Bucking the trend, I actually thought we played quite well

[Northernhibee]

Right now, I'd go with (assumg we get Goodwin):

-------------------Stack--------------------------
Francombe-------McPake-----Stephens-----Hanlon


Spoony--------Ozzy-----Goodwin--------Booth



-----------Gaz-------------Doyle------------
or Sparky
McPake will steady the likes of Stephens, if we get him Goodwin he would free up Ozzy to create more problems, Booth into LM, that's a team good enough to stay up.

[ahibby]

I don't see it exactly like the o.p. It looked to me that St Js game plan was to keep it really tight for the first twenty minutes and hit us on the break and to me although we had more chances they had more quality in attack. I'm not saying they let us attack as much as we did, but they did expect it from a team desperate to get points on the board. We didn't have the quality to make it count so I don't think we were better. Neither did we have the quality in defence. I'd say PH cost us the first goal going to ground needlessly the way he did. I blame him and Stephens for the second Hanlon ducked under the ball with a St J player goal side of him and Stephens was statuesque thereafter and for their third. I'm guessing we have one of the youngest sides out their just now with our experience coming from GOC, Sproule, Stevenson and Hart. That doesn't exactly fill you with confidence does it?

[steakbake]

Barring an atrocious defence, I was left thinking that PF's team would probably beat a Calderwood team - as long as they scored first ;-)

[Elephant Stone]

Our second goal was nice but apart from that there's no way I'd say we were even close to playing well. Even ignoring the atrocious defending we are still miles away, there's so little coming from the midfield, especially the wings- we could probably have played with no wingers at all on Saturday and the game wouldn't have been much different. Lots of new players and hard work required.

[brog]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I don't see it exactly like the o.p. It looked to me that St Js game plan was to keep it really tight for the first twenty minutes and hit us on the break and to me although we had more chances they had more quality in attack. I'm not saying they let us attack as much as we did, but they did expect it from a team desperate to get points on the board. We didn't have the quality to make it count so I don't think we were better. Neither did we have the quality in defence. I'd say PH cost us the first goal going to ground needlessly the way he did. I blame him and Stephens for the second Hanlon ducked under the ball with a St J player goal side of him and Stephens was statuesque thereafter and for their third. I'm guessing we have one of the youngest sides out their just now with our experience coming from GOC, Sproule, Stevenson and Hart. That doesn't exactly fill you with confidence does it?

IMO that's extremely harsh - Stephens misheaded the ball straight to Croft then backed off, as he did all game. Hanlon took the responsibility to close Croft down & made an excellent block only for the ball to rebound of Croft & sit up nicely for him. We're a poor team but we're not getting many breaks.

[greenlex]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

IMO that's extremely harsh - Stephens misheaded the ball straight to Croft then backed off, as he did all game. Hanlon took the responsibility to close Croft down & made an excellent block only for the ball to rebound of Croft & sit up nicely for him. We're a poor team but we're not getting many breaks.

Yup Centre backs throwing their body on the line is exactly what we need now. Croft got his second break of the game of that and scored with that break. The first was staying on the park.

[Hibbyradge]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I don't see it exactly like the o.p. It looked to me that St Js game plan was to keep it really tight for the first twenty minutes and hit us on the break and to me although we had more chances they had more quality in attack. I'm not saying they let us attack as much as we did, but they did expect it from a team desperate to get points on the board. We didn't have the quality to make it count so I don't think we were better. Neither did we have the quality in defence.

I'd say PH cost us the first goal going to ground needlessly the way he did. I blame him and Stephens for the second Hanlon ducked under the ball with a St J player goal side of him and Stephens was statuesque thereafter and for their third. I'm guessing we have one of the youngest sides out their just now with our experience coming from GOC, Sproule, Stevenson and Hart. That doesn't exactly fill you with confidence does it?

That's well off the mark.

It was a brave block and he was unfortunate that the rebound went straight back to the striker.

What was criminal was Sproule's half hearted attempt to track him back. He must have ran a full 5 yards then gave up.

If he'd continued running with him, 1. he might have been able to put in a challenge before the initial shot was made and 2. he might have been able to pick up the rebound from Hanlon.

[IWasThere2016]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Yup Centre backs throwing their body on the line is exactly what we need now. Croft got his second break of the game of that and scored with that break. The first was staying on the park.

Powder puff header from a CH, midfield not goal side and immediately they have 5 on 4 .. Cue goal!

'Playing well' starts from the back and doing the basics - I don't see that in us at all.

[Hibbyradge]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Powder puff header from a CH, midfield not goal side and immediately they have 5 on 4 .. Cue goal!

'Playing well' starts from the back and doing the basics - I don't see that in us at all.

It probably looked different on the highlights.

If you read the whole OP, you'll see a whole bunch of caveats in there.

And I said "quite well" not that we "played well". I meant as opposed to all the woe which was on the other threads.

I did say that we were poor defensively, but I enjoyed the game and we were a whole load better than when I was last at Easter Road.

Yes, there were horrible defensive errors, but we looked stronger in the middle and there was more shape and determination than I've seen for a while.

[greenlex]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Powder puff header from a CH, midfield not goal side and immediately they have 5 on 4 .. Cue goal!

'Playing well' starts from the back and doing the basics - I don't see that in us at all.

I actually thought Stephens was fouled as he went for the header. Had an excellent view from where I was.

[IWasThere2016]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I actually thought Stephens was fouled as he went for the header. Had an excellent view from where I was.

Having watched the entire game, and previous recent matches I'd like to see our defenders attack the ball. The number of piss poor defensive headers is staggering IMHO.

[down the slope]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I actually thought Stephens was fouled as he went for the header. Had an excellent view from where I was.

Not often i agree with you Lex but i thought Stevens was fouled before the ball landed in the middle for the first goal, i spoke to someone who watched the game on Alba and he thought we were awful and i have to agree to an extent but what you could not see on on the box was there seemed to be a wee bit of spirit in the team but that was knocked out of them after losing the third so quickly. I think we made more chances on Saturday than most of the other home games put together so maybe there is a wee bit of hope. I was keeping an eye on Hart and he had one of his best games now that he is up to speed or what passes for speed, a few times he lost the ball on the halfway line and i noticed him literally strolling back when he should have been bursting a gut to lend a hand, he will have to go, as for the young centre backs ...well they need a rest from taking the flack that they get, another one needed in there.