing is compounded when he gives the ball away in a forward position thus leaving our CB's exposed as you highlight.

 

There was an interview Neil McCann did earlier in the season with Wallace & Tav and not only did he suggest to them both there was a danger with our FB's pushing on so adventurously he actually highlighted footage showing them both in the opposition box at the same time - something both of them actually denied in the interview they were guilty of !

I said in another topic regarding Tavernier that if he was capable of sustaining his early season performances all season, he wouldn't be here. At the end of the day, we signed lower league English players for peanuts, we didn't get them because they were flying high at their respective clubs.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Ser Barristan Selmy

[Frankie 8,186]

I think it's fair to see our defence hasn't had the best of times of it in the last two games but, by and large, I think they've been comfortable enough and there's enough potential in Kiernan, Ball and Wilson to keep faith in and I'd certainly be interested in Ball as a permanent signing. However, I'd certainly concede we perhaps lack a bit of experience now and again and a mature head like Weir was would be a huge help in developing these other lads.

 

Again I also believe it's worth emphasising that it's our poor discipline in other areas of the pitch that cause us problems on the counter as well. As such it's certainly not as simple as saying one new centre back will solve our problems. The issue also arises from our full backs leaving too much space and our defensive midfielder going walk about.

[Frankie 8,186]

I said in another topic regarding Tavernier that if he was capable of sustaining his early season performances all season, he wouldn't be here. At the end of the day, we signed lower league English players for peanuts, we didn't get them because they were flying high at their respective clubs.

 

That's true - however I think Tavernier is a useful player but just needs to understand better when to bomb forward and when to cover. He's also suffering from a lack of confidence at the moment - as well as constant changes in personnel in front of him.

 

I'd argue that the manager has to select a right sided forward and stick with them - be it Miller, Oduwa or Waghorn.

[Rousseau 9,501]

The poor defence is a consequence of us having a dreadful defence. I said to you before that we couldn't dream of ever playing that system in Europe or probably even against Celtic. It turns out that it can't even cope in the second tier in Scotland. Defence is just as important as attack and we are no use at either.

 

Circular reasoning doesn't help, but I agree we couldn't play so offensively at a higher level. The inter-play and general movement, passing should continue. However, I would like to see a 'big game' mentality at times, where we don't push full-backs so high, and have two sitting midfielders; or a back three! (I know you don't care for that option.)

[Rousseau 9,501]

Thanks for changing the title -- and thanks to FS for the suggestion! I suck at titles...

[Rousseau 9,501]

That's true - however I think Tavernier is a useful player but just needs to understand better when to bomb forward and when to cover. He's also suffering from a lack of confidence at the moment - as well as constant changes in personnel in front of him.

 

I'd argue that the manager has to select a right sided forward and stick with them - be it Miller, Oduwa or Waghorn.

 

I think it's a lack of wingers in general. Outside McKay and Oduwa we're short -- until Templeton returns. I actually like the variety Miller brings and going with two strikers, but we certainly need more options on the flanks.

[der Berliner 3,290]

We were absolutely awful yesterday, if it hadn't been for Baird's idiotic touch on a ball already going in and 2 world class saves from foderingham we'd have been pumped.

 

IF ... is a nice word. IF it hadn't been for inept refereeing, THEY would not have had a penalty that never was (though Wilson MIGHT have been sent off). IF the ref had given the clear-cut foul on Oduwa seconds ahead of Baird tapping in the goal that never was, the situation WOULD never have occurred. IF Oduwa hadn't rolled the ball out for a corner, the latter would not have led to their second goal. IF the ref had given the free kick for the foul on Oduwa close to their area, all sorts of things MIGHT have occured.

 

That pendulum swings both ways and we can hardly say that certain things didn't went the Bairns' way.

 

And while we are at it with fortuitous decisions, how about that for the "team on the run" ...

 

 

... breaking up an attack of QotS because somewhere else on the field a player got a bloody nose. That's according to the rules. But to give the opposition player the ball straigt away to initiate an attack? That takes some beating, not least when you consider what sort of showmanship refs usually make of such decisions.

Edited December 21, 2015 by der Berliner