Transfer Rumours and Deals - Winter Window 2016/17

[chilledbear 16]

Bairns hope for Aird signing

 

Peter Houston is hopeful of signing Fraser Aird in time for Saturday’s Scottish Cup match with Morton. The winger is expected to complete a move to the Bairns within the next 48 hours and Houston is seriously considering pitching him straight in for the Cappielow crunch.

 

Read more at: http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/sport/football/falkirk-fc/bairns-hope-for-aird-signing-1-4341773

 

Something on FF last week about us being interested in Craig Sibbald of Falkirk.

[Bluedell 5,329]

In any case, MOH showed how he can damage teams, i.e. balls over the top and him utilizing his pace. At least twice against RBL.

 

Our SPL opponents tend to play deep and don't give much room for him to run onto balls played over the top.

[les186 271]

Our SPL opponents tend to play deep and don't give much room for him to run onto balls played over the top.

 

I think SPL sides are now pressing us high up the park as they can see Kiernan et al are uncomfortable (not good enough) on the ball, therefore a ball over the top to the likes of MOH will pay dividends.

[boabie 230]

MOH has been a disappointment as he's far too passive in games (and hasn't really adapted to our style - or us his) but I wouldn't see him moving to Hearts unless someone like Nicholson came in the other direction.

 

Nicholson has missed the last 2-3months after a knee op but is expected back soon apparently.

 

I don't want to see O'Halloran with any other side in Scotland as I reckon he would terrify our defence. I've no idea what the answer is with him playing for us though.

[cooponthewing 1,139]

I don't want to see O'Halloran with any other side in Scotland as I reckon he would terrify our defence. I've no idea what the answer is with him playing for us though.

 

Send him to Falkirk or Morton on loan. Help them get in between the two above as I would like nothing more than the two of them to stay down. I can't pick one that makes me gag more than the other? However I would settle for one of them stuck in that division. MOH could help with that.

Edited January 18, 2017 by cooponthewing

[calscot 0]

I don't want to see O'Halloran with any other side in Scotland as I reckon he would terrify our defence. I've no idea what the answer is with him playing for us though.

 

A loan move means he can't play against us...

[boabie 230]

A loan move means he can't play against us...

 

I take it our board would have the good sense to stipulate that in the contract.

[Tannochsidebear 2,306]

The headlines in the gutter press really are staggering - Europa League rivals? Hearts? Really? If Hearts are going to rival our second position in the league this season, then I wont expect MW to be in charge next season.

 

As for MOH, a shame it hasnt worked out, but every time I see him play he looks like someone at a club too big for him - he looks overawed by the expectation. Not everyone can handle that at a big club. He would probably do well at a smaller club. I also agree with the comments made by others here that different playing styles (by opponents) would help his game enormously.

 

It was, all in all, a terrible signing which many of us questioned at the time and were told MW knows what he is doing. Hmmm.

[der Berliner 3,239]

I take it our board would have the good sense to stipulate that in the contract.

 

I would assume that this is actually automatically in place, conflict of interest and all that? It happened all the time when we played teams in the lower tiers to which we loaned players.

[craig 5,195]

MOH ... maybe we wait another 24 hours and see whether this is actually another bampottery spun by our friends at the DR?

 

In any case, MOH showed how he can damage teams, i.e. balls over the top and him utilizing his pace. At least twice against RBL. For one reason or another, we signed him knowing this and yet have not played anywhere up to this strength. Even we we were in dire need of it. Yet, persist in playing sub-(their own)-standard performers such as Tavernier. And as long as we likewise persist in playing Miller and/or Garner through the middle and Waghorn on the right, MOH just warms the bench. Better to send him out on loan to keep himself sharp and harm our direct opponents.

 

The reason we haven't played to his strength is because very few of our opponents allow us to. Other than Celtic, Aberdeen (away) and Hearts (away) the remainder of the league play a low line which squeezes the space in behind. He has nowhere to utilize his pace given that. For MOH to be effective you need your opponent to be playing a high line with space in behind. That isn't happening other than against the aforementioned teams. And that is where the next problem comes in..... if you utilize him against the teams mentioned because they do play a higher line then your issue is that he simply doesn't have the quality required.

 

Yes, he has pace. But what does he do with the ball when he has it ? Very little. Even if you look at the RBL game.... he beat the defender for pace, cuts back inside and has the chance to shoot - delays too long and then makes an attempt to lay it off for Waghorn which gets cut out.

 

The issue for MOH is thus, IMHO :

 

1. He could hurt the weaker teams in the SPFL because of his pace IF they played a high line. They don't, which makes him ineffective.

2. He gets space to use his pace against the stronger teams because of their high line.... but lacks the quality to do anything with the ball.

 

MOH is a middling SPFL player - no more and no less. The type of player that will suit playing for a St Johnstone or a Killie where opponents are prepared to play a high line. The way opponents play against us makes him ineffective the vast majority of the time. Which is why his signing looked like a decent one when made but once we realized that opponents in the SPFL would play a low line defensively and squeeze the space in behind became a poor signing.

 

The lad, IMHO and without trying to sound harsh, doesn't have the talent to be successful at a club like Rangers. Look at McKay - he is pacy (MOH looks quicker though) but, in the event that he can't beat a player with his pace he also has the tricks, skills, speed of thought to beat a player without the need for pace. If MOH doesn't beat a player with pace he simply doesn't beat a player. Sad but true.